USL Second Division

History

In 1995 the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), the de facto second tier of American soccer at the time, the league changed its name to the United States International Soccer League, and split into two leagues, one professional and one amateur. The professional league, initially called the USISL Pro League, was a FIFA-sanctioned Division 3 league, while the amateur league, (the 'Premier League'), was given Division 4 status and would later go on to become the USL Premier Development League. The first champions of the new USISL Pro League were the Long Island Rough Riders, who beat Minnesota Thunder 2–1 in the championship game.

In 1996, the USISL established a new USISL Select League. The strongest USISL Pro League teams joined this new league, which was given Division 2 status alongside the existing A-League, while the remainder of the teams (plus expansion teams) remained at Division 3 level. Charleston Battery became the league's second champions in this year, beating the Charlotte Eagles in a penalty shootout in the 1996 USISL Pro League championship game.

In 1997 the league changed its name to the USISL D-3 Pro League to further distinguish itself from the A-League, and then in 1999 the umbrella USISL changed its name to the United Soccer Leagues (USL), and as such the Pro League officially became known as the USL D3 Pro League. In 2003 the name was changed again to the USL Pro Select League, but during the season had to be changed to the USL Pro Soccer League for to legal reasons. In 2005 the league took its final name as the USL Second Division.

The USL Second Division dissolved following the 2010 season to make way for USL Pro, which combined the existing USL First and Second divisions and began play in 2011.

Teams

:

• Albuquerque Geckos (1997)
• Arizona Sahuaros (1997–2002)
• Atlanta Magic (1995, only played 2 games)
• Austin Lone Stars (1997–2000)
• Bermuda Hogges (2007–09)
• Boston Storm (1995)
• Boston Bulldogs (2001)
• California Jaguars (1995–96, 1998–99, 1995 as Montego Bay Jaguars)
• California Gold (2002–04)
• Cape Cod Crusaders (1995, 1997–2000)
• Carolina Dynamo (1995, 1999–2003, 1995 as Greensboro Dynamo)
• Cascade Surge (1995–96, as Oregon Surge in 1995)
• Central California Valley Hydra (1995–96)
• Central Jersey Riptide (1996–98)
• Charleston Battery (1995–96, 2010)
• Charlotte Eagles (1995–2000, 2004–10)
• Chattanooga Express (1995–96)
• Chicago Stingers (1995–98,)
• Chico Rooks (1995–2001)
• Cincinnati Cheetahs (1995)
• Cincinnati Kings (2005–07)
• Cleveland Caps (1997–98)
• Cleveland City Stars (2007–08)
• Columbus Xoggz (1995)
• Connecticut Wolves (1995, 2002)
• Crystal Palace Baltimore (2007–09)
• Delaware Wizards (1995, 1997–2000)
• Detroit Wheels (1995)
• Eastern Shore Sharks (1995–99, as Baltimore Bays in 1995–97)
• El Paso Patriots (1995)
• Everett BigFoot (1995–96)
• Florida Stars (1995)
• Florida Strikers (1995, 1997, as Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 1995)
• Fresno Dragons (1999)
• Greenville Lions (2001–02)
• Hampton Roads Mariners (1995)
• Harrisburg City Islanders (2004–10)
• Hawaii Tsunami (1995–1997)
• Houston Force (1995)
• Houston Hurricanes (1996–2000)
• Indiana Blast (1997–98)
• Jersey Dragons (1995)
• Las Vegas Quicksilver (1995)
• Lexington Bluegrass Bandits (1995)
• Long Island Rough Riders (1995, 2002–06)
• Los Angeles Salsa U-23s (1995)
• Louisville Thoroughbreds (1995)
• Miami Breakers (1998)
• Milwaukee Rampage (1995)
• Minnesota Thunder (1995)
• Mobile Revelers (1995–1997)
• Myrtle Beach Boyz (1995)
• Myrtle Beach Seadawgs (1997–99)
• New Hampshire Ramblers (1995)
• New Hampshire Phantoms (1996–2007)
• New Jersey Stallions (1997–2003, as New York/New Jersey Stallions in 1997–98)
• New Mexico Chiles (1995)
• New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers (1995)
• New York Capital District Alleycats (1995–98, as Albany Alleycats in 1995–96)
• New York Fever (1995)
• New York Freedom (2002–03)
• North Jersey Imperials (1996–97, 1999)
• Northern Nevada Aces (2001–02)
• Northern Virginia Royals (1998–2005)
• Orlando Nighthawks (1997–98, as Daytona Tigers in 1997)
• Philadelphia Freedom (1995–97, as Pennsylvania Freedom in 1995)
• Pensacola Barracudas (1998)
• Portland Firebirds (1995)
• Raleigh Flyers (1995)
• Reading Rage (1996–2003)
• Reno Rattlers (1995, 1997–98)
• Rhode Island Stingrays (1995–2001)
• Richmond Kickers (2006–10)
• Pittsburgh Riverhounds (2004–06, 2008–10, as Riverhounds FC in 2004)
• Riverside County Elite (2000)
• Roanoke Wrath (1998–2000)
• Rockford Raptors (1995–98)
• Sacramento Scorpions (1997)
• St. Louis Knights (1995)
• San Antonio Pumas (1995–98)
• San Diego Top Guns (1995)
• San Diego Gauchos (2002–04)
• San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles (1995–98)
• San Francisco Bay Diablos (1995)
• San Francisco Bay Seals (1997)
• Shreveport/Bossier Lions (1998)
• South Carolina Shamrocks (1997–99)
• South Jersey Barons (1997-02)
• Southwest Florida Manatees (1998)
• Stanislaus County Cruisers (1997–2001)
• Tallahassee Tempest (1998)
• Tampa Bay Cyclones (1995)
• Texas Lightning (1995)
• Texas Rattlers (1995–2000, as Dallas/Ft. Worth Toros in 1995–96, as Dallas Toros in 1997, as Texas Toros in 1998–99)
• Tucson Fireballs (1997–2001, as Los Angeles Fireballs in 1997–99)
• Tulsa Roughnecks (1995–99)
• Utah Blitzz (2000–04)
• Vermont Voltage (1997–98, as Vermont Wanderers in 1997)
• Washington Mustangs (1996)
• Westchester Flames (2002–04)
• Western Mass Pioneers (1998–2009)
• Wilmington Hammerheads (1996–2009)
• Worcester Wildfire (1996)
• Yakima Reds (1995–96)

Timeline

DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Define $now = 09/01/2014 ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:22 Period = from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2018 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 # to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20" Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:lightline value:rgb(0.5,0.5,0.5) id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a current club id:Former value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a former club id:USSFD2 value:rgb(0.000,0.996,0.996) # Use this color to denote a USSF D2 season id:USL1 value:rgb(0.996,0.598,0.996) # Use this color to denote a club that moved on to USL 1st Div id:PDL value:rgb(0.897,0.698,0.698) # Use this color to denote a club that went to PDL league id:USLPro value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a club that went to USL Pro league id:Hiatus value:rgb(0.996,0.797,0.598) # Use this color to denote a club that was on hiatus for a period but returned

PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2010 text:Charlotte Eagles (2005–2010) bar:1 color:USLPro from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2014 text:USL Pro (2011–2014) bar:1 color:PDL from:01/01/2015 till:end text:USL PDL (2015–present)

bar:2 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2007 text:Cincinnati Kings (2005–2007) bar:2 color:PDL from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2012 shift:(20,-5) text:USL PDL (2008–2012)

bar:3 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2010 text:Harrisburg City Islanders (2005–2010) bar:3 color:USLPro from:01/01/2011 till:end text:USL Pro (2011–present)

bar:4 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2006 text:Long Island Rough Riders (2005–2006) bar:4 color:PDL from:01/01/2007 till:end shift:(60,-5) text:USL PDL (2007–present)

bar:5 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2007 text:New Hampshire Phantoms (2005–2007) bar:5 color:PDL from:01/01/2008 till:end text:USL PDL (2008–present)

bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2005 text:Northern Virginia Royals (2005) bar:6 color:PDL from:01/01/2006 till:end shift:(90,-5) text:USL PDL (2006–present)

bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2006 text:Pittsburgh Riverhounds (2005–2006) bar:7 color:Hiatus from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2007 text: bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2010 text: bar:7 color:USLPro from:01/01/2011 till:end text:USL Pro (2011–present)

bar:8 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2009 text:Western Mass Pioneers (2005–2009) bar:8 color:PDL from:01/01/2010 till:end text:USL PDL (2010–present)

bar:9 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2009 text:Wilmington Hammerheads (2005–2006) bar:9 color:Hiatus from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2010 text: bar:9 color:USLPro from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2016 text:USL Pro (2011–2016) bar:9 color:PDL from:01/01/2017 till:end text:USL PDL (2017–present)

bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2010 text:Richmond Kickers (2006–2010) bar:10 color:USLPro from:01/01/2011 till:end text:USL Pro (2011–present)

bar:11 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2009 text:Bermuda Hogges (2007–2009) bar:11 color:PDL from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2011 text:USL PDL (2010–2011)

bar:12 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2008 text:Cleveland City Stars (2007–2008) bar:12 color:USL1 from:01/01/2009 till:12/31/2009 shift:(20,-5) text:USL Division 1 (2009)

bar:13 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2009 text:Crystal Palace Baltimore (2007–2009) bar:13 color:USSFD2 from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2010 text:USSF D2(2010)

bar:14 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2010 text:Real Maryland Monarchs (2008–2010) bar:14 color:PDL from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2012 text:USL PDL (2011–2012)

bar:15 color:Full from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2010 text:Charleston Battery(2010) bar:15 color:USLPro from:01/01/2011 till:end shift:(60,-5) text:USL Pro (2011–present)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2005 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightline unit:month increment:6 start:01/01/2005

TextData = fontsize:L textcolor:black pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center) text:

1. If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following six options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.

--

Past champions

Championships by team

References

References

1. [http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1995.html The Year in American Soccer, 1995]
2. [http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1996.html The Year in American Soccer, 1996]
3. (September 8, 2010). "USL Restructures Professional Division". www.uslsoccer.com.
4. (September 8, 2010). "USL Merges D-2 and D-3 Leagues to Create 'USL Pro' for 2011". IMSoccer News.