The USL Second Division (commonly referred to as USL-2) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, operated by United Soccer Leagues (USL). It was at the third tier of soccer in the United States, behind Major League Soccer (top tier) and the USL First Division (second tier), and one step up from the USL Premier Development League and other leagues in the fourth tier.
 | |
| Founded | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2010 |
| Country | United States |
| Confederation | US Soccer |
| Number of teams | 6–10 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Domestic cup(s) | U.S. Open Cup |
| Last champions | Charleston Battery |
| Most championships | Charleston Battery Charlotte Eagles Long Island Rough Riders Richmond Kickers Utah Blitzz (2 titles each) |
History
editIn 1995 the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), the de facto second tier of American soccer at the time, the league changed its name to the United States International Soccer League, and split into two leagues, one professional and one amateur. The professional league, initially called the USISL Pro League, was a FIFA-sanctioned Division 3 league, while the amateur league, (the 'Premier League'), was given Division 4 status and would later go on to become the USL Premier Development League. The first champions of the new USISL Pro League were the Long Island Rough Riders, who beat Minnesota Thunder 2–1 in the championship game.[1]
In 1996, the USISL established a new USISL Select League. The strongest USISL Pro League teams joined this new league, which was given Division 2 status alongside the existing A-League, while the remainder of the teams (plus expansion teams) remained at Division 3 level. Charleston Battery became the league's second champions in this year, beating the Charlotte Eagles in a penalty shootout in the 1996 USISL Pro League championship game.[2]
In 1997 the league changed its name to the USISL D-3 Pro League to further distinguish itself from the A-League, and then in 1999 the umbrella USISL changed its name to the United Soccer Leagues (USL), and as such the Pro League officially became known as the USL D3 Pro League. In 2003 the name was changed again to the USL Pro Select League, but during the season had to be changed to the USL Pro Soccer League for to legal reasons. In 2005 the league took its final name as the USL Second Division.
The USL Second Division dissolved following the 2010 season to make way for USL Pro, which combined the existing USL First and Second divisions and began play in 2011.[3][4]
List of current and former member clubs
editA total of 102 clubs have competed in USL-2.
Below is a list of clubs in the USL Second Division between 2005 and 2010 along with their current league affiliation (if any)
Active in USL 2nd Division Club moved to USL First Division Club moved to USL PDL Club moved to USL Pro USSF D2 Season (2010) Club on hiatus
Past champions
edit| Season | Champion | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| USISL Pro League | |||
| 1995 | Long Island Rough Riders | 2–1 | Minnesota Thunder |
| 1996 | Charleston Battery | 3–2 (SO) | Charlotte Eagles |
| USISL D-3 Pro League | |||
| 1997 | Albuquerque Geckos | 4–1 | Charlotte Eagles |
| 1998 | Chicago Stingers | 3–2 (OT) | New Hampshire Phantoms |
| USL D3 Pro League | |||
| 1999 | Western Mass Pioneers | 2–1 | South Jersey Barons |
| 2000 | Charlotte Eagles | 5–0 | New Jersey Stallions |
| 2001 | Utah Blitzz | 1–0 | Greenville Lions |
| 2002 | Long Island Rough Riders | 2–1 | Wilmington Hammerheads |
| USL Pro Select League (USL Pro Soccer League) | |||
| 2003 | Wilmington Hammerheads | 2–1 (2OT) | Westchester Flames |
| 2004 | Utah Blitzz | 2–2 (5–4 p) | Charlotte Eagles |
| USL Second Division | |||
| 2005 | Charlotte Eagles | 2–2 (5–4 p) | Western Mass Pioneers |
| 2006 | Richmond Kickers | 2–1 | Charlotte Eagles |
| 2007 | Harrisburg City Islanders | 1–1 (8–7 p) | Richmond Kickers |
| 2008 | Cleveland City Stars | 2–1 | Charlotte Eagles |
| 2009 | Richmond Kickers | 3–1 | Charlotte Eagles |
| 2010 | Charleston Battery | 2–1 | Richmond Kickers |
Championships by team
edit| Club | Winner | Seasons won |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Rough Riders | 2 | 1995, 2002 |
| Charleston Battery | 2 | 1996, 2010 |
| Charlotte Eagles | 2 | 2000, 2005 |
| Utah Blitzz | 2 | 2001, 2004 |
| Richmond Kickers | 2 | 2006, 2009 |
| Albuquerque Geckos | 1 | 1997 |
| Chicago Stingers | 1 | 1998 |
| Western Mass Pioneers | 1 | 1999 |
| Wilmington Hammerheads | 1 | 2003 |
| Harrisburg City Islanders | 1 | 2007 |
| Cleveland City Stars | 1 | 2008 |
References
edit- ^ The Year in American Soccer, 1995
- ^ The Year in American Soccer, 1996
- ^ "USL Restructures Professional Division". www.uslsoccer.com. September 8, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
- ^ "USL Merges D-2 and D-3 Leagues to Create 'USL Pro' for 2011". IMSoccer News. September 8, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2010.