USL News Release
Thursday, December 11, 2008
TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced the details for the 2009 USL W-League season. Among the details finalized recently at the 2008 Annual General Meeting at the Hyatt Regency in Tampa, FL were the alignment, schedule structure and playoff details for the 2009 competition.
The W-League will consist of 37 teams in 2009, playing in five divisions that comprise the three conferences. One minor change to the alignment format is the name change of the Northern Division to Great Lakes.
Expansion teams that have been formally announced to date are the Buffalo Flash and Quebec City Arsenal with an additional team yet to be formally unveiled. Teams undergoing name changes are the Western New York Pride (formerly Rochester Rhinos), Chicago Red Eleven (Chicago Gaels), Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues (Jersey Sky Blue) and the Colorado Force (Fort Collins Force).
Teams will play a 12 or 14 game seasons depending on their division with the season opening May 8 and concluding July 19.
The W-League postseason will be extended to three weeks with the league semifinals and championship being split into two separate weekends. Eleven W-League teams will qualify for the postseason tournament in 2009 with the league’s Regular Season Champion (based on point percentage) receiving a bye to the league semifinals. The remaining teams will compete in three conference tournaments in playoff week one July 24-26 to determine the other three league semifinalists for the weekend of July 31-August 1 at two locations. The regular season champion will face the lowest remaining overall seed unless they have played during the season, which would result in a pairing with the next lowest seed. The championship game will be August 7-8, and will air on Fox Soccer Channel.
2009 W-League Playoff Bracket [+]
2009 W-League Alignment
Central Conference
Midwest Division: Chicago Red Eleven, Cleveland Internationals, Fort Wayne Fever, FC Indiana Lionesses, Kalamazoo Outrage, Minnesota Lightning, West Michigan Firewomen
Great Lakes Division: Buffalo Flash, Hamilton Avalanche, Laval Comets, London Gryphons, Ottawa Fury, Quebec City Arsenal, Toronto Lady Lynx, Western New York Pride
Central Conference Playoff Format: The playoffs begin with a midweek divisional playoff game between the second and third-seeded teams in the Great Lakes Division. The divisional playoff winner will join the Great Lakes top seed and the top two teams from the Midwest Division at the conference tournament (top seed has first right to host or host determined by bid). The divisional top seeds face the lower seed from the opposite division in the conference semifinals.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division: Atlanta Silverbacks, Cary, Charlotte Lady Eagles, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Northern Virginia Majestics, Richmond Kickers Destiny, Tampa Bay Hellenic
Northeast Division: Boston Renegades, Connecticut Passion, Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, Long Island Rough Riders, New Jersey Wildcats, New York Magic, Washington Freedom, Western Mass Lady Pioneers
Eastern Conference Playoff Format: The top two teams each from the Atlantic and Northeast Divisions will meet at the conference tournament (top seed has first right to host or host determined by bid). The divisional top seeds face the lower seed from the opposite division in the conference semifinals.
Western Conference
Colorado Force, Los Angeles Legends, Pali Blues, Real Colorado Cougars, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, Ventura County Fusion
Western Conference Playoff Format: The top two teams meet in a conference championship match.
