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USL - Minor League Soccer in New England
The USL represents the second, third and fourth tiers of the US soccer scene, and New England has had representative teams in the league since 1993, when it was still known as the USISL.
The Connecticut Wolves were the first New England team to enter, quickly followed by the Boston Storm and the Cape Cod Crusaders. Of those three pioneering teams, only the Crusaders remain, a fact which highlights the struggles that teams in the minors must face every day just to survive.
By the mid-1990s more stable franchises, notably the New Hampshire Phantoms and the Western Mass. Pioneers, had entered the league. Both have also enjoyed terrific success on the field, with the Pioneers winning a National Championship and the Phantoms reaching the championship game, before falling at the final hurdle.
But neither have done as well as the Cape Cod Crusaders, which has won two national crowns at the PDL level, and been a regular playoff contender in recent years.
Other New England teams include the Vermont Voltage the and the Rhode Island Rays, who have not enjoyed the same level of success, but nonetheless brought high level soccer to the local communities of New England.
The United Soccer Leagues umbrella also encompasses the W-League and the Super-Y league, which we cover in the Women's Soccer and Youth Soccer sections of the site, respectively.
In this part of the site we'll cover the players, coaches and teams that make up this vibrant part of the New England soccer scene.
Latest USL Soccer Stories
5/7/08 - Crusaders, Renegades Open Season Saturday.
The Boston Renegades and Cape Cod Crusaders open their respective seasons this Saturday, the former at Framingham's Bowditch Stadium and the latter at Mass Maritime Academy.
5/2/08 - Phantoms Kick Off Saturday.
The New Hampshire Phantoms kick off their 13th season in United Soccer Leagues (USL) and first in the Premier Development Division (PDL) this Saturday when they take on the Long Island Rough Riders at 7:30 p.m. at Manchester Memorial High School.
4/25/08 - Phantoms Gear Up for 2008.
EAST HAMPSTEAD, N.H. – The New Hampshire Phantoms are close to finalizing their full roster for the upcoming 2008 season, a docket that includes two local standout goalkeepers and two international level players.
4/22/08 - Pioneers Split First Two Games.
The Western Mass. Pioneers split their first two games this weekend, falling to the Richmond Kickers, 3-0, in the season opener Saturday and beating Real Maryland, 1-0, in United Soccer Leagues action on Sunday.
4/9/08 - BU Alum Hooks on with Miami FC.
BOSTON -- Boston University men's soccer product Jarryd Goldberg signed with Miami FC of the United Soccer League First Division on Tuesday.
3/26/08 - Vuckovic's Voltage.
Moving a struggling soccer team from a city with a population of over 200,000 to a small town 30 miles to the north might seem like a poor business decision. But this is exactly what Vermont Voltage coach Bujon “Bo” Vuckovic did when he purchased the team in 1999 – and he hasn’t looked back since.
3/19/08 - Nyack Alum Signs With Aztecs.
Billerica (Mass.) native Tim Conway agreed to terms today to play with the Boston Aztecs of the NPSL this summer.
3/13/08 - Boston Aztecs Return Seven.
The Boston Aztec NPSL men's team announced the return of seven key performers for Aztec men's teams yesterday. Several of the players were a part of the Aztec 2005 PASL National Championship team.
3/13/08 - Crusaders' Moves Prepare For Season.
The Cape Cod Crusaders got a massive boost last week when Graham Munroe and Jason Massie announced their intentions to return to the club. This comes one week after the team signed University of New Mexico players Joel Thiessen, Simon Epidemyr, PJ Wilson and Chris Wright for the 2008 season.
2/22/08 - Lots of History for Pioneers.
There is no doubt that Western Mass Pioneers have had their share of ups and downs throughout their 10-year history. But what the team lacks in consistency, they make up in longevity. Founded in 1998, the Pioneers are one of the older teams in the ever-changing landscape of the United Soccer Leagues.
1/24/08 - Phantoms Open Eastern PDL Schedule.
TAMPA, FL – In their first season in the PDL, the New Hampshire Phantoms will be the first of the three New England teams to kick off the 2008 USL Premier Development League regular season when they host the Long Island Rough Riders on May 3.
1/15/08 - Pioneers Kick off USL Season Against Kickers.
TAMPA, Fla. – The Western Mass. Pioneers will travel to the 2006 United Soccer League champion Richmond Kickers on April 19 as part of a four-game blockbuster set to kick off the USL Second Division 2008 season.
1/7/08 - Former Crusader Signs With English Club.
Former Cape Cod Crusader Andrew Wright has reached a one-year agreement with Scunthorpe United of England's Football League Championship, the second-highest division in the English soccer system after the Premier League.
11/1/07 - Phantoms Moving to PDL.
After finishing with their worst record in franchise history, the New Hampshire Phantoms announced they were moving down from the United Soccer Leagues Second Division to the USL's Premier Development League.
11/1/07 - Locals Inducted into USL Hall of Fame.
Two New England clubs and one former Revolution player were among the 2007 inductees into the USL Hall of Fame.
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