ENPL announces South Atlantic Premier League as qualifying competition

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Via US Club Soccer) – The Elite National Premier League has announced an additional qualifying NPL member for the 2017-18 season in the southeast. Qualifying 14-U to 19-U boys teams from the South Atlantic Premier League will advance to the ENPL Playoffs in June 2018.

These teams will earn qualification to the ENPL Playoffs based on their performances throughout the regular season. This NPL now joins previously announced qualifiers in the Southeast (Virginia NPL and Boys ECNL Southeast Conference), Northeast, Midwest, Texas, Southwest and California.

By providing qualification paths for both team-based and club-based competitions, the ENPL will feature the best boys players in US Club Soccer. The regular season competition within each NPL and Boys ECNL Conference are unique and independently structured; however, consistent technical and competitive standards will apply, and all teams will be focusing on the same postseason destination: the ENPL Playoffs.

+READ: ECNL announces initial 2017-2018 girls membership, including 79 clubs

The South Atlantic Premier League includes 12 clubs: AFC Lightning (Ga.), Charlotte United FC (N.C.), Chattanooga FC (Tenn.), Discoveries SC (S.C.), FC Alliance (Tenn.), Lake Norman SC (N.C.), South Carolina United FC (S.C.), Southern Soccer Academy (Ga.), Triangle United Soccer Association (N.C.), United Futbol Academy (Ga.), USA Mount Pleasant (S.C.) and Wake FC (N.C.).

“We are truly excited to be a part of the great league structure of the NPL,” said Kian Brownlee, Director of Coaching for United Soccer Academy Mount Pleasant. “We are convinced that it will be the most consistent competitive environment in which our players will grow and our coaches can focus on their development and quality of play.”

“Going into our fifth year of NPL, Triangle United is excited about being a part of the South Atlantic Premier League once again,” added John Cirillo, Director of Soccer for Triangle United. “With the new clubs coming on board, as well as moving into the ENPL, the South Atlantic Premier League, in my opinion, is going to be a very strong league. We are looking forward to great competition for many years to come.”

The ENPL is a collaboration between US Club Soccer and the ECNL to raise standards in youth boys soccer across the country.