United Women's Soccer

Last updated

United Women's Soccer
United Women's Soccer logo red CMYK.svg
FoundedDecember 16, 2015;8 years ago (2015-12-16)
Country Metuchen, New Jersey, United States
Other club(s) fromCanada
Confederation CONCACAF
Number of teams39 (D1)
18 (D2)
Current champions Santa Clarita Blue Heat (2024)
Most championships Santa Clarita Blue Heat (3)
TV partners Eleven Sports
Website uwssoccer.com
Current: 2024 UWS season

United Women's Soccer (UWS) is a national pro-am women's soccer league in the United States. The league was founded in 2015 as a response to the dual problems of disorganization in the WPSL and of the folding of the original USL W-League. The league began play in May 2016 [1] with eleven teams in two conferences. [2] [3] The first league currently has 39 teams in 3 conferences and second league currently has 18 teams in 2 conferences.

Contents

History

Background

In the summer of 2015, disorganization and the inability to field teams led to many last-minute changes in the WPSL playoffs. [4] [5] This, combined with a general lack of competitiveness due to rapid expansion, led to frustration from many long-time WPSL teams. The 2014 WPSL final four hosts ASA Chesapeake Charge elected to skip the 2015 WPSL playoffs altogether as did the entire Sunshine division, [4] Fire & Ice SC was a no-show, [6] and the New England Mutiny published a threatening response to how WPSL as a league was run and was regressing. [5]

Later that year, the USL W-League suddenly announced that it would be ceasing operations. [7] There had been no outward signs that the league or its teams were struggling, but the league had been contracting steadily over the preceding several years - from 30 teams in four divisions for 2012 to just 18 teams in three divisions for 2015 - and many of the teams that had left were recent finalists (Buffalo Flash, Vancouver Whitecaps Women, Pali Blues, Ottawa Fury Women, and several Washington D.C.-area teams) leaving relatively few flagship teams.

Founding

Spearheaded by the New England Mutiny (a former member of the short-lived WPSL Elite), UWS's first five teams were leaked on December 15 [1] ahead of the league's official announcement the next day; [8] UWS hopes to provide a true second division beneath the NWSL. Negotiations to create the league since the beginning of the WPSL/W-League offseason, with plans that the league will be a national league of two conferences. The eight founding teams, all in the northeastern US and eastern Canada, were the Mutiny, fellow WPSL breakaway Lancaster Inferno FC, the W-League teams Laval Comets, Long Island Rough Riders, New York Magic, North Jersey Valkyries, and Quebec Dynamo ARSQ looking for a new league, and the expansion team New Jersey Copa FC. [9]

UWS will be sanctioned through USASA, [10] as the W-League and WPSL were.

Rapid early growth

Between founding and the beginning of the inaugural season, hints of the desired second Western conference came to light in late January and was made official on February 5, with the first five revealed teams being Real Salt Lake Women and Houston Aces (both previously of WPSL), and the Santa Clarita Blue Heat, the Colorado Storm, and the Colorado Pride (all previously of the W-League). [3] [11]

On March 9, 2016, it was announced that the Canadian Soccer Association would not sanction teams in Laval & Quebec for play in UWS, leaving the league with only 11 teams for its inaugural season. [12] [13]

On November 1, 2016, Grand Rapids FC announced they would add a women's team, which would begin play in 2017 in a new Midwest division of United Women's Soccer. [14] Three more Midwest teams (FC Indiana, Fort Wayne United Soccer Club, and the Detroit Sun FC) were announced a month later, with the desire to add more mentioned. [15] Further expansion ahead of the 2017 season included the Michigan Legends FC in Brighton, [16] Indy Premier SC in Noblesville, [17] the Syracuse Development Academy, [18] the So Cal Crush FC in Montrose, [19] and the Calgary Foothills WFC. On March 3, 2017, the Western New York Flash announced that they would establish a team for the 2017 season. This announcement came nearly two months after the organization, who had won the 2016 NWSL Championship, sold its NWSL franchise rights and roster which formed the North Carolina Courage. [20] In April, the rebranded Rochester Lancers team joined the Flash in Western New York with a UWS side, the Rochester Lady Lancers. They effectively replaced the Flash, which moved team operations to their original home of Buffalo, in Rochester. [21]

Western contraction period

While UWS would see continued stability in the East and Midwest conferences, attempts to establish teams in the west would prove less successful. From 2017 to 2018, UWS grew from having just five teams west of the Mississippi River to having eleven, with the return of the Colorado Pride, joining of LA Galaxy OC academy, and four new teams in Texas, causing the West conference to split into a West and a Southwest conference. However, despite each conference adding a team for the 2019 season, each conference also lost two teams - including UWS founding member Real Salt Lake Women who rebranded as the Utah Royals Reserves in a return to WPSL - bringing the total number of teams west of the Mississippi to nine. Ahead of the 2020 season, four more UWS teams - Houston Aces, Colorado Pride, LAG OC, and the El Paso Surf - also left for WPSL, [22] bringing the total back down to five.

Further expansion and creation of League Two

In the 2020 off-season, UWS continued to add more clubs to the league and expanding their reach, including the creation of the Southeast Conference. [23]

On February 6, 2020, UWS announced the creation of UWS League Two, a 2nd division focused on the U20-U23 age group. [24] [25] League Two will consist of a mix of UWS reserve teams and clubs that will be seeking to join UWS in the future. It will feature a promotion and relegation relationship with UWS starting in 2021, though the nature of how clubs will move up and down is still under discussion. [26] The Midwest conference was the first announced for the new league, with the first four teams of said conference consisting of three independent sides as well as the reserves of Detroit Sun FC. [27]

League One

As of May 6,2024

TeamStadiumCityFoundedFirst UWS Season
Eastern Conference
Albany Rush Albany, New York 2021 [28] 2021
Black Mountain Torrent Pennsylvania 1978 [29] 2024
Connecticut Rush New Haven, Connecticut 2021 [30] 2021
Coppermine United Baltimore, Maryland 2022
Erie Commodores FC Erie Sports Center Erie, Pennsylvania 20212022
FC Berlin Buffalo State College Buffalo, New York 20222022
FC Buffalo All-High Stadium Buffalo, New York 20212021
Flower City 1872 Rochester Community Sports Complex Stadium Rochester, New York 2023 [31] 2023
Hudson Valley Crusaders Saugerties, New York 2023 [lower-alpha 1]
2024 [32]
Maine FootyTBD Portland, Maine 20232023
New England Mutiny Lusitano Stadium Ludlow, Massachusetts 19992016
New Jersey Copa FC Mercer County Community College Metuchen, New Jersey 20152016
New York Magic Mazzella Field New Rochelle, New York 19972016 [33]
Sporting CT Middletown, Connecticut 2023
Steel City FC Founders Field (Chestwick) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 20202020
Steel United Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 20102021 [lower-alpha 1]
2024 [34]
Worcester Fuel FC [lower-alpha 2] Commerce Bank Field at Foley Stadium Worcester, Massachusetts 20182018
Midwest Conference
Cap City Athletic 1847TBD2024
Chicago RushTBD Chicago, Illinois 2023 [35]
Cincinnati Sirens FCFairfield Soccer Stadium Fairfield, Ohio 2023 [36]
Edgewater CastleTBD Chicago, Illinois 2023
Elite 14 Performance (E14)TBD Southeast, Michigan 2024 [37]
Firebirds SCTBD Lombard, Illinois 19942024 [38]
Futsal Factory Academy Dexter High School Dexter, Michigan 20142023
Indiana Union Grand Park Event Center Indianapolis, Indiana 20172017
Michigan BurnThe Sports Academy Chesterfield Township, Michigan 20062023 [39]
Michigan Hawks Corner Ballpark Detroit, Michigan 20202022 [lower-alpha 3]
Michigan Jaguars FC Novi, Michigan 2022
Michigan Legends FCLegacy Center Brighton, Michigan 20172017 [lower-alpha 4]
Michigan Stars FC Michigan Stars Sports Center Washington Township, Michigan 20212021
Nationals FCTBD Rochester, Michigan 20162022
Pass FC Northview High School Grand Rapids, Michigan 20012024 [40]
Rockford Raptors Soccer ClubMercyhealth Sportscore Loves Park, Illinois 19942024 [41]
Troy City WFC Troy, Michigan 20242024 [42]
West Conference
Calgary Foothills WFC Calgary Soccer Centre Calgary, Alberta 20152017
FC Arizona Bell Bank Park Mesa, Arizona 20172022
Los Angeles SC TBD Los Angeles, California 19512022
Santa Clarita Blue Heat College of the Canyons Santa Clarita, California 20082016
Players SC College of the Canyons Las Vegas, Nevada 19892024 [43]
  1. 1 2 UWS League Two
  2. Previously played as Worcester Smiles
  3. Previously played as Corktown AFC Hawks in 2022
  4. Team was on hiatus from 2020–2023

League Two

As of April 23,2024

TeamStadiumCityFoundedFirst UWS Season
West Conference
Epic FC2024
Primero De Mayo Sacramento, California 2023
Racing Sacramento Sacramento, California 2023
Reno VikingsTBD Reno, Nevada 20232023 [44] [lower-alpha 1]
2024
Sacramento United Sacramento, California 2023
East Conference
Albany Rush IITBD Albany, New York 20212023
Baltimore Lady Warriors [45] TBD Baltimore Maryland 20242024
HV Crusaders IITBD Saugerties, New York
Maine Footy IITBD Portland, Maine 2023
MSI Pro [46] Walt Whitman High School Rockville, Maryland 2024
New England Mutiny 2 Lusitano Stadium Ludlow, Massachusetts 20202021
Ole FC Connecticut
Sporting CT II Middletown, Connecticut 2023
Steel United Hudson Valley [47] Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 20102024

Former members

TeamStadiumCityFoundedFirst UWS SeasonLast UWS SeasonNotes
AFC Ann Arbor Concordia University Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan 201420192019Joined USL W League
Atlanta Panthers SCFranklin Gateway Sports Complex Marietta, Georgia 201620212022
BC United Endicott, New York 20232023
FC Austin Elite Round Rock Multipurpose Complex Round Rock, Texas 201620182022Folded
Bat Country FC Round Rock Multipurpose Complex Round Rock, Texas 201720202021Joined WPSL
Brooklyn City FC Steinberg Athletic Complex Brooklyn, New York 201720202022Joined NY Metropolitan Women's Soccer League
Chicago Mustangs Harper College Palatine, Illinois 201220212022
Colorado Pride Washburn Field Colorado Springs, Colorado 199420162019Joined WPSL
Colorado StormSports Authority Stadium Parker, Colorado 201420162016
Connecticut FusionFarmington Sports Arena Farmington, Connecticut 201820182022
Dallas International FC Greenhill School Field Addison, Texas 202020202020
Detroit City FC Keyworth Stadium Hamtramck, Michigan 201920202021Joined USL W League
Detroit Sun FC Ultimate Soccer Arenas Pontiac, Michigan 201620172019
El Paso SurfSocorro Athletic Complex El Paso, Texas 201820182019Joined WPSL
FC BirminghamTBA Birmingham, Alabama 202020222022Joined WPSL
FC Indiana Newton Park Lakeville, Indiana 200320172017Independent
FC Wichita Stryker Soccer Complex Wichita, Kansas 202020212022
Fort Wayne United FC Gryphons Hefner Stadium Fort Wayne, Indiana 201620172018
Genesee FC Atwood Stadium Flint, Michigan 201820182018
Gretna Elite Academy UNO Caniglia Field Omaha, Nebraska 201820212022
HAR FC Houston Sports Park Houston, Texas 201820182018
Houston Aces Houston Sports Park Houston, Texas 201220162019Joined WPSL
KC Courage Rockhurst University Kansas City, Missouri 201420212022Joined WPSL
Keystone FCTBD Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 20222023
Kongo SCSpence Eccles Ogden Community Sports Complex Ogden, Utah 201320212022
LA Galaxy OC Championship Soccer Stadium Irvine, California 201820182020
Lancaster Inferno FC Pucillo Field Millersville, Pennsylvania 200820162023
Lansing United East Lansing Soccer Complex Lansing, Michigan 201820182021
Livonia City FC Schoolcraft College Livonia, Michigan 20152023 [48] 2023
Long Island Rough Riders Hofstra University Soccer Stadium Hempstead, New York 200320162021Joined USL W League
Midwest United FC Aquinas College Kentwood, Michigan 201620172021Joined USL W League
MSC Peoria Eastside Centre Pekin, Illinois 202020202021
Muskegon Risers SC Kehren Stadium Muskegon, Michigan 201420202022
New Jersey Teamsterz FC Don Ahern Veterans Stadium Bayonne, New Jersey 202020212021
New York Surf Reinhart Field Bronx, New York 201520172018
North Jersey Valkyries DePaul Catholic High School Wayne, New Jersey 200920162016
North Texas Image Old Panther Field Duncanville, Texas 196420162018
Puerto Rico Pride FC Lake Brantley High School Altamonte Springs, Florida 201720202020
Queen City United SC University of Regina Field Regina, Saskatchewan 198720192020
RBFC EliteTBD Riverside, Illinois 20222023
Real Salt Lake Women Ute Field Salt Lake City, Utah 200820162018Folded after Utah Royals FC Reserves formed
Rochester Lady Lancers Marina Auto Stadium Rochester, New York 201720172022
SASA Impact FC Riel Recreation Park St. Albert, Alberta 202120212022Joined St. Albert Women’s Soccer League
Scorpions SC Medway High School Medway, Massachusetts 202120212023
Side FC 92Case Community RiverCity Parks Tulsa, Oklahoma 199220212022
SoCal Crush FC Crescenta Valley High School La Crescenta-Montrose, California 201720172018
Sporting Nebraska FCTBD Papillion, Nebraska 200820222022
Springfield Demize Cooper Sports Complex Springfield, Missouri 200320212021
St. Louis Scott Gallagher West Community Stadium St. Louis, Missouri 202020212022
Syracuse Development AcademySolvay High School Solvay, New York 200420192021
Toledo Villa FC Northview High School Rossford, Ohio 201720172017
Vikings Gold Lake Tahoe, California 20232023
Vikings Northstars Lake Tahoe, California 20232023
Western New York Flash All-High Stadium Buffalo, New York 200820172018

UWS National Championship

SeasonChampionsScoreRunner–up
2016 Santa Clarita Blue Heat 2–1 (AET) New Jersey Copa FC
2017 Grand Rapids FC 3–1 (AET) Santa Clarita Blue Heat
2018 Houston Aces 1–0 (AET) Lancaster Inferno FC
2019 LA Galaxy OC 1–0 Calgary Foothills WFC
2020Season cancelled because of COVID-19 Pandemic [49]
Regional Showcase Tournaments were held.
2021 Santa Clarita Blue Heat (2)5–0Connecticut Fusion
2022 Chicago Mustangs 2-1 Calgary Foothills WFC
2023 [50] Michigan Jaguars FC0–0 (4–2 PK) Santa Clarita Blue Heat
2024 [51] Santa Clarita Blue Heat (3)2–2 (6–5 PK) New England Mutiny

See also

Notes

  1. UWS League One

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