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