From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United Soccer Leagues (USL) is the parent organization for the men's lower division leagues of US and Canadian soccer: USL First Division (second division), USL Second Division (third division), and Premier Development League (PDL) (fourth division). The top division for US and Canadian men's soccer is Major League Soccer (MLS). The USL also includes the current top flight women's league W-League and youth league the Super Y-League. It is directly affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA).
The USL structure allows for the Second Division champion to be promoted to the First Division, provided that the team to be promoted meets criteria set by USL and the USSF, and space exists. A formal relegation process may also be added at a future date. There is no promotion or relegation between MLS and USL.
USL rosters may consist of a maximum of 26 players, with 18 designated for each game. Each team is permitted a maximum of five (5) foreign players on its active game-day roster and a maximum of seven (7) foreign players on its master roster. In the PDL and W-League, at least three players in a full 26-player roster must be under 19, in accordance with guidelines set by the USASA and USSF. In the PDL, a maximum of eight (8) players may be over the age of 23, and can retain their NCAA elegibility.
[edit] History
The USL began life in 1986 as the Southwest Indoor Soccer League (SISL). In 1989 the league added an outdoor season and subsequently became known as the Southwest Independent Soccer League with many teams playing both indoor and outdoor seasons. Before the beginning the 1990/91 indoor season the league again changed its name to the Sunbelt Independent Soccer League, and again prior to the beginning of the 1991/92 indoor season the league changed its name to the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL).
In 1995, after briefly renaming themselves the United States International Soccer League (USISL), the league changed its name to the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues and formally established an amateur league, the USL Premier Development League and a professional league, the USL Second Division. The next year, the USISL established the new Select League consisting of its strongest teams from its professional FIFA Division 3 sanctioned Pro League and its amateur Premier League in hopes of gaining FIFA Division 2 sanctioning. The next season, the Select League and the independent Division 2 A-League merged to form a new A-League under the USISL umbrella. In 1999 the umbrella USISL changed its name to the modern United Soccer Leagues.
[edit] Complete historical team list
- Amarillo Challengers (Indoor: 1991/92)
- Ann Arbor Elite (1995)
- Arizona Cotton (1993-94, Indoor: 1991/92-92/93, as Phoenix Hearts in 1991/92)
- Arkansas A's (1992, 94, Indoor: 1991/92, as Arkansas Diamonds in 1994)
- Atlanta Lightning (Indoor: 1991/92)
- Atlanta Magic (1993-94, Indoor: 1991/92-95/96, as Atlanta Lasers in 1993)
- Austin Lone Stars (1992-94, as Austin Sockadillos in 1992-93)
- Baltimore Bays (1993-94, Indoor: 1992/93-97/98)
- Birmingham Grasshoppers (1993-94)
- Boca Raton Sabres (1992-94)
- Boston Storm (1994)
- Brandon Braves (Indoor: 1994/95-95/96)
- Cape Cod Crusaders (1994)
- Central California Valley Hydra (1994)
- Charlotte Eagles (1993-94)
- Charleston Battery (1993-94)
- Chattanooga Express (1992-94, Indoor: 1992/93-95/96, as Chattanooga Railroaders in 1992-1992/93)
- Chico Rooks (1993-94)
- Cincinnati Cheetahs (1994)
- Cocoa Expos (1994, Indoor: 1993/94)
- Colorado Comets (Indoor: 1991/92)
- Columbia Heat (1993-94, as Columbia Spirit in 1993)
- Connecticut Wolves (1993-94)
- Coral Springs Kicks (1993)
- Dallas Rockets (1992-94, Indoor: 1991/92, as North Texas Mid-Cities Flyers in 1991/92)
- Dallas/Fort Worth Toros (1992-94, Indoor: 1991/92-92/93, 95/96, as Dallas Kickers in 1991/92, as Dallas Americans in 1992-1992/93)
- Dallas Lightning (1993-94, Indoor: 1993/94, 95/96, as Tyler Lightning in 1993, as Texas Lightning in 1993/94-1994)
- Delaware Wizards (1993-94)
- Des Moines Menace (1994)
- Detroit Wheels (1994-95)
- East Bay Red Riders (1992-93)
- East Los Angeles Cobras (1993-94)
- El Paso Patriots (1992-94)
- Florida Stars (1994)
- Fort Lauderdale Kicks (1994)
- Greensboro Dynamo (1993-94, Indoor: 1993/94)
- Gwinnett County Steamers (1992)
- Hampton Roads Hurricane (1994)
- Hawaii Tsunami (1994)
- Jacksonville Fury (1994-95)
- Jersey Dragons (1994)
- Kansas City All-Stars (Indoor: 1996/97)
- Knoxville Impact (Indoor: 1992/93-95/96)
- Las Vegas Quicksilver (1994)
- Lexington Bluegrass Bandits (1994)
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- Long Island Rough Riders (1994)
- Louisville Thoroughbreds (1994)
- Lubbock Lazers (Indoor: 1991/92-92/93, as Lubbock Tornado in 1991/92)
- Memphis Jackals (1992-94, Indoor: 1991/92, as Memphis Survivors in 1991/92, as Memphis United Express in 1992)
- Mesquite Kickers (Indoor: 1994/95-96/97)
- Michigan Madness (1996)
- Milwaukee Rampage (1994)
- Minnesota Thunder (1994)
- Montclair Standard Falcons (1993-94)
- Nashville Metros (1992-94, Indoor: 1991/92-93/94)
- New Mexico Chiles (1994)
- New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers (1994)
- New York Fever (1994)
- North Bay Breakers (1992-94)
- North Jersey Imperials (1994)
- Ohio Xoggz (1994-96, as Columbus Xoggz in 1994-95)
- Oklahoma City Slickers (1992-94, Indoor: 1991/92-94/95, as Oklahoma City Warriors in 1993-1994/95)
- Oklahoma City Warriors (Indoor: 1996/97-97/98, as Oklahoma City Alliance in 1996/97)
- Orlando Lions (1992-94, Indoor: 1993/94-95/96)
- Permian Basin Mirage (Indoor: 1991/92)
- Philadelphia Freedom (1994, Indoor: 1995/96-96/97, as Pennsylvania Freedom in 1994-1995/96)
- Raleigh Flyers (1993-94)
- Reading Rage (Indoor: 1995/96)
- Reno Rattlers (1994)
- Richmond Kickers (1993-94, Indoor: 1993/94)
- Rockford Raptors (1994)
- St. Louis Knights (1994)
- San Antonio Pumas (1992-1994, Indoor: 1991/92-92/93, as San Antonio Generals in 1991/92-92/93)
- San Diego Top Guns (1994)
- San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles (1993-94)
- San Francisco United All Blacks (1992-94, as San Francisco All Blacks in 1992)
- San Francisco Bay Diablos (1993-94)
- San Jose Hawks (1993)
- Santa Cruz Surf (1993-94)
- Shasta Scorchers (1994)
- Silicon Valley Firebirds (1992-94, as Palo Alto Firebirds in 1992)
- Sioux City Breeze (1994)
- South Florida Flamingos (1994)
- Texas Arsenal (Indoor: 1992/93-93/94, as Texas Stampede in 1992/93)
- Toledo Twisters (Indoor: 1993/94)
- Tucson Amigos (1992-94, Indoor: 1991/92-92/93)
- Tulsa Renegades (Indoor: 1991/92)
- Tulsa Roughnecks (1993-94, Indoor: 1993/94-97/98)
- Virginia Kickers (1997/98)
- Washington Mustangs (1994)
- Wichita Blue Angels (1994)
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[edit] Champions
- Champions determined by best-of-5-game series, except for 1986/87, 1989 & 1991 seasons which were determined by one-game final.
- Champions determined by one-game final, except for 1996/97 which was determined by best-of-3 game series.
[edit] External links
