Dec. 30, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Former UAB women's soccer standout Tara Kidwell was one of 144 players that were invited to participate in the Women's Professional Soccer combine. Kidwell went through the combine in mid-December and will be eligible for the 2009 WPS draft on Jan. 16.

The WPS combine was by invitation only by the WPS Coaches Committee and consisted of some of the top professional players in the nation. During the combine, players went through general training and physical testing, as well as being assigned to specific teams with the opportunity to play in three games in three days to showcase their talent.

The 2009 WPS draft will be held on Jan. 16 in St. Louis, Mo. at the annual National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) convention.

After her stellar collegiate career with the Blazers, Kidwell went on to play professionally in the W-League. She has played with five different clubs since joining the league in 2003, including most-recently playing with the Northern Virginia Mystics in 2008.

During her four seasons (2001-04) with the UAB women's soccer team, Kidwell became one of the most decorated players in program history. She was a three-time member of the NSCAA and SoccerBuzz All-Region teams, as well as being honored as honorable mention All-America by SoccerBuzz in 2004. In addition, she earned a spot on the Conference USA first team for three consecutive seasons (2002-04).

Kidwell holds multiple UAB career records, including points (101), goals (38) and assists (25). She also holds single-season records for points (35), goals (14), and shots (75).