NEW YORK, N.Y. – Elon senior back Steven Kinney has been invited to the 2010 adidas Major League Soccer Player Combine as announced by the league on December 10. Kinney, the first-ever Elon player to be asked to the combine, is one of only 62 Division I seniors to be invited. The annual player combine will be held at Central Broward Regional Park in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. from January 8-12, 2010.

“This is a tremendous honor to be invited to the combine and compete against such a high level of competition,” commented Kinney. “It is great to have the opportunity to keep playing after my college career has ended and I am really looking forward to the experience.”

The 62 players will be divided into four teams and compete against each other on January 9, 10 and 12. Kinney is the lone member of the Southern Conference to be invited to the combine.

Kinney has been one of the most impressive players to ever wear the maroon and gold. The four-year starter was a three-time first-team All-SoCon selection during his time on the Elon back line. Kinney helped the Phoenix record 28 shutouts over four seasons, including a school-record tying 10 in 2009. The native of Norcross, Ga., was honored as one of the 30 finalists for the Lowes Senior CLASS award as a senior, while leading Elon to its first-ever appearance in the league tournament championship game. Kinney was also the first Phoenix men’s soccer player to earn Academic All-America status, being named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America third team in November.

The co-captain netted eight goals and assisted on two others during his career. Kinney was instrumental in Elon’s unbeaten conference slate in 2008 as the Phoenix won its first SoCon regular-season title. He will graduate with a degree in accounting later this month.

“We are very excited for Steven to play in the combine games,” Elon head coach Darren Powell said. “We feel he has had a exceptional career at Elon and hope he can make the transition to the next level. The team wishes him well in all his future endeavors.”

The coaching and management staffs of all 16 MLS teams will be in attendance to scout the talent at the MLS Player Combine, which concludes two days prior to the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. At the 2009 SuperDraft, 42 of the 60 players drafted attended last year’s combine, 10 of which were selected in the first round. This year’s MLS SuperDraft will be held on Thursday, January 14 in Philadelphia, Pa.