USL Pro Alignments, Playoff Formats Set
Published on December 15, 2006 under USL First Division (USL-1) News Release
TAMPA, FL - United Soccer Leagues officially announced the single-table alignments for the USL First Division and USL Second Division for the 2007 season. The USL's top flight grows to 13 clubs while USL-2 expands to 10. Playoff formats for both leagues were also announced.
The expansion Carolina RailHawks and California Victory highlight the USL First Division alignment for the 2007 season.
Based in Cary, North Carolina, the RailHawks will be led by former Rochester Rhinos General Manager Chris Economides and Head Coach Scott Schweitzer, a two-time USL-1 Defender of the Year and three-time champion with the Rhinos.
The Victory, whose name is derived from parent club Deportivo Alaves of Vitoria, Spain, are the first USL franchise owned by a foreign club. The team is led by General Manager Terry Fisher, a former USL executive, and Head Coach Glenn Van Straatum.
The only additional change in the alignment is the transition of the Toronto Lynx to the Premier Development League.
The USL First Division playoffs will expand to eight teams in 2007 with all eight qualifying clubs playing two-leg aggregate score series in the Quarterfinals the first week after the close of the regular season. The winning clubs from the Quarterfinals will be re-seeded for the Semifinals, also two-leg aggregate score series to determine the two clubs for the USL First Division Championship game to be hosted by one of the two finalists.
In the USL Second Division, three new clubs highlight the landscape with sides in Baltimore, Bermuda and Cleveland.
Crystal Palace Baltimore, previously announced as joining the PDL, will be playing in the USL Second Division in 2007. Affiliated with the English club, the new franchise helped bring Crystal Palace over for a tour last summer.
The addition of Bermuda, name yet to be announced, expands USL's footprint to a fourth federation within CONCACAF following the success of the Puerto Rico Islanders in the USL First Division. They will be the first USL Second Division team from outside of the United States.
Cleveland City Stars, led by former Cascade Surge General Manager Mark Geissbauer, are the most recently announced professional franchise.
Moving out of the USL Second Division are the Long Island Rough Riders, who are joining the Premier Development League, and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, which will not be operating a franchise in 2007.
The USL Second Division Playoffs will consist of single-game semifinals the weekend after the close of the regular season with the winners meeting in the USL Second Division Championship the following week.
USL First Division USL Second Division
Atlanta Silverbacks Bermuda
California Victory Charlotte Eagles
Carolina RailHawks Cincinnati Kings
Charleston Battery Cleveland City Stars
Miami FC Crystal Palace Baltimore
Minnesota Thunder Harrisburg City Islanders
Montreal Impact New Hampshire Phantoms
Portland Timbers Richmond Kickers
Puerto Rico Islanders Western Mass Pioneers
Rochester Raging Rhinos Wilmington Hammerheads
Seattle Sounders
Vancouver Whitecaps
Virginia Beach Mariners
USL First Division Stories from December 15, 2006
- Last day to order Holiday Packs is Monday - Minnesota Thunder
- United Soccer Leagues announce First Division structure for 2007 - Portland Timbers
- Rhinos return for 12th season - Rochester Rhinos
- USL Pro Alignments, Playoff Formats Set - USL-1
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