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USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
league sponsored by
United Soccer Leagues United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, forming part of the
United States soccer league system 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 prom ...
. The league features 113 teams for 2022, split into sixteen regional divisions across four conferences. USL League Two is headquartered in Tampa,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
.
Ventura County Fusion Ventura County Fusion is an American soccer team based in Ventura, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games in the stadium on the ...
are the current champions, having defeated
Long Island Rough Riders The Long Island Rough Riders are an American association football, soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays i ...
2–1 in the 2022 USL League Two Championship game on August 6, 2022.


Competition format

USL League Two is divided into 4 conferences (Eastern, Central, Southern, and Western), comprising 16 divisions. The league season runs from May through July, with the playoffs decided through July and August. All teams play a regular season schedule of 14 games, seven home and seven away, within their division.


Playoffs

The USL2 playoffs see division winners and each conference's best second-place finisher advance to the conference semifinals. All matches in the playoffs are played in single match elimination format, with each conference winner hosting a four-team conference championship weekend. The four conference champions advance to national semifinals and the league Championship, both played at the home of the higher seed.


History


1990s

In 1995 the
United States Interregional Soccer League United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...
(USISL) changed its name to the United States International Soccer League, and split into two leagues, one professional (the 'Professional League', which ultimately became the
USL Second Division 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 (t ...
) and one amateur (the Premier League). The purpose for the split was to expand into and improve the
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
capabilities of many
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
areas throughout the United States and Canada, while offering current
college soccer College soccer is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. It is very prominent in United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and as well as in South Africa and the Philippines. The United K ...
players the opportunity to continue playing during the summer months without losing their college eligibility. The inaugural season of the new USISL Premier League featured 27 teams, and the Richmond Kickers won the first title, beating the
Cocoa Expos Cocoa Expos was an American soccer team, founded in 1993. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2007, when the team left the league and the fran ...
3–1 in the championship game.
Gabe Jones Gabriel "Gabe" Jones is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, he made his first appearance in World War II war comics series ' ...
of the
Austin Lone Stars The Austin Lone Stars were a soccer club that competed in the SISL, USISL and United Soccer Leagues from 1987 to 2000. The club originally started in 1987/88 as the Austin Sockadillos in the original indoor SISL league. They became the Austin Lone S ...
was the league's top scorer and MVP. The United States International Soccer League changed its name again in 1996, to the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues, and before the season, there was substantial movement of teams between the Pro League, the Premier League and the newly created Select League (which would later merge with the A-League, and eventually become the
USL First Division The USL First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada from 2005 to 2010. During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer league system ...
). The Premier League grew to 34 teams in its second year, with the
Central Coast Roadrunners Central Coast Roadrunners were an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2002, after which the team left th ...
from
San Luis Obispo, California San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfwa ...
beating the San Francisco Bay Seals in the championship game to take the title.
Pasi Kinturi Pasi Kinturi is a retired Finnish association football player who played professionally in the USL A-League. He was the 1996 USISL Premier League MVP. Kinturi played for Malmin Palloseura youth team when it won the 1993 Helsinki Cup. In 1994, ...
of the
Nashville Metros The Nashville Metros were an American soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1989, the team most recently played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South ...
was the league's top scorer and MVP. The Premier League renamed itself the Premier Development Soccer League (PDSL) in 1997, and the
Central Coast Roadrunners Central Coast Roadrunners were an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2002, after which the team left th ...
repeated as national champions, the first team to do so, beating the
Cocoa Expos Cocoa Expos was an American soccer team, founded in 1993. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2007, when the team left the league and the fran ...
in the PDSL championship game.
Lester Felicia Lester is an ancient Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon surname and given name. Notable people and characters with the name include: People Given name * Lester Bangs (1948–1982), American music critic * Lester W. Bentley (1908–1972), American arti ...
of the
Jackson Chargers The Jackson Chargers were an American soccer team based in Jackson, Mississippi that played in the PDL (formerly the ''USISL Premier League'') from 1995 to 1999. The team had very successful consecutive seasons in 1998 and 1999, becoming regul ...
was the league's MVP, while Rodrigo Costa of the
Detroit Dynamite Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
was the leading scorer and the league's Rookie of the Year, tallying 21 goals and 2 assists for 44 points. In 1998 the PDSL took to the field with 33 teams, including four associate members from the
Pacific Coast Soccer League The Pacific Coast Soccer League is an amateur soccer league, currently featuring teams from British Columbia. In the past clubs from Washington and Oregon have competed. PCSL is considered to be British Columbia's premier summer league. The ...
who played shortened schedules after their PCSL season was over. In the championship game the
San Gabriel Valley Highlanders Los Angeles Highlanders FC are an American soccer team. They play their home games at Moyse Stadium on the grounds of Glendale High School in the city of Glendale, California. History The Highlanders were founded in 1997 by a group of Armeni ...
upset regular season champions
Jackson Chargers The Jackson Chargers were an American soccer team based in Jackson, Mississippi that played in the PDL (formerly the ''USISL Premier League'') from 1995 to 1999. The team had very successful consecutive seasons in 1998 and 1999, becoming regul ...
3–2, taking the trophy to California for the third straight year. Rodrigo Costa of the
Detroit Dynamite Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
was the league MVP, Boniventure Manati of the
Jackson Chargers The Jackson Chargers were an American soccer team based in Jackson, Mississippi that played in the PDL (formerly the ''USISL Premier League'') from 1995 to 1999. The team had very successful consecutive seasons in 1998 and 1999, becoming regul ...
was the league's top scorer, and a young striker by the name of
Brian Ching Brian Ching (born May 24, 1978) is an American former professional soccer player who played for twelve years in Major League Soccer and represented the U.S. national team for eight years. Ching's professional career began when he was the 16th ...
from the
Spokane Shadow Spokane Shadow is an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team competes in the National Premier Soccer League as well as the Evergreen Premier League, one of United States Adult Soccer Association's elite amateur leagues. From 1996 to 2005, ...
was named Rookie of the Year. In 1999 the umbrella USISL changed its name to the
United Soccer Leagues United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
, and the Premier Development Soccer League dropped the 'soccer' part of its name and became known as the USL Premier Development League, or PDL. The league took in several teams from the D3 Pro league, expanding to 42 teams in six divisions. Expansion franchise
Chicago Sockers The Chicago Sockers were an American soccer team that were founded in 1995 as the Chicago Stingers. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and played at the professional level in the USISL Pro League, USISL Select League and ...
ultimately won the league, beating
Spokane Shadow Spokane Shadow is an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team competes in the National Premier Soccer League as well as the Evergreen Premier League, one of United States Adult Soccer Association's elite amateur leagues. From 1996 to 2005, ...
3–1 for the title in a tight championship game.
Fabio Eidenwein Fabio is a given name descended from Latin ''Fabius'' and very popular in Italy and Latin America (due to Italian migration). Its English equivalent is Fabian. The name is written without an accent in Italian and Spanish, but is usually accented ...
of the Sioux City Breeze was named League MVP and was the top scorer, with 20 goals.


2000s

The PDL expanded by a further eight franchises in 2000, and the
Chicago Sockers The Chicago Sockers were an American soccer team that were founded in 1995 as the Chicago Stingers. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and played at the professional level in the USISL Pro League, USISL Select League and ...
won their second straight title, beating the
Mid-Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mid-Michigan Bucks, pla ...
in a close 1–0 championship game. The single goal was scored by Rodrigo Costa who, having received a pass from teammate
Hamid Mehreioskouei Hamid refers to two different but related Arabic given names, both of which come from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D (ِِح-م-د): # (Arabic: حَامِد ''ḥāmid'') also spelled Haamed, Hamid or Hamed, and in Turkish Hamit; it ...
, chipped Bucks goalkeeper
Eric Pogue Eric "Showboat" Pogue (born May 8, 1929) is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played over 300 games in the American Hockey League, spending time with the Pittsburgh Hornets, St. Louis Flyers, Syracuse Warriors, Cleveland Barons ...
from 18 yards through a crowded penalty area.
Fernando Salazar Fernando Salazar Lomelí (born 13 July 1979) is a Mexican former footballer who played as a defender. Honours Pachuca * Mexican Primera División: Clausura 2006, Clausura 2007 * CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2007, 2008 * Copa Sudamericana: 2006 ...
of the Los Angeles-based San Fernando Valley Heroes was the league's MVP, while his teammate
Arshak Abyanli Arshak (or in Western Armenian Arshag) (in Persian آرشاک) (in Armenian Արշակ) is a Persian and Armenian given name. People Historic * Artaxiad dynasty of Iberia, a branch of the eponymous dynasty of Armenia, ruled Iberia (ancient Georgia ...
took the honors as top goalscorer. The league grew from 41 to 44 teams in 2001 through the usual mix of relegation from D3Pro, teams folding and new franchises being added. In the semi-finals, the
Westchester Flames Westchester Flames is an American soccer team based in New Rochelle, New York, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. The team plays its home games at City Park Stadium, ...
defeated
Sioux Falls Spitfire Sioux Falls Spitfire was an American soccer team, founded in 2001. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2007, when the team left the league a ...
5–1 and
Calgary Storm Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, making ...
defeated
Des Moines Menace Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The Menace have had sustained success in USL League Two dur ...
2–1; in the final, Westchester defeated Calgary 3–1 to take their first league title. Des Moines and
Chicago Fire Reserves Chicago Fire U-23 was an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team last played in the PDL, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They last played in 2016, choosing to leave the PDL. The ...
dominated the 2002 regular season, but both teams stuttered in the playoffs; the PDL final saw the
Cape Cod Crusaders Cape Cod Crusaders were an American soccer team based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1994, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when ...
defeating the
Boulder Rapids Reserve Colorado Rapids U–23 were an American soccer team based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado, United States. Originally founded in 2000 as part of the development system for the Colorado Rapids, the team played in the Premier Develo ...
2–1 to bring the title to the Northeast for the second year in a row. 2002 also saw the debut of the soon-to-be PDL legend,
Tomas Boltnar Tomas may refer to: People * Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name * Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name * Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name * Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian surna ...
of
Des Moines Menace Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The Menace have had sustained success in USL League Two dur ...
, who secured an unprecedented triple-crown of PDL MVP, Top Scorer and Rookie of the Year. The mid-2000s was a period of steady growth and consolidation for the PDL. A TV agreement with
Fox Soccer Channel Fox Soccer (formerly Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Sports World before that) was an American television specialty channel specializing in soccer, owned by Fox Corporation, which operated from 1997 to 2013. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australian r ...
saw the PDL Championship game being broadcast live on national television in North America for the first time, and professional teams began investing in the league by adding U-23 development sides as an addition to their senior rosters. Cape Cod repeated as PDL champs in 2003, beating the
Chicago Fire Reserves Chicago Fire U-23 was an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team last played in the PDL, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They last played in 2016, choosing to leave the PDL. The ...
in the final (and despite the presence of
Jürgen Klinsmann Jürgen Klinsmann (, born 30 July 1964) is a German professional football manager and former player. Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe including VfB Stuttgart, Inter Milan, Monaco, Tottenham Hotspur, and Bayern Munich. He ...
playing for
Orange County Blue Star Orange County Blue Star was an American soccer team based in Irvine, California. Founded in 1997, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Wester ...
), while 2004 saw the title head to Florida for the first time as the
Central Florida Kraze Orlando City U-23 was an American soccer team based in Lake Mary, Florida, United States. Founded in 1998, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southeast Division of the ...
overcame perennial bridesmaids
Boulder Rapids Reserve Colorado Rapids U–23 were an American soccer team based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado, United States. Originally founded in 2000 as part of the development system for the Colorado Rapids, the team played in the Premier Develo ...
.
Des Moines Menace Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The Menace have had sustained success in USL League Two dur ...
took the PDL Championship trophy back to Iowa in 2005 after beating the El Paso Patriots 6–5 on penalty kicks, following a 0–0 draw in the PDL Championship game. 2006 saw the beginning of two seasons of dominance for two teams: the
Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American association football, soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mi ...
and the
Laredo Heat Laredo Heat is an American soccer team based in Laredo, Texas, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They were members of the USL Premier Devel ...
. Both teams made the PDL Final in 2006 and 2007, with the Bucks emerging victorious in '06 with a 2–1 win thanks to goals by
Kenny Uzoigwe Kenny is a surname, a given name, and a diminutive of several different given names. In Ireland, the surname is an Anglicisation of the Irish ''Ó Cionnaith'', also spelt ''Ó Cionnaoith'' and ''Ó Cionaodha'', meaning "descendant of Cionnaith" ...
and
Ty Shipalane Ty (stylized as ty) is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. It was founded by Ty Warner in 1986. It designs, develops and sells products, most notably Beanie Babies, exclusively to spe ...
, only for Laredo to get their revenge the following year with an epic penalty kicks win after a 0–0 tie in regulation time. Laredo became the first team to make three consecutive PDL championship games in 2008, but fell at the final hurdle to
Thunder Bay Chill Thunder Bay Chill Soccer Club is a Canadian soccer team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2000, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Chapples Park S ...
, who became the first ever Canadian side to win the PDL following their 4–1 penalty shootout victory. The PDL had grown to 68 teams by 2009, and to reflect their growing reputation, introduced a new scheme called PDL-Pro, whereby certain teams would be allowed to act as professional clubs, paying players, while still adhering to NCAA collegiate eligibility rules, and the USL's own age restriction policy.
Ventura County Fusion Ventura County Fusion is an American soccer team based in Ventura, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games in the stadium on the ...
returned the PDL title to Southern California for the first time in over a decade with a stoppage-time victory over
Chicago Fire Premier Chicago Fire U-23 was an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team last played in the PDL, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They last played in 2016, choosing to leave the PDL. The ...
, and in doing so became the lowest-seeded team to claim the national title.


2010s

The 2010s began with a record, as the
Portland Timbers U23s Capital FC is an American soccer team based in Salem, Oregon, United States. Although founded in 2008 as part of the development system for the Portland Timbers USSF D2 organization, beginning in 2011 they were part of the development system f ...
ended the season as national champions, beating
Thunder Bay Chill Thunder Bay Chill Soccer Club is a Canadian soccer team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2000, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Chapples Park S ...
4–1 in the 2010 PDL Championship game. The Timbers also had the best regular season record, winning all their 16 games, scoring 53 goals and conceding just six along the way. In doing so the Timbers became the first team to post a perfect PDL regular season record since the
Jackson Chargers The Jackson Chargers were an American soccer team based in Jackson, Mississippi that played in the PDL (formerly the ''USISL Premier League'') from 1995 to 1999. The team had very successful consecutive seasons in 1998 and 1999, becoming regul ...
in 1998, the first regular season champion to win the playoffs since the
Central Coast Roadrunners Central Coast Roadrunners were an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2002, after which the team left th ...
in 1996, and the first team in PDL history to go through an entire PDL regular season and playoff campaign without posting a loss or a tie. Portland Timbers U23s striker
Brent Richards Brent Anthony Richards (born May 20, 1990) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Orange County SC in the USL Championship. Career High school Richards played for Camas High School of Camas, WA all four years of his high school ...
was named League
MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
and Rookie of the Year for his stellar campaign with the national champions. Players from Canadian side
Thunder Bay Chill Thunder Bay Chill Soccer Club is a Canadian soccer team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2000, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Chapples Park S ...
led the majority of the statistical categories, with striker Brandon Swartzendruber leading the league with 15 goals, while his teammate
Gustavo Oliveira Gustavo is the Latinate form of a Germanic male given name with respective prevalence in Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian. It has been a common name for Swedish monarchs since the reign of Gustav Vasa. It is derived from Gustav /ˈɡʊstɑːv/, a ...
led the league with 13 assists. Portland Timbers U23s goalkeeper
Jake Gleeson Jacob Christopher Gleeson (born 26 June 1990) is a former New Zealand professional footballer who last played as a goalkeeper for American club Portland Timbers. Club career Early career Gleeson began his career playing for Western Suburbs FC ...
enjoyed the best goalkeeping statistics, allowing just five goals in 15 games and earning with a 0.360 GAA average. Western Conference teams dominated the league in 2011 for the third year in a row, with the
Kitsap Pumas Kitsap SC Pumas was an American soccer team based in Bremerton, Washington, United States. The team played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. From its foundation in 2009 to 2016, the clu ...
ending the season as national champions, beating
Laredo Heat Laredo Heat is an American soccer team based in Laredo, Texas, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They were members of the USL Premier Devel ...
1–0 in the 2011 PDL Championship game. Kitsap, who lost just one game and conceded just ten goals all season, were the second team from the Northwest Division to win the national title in a row, while Laredo were contesting their fourth championship game in six years. Kitsap also were the first PDL-Pro team to win the championship, a milestone for the league. Kitsap's Western Conference rivals
Fresno Fuego Fresno Football Club U-23, formerly Fresno Fuego FC, was an American soccer team based in Fresno, California, United States. Founded in 2003, the team played in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club drew an av ...
had the best regular-season record, posting an unbeaten 13–0–3 record. Fresno midfielder
Milton Blanco Milton Blanco (born April 27, 1984) is an American former soccer player who is currently an assistant coach for Central Valley Fuego FC in USL League One. Career A veteran leader for the Fuego, Blanco has had professional stints with USL Secon ...
was named League
MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
, after leading the league in points (38) and assists (14) and helping his team to the Southwest Division title. Two
Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American association football, soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mi ...
players – Stewart Givens and
Mitch Hildebrandt Mitchell A. Hildebrandt (born November 12, 1988) is an American former professional association football, soccer goalkeeper. He is currently a coach for the Michigan Wolves youth academy. Career College and amateur Hildebrandt played his entire ...
– were given end-of-season awards as Defender of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year respectively, while their coach
Gary Parsons Gary Parsons is the former chairman of the board for Sirius XM Radio. Parsons was also formerly on the board of WorldSpace. Parsons was with MCI Communications Corporation, where he served in a variety of roles from 1990 to 1996. He served as cha ...
was named Coach of the Year.
Jake Keegan Jake Keegan (born September 7, 1990) is an American professional soccer forward who currently plays for One Knoxville SC in USL League One. Club career Youth Keegan played 4 seasons at John Jay High School helping the team win the 2008 ...
of the
Westchester Flames Westchester Flames is an American soccer team based in New Rochelle, New York, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. The team plays its home games at City Park Stadium, ...
was named Rookie of the Year after tallying 16 goals in 16 games to take the league goal-scoring crown. Keegan accounted for 64 percent of Westchester's goals in 2011 and also finished third in the league in points with 34. The 2012 PDL season would see a resurgence of the Eastern Conference, as the
Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American association football, soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mi ...
would claim the regular season title, with Canadian rivals
Forest City London FC London is a Canadian semi-professional association football, soccer club based in London, Ontario, London, Ontario. The club was founded in 2008 and plays in the League1 Ontario men's and League1 Ontario (women), women's divisions. The team pl ...
winning their first ever PDL Championship in an East coast contest, defeating
Carolina Dynamo North Carolina Fusion U-23, formerly known as Carolina Dynamo, is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. Th ...
2–1. Canadian clubs would also have another strong season in 2013, with four of eight Canadian clubs finishing in the final eight and two, the
Victoria Highlanders Victoria Highlanders FC is a Canadian soccer team based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The club was founded in 2008 and currently play in the League1 British Columbia. The team had played in the American USL League Two from 2009 to 20 ...
and
Thunder Bay Chill Thunder Bay Chill Soccer Club is a Canadian soccer team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2000, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at Chapples Park S ...
, advancing to the semi-finals. After a final four finish in 2012, The Chill would repeat their strong season, winning the 2013 regular season title but falling to the Austin Aztex in the Championship final 3–1 in front of a crowd of 4,253 fans, the largest attendance for a final since 2007. In 2014, the
Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American association football, soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mi ...
would claim their second PDL Championship, defeating the
Kitsap Pumas Kitsap SC Pumas was an American soccer team based in Bremerton, Washington, United States. The team played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. From its foundation in 2009 to 2016, the clu ...
1–0 on August 3, 2014, following a strong regular season campaign with a record of 9–2–3. With USL Pro re-branding as the
United Soccer League United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a Association football, soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues curren ...
in February 2015, the PDL dropped the "USL" descriptor from their name, simply operating as the "Premier Development League". The 2015 season would see league newcomers,
New York Red Bulls U-23 The New York Red Bulls U-23 is an American soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey. Founded in 2009, the team plays in USL League Two, a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. It is part of the official Dev ...
, put forth a very strong showing, finishing first in the Mid Atlantic Division and making it all the way to the Championship Final, before falling to the lower-seeded
K-W United FC The Kennedy K-W is an American high-wing, strut-braced, single-seat glider that was designed by Harold Kennedy of Dodge City, Kansas, with assistance from Floyd Watson. The aircraft is notable for being assembled from certified powered airc ...
, who emerged from the very competitive Great Lakes Division, fending off perennial contenders and rivals
Forest City London FC London is a Canadian semi-professional association football, soccer club based in London, Ontario, London, Ontario. The club was founded in 2008 and plays in the League1 Ontario men's and League1 Ontario (women), women's divisions. The team pl ...
and the defending champions
Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American association football, soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mi ...
on their path to the final. United would come away winners 4–3 over the Red Bulls on August 3, 2015, at Starfire Stadium in
Tukwila, Washington Tukwila ( ) is a suburban city in King County, Washington, United States, located immediately to the south of Seattle. The population was 21,798 at the 2020 census. Tukwila is a community of communities, with residents of many diverse origi ...
to claim their first ever Championship and the third for a Canadian club. In May 2018, the league did not permit Calgary Foothills FC to sign Stephanie Labbé, a goalkeeper for the Canadian women's team, even though the team had offered her a position. The decision was made due to her gender. Labbé filed a lawsuit against the league. In 2018, it was announced that the PDL would be renamed as USL League Two in advance of the 2019 season.


2020s

The league was forced to cancel the 2020 season due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.


Organization

As USL League Two seasons take place during the summer months, the player pool is drawn mainly from elite
college soccer College soccer is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. It is very prominent in United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and as well as in South Africa and the Philippines. The United K ...
players seeking to continue playing high-level soccer during their summer break, which they can do while still maintaining their college eligibility, as USL2 is not considered a professional league. Formerly, teams such as
Laredo Heat Laredo Heat is an American soccer team based in Laredo, Texas, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. They were members of the USL Premier Devel ...
,
New Orleans Jesters The New Orleans Jesters are an American soccer team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. Nicknamed 'The Jesters', they are ...
,
Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23, formerly known as Whitecaps FC Reserves, was a Canadian soccer team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Although founded in 2005 as part of the development system for the Vancouver Whitecaps USL First Divisi ...
,
Kitsap Pumas Kitsap SC Pumas was an American soccer team based in Bremerton, Washington, United States. The team played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. From its foundation in 2009 to 2016, the clu ...
and the
Hollywood United Hitmen Hollywood United Hitmen was an American soccer team based in Los Angeles. The team was founded in 2009 and played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and the USL Premier Development League (PDL). The team played its home games in Cougar ...
had embraced partial professionalism through the PDL-Pro program, whereby teams could choose to employ players who were paid for their performances, but who still met the age eligibility criteria. This did not contravene NCAA rules, which state that college players cannot play ''alongside'' professionals, but may play ''against'' them. What this also meant, however, is that PDL-Pro teams could not have any active NCAA players on their rosters, but could employ NAIA and
community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
players, ex-NCAA players who have already graduated, or other local players who do not play college soccer at all. Currently, all USL2 teams field amateur U-23 squads. Additionally, USL2 squads often also include standout high school and junior club players, as well as former professionals seeking to continue competing at a high level, often having been forced to retire from top flight competition due to age or injury. League rules dictate that a maximum of eight players on each team's 26-man roster can be over 23 years old, while at least three players on each team's roster must be 18 or younger. Increasingly, League Two is seen as a 'shop window' for professional clubs looking to discover and identify aspiring professional players who may enter the
MLS SuperDraft The MLS SuperDraft is an annual college draft for teams of Major League Soccer in the United States and Canada. It takes place in January and is used by teams to select players who have graduated from college or otherwise been signed by the l ...
in future years. Many of the players currently playing in
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
and elsewhere began their careers in the league.


Teams


Current teams

The following teams are current members of USL League Two.


Future teams


Champions


Championships

(Defunct teams in ''italics'')


Playoff championships


Regular season championships


USL League Two MVPs


References


Notes


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Usl League Two 2 4 Soccer leagues in Canada Sports leagues established in 1995 1995 establishments in the United States