Minnesota Lightning was an American women’s
soccer team, founded in 2006. The team was a member of 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 ...
W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team played in the Midwest Division of the Central Conference. The team folded after the 2009 season.
The team played its home games at the
National Sports Center
The National Sports Center (NSC) is a multi-sport complex located in Blaine, Minnesota. Its site includes a soccer stadium, over 50 full-sized soccer fields, a golf course, a meeting and convention facility, and an eight-sheet ice rink, the Sup ...
in the city of
Blaine, Minnesota
Blaine is a suburban city in Anoka and Ramsey counties in the State of Minnesota, United States. Once a rural town, Blaine's population has increased significantly in the last 60 years. For several years, Blaine led the Twin Cities metro region ...
, 18 miles north of downtown
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
. The team's colors were navy blue and pale blue.
The team was a sister organization of the men's
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division (USL-1), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home ...
team, which played in 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 Minnesota Thunder was suspended from the USL First Division after they left the USL for the new
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to:
*North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league
*North American Soccer League (2011–2017)
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league b ...
.
Year-by-year
Honors
* USL W-League Midwest Division Champions 2007
See also
*
Minnesota Lynx
*
Minnesota Whitecaps
The Minnesota Whitecaps are a professional ice hockey team in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF; formerly known as the National Women's Hockey League). They play in Richfield, Minnesota, part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, a ...
*
Minnesota Vixen
The Minnesota Vixen is a professional women's football team based in the Twin Cities. The team has been known as the Minnesota Vixens and Minneapolis Vixens prior to being known as the Vixen (note lack of "s").
Established in 1999, the Vixen are ...
References
External links
Minnesota Lightning
Women's soccer clubs in the United States
Soccer clubs in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Defunct soccer clubs in Minnesota
Minnesota Thunder
USL W-League (1995–2015) teams
2006 establishments in Minnesota
2009 disestablishments in Minnesota
Association football clubs established in 2006
Association football clubs disestablished in 2009
Women's sports in Minnesota
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