USL W-League (1995–2015)

USL W-League

Founded	1995
Folded	2015
Country	United States Canada
Confederation	CONCACAF
Number of teams	8
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	None
Relegation to	None
Last champions	Washington Spirit Reserves
Most championships	Los Angeles Blues (4 titles)

The USL W-League was a North American amateur women's soccer developmental organization. The league was a semi-professional,^[1][2] open league, giving college players the opportunity to play alongside established international players while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league was administered by the United Soccer Leagues system (the USL), which also oversees the men's United Soccer League and Premier Development League. The W-League announced on November 6, 2015 that the league will cease operation ahead of 2016 season.^[3][4]

After the popularity of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, though, USL began considerations for a new professional women's league; this effort eventually returned to the re-establishing of the league as the USL W League.

History

The W-League's inaugural season was in 1995. Originally called the United States Interregional Women's League, it later changed its name to the W-League. Although at its inception some of the league's franchises were barely above amateur level, it provided a professional outlet for many of the top female soccer players in the country. With professionals driving the level of play, the league made a very strong debut performance.

From 1995 through the 1997 season the W-League was a single tier format (all teams at the same division). This changed before the 1998 season when the W-League became a two tier league. The top tier/division was called W-1 and lower division, W-2. This division was in effect through the 2001 season – the first year of the new US Women's first division league WUSA. The W-League returned to a single tier format in the 2002 season.

The W-League grew to a maximum of 41 teams for the 2008 season, but then began contracting rapidly. By the time the league suspended operations in 2015, there were three, six-team conferences.^[5] Of those 18 teams, eight went on to found United Women's Soccer^[6] (though the two Canadian teams were denied entry) and another seven joined the WPSL.^[7][8]

The revival of the W-League as the USL W League was announced on June 8, 2021,^[9] with eight founding teams due to begin play in 2022,^[10] none of which were revivals of teams from the original iteration of the W-League. Instead, many were associate with USL League One organizations.

Teams

127 unique teams participated in the W-League over the course of its history. Fifteen still existed (at varying levels of activity) as of 2019.

Sortable full original team list

Name State/Prov. First year Last year Other names Notes Alabama Angels  AL 1996 1998 Albuquerque Crush  NM 2002 Arizona Heatwave  AZ 1995 2005 founding team; inactive 1996–2000 Arizona Strikers FC  AZ 2014 2015 Sedona FC Strikers (2014) final team Asheville Splash  NC 2002 2004 Atlanta Classics  GA 1997 2000 Atlanta Silverbacks Women  GA 2005 2015 final team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Austin Lady Lone Stars  TX 1999 2000 Bay Area Breeze  CA 2013 2014 arrived from Women's Premier Soccer League Braddock Road Stars Elite  VA 2014 2015 final team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Bradenton Athletics  FL 2004 2008 Boston Renegades  MA 1995 2009 Boston Tornado (1995) founding team Buffalo FFillies  NY 1996 1998 Buffalo Flash  NY 2009 2010 left to Women's Professional Soccer Calgary Wildfire  AB 2004 Carolina Elite Cobras  SC 2012 2015 Central SC Cobras (2012) final team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Cary Lady Clarets  NC 2008 2009 Carolina RailHawks Women (2008) Central Jersey Splash  NJ 1997 1999 Central Florida Krush  FL 2005 2006 Charlotte Speed  NC 1997 1999 Carolina Speed (1997) Charlotte Lady Eagles  NC 2000 2015 final team Chicago Cobras  IL 1996 2010 Chicago Gaels (2005–2008) Chicago Red Eleven (2009–2010) Cincinnati Ladyhawks  OH 2000 2006 Cincinnati Leopards  OH 1995 founding team Cleveland Eclipse  OH 1996 2001 Cleveland Internationals Women  OH 2004 2010 left to Women's League Soccer Cocoa Expos Women  FL 2006 2007 left to Women's Premier Soccer League Colorado Pride  CO 2014 2015 final team; left to United Women's Soccer Colorado Rush Women  CO 2010 2015 final team Colorado Storm  CO 2014 2015 final team; left to United Women's Soccer Columbus Lady Shooting Stars  OH 2003 2004 Columbus Ziggx  OH 1995 1998 founding team Connecticut Lady Wolves  CT 1995 1998 founding team Connecticut Passion  CT 2008 2009 Dallas Lightning  TX 1995 1997 Texas Lightning (1995) founding team Dayton Dutch Lions WFC  OH 2011 2015 final team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League D.C. United Women  DC 2011 2012 left to National Women's Soccer League; spun off Washington Spirit Reserves Delaware Genies  DE 1997 2000 Denver Diamonds  CO 1996 2000 left to Women's Premier Soccer League Edmonton Aviators Women  AB 2004 FC Indiana  IN 2008 2009 arrived from Women's Premier Soccer League; left to Women's League Soccer Finger Lakes Heartbreakers  NY 1998 Fort Wayne Fever  IN 2004 2009 Fredericksburg Impact  VA 2011 2013 Fredericksburg Lady Gunners  VA 2007 2008 Gulf Coast Chaos  MS 1997 Gulf Coast Texans  FL 2014 arrived from Women's Premier Soccer League Hamilton Avalanche  ON 2006 2014 Hamilton FC Rage (2011–2012) K-W United FC (2013–2014) Hampton Road Piranhas  VA 1995 2013 Virginia Beach Piranhas (2011–2013) founding team Houston Tornadoes  TX 1999 2001 Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues  NY 2007 2010 Jersey Sky Blue (2007–2008) Indiana Blaze  IN 1997 2001 Jackson Chargers  MS 1997 1999 Jackson Calypso (1997–1998) Jacksonville Jade  FL 1999 2002 Kalamazoo Quest  MI 1998 1999 Kalamazoo Outrage  MI 2008 2010 Kansas City Mystics  KS 2001 2002 Kentucky Fillies  KY 2000 2002 Laval Comets  QC 2006 2015 final team; left to United Women's Soccer Laval Dynamites  QC 1999 2001 Lehigh Valley Cougars  PA 1996 London Gryphons  ON 2004 2014 Long Island Rough Riders  NY 1995 2015 founding team; final team; left to United Women's Soccer Los Angeles Legends  CA 2008 2009 Los Angeles Strikers  CA 2011 2013 merged with Pali Blues (2014) Madison Freeze  WI 1996 1997 Maryland Pride  MD 1995 2002 Baltimore Bays (1995) founding team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Mass Bay Crusaders  MA 1995 founding team Memphis Mercury  TN 2001 2002 Miami Gliders  FL 1998 1999 Michigan Hawks  MI 2004 2008 Detroit Jaguars (2004–2005) Mile High Mustangs  CO 2001 2007 Mile High Edge (2001–2004) Minnesota Lightning  MN 2006 2009 Montreal Xtreme  QC 2004 New Brunswick Power  NJ 2000 New Hampshire Lady Phantoms  NH 1998 2006 New Jersey Lady Stallions  NJ 1998 2004 New Jersey Rangers  NJ 2008 2012 New Jersey Wildcats  NJ 1996 2015 final team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League New York Magic  NY 1997 2015 final team; left to United Women's Soccer Norcal Shockwaves  CA 1996 1997 left to Women's Premier Soccer League North Texas Heat  TX 1999 2000 Northern Kentucky TC Stars  KY 2002 2003 Northern Virginia Majestics  VA 1999 2012 North Jersey Valkyries  NJ 2010 2015 final team; left to United Women's Soccer Oklahoma Outrage  OK 2000 2002 Orlando Ladyhawks  FL 1998 Ottawa Fury FC  ON 2000 2014 Piedmont Spark  NC 1999 2008 Greensboro Twisters (2002–2003) Carolina Dynamo (2004–2006, 2008) inactive 2007 Pali Blues  CA 2008 2014 Los Angeles Blues (2014) merged with Los Angeles Strikers (2014) Philadelphia Frenzy  PA 1995 1997 Pennsylvania Freedom (1995) founding team Portland Rain  OR 2001 left to Women's Premier Soccer League Quebec City Amiral SC  QC 2009 2015 Quebec Dynamo ARSQ (2014–2015) final team; left to United Women's Soccer Raleigh Wings  NC 1998 2000 Real Colorado Cougars  CO 2000 2010 Colorado Gold (2000) Denver Lady Cougars (2001–2005)[11] Rhode Island Rays  RI 1995 2004 Rhode Island Lady Stingrays (1996, 2004) Rhode Island Stingrays (1995) founding team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Richmond Kickers Destiny  VA 2004 2009 Rochester Ravens  NY 1996 2012 Rockford Dactyls  IL 1995 2000 founding team Sacramento Storm  CA 1995 1997 California Storm (1997) founding team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League San Diego Gauchos Women  CA 2005 2007 San Diego Sunwaves (2007) San Diego Top Guns  CA 1995 founding team San Francisco Nighthawks  CA 1995 1997 San Francisco Vikings (1995) founding team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Santa Clarita Blue Heat  CA 2008 2015 Ventura County Fusion (2008–2009) final team; left to United Women's Soccer Seattle Sounders Women  WA 2001 2015 final team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Silicon Valley Red Devils  CA 1996 1997 left to Women's Premier Soccer League South Jersey Banshees  NJ 2001 2006 Southern California Nitemares  CA 1995 1996 founding team Springfield Sirens  MA 1999 2001 left to Women's Premier Soccer League St. Louis Archers  MO 2004 left to Women's Premier Soccer League Sudbury Canadians  ON 2004 2006 Tampa Bay Hellenic  FL 2008 2010 left to Women's Premier Soccer League; merged with VSI Tampa Bay FC (2013) Tampa Bay Xtreme  FL 1997 2002 Texas Odyssey  TX 2001 Toronto Inferno  ON 1999 2004 Toronto Lady Lynx  ON 2005 2014 Tulsa Roughnecks  OK 1995 founding team Vancouver Whitecaps Women  BC 2001 2012 Vancouver Breakers (2001-2002) Vermont Lady Voltage  VT 2005 2008 Victoria Highlanders Women  BC 2011 2012 VSI Tampa Bay FC  FL 2012 2013 VSI Tampa Flames (2012) merged with Tampa Bay Hellenic (2013) Washington Freedom  DC 2006 2008 left to Women's Professional Soccer, spun off Washington Freedom Futures Washington Freedom Futures  DC 2009 2010 Washington Freedom Reserves (2009) Washington Spirit Reserves  DC 2013 2015 final team; left to Women's Premier Soccer League Western Mass Lady Pioneers  MA 2004 2009 West Virginia Illusion  WV 2008 Wichita Lady Blues  KS 1995 founding team Windy City Bluez  IL 2001 2004

^[12]

Past champions

For 1998 through 2001 the W-League was divided into two divisions: W-1 (the top division) W-2 (the lower division). The numbers in parentheses indicate the number of titles a club has won if they have won multiple titles. Click on year for W-League season summaries.

• 2015 Washington Spirit Reserves 2–1 Colorado Pride
• 2014 Los Angeles Blues (4) 6–1 Washington Spirit Reserves
• 2013 Pali Blues (3) 1–0 Laval Comets
• 2012 Ottawa Fury Women 1–1 (4–3 PSO) Pali Blues
• 2011 Atlanta Silverbacks Women 6–1 Ottawa Fury Women
• 2010 Buffalo Flash 3–1 Vancouver Whitecaps Women
• 2009 Pali Blues (2) 2–1 Washington Freedom Reserves
• 2008 Pali Blues 2–1 FC Indiana
• 2007 Washington Freedom 3–1 Atlanta Silverbacks Women
• 2006 Vancouver Whitecaps Women (2) 3–0 Ottawa Fury Women
• 2005 New Jersey Wildcats 3–0 Ottawa Fury Women
• 2004 Vancouver Whitecaps Women 0–0 (4–2 PSO) New Jersey Wildcats
• 2003 Hampton Roads Piranhas 1–0 Chicago Cobras
• 2002 Boston Renegades (2) 3–0 Charlotte Lady Eagles
• 2001
  • W-1: Boston Renegades 5–1 Vancouver Whitecaps Women
  • W-2: Charlotte Lady Eagles 3–1 Memphis Mercury
• 2000
  • W-1: Chicago Cobras 1–1 (4–2 PSO) Raleigh Wings
  • W-2: Springfield Sirens 2–1 Charlotte Lady Eagles
• 1999
  • W-1: Raleigh Wings (2) 3 -2 Chicago Cobras (OT)
  • W-2: North Texas Heat 5–1 Springfield Sirens
• 1998
  • W-1: Raleigh Wings 4–3 Boston Renegades
  • W-2: Fort Collins Force 3–1 Hampton Roads Piranhas
• 1997 Long Island Lady Riders (2) 2–1 Chicago Cobras (OT)
• 1996 Maryland Pride 3–0 Dallas Lightning
• 1995 Long Island Lady Riders 3–0 Southern California Nitemares

References