TAMPA, FL – (Friday, July 25, 2008) – Richmond Kickers Destiny midfielder/defender Emma Delves is one of 128 elite players selected to participate in the first annual USL W-League Combine to be held in Tampa, Florida September 4-7.  The combine serves as a showcase for Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), slated to begin operations in 2009, and will consist of invited W-League players and selected players from an open application process. 

New to the Destiny this season, Delves is a versatile defender who played with Chelsea Ladies FC for over three seasons, securing a position on the starting lineup last year. Doubling as an offensive threat with three goals and one assist for the Destiny, she concluded her first W-League season second on the team in scoring with seven points.  Earning more starts than any other Destiny player with 12, Delves led the team in minutes played, anchoring the midfield for 990 minutes. 

With many current and former internationals, as well as collegiate standouts, it is expected that numerous players drafted and signed by WPS will hail from the W-League.  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. 

“The W-League has harvested many of the nation’s best female soccer talent for years, growing the sport and priming these athletes for professional stardom,” said Tonya Antonucci, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) commissioner.  “We applaud their accomplishments as we work in close partnership with the league in identifying and showcasing W-League talent to further raise the profile of women’s soccer culminating in the launch of Women’s Professional Soccer in 2009.” 

The mission of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is to be the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured. Play kicks off in the spring of 2009, with WPS teams based in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. The league will expand to eight teams by 2010 with the inclusion of Philadelphia. For more information, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.