Dec. 11, 2008
Columbia, Mo. - Two University of Missouri soccer players have been invited to the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) combines, the league announced earlier this month. Senior Kat Tarr will travel to the West Coast combine in Chula Vista, Calif., for this weekend's workout, while former Tiger Jennifer Nobis (2002-05) will attend the East Coast combine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., from Dec. 18-21.
Tarr and Nobis will train with a group of 72 players at each location as coaches from each of the seven professional teams evaluate players in a series of matches and physical tests designed to showcase players' talents.
Nobis returns to the U.S. after playing professionally for two seasons in Sweden, most recently for Umeå Södra of the top division. Nobis has also played for Danmarks IF Uppsala in Sweden and Charlton Athletic in England since finishing an illustrious career at Mizzou.
The Quincy, Ill., native earned 93 points as a Tiger, third most in Missouri history. Her 32 career goals rank her second on the Missouri all-time list and her 28 career assists are third most in program history. As a freshman, Nobis was selected to the Soccer Buzz All Central Region Freshman Team and to the Big 12 All Newcomer Team. As a junior, she was an All-Big 12 second team honoree and Soccer Buzz All Central Region third team member. In her final season as a Tiger, she finished with 14 assists, the most in Missouri single season history, and the fourth best assists per game average (0.78) in Big 12 history.
Tarr is coming off an impressive four-year career, showcased by a strong senior season in 2008. She led all field players in minutes played and was a Big 12 All-Tournament Team selection as she helped Missouri capture its first conference soccer championship. The Vancouver, Wash., native anchored a Missouri defense this year that set school records in fewest goals allowed (19) and most shutouts in a season (12). Tarr was also an All-Big 12 second team honoree in 2007.
In addition to playing together for Missouri in 2005, Tarr and Nobis were teammates on River Cities FC of the Women's Professional Soccer League.
WPS is the highest level of women's professional soccer in North America and will begin play in April 2009. There are seven teams for the inaugural season: Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C., with expansion franchises Dallas, Atlanta and Philadelphia scheduled to join in 2010.
The 2009 WPS Draft will be held January 16 in St. Louis.
