History
Founded in 2006, the Philadelphia Liberty FC plays in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The Liberty's home, since 2006, is John A. Farrell Stadium, which is located on the campus of West Chester University in the Philadelphia suburb of West Chester. The team is owned by Team Dynamics LLC, a highly successful organization dedicated to soccer education and player development at all age levels, which also operates the Atlantic City Diablos and Central Delaware SA Future.
Prior to the 2007 season, the team was known as the Philadelphia Pirates. In 2009, Team Dynamics LLC became Philadelphia Women's Pro Soccer LLC, and the Philadelphia Independence of Women's Professional Soccer began competing under its ownership in 2010. Also in 2010, the WPSL Philadelphia Liberty was renamed as the Philadelphia Independence, meaning that Philadelphia Women's Pro Soccer LLC now operates two teams named the Philadelphia Independence, one in WPS and one in the WPSL.
The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is an amateur women's soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is the top amateur league for women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, below only National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The WPSL is the longest-running active women's soccer league as it enters its 25th season in 2023 – the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The WPSL is also the largest women's soccer league in the United States, North America and the world with 130 active teams as of 2023.
The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of promotion and relegation typical in soccer elsewhere. Instead, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) defines professional leagues in three levels, called divisions, with all other leagues sanctioned by the USSF not having an official designated level or division.
The New Jersey Wildcats is an American women’s soccer team, founded by Vincent Baldino in 1996. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team played in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference against the D.C. United Women, New Jersey Rangers, Long Island Rough Riders, New York Magic and North Jersey Valkyries.
The Atlantic City Diablos are an American professional soccer team based in Richland, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 2005, the team plays in Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
F.C. Indiana, also known as F.C. Indiana Lionesses, is an American women's soccer team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2003, the team is currently a member of the United Women's Soccer league. They play their home games at Newton Park in Lakeville, Indiana.
Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) was the top-level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded six teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion. The WPS was the highest level in the United States soccer pyramid for the women's game.
The Chicago Red Stars are a professional women's soccer club based in Bridgeview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. A founding member of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league, they have played in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) since 2013.
The Philadelphia Independence was an American professional soccer club that was based in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester, Pennsylvania. The team joined Women's Professional Soccer as an expansion team in 2010 and played its home games at West Chester University's John A. Farrell Stadium. The team played at Widener University's Leslie Quick Stadium in 2011. The Women's Professional Soccer league folded on May 18, 2012, after an earlier announcement that the 2012 season would be suspended.
The 2010 Women's Professional Soccer season was the second season for the WPS, the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. Regular season champion FC Gold Pride won the WPS Championship on September 26 with a 4-0 victory over the Philadelphia Independence.
Oklahoma Alliance is an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2007. The team is a member of the Women's Premier Soccer League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team plays in the South Division of the Big Sky Conference.
SoccerPlus Connecticut is an American women's soccer team, founded in 2006. The team is a member of the Women's Premier Soccer League, the third tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada. The team plays in the North Division of the East Conference.
Elizabeth Ely Bogus is an American soccer coach and retired player who played as a midfielder and forward. She played semi-professionally with Chicago Cobras, Arizona Heatwave, Ajax America Women, Mile High Edge, Pali Blues, and Boston Aztec; at the professional level, she appeared for Los Angeles Sol, Boston Breakers, PK-35 Vantaa, Seattle Reign, and FC Kansas City.
Jennifer Rose Buczkowski is an American former soccer midfielder. She played for FC Kansas City in the NWSL. She previously played for the Philadelphia Independence and New Jersey Sky Blue of Women's Professional Soccer.
The Boston Breakers were an American professional soccer club based in the Boston neighborhood of Allston. The team competed in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). They replaced the original Breakers, who competed in the defunct Women's United Soccer Association, as the Boston area's professional women's soccer team.
John A. Farrell Stadium is a stadium in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It is primarily used by the West Chester University of Pennsylvania's football and track and field teams. The stadium was also the temporary home of the Philadelphia Independence of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league during their inaugural season. Additionally, Farrell Stadium was home to the Philadelphia Eagles for their summer training camp from 1980 to 1995. A statue of Michael Horrocks resides at one endzone of the field. Horrocks, a former Golden Rams quarterback, died 2001 in the September 11 attacks; he was a co-pilot of United Airlines Flight 175.
The prominent women's sports leagues in the United States and Canada serve as the pinnacle of women's athletic competition in North America. The United States is home to the vast majority of professional women's leagues. In North America, the top women's leagues feature both team sports and individual athletes. While some leagues have paid professional women athletes, others do not and function at a semi-professional level.
Philadelphia Lone Star Football Club is an American professional development soccer club based in Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that competes in USL League Two and the National Premier Soccer League, both leagues which sit in the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. Nicknamed "the Stars", the club was founded as Junior Lone Star Football Club in 2001, but changed its name to Philadelphia Lone Star F.C. in 2018.
Women's soccer in the United States has developed quite differently from men's soccer. Until the 1970s, organized women's soccer matches in the U.S. existed only on a limited basis. The U.S. is now regarded as one of the top countries in the world for women's soccer, and FIFA ranked its national team #1 in the world after its back-to-back Women's World Cup victory in 2015 and 2019.
Charlotte Independence is an American soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina that plays in the USL League One, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid.
Florida Tropics SC is a professional soccer club based in Lakeland, Florida. They are owned by Central Florida Sports Ventures, LLC, led by Dr. Panos Iakovidis, and former USL commissioner and Rochester Rhinos owner Chris Economides. The organization was originally founded in 2015 as a team in the Major Arena Soccer League before expanding into other leagues.
Matt Driver
Seamus O'Connor
