ESPN College Football

Former University of New Mexico football player Katie Hnida is adding another chapter to her comeback story.

At New Mexico, Katie Hnida was the first woman to play in a Division I game.

Hnida, who was a Lobos backup kicker from 2000-03, recently completed her memoir. In it, she chronicles the abuse and sexual assault she endured while on the University of Colorado football team -- then the redemption of transferring to UNM and becoming the first woman to score a point in a Division I football game.

The book, titled "Still Kicking: My Dramatic Journey as the First Woman to Play Division One College Football" is scheduled to be released Nov. 21 by Scribner, a division of the Simon and Schuster publishing house.

Hnida's agent Bob Barnett took her to meet with a series of New York publishers after she completed her eligibility at New Mexico in December 2004. NCAA rules precluded her from accepting any book or movie deals while she was still playing for the Lobos.

Barnett also represents Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton whose books Scribner has published. That set up a natural partnership for Hnida and the publishing house.

"We all fell in love with Katie almost immediately," said Beth Wareham, vice president and director of lifestyle publishing at Scribner. "We had all read her material and a very resilient, tough voice came through the work that we all liked enormously. She's been through a great deal and doesn't feel sorry for herself. She is a woman breaking a barrier; she is a fighter."

Wareham declined to release any details about Hnida's contract with the company, including how much she was paid for the memoir.

She said Hnida wrote the book, accepting comments from Scribner editors. Now the memoir is being typeset and promoted nationwide.

The publishing company's Web site lists $24 as the price for the hardcover edition of Hnida's 242-page book.

In addition to working on her memoir, Hnida has spent the past two years delivering lectures about her experience and urging others to speak out against sexual assault. She won an award from the National Organization for Women for her work.

Scribner representatives said Hnida, now 25, is still pursuing her goal of playing professional football.

Hnida first turned heads as a prolific kicker at Chatfield High in Littleton, Colo. She seemed to lead a charmed existence as homecoming queen and football star.

Her success was chronicled by Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly. She was named Colorado Sportswoman of the Year and one of the 20 most influential teens in America by Teen People.

Former Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel invited Hnida to try out for the Buffaloes, but he left for Washington before she arrived on campus. His successor, Gary Barnett, told the Albuquerque Tribune in August 2003 he reluctantly honored Neuheisel's offer.

"If I had it to do over again, I would have said 'No,"' Gary Barnett said.

Hnida kept her tumultuous experience at Colorado quiet initially, but she spoke up about it when other women said they had been raped by CU players.

She eventually revealed that she was verbally and physically abused by her Colorado teammates. She also said a teammate, whom she trusted and considered a friend, raped her.

After Hnida's allegations, Barnett said he was never told about the negative climate she faced on his team. He responded to a reporter's question about Hnida's ability as a kicker, "It was obvious Katie was not very good. She was awful. You know what guys do? They respect your ability. You can be 90 years old, but if you can go out and play, they'll respect you. Katie was not only a girl, she was terrible. OK? There's no other way to say it."

Hnida never identified her attackers and no criminal charges have been filed in connection with her allegations. Last year, Gary Barnett accepted a $3 million buyout at Colorado.

Hnida left Colorado after one season, and walked on at New Mexico in 2002. She said she was immediately embraced by the Lobos and never had any problems with her new coaches and teammates.

Hnida became the first woman to attempt an extra point in the 2002 Las Vegas Bowl, but she missed.

She redeemed herself by nailing a pair of extra points during the Lobos' 72-8 rout of Texas State-San Marcos in August 2003.

Hnida petitioned the NCAA for another year of eligibility to make up for the hardships she endured at Colorado. Her request was granted and she was on the roster for the 2004 season but never played again.

"I can't even begin to describe what it meant for me to come to New Mexico and be part of this team," Hnida said in December 2004. "They really helped me heal. They gave me such inner strength I never imagined was possible. It was a beautiful experience that I am sad to leave behind but will never forget."

Hnida's memoir is expected to include more details than previously revealed about her experiences at Colorado and New Mexico.

"Since her leaders and teammates were all men, that made it even more interesting," Wareham said. "You look at coach [Rocky] Long at the University of New Mexico and coach Barnett at CU, and it is a black and white portrait of how to lead and how not to lead.

"It's the same with her teammates. The players in New Mexico were committed to her and her goal and operated like a team. The players at CU threw footballs at her head ... In the end, it's not men versus women, it's an exercise in humanity and what is possible."