EVANSTON, ILL. • Colorado College’s Molly Uyenishi has enrolled in a new class: Women’s Professional Soccer 101.

The senior biology major dropped her original course temporarily and has instead focused all her attention on trying to make the roster of the WPS’ Chicago Red Stars, who began their preseason training camp Sunday at Northwestern University’s Kirby-Flanagan Indoor Practice Field.

Already, the learning curve has been set high by her teammates — some of them national team players and experienced pros, others college stars about to graduate.

“I feel like I can get better playing with them for 5 minutes just because everyone is so good,” said Uyenishi, a native of the Chicago suburb Hawthorn Woods.

Uyenishi’s new educational path actually began Feb. 12-13 with an open tryout, which she first heard about from the coach of her Eclipse Select club team. After weeks of intense self-imposed two-a-days at CC, she was among seven players selected from a field of 70 to attend the Red Stars training camp.

“I was actually really surprised when they called my name because I didn’t think that I had a great session in the morning … and before the second one I was like, ‘Well, I ruined my chances.’”

But Red Stars coach Emma Hayes disagreed. She saw a few things she liked in the 5-foot-8 defender.

“I think she’s somebody (that) technically will fit in and hold her own at this level, which is what you’re going to need to do,” Hayes said. “She’s a pretty smart girl. She anticipates and read the game real well out of the back. And she did enough in that tryout to deserve to be here. Her size and her presence were a big part of it as well.”

Hayes was also happy with how Uyenishi did Sunday.

“We did a lot of stuff in small areas and she’s got a good touch,” Hayes said. “She’s able to stop things quickly and I think these are the type of things she’s going to do well. As the week progresses and we start working over bigger areas we get to see how she stands athletically.”

Uyenishi said one of the hardest adjustments she’s already had to make is competing against her teammates for a roster spot.

“Everyone is trying to win a spot, but no one’s nasty about it,” she said. “… But you know who you’re matched up with or who you’re fighting for a spot against.”

Among Uyenishi’s competition at defender are Lakewood native Marian Dalmy, who played for the U.S. in two 2007 World Cup games, and University of Colorado senior Michelle Wenino, the 2008 Big 12 Defender of the Year.

WPS teams are allowed 28 players to start the preseason. Only 24 Red Stars will make it past March 12 and to a trip to Sunrise, Fla., for more training and exhibition games. Final rosters are limited to 18. The inaugural season for the WPS, the successor to the defunct Women’s United Soccer Association, starts March 29.

But for now, Uyenishi isn’t as concerned with making the cut as she is with keeping up with and enjoying her new advanced studies.

“There’s tension and excitement,” she said. “I’ve never played at this level before. … All of them are really good players. Just the intensity and the pace of the game is just faster than what I’m used to. So I’m just trying to take it all in.”

Molly Uyenishi says it is an adjustment competing against teammates for a roster spot. Photo by ERIN DELAHANTY, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE