USL News Release
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. – The USL W-League released its divisional alignment and schedule for 2012 today, with the action slated to kick off for the 188-game regular season on Friday, May 11. A trio of new W-League teams will make their debut in 2012, with the Central South Carolina Cobras, FC Jax Destroyers and VSI Tampa Flames kicking off their inaugural seasons to boost the league roster to 30.
“We couldn’t be more excited about what the 2012 W-League season will bring,” said Amanda Duffy, senior director of the W-League. “The league has continued its steady growth and now boasts several teams with ties to MLS clubs, so the W-League’s profile in the North American women’s soccer landscape has never been greater.”
The W-League remains divided into three geographic conferences – Eastern Conference, Central Conference and Western Conference – though the Eastern Conference has grown to three five-team divisions. The Central Conference features seven teams in a single division, while the Western Conference has eight teams. W-League clubs will play 12-14 game schedules in 2012, with each team facing each opponent in its division home and away in the Central and Western Conferences and teams playing three times in each of the Eastern Conference’s divisions.
2012 W-League Alignment
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
DC United Women
Dayton Dutch Lions
Fredericksburg Impact
Northern Virginia Majestics
Virginia Beach Piranhas
Northeast Division
Long Island Rough Riders
New Jersey Rangers
New Jersey Wildcats
New York Magic
North Jersey Valkyries
Southeast Division
Atlanta Silverbacks
Central South Carolina Cobras
Charlotte Lady Eagles
FC Jax Destroyers
VSI Tampa Flames
Central Conference
Hamilton FC Rage
Laval Comets
London Gryphons
Ottawa Fury
Quebec City Amiral
Rochester Ravens
Toronto Lady Lynx
Western Conference
Colorado Force
Colorado Rush
LA Strikers
Pali Blues
Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Seattle Sounders Women
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Victoria Highlanders
The season opens on Friday, May 11 as new franchise the VSI Tampa Flames visit the Charlotte Lady Eagles. The opening weekend of the season also sees the Pali Blues and LA Strikers renew their rivalry and defending Western Conference champions the Vancouver Whitecaps travel to face the Victoria Highlanders on Sunday, May 13.
2011 USL W-League champions the Atlanta Silverbacks begin their title defense on Friday, May 18 when they host the Central SC Cobras at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, while the Seattle Sounders Women, and new signings Hope Solo and Sydney Leroux, open their season at the Starfire Sports Complex on Sunday, May 20 against the Colorado Rush.
The final weekend of the regular season is set for July 13-15, with 27 of the 30 teams in action as the race for postseason spots winds down. The Ottawa Fury will host the 2012 USL W-League Championship presented by UMBRO, welcoming the three W-League conference champions July 27-29 to the Algonquin College Soccer Complex for the semifinals and final featuring some of the world’s top amateur, international and professional women’s soccer stars.
The 18th W-League season will see 11 teams advance to the postseason with one champion advancing from each conference. The three conference champions will join the Fury in Ottawa in a ‘final four’ format championship. The semifinals will be played on Friday, July 27 with the winners meeting for the 2012 W-League Championship on Sunday, July 29.
The W-League is recognized throughout the world for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans across North America. The caliber of W-League talent was well represented in the recent CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers where all 20 Canadian National team members and 15 of the 20 U.S. National team members boasted W-League experience including 2011 W-League Rookie of the Year Leroux and Ottawa Fury Youth Program graduate and W-League striker Christina Julien.