Cleveland Fusion

Cleveland Fusion

Founded	2002
League	Women's Football Alliance
Team history	NWFA (2002–2008) WFA (2009–Present)
Based in	Cleveland, Ohio
Stadium	Maple Heights Mustang Stadium
Colors	Seal Brown, Orange, White
President	T.J. Monachino
Head coach	Erik Keister
Championships	0
Division titles	2

The Cleveland Fusion is a women's professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. They play in the Women's Football Alliance. The Fusion played in the National Women's Football Association from their inception in 2002 until 2008. Home games are played at Mustang Stadium at Maple Heights High School.

History

The Cleveland Fusion were founded in 2002. ^{[1] [2]} They joined the Women's Football Alliance in 2009 after seven seasons in the National Women's Football Association. ^[3]

The team used to play at Bedford High School's Bearcat Stadium, as well as at Byers Field in Parma, Ohio. ^[4] A number of players have been drawn from Cleveland-area colleges, including Case Western Reserve University. ^[1]

T.J. Monachino took over the team before the 2017 season. ^[5]

Multiple organizations have praised the Fusion for promoting gay pride and breaking down gender roles. ^{[3] [6] [7]}

Season-by-season results

Season records

Season	W	L	T	Finish	Playoff results
Cleveland Fusion (NWFA)
2002	6	3	0	2nd Great Lakes	Lost League Quarterfinal (Massachusetts)
2003	7	3	0	2nd Northern Great Lakes	Won Northern Conference Quarterfinal (Baltimore) Lost Northern Conference Semifinal (Detroit)
2004	3	5	0	4th Northern Great Lakes	–
2005	5	3	0	10th Northern	–
2006	8	2	0	1st Northern North Central	Won League Wild Card (Philadelphia) Lost League Quarterfinal (Oklahoma City)
2007	8	3	0	3rd Northern Central	Won Northern Conference Quarterfinal (Connecticut) Won Northern Conference Semifinal (Massachusetts) Lost Northern Conference Championship (Pittsburgh)
2008	5	3	0	2nd Northern Central	–
Cleveland Fusion (WFA)
2009	4	4	0	3rd National Mid-Atlantic	–
2010	6	3	0	2nd National North Central	Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (St. Louis)
2011	5	3	0	2nd National Mid-Atlantic	–
2012	2	6	0	2nd National Mideast	–
2013	9	1	0	1st National North Central	Won National Conference Wild Card (West Michigan) Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Chicago)
2014	7	3	0	2nd National Northeast	Won National Conference Wild Card (Indy) Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Boston)
2015	6	3	0	2nd National Mid-Atlantic	Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Chicago)
2016	4	5	0	6th National	Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Boston)
Totals	85	50	0	(including playoffs)

^{[8] [9]}

2015 roster

Cleveland Fusion roster
Quarterbacks 49 Keri Palma Running backs 31 Mercedes Ephraim 38 Andrea Mixon Wide receivers 81 Maria Jackson 19 Kanisha Coward Tight ends 83 Valerie Riley		Offensive & Defensive Line 35 Jacque Martin 56 Tiffany Johnson 60 Britney Wallace 61 Daniece Harris 63 Tania Torres 66 Yermesha Kyle 77 Shanolen Kendall 78 Elizabeth Dillow 91 Caprita Bell 93 Kathy Dougherty Linebackers 21 Stefanie Russo 23 Desiree Alexander 45 Veronica Rucker 51 Christine Mason 52 Chelsea Biggers		Defensive backs 26 Angela Mason 32 Amanda Cooch 44 Katie Green Kickers 86 Lauren Acker		Injured Reserve 63 Marie "Pony" Vibbert Exempt List currently vacant Practice squad currently vacant rookies in italics Roster updated December 2015 26 Active, 0 Inactive, 0 PS

2009

Season Schedules

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 18	Kentucky Karma	Home	Won 38–14
April 25	Pittsburgh Force	Home	Lost 28–34
May 9	Columbus Comets	Away	Lost 12–30
May 16	Kentucky Karma	Away	Lost 12–20
May 30	Pittsburgh Force	Away	Won 34–16
June 6	Columbus Comets	Home	Lost 7–20
June 13	Cincinnati Sizzle	Home	Won 36–18
June 27	Cincinnati Sizzle	Away	Won 48–14

2010

Season Schedules

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 10	Toledo Reign	Away	Won 18–7
April 17	Kentucky Karma	Away	Won 54–6
April 24	Pittsburgh Force	Home	Won 60–3
May 1	Detroit Dark Angels	Home	Won 39–12
May 8	West Michigan Mayhem	Away	Lost 0–55
May 15	Toledo Reign	Home	Won 62–0
June 5	Detroit Dark Angels	Away	Won 34–14
June 19	West Michigan Mayhem	Home	Lost 14–66
June 26	St. Louis Slam (National Conference Quarterfinal)	Home	Lost 23–50

2011

Standings

2011 Mid Atlantic Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	DIV	GB	STK
y-Pittsburgh Passion	8	0	0	1.000	270	35	8-0	---	W8
Cleveland Fusion	5	3	0	0.625	267	90	5-3	3.0	L1
Columbus Comets	5	3	0	0.625	191	60	5-3	3.0	W2
Pittsburgh Force	2	6	0	0.000	8	364	2-6	6.0	L1
Erie Illusion	0	8	0	0.250	68	255	0-8	8.0	L8

Season Schedules

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 2	Columbus Comets	Away	Lost 13–16
April 16	Pittsburgh Passion	Home	Lost 8–26
April 30	Erie Illusion	Home	Won 50–0
May 7	Pittsburgh Force	Away	Won 54–0
May 14	Columbus Comets	Home	Won 16–6
May 21	Erie Illusion	Away	Won 50–0
June 4	Pittsburgh Force	Home	Won 76–0
June 11	Pittsburgh Passion	Away	Lost 0–42

2012

Standings

2012 Division 4
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	DIV	GB	STK
Detroit Dark Angels	8	0	0	1.000	248	46	4-0	---	W8
Cleveland Fusion	2	5	0	0.333	60	168	2-1	3	L1
Pittsburgh Force	0	6	0	0.000	26	210	0-4	5	L6

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 14	West Michigan Mayhem	Home	Lost 7–23
April 21	Pittsburgh Force	Home	Won 33–6
April 28	Detroit Dark Angels	Away	Lost 6–14
May 5	Pittsburgh Passion	Away	Lost 0–49
May 12	Pittsburgh Force	Away	Won 14–6
May 19	Chicago Force	Home	Lost 0–48
June 2	Columbus Comets	Away	Lost 0–22
June 9	Detroit Dark Angels	Home	Lost 14–17

2013

Standings

2013 Division 3
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	DIV	GB	STK
Cleveland Fusion-y	8	0	0	1.000	322	18	6-0	---	W8
Cincinnati Sizzle	4	4	0	0.500	186	264	3-3	3	W1
Derby City Dynamite	3	5	0	0.375	136	238	2-4	4	W3
Toledo Reign	1	7	0	0.125	65	278	1-5	5	L3

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 13	Derby City Dynamite	Home	Won 44–0
April 20	Toledo Reign	Away	Won 36–6
April 27	Derby City Dynamite	Away	Won 40–0
May 4	Central Maryland	Home	Won 42–0
May 11	Cincinnati Sizzle	Away	Won 47–6
May 18	Toledo Reign	Home	Won 50–0
June 1	Cincinnati Sizzle	Home	Won 55–6
June 8	Central Maryland	Away	Won 48–0

2014

Standings

2014 WFA Northeast Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	DIV	GB	STK
y - Boston Militia	7	0	0	1.000	199	92	2-0	---	W7
z - Cleveland Fusion	6	2	0	0.750	224	121	0-2	2	W4
Pittsburgh Force	3	2	0	0.600	64	80	0-0	5	L1

y - clinched division title
z - clinched playoff berth

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 5	Columbus Comets	Home	Won 27–7
April 19	Boston Militia	Away	Lost 7–47
April 26	Indy Crash	Home	Won 7–0
May 3	Boston Militia	Home	Lost 7–48
May 10	Cincinnati Sizzle	Away	Won 71–0
May 17	Toledo Reign	Away	Won 46–0
May 31	Columbus Comets	Away	Won 23–12
June 7	West Michigan Mayhem	Home	Won 33–8

2015

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away	Result
April 11	Central Maryland Seahawks	Away	Won 35–0
April 18	Columbus Comets	Home	Won 49–0
April 25	Indy Crash	Home	Won 35–0
May 9	Columbus Comets	Away	Won 47–6
May 16	Boston Renegades	Home	Lost 20–24
May 30	Detroit Dark Angels	Away	Won 35–0
June 6	DC Divas	Away	Lost 7–27
June 13	West Michigan Mayhem	Home	Won 42–12

Logos

• 
  Cleveland Fusion (2002-2007)
• 
  Cleveland Fusion (2008–present)

References

1. "CWRU Alumni hit gridiron for Cleveland Fusion". The Observer. April 6, 2012. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018.
2. Kedzi, Mike (April 22, 2010). "North Royalton women at forefront of Cleveland Fusion fever: Royalton Revue". cleveland.com . Archived from the original on May 31, 2018.
3. Watson, Lex (April 14, 2018). "Cleveland's New Football Revolution". PressureLife. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
4. Bowen, Chuck (October 22, 2007). "Gridiron Girl". Cleveland Magazine . Archived from the original on May 31, 2018.
5. Kleps, Kevin (January 8, 2017). "Fusion will put best foot forward in 2017". Crain's Cleveland Business . Archived from the original on May 31, 2018.
6. "The Perfect Fusion of Football and Pride". Cleveland Pride. May 22, 2017. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018.
7. "Best Gender-Bending Sports Team: Cleveland Fusion". Cleveland Scene . 2006. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018.
8. Rozendaal, Neal (January 20, 2016). The Women's Football Encyclopedia. p. 164. ISBN   978-0-9970637-0-7.
9. Rozendaal, Neal. "The Women's Football Encyclopedia - 2016 Addendum" (PDF). nealrozendaal.com. Retrieved January 22, 2017.

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