USL Second Division
| USL Second Division | |
|
|
| Full name | United Soccer Leagues Second Division |
| abbreviation | USL-2 |
| First edition | 1990 |
| hierarchy | 3rd league |
| Teams | 6th |
| master | Charleston Battery (2010) |
| Record champions |
Charleston Battery Charlotte Eagles Long Island Rough Riders Richmond Kickers Utah Blitzz (2 titles each) |
| Website | usl2.uslsoccer.com |
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division (often referred to as USL-2 for short ) was a professional soccer league in North America . It was one of the leagues of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) . In the United States , the Second Division formed the third division after the Major League Soccer (1st division) and the USL First Division (2nd division) and before the USL Premier Development League (4th division).
In 2011 the USL First Division and the USL Second Division were merged to form the USL Professional Division and form the third division in the US league system .
history
In 1995, the United States Interregional Soccer League , the then second division in the United States, changed its name to the United States International Soccer League . This split into two leagues, a professional and an amateur league. The professional league, USISL Pro League , has been sanctioned by FIFA as the country's official third division. The amateur league, Premier League, was named the fourth league. This later became the USL Premier Development League . The first winners of the USISL Pro League were the Long Island Rough Riders , who defeated Minnesota Thunder 2-1 in the play-off final.
In 1996 the USISL established the USISL Select League , in which the stronger USISL Pro League teams were combined. The league was given the status of the second division in the US league system, parallel to the existing A-League, behind the Major League Soccer , which was also established in 1996 .
In 1997 the name changed to USISL D-3 Pro League in order to better distinguish itself from the USISL Select League.
In 2003 it was renamed USL Pro Soccer League and in 2005 it was renamed USL Second Division.
Current clubs
| society | Founded | Colours | Stadion | place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bermuda Hogges
|
2006 | Green red | Bermuda National Stadium | Hamilton (Bermuda) |
 Charlotte Eagles
|
1993 | Orange, blue, white | Waddell Stadium | Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
Crystal Palace Baltimore
|
2006 | Blue, red, white | Ripken Stadium | Aberdeen (Maryland) |
|
Harrisburg City Islanders
|
2004 | Blue White | Skyline Sports Complex | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
|
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
|
1999 | Red, white, black | Chartiers Valley High School Stadium | Pittsburgh |
|
Real Maryland Monarchs
|
2008 | Golf, white | Ripken Stadium | Germantown, Maryland |
|
Richmond Kickers
|
1993 | Red White | University of Richmond Stadium | Richmond, Virginia |
|
Western Mass Pioneers
|
1998 | Red, black, white | Lusitano Stadium | Ludlow, Massachusetts |
|
Wilmington Hammerheads
|
1996 | Blue White Red | Legion Stadium | Wilmington, North Carolina |
List of clubs
|
|
master
| season | master | finalist | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Long Island Rough Riders | Minnesota Thunder | 3: 2 n.e. |
| 1996 | Charleston Battery | Charlotte Eagles | 2: 1 |
| 1997 | Albuquerque geckos | Charlotte Eagles | 4: 1 |
| 1998 | Chicago Stingers | New Hampshire Phantoms | 3: 2 a.d. |
| 1999 | Western Mass Pioneers | South Jersey Barons | 2: 1 |
| 2000 | Charlotte Eagles | New Jersey Stallions | 5-0 |
| 2001 | Utah Blitzz | Greenville Lions | 1-0 |
| 2002 | Long Island Rough Riders | Wilmington Hammerheads | 2: 1 |
| 2003 | Wilmington Hammerheads | Westchester Flames | 2: 1 a.d. |
| 2004 | Utah Blitzz | Charlotte Eagles | 5: 4 n.e. (2: 2) |
| 2005 | Charlotte Eagles | Western Mass Pioneers | 5: 4 n.e. (2: 2) |
| 2006 | Richmond Kickers | Charlotte Eagles | 2: 1 |
| 2007 | Harrisburg City Islanders | Richmond Kickers | 8: 7 n.e. (1-1) |
| 2008 | Cleveland City Stars | Charlotte Eagles | 2: 1 |
| 2009 | Richmond Kickers | Charlotte Eagles | 3: 1 |
| 2010 | Charleston Battery | Richmond Kickers | 2: 1 |
Championship by teams
- 2: Charleston Battery (1996, 2010); Charlotte Eagles (2000, 2005); Long Island Rough Riders (1995, 2002); Utah Blitzz (2001, 2004)
- 1: Albuquerque Geckos (1997); Chicago Stingers (1998); Harrisburg City Islanders (2007); Richmond Kickers (2006); Western Mass Pioneers (1999); Wilmington Hammerheads (2003); Cleveland City Stars (2008)
Individual evidence
- ^ USL Restructures Professional Division , www.uslsoccer.com. September 8, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved on September 10, 2010.
- ^ The Year in American Soccer, 1995