PROVO -- Following a strong ending to her collegiate career, senior forward Katie Larkin has entered the 2009 Women’s Professional Soccer draft, which will take place Friday, Jan. 16 at the Cervantes Convention Center/America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo.
Larkin participated in the West Coast WPS Combine held Dec. 11-14, 2008, in San Diego, Calif. She was featured in two videos on the Women’s Professional Soccer website’s “Fan Corner.”
During the combines, players went through general training and physical testing and were assigned to specific teams with the opportunity to play in three games over the course of three days. Players’ rights will be drafted by teams at the 2009 WPS Draft at the NSCAA Convention. Beginning in February, teams will also hold local try-outs in their respective markets.
Fans can follow the 2009 WPS Draft online and view pictures and video of Larkin and other athletes eligible for the draft by visiting http://fancorner.womensprosoccer.com/.
WPS is the highest level women’s professional soccer league in North America. Formed in September 2007 as the result of the efforts of the Women’s Soccer Initiative, Inc., WPS, which will begin play in April 2009 consists of seven teams across the country.
The markets for the 2009 season are San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. WPS expects to expand to Atlanta and Philadelphia in 2010 and continues to explore additional potential franchises for 2010 and beyond. The WPS team planned for Dallas is now slated to begin play in 2010 as the League continues to work on securing a facility, with the intention that the Team will start play in the League’s second season. More markets will be announced as they are added to the League.
Information from www.womensprosoccer.com was used in this release.