New England Premiership qualifies 46 teams for National Cup XV Finals
List of champions | National Cup XV Finals
(Via US Club Soccer) – Five state championship events – Connecticut Cup, Maine Cup, Massachusetts Cup, New Hampshire Cup and Rhode Island Cup – came to a close this past weekend with 51 teams winning their respective divisions.
The New England Premiership (NEP) hosted each event, which included U-13 through U-18 boys and girls age groups. U-13 through U-17 champions – a total of 46 teams – have advanced directly to the National Cup XV Finals. Two years ago, US Club Soccer welcomed the impressive league, which encompasses multiple states in the northeast.
This was the second year NEP has hosted state championship events, and in its first year, four state cup winners went on to win national championships.
Schedules and results for each state cup are available at the following links:
During the inaugural Connecticut Cup, Connecticut FC was the big winner, as it claimed four boys age groups (U-13, U-14, U-15, U-17). At the Maine Cup, GPS Maine Phoenix secured six brackets (U-13 girls, U-14 boys and girls, U-15 boys and girls, U-17 girls) and Seacoast United Maine SC won the other four.
The Phoenix U18 Boys claim their 4th consecutive state championship. pic.twitter.com/fTmCcVMENt
— GPS Maine (@GPSMaine) June 15, 2016
In Massachusetts, a club familiar to national championship success – NEFC – won seven divisions (U-13 boys and girls, U-15 girls, U-16 girls, U-17 girls, U-18 boys and girls). NEFC Elite won the U-13 Girls Super Group title during last year’s National Cup XIV Finals, a week after winning the same age group at the 2015 NPL Finals. GPS MA NPL grabbed three age groups (U-14 through U-16 boys), of which its U-14 and U-16 teams won Super Group national championships last year at the National Cup XIV Finals.
With all done & dusted @NEFC_US wins 11 @NEP_StateCups in MA & RI! Congrats! On to @USClubSoccer #NationalCupXV pic.twitter.com/7E9kWlsTj7
— NEFC_US (@NEFC_US) June 13, 2016
GPS New Hampshire Classics turned in a strong performance in the New Hampshire Cup, as the club clinched half a dozen slots (U-13 girls, U-14 boys, U-15 boys and girls, U-16 boys, U-17 boys) to the National Cup XV Finals. Seacoast United extended its success in Maine to the New Hampshire Cup, as well, winning the remaining five age groups.
@GPSNewHampshire @SeacoastUnited @NEPremiership @USClubSoccer pic.twitter.com/SwYobbLfw8
— NEP State Cups (@NEP_StateCups) June 12, 2016
And, in Rhode Island, Bayside FC Bolts turned in the most championship teams in the state with six (U-13 girls, U-14 boys, U-15 boys and girls, U-16 girls, U-17 girls). NEFC Southeast was not far behind, though, with four.
#RICup @BaysideFCBolts takes the GU15 and 16 championships @NEPremiership @USClubSoccer pic.twitter.com/7wdKQnnxFB
— NEP State Cups (@NEP_StateCups) June 12, 2016
The National Cup XV Finals, which will be held July 22-25 at Aurora Sports Park in Aurora, Colo., is the culminating event of US Club Soccer’s cup-based national championship series that includes six Regional events and various state cups.