United Soccer Leagues announced Wednesday the full list of 128 players who will be participating in the upcoming inaugural USL W-League Combine. Northern Virginia Majestic players Tara Kidwell and Amanda Detterline were named to attend the prestigious event, joining previously selected teammate Kelly Hammond for the four day professional trials.
The first-year event will give the players the opportunity to showcase their abilities for Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) general managers and coaches at the Ed Radice Sports Complex in Tampa, FL September 4-7. The combine player list features participants who played for 31 different W-League teams in 2008, attended 97 different universities and represent 13 different nationalities.
“Since the league was founded in 1995, the W-League has been the cornerstone for women’s elite club soccer for 14 years, providing a home for the world’s best players and developing the stars of the future,” said W-League Director of Operations Melanie Fitzgerald.
“The players gathering for the combine are among the best in the league over the past few years and include many that may become household names with WPS clubs or beyond in the near future. History has shown USL’s dedication to development of the female player and the women’s game to be of the highest caliber and we are confident the WPS coaches, general managers and scouts on hand will be in agreement in September.”
The inaugural WPS season kicks off in April 2009 with play in seven cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. W-League players will have their first opportunity to be selected by WPS teams when the WPS General Draft is held on Oct. 6. The new professional league will hold another player draft the week of January 14, 2009, which will be followed by team tryouts in each market.
With many current and former internationals among the Combine attendee list, as well as collegiate standouts, it is expected that numerous players drafted and signed by WPS will hail from the W-League. Historically, the same occurred with the launch of the Women’s United Soccer Association in 2001. A total of 92 current and former W-League players were allocated or drafted by the WUSA leading up to the first of its three seasons.
Numerous W-League players went on to find success in the WUSA, including several that also found a spot with the US National Team. Recent Olympic gold medalists Shannon Boxx and Angela Hucles are two such players. Boxx, a member of the Boston Renegades, was drafted by San Diego and would later debut for the US in 2003. A former Hampton Roads Piranha, Hucles was drafted by Boston and would go on to join the US squad in 2002.
Thirty players from the W-League Championship final four will also be on hand from the FC Indiana Lionesses, Seattle Sounders, Washington Freedom and league champion Pali Blues. In addition to the WPS general managers and coaches in attendance, coaches and scouts from the Football Association of Ireland and W-League teams will observe the combine.
USL W-League Combine Participants
