There's a fresh face around the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center. 

Katie Bell was hired over the summer to serve as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator. The Chapman University graduate and former soccer standout spent the last three years at Brooklyn's St. Joseph's University, a fellow Division III institution.

Athletic Director Howard Davis called the Sunnyvale, California, native a fantastic addition to the Cal Lutheran family.

"Katie's experience, personality and work ethic clearly made her the best fit for Regals and Kingsmen Athletics," he said.

Here are a few questions to get acquainted with the athletic department's new No. 2.

Q: What is the most treasured item in your new office?
A: My "Welcome 2 Cal Lu sign!" It has pictures of all the staff and head coaches with little welcome messages written underneath their headshots. It was such a warm welcome on my first day!

Q: What was your favorite part of living in Brooklyn?
A: The food!! Brooklyn has some of the best food in the whole world. If you're ever there, you have to go to Brooklyn Hero Shop in Clinton Hill.

Q: Must-see place in New York City that most people overlook
A: Prospect Park in Brooklyn. They have a beautiful botanical garden and a zoo. And they have a dog beach! 

Q: Besides the weather, what did you miss most about SoCal while living on the East Coast?
A: The beaches. And the burritos.

Q: What was the single biggest factor in deciding to come to Cal Lutheran?
A: The sense of community and their passion for the student-athlete experience. When I met with the coaches in my interviews, I could tell that they cared deeply for both Cal Lutheran as a whole as well as their individual student-athletes. It made the decision extremely easy!

Q: Favorite memory as a college athlete
A: Beating Cal Lu. KIDDING! It was actually beating Pomona-Pitzer in the SCIAC Tournament Semifinal my senior year. They were the No. 16 team in the nation, and we had no business winning that game, but we took them to penalty kicks, and I scored the winning PK!

Q: Go-to song when you want to get motivated/pumped up
A: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

Q: Best movie or TV series you've seen in the last six months
A: I've been re-watching "Game of Thrones" with some of my best friends, two of whom have never seen it. Watching them watch some of the episodes (think Red Wedding, season 5 and 6 finales) has been so much fun.

Q: Favorite pro team to root for
A: Literally any Bay Area team. And the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, of course. 

Q: Athlete you most enjoyed watching growing up?
A: Mia Hamm. She was every little soccer girl's dream!

Q: Share something about yourself that people would be surprised to learn
A: I've had seven surgeries on one knee.

Q: If you could see any band/singer/performer in concert this year, it would be…
A: Taylor Swift

Q: Monthly subscription you absolutely couldn't live without
A: Kindle Unlimited. I'm a big reader!

Q: In-N-Out or The Habit?
A: In-N-Out

Q: Dogs or cats?
A: Dogs

Q: Breakfast or lunch?
A: Lunch

Q: Phone call or text?
A: Text

Q: Comedy, horror or action flick?
A: Comedy

Q: You're happiest when ... 
A: I'm surrounded by the people that I love.