Coastal Carolina's Ashleigh Gunning Invited to Combine
CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina University women’s soccer alum Ashleigh Gunning (Baton Rouge, La./Magnet (LSU)) has been invited to the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) West Coast Combine, to be held Dec. 11-14 in San Diego, Calif.
Invites to the invitation-only combines were made through a careful selection process done by the WPS Technical Committee. Gunning is one of 144 players that will participate in the two combines. There also is an East Coast combine Dec. 18-21 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Combine participants include graduating college seniors who will have completed their eligibility following the conclusion of the 2008 season and other national and international talent from top level amateur leagues such as the W-League and the WPSL.
Gunning, a forward, was selected the Big South Player of the Year for the second straight season, becoming only the second player in Big South history to achieve the back-to-back feat. She led the team with 11 goals and 23 points. Three of her four game-winning goals came in Big South play. She scored both goals in the 2-1 win over Gardner-Webb and had game-winners in victories over UNC Asheville and VMI. Gunning had three goals in the Big South Tournament at High Point and was selected to the All-Big South Tournament team. Gunning was selected the Big South Player of the Week Oct. 28 after the VMI contest. She had 36 career goals at Coastal Carolina and is in the top-five in school history in career goals, assists, points and shots. Gunning also was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second team for the second straight season.
Gunning will play three games in as many days in San Diego, as well as undergo general training and physical testing in the combine. Players’ rights will be drafted by teams at the 2009 WPS Draft on January 16 in St. Louis.
The WPS will begin its first season in April of 2009. There are seven teams located in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, San Francisco and Washington D.C., with three more teams starting play in 2010.