US Youth Soccer National League teams earn 40 of 96 National Championship berths
National League Las Vegas Recaps: Boys | Girls
FRISCO, Texas (Via US Youth Soccer) — US Youth Soccer has announced the National League Under-14, Under-15, Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 Boys and Girls teams that have qualified to compete in the 2015 National Championships, which are being held July 20-26 in Tulsa, Okla.
Just two teams clinched their position as division champions prior to the final weekends of play in March in Las Vegas, where the remaining division champions were crowned. Of the 18 National League titles captured during play in Las Vegas, 12 were decided on the respective final day of the boys’ and girls’ seasons — showcasing the league’s depth of talent.
By way of their success in the 2014-15 US Youth Soccer National League, the top two finishers in each division have earned a direct path to the final leg of the nation’s most elite and prestigious competition, providing the opportunity for additional exposure to collegiate and national staff scouts and the chance to capture the National Championship title in their respective age group.
2014-15 National League representatives for the 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships
Girls
Under-14
Blue Champion: Dallas Kicks SC (TX-N)*
Blue Runner-up: FC Pride 01 Elite (IN)*
Red Champion: South Shore Select Elite (MA)*
Red Runner-up: CUP Gold 00/01 (OH-S)*
Under-15
Blue Champion: Tophat 18 Gold (GA)
Blue Runner-up: La Roca Premier PO (UT)*
Red Champion: Legends FC 99 (CA-S)*
Red Runner-up: Carlsbad Elite 99 (CA-S)*
Under-16
Blue Champion: Tophat 17 Gold (GA)
Blue Runner-up: YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E)*
Red Champion: JFC Storm 98/99 (FL)#
Red Runner-up: Kings Hammer Academy Red (OH-S)*
Under-17
Blue Champion: Carlsbad Elite 97/98 (CA-S)*
Blue Runner-up: Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (FL)
Red Champion: Beach FC Academy 97 (CA-S)*#
Red Runner-up: Michigan Jaguars 98 Green (MI)*
Under-18
Blue Champion: Beach FC Academy (CA-S)*
Blue Runner-up: DMCV Sharks Elite (CA-S)*#
Red Champion: Carlsbad Elite (CA-S)*
Red Runner-up: VSA Heat 96 Blue (VA)*
Boys
Under-14
Blue Champion: Downtown LVSC 01 Academy (NV)*
Blue Runner-up: San Diego SC 00 Academy Navy (CA-S)*
Red Champion: Baltimore Celtic Dynasty (MD)*
Red Runner-up: LFSC Geerling White (MO)*
Under-15
Blue Champion: Fullerton Rangers White (CA-S)*
Blue Runner-up: United FA 00 Premier (GA)*#
Red Champion: South Carolina United FC 99 Elite (SC)
Red Runner-up: Arlington Eagles Red (VA)*
Under-16
Blue Champion: SDFC Rangers (NJ)
Blue Runner-up: Loudoun 98 Red (VA)*
Red Champion: Penn Fusion 98 (PA-E)*
Red Runner-up: Albion SC White (CA-S)*
Under-17
Blue Champion: Arlington Impact Red (VA)
Blue Runner-up: Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S)*
Red Champion: Baltimore Celtic 97/98 (MD)*#
Red Runner-up: Sunrise Elite 97/98 (FL)*
Under-18
Blue Champion: CUP Gold 96/97 (OH-S)
Blue Runner-up: LVSA 97 Red (NV)*
Red Champion: FC Dallas 97 Premier (TX-N)
Red Runner-up: Fullerton Rangers 96 White (CA-S)*
*Qualified during final weekend in Las Vegas
# Defending National Champion
By US Youth Soccer State Association: California-South (12), Virginia (4), Florida (3), Georgia (3), Ohio-South (3), Maryland (2), Nevada (2), Eastern Pennsylvania (2), North Texas (2), Indiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), South Carolina (1) and Utah (1)
Five teams will be returning to the National Championships with a chance to defend their titles — two on the boys’ side and three girls squads. There are also three former National Champions who earned a chance to reclaim their titles in Tulsa after qualifying through the National League.
National League Girls Results:
An impressive offensive effort by Dallas Kicks SC (TX-N) — scoring 22 goals en route to a 5-0-2 record in league play — helped the Texas side win the Under-14 Blue Division title and earn a trip back to Nationals. The Kicks aren’t the only Under-14 side to secure a second trip to Nationals, as 2014 Region I Champion South Shore Select Elite (MA) came out on top of several tight games to claim the Red Division crown.
After coming up short in the National final last season, 2013 National Champion Legends FC 99 (CA-S) has an opportunity to get back to the top in Tulsa after winning the Under-15 Red Division. Legends held off fellow Cal South side Carlsbad Elite 99 (CA-S) with a tie on the final day of play. Those teams will have to get through Tophat 18 Gold (GA) and U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team forward Rachel Jones, who helped the Georgia side to a 7-0-0 season and the Blue Division championship.
Defending National Champion JFC Storm 98/99 (FL) went 6-0-1 in National League play to win the Under-16 Red Division and guarantee a chance to defend its National title in Tulsa. It will have to face the team it beat in the final, YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E), which finished second in the Blue Division. A tie by YMS on the season’s final day allowed Tophat 17 Gold (GA) to take the Blue Division crown after posting a 5-1-1 record.
A pair of Cal South teams won the divisions in the Under-17 age group, including a Red Division title for defending National Champion Beach FC Academy 97 (CA-S) — which has a chance to play for a second straight National title in Tulsa. In the Blue Division, Carlsbad Elite 97/98 (CA-S) became the first team to win three National League division titles and also became the first girls team to concede zero goals in a season. That defensive effort helped Carlsbad finish ahead of 2014 National finalist Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (FL), which allowed just one goal during its National League campaign.
It took three wins in March for two-time National Champion DMCV Sharks Elite (CA-S) to overcome a slow start and punch its ticket back to Nationals. DMCV defeated Beach FC Academy (CA-S), the Under-18 Blue Division champions, on the season’s final day to secure a second-place finish. The loss was Beach FC’s lone blemish on its run to the group title. In the Red Division, Carlsbad Elite (CA-S) went undefeated — posting four wins and three ties — en route to a first-place finish.
National League Boys Results:
An exciting final day of play saw Downtown LVSC 01 Academy (NV) win the Under-14 Blue Division with a win over San Diego SC 00 Academy Navy (CA-S), which hung on for second place in the group. In the Red Division, a 5-0-2 record helped Baltimore Celtic Dynasty (MD) claim the title and earn a second trip to the National Championships after going as the Region I Champions a year ago.
A December win over defending National Champion United FA 00 Premier (GA) allowed Fullerton Rangers White (CA-S) to take the Under-15 Blue Division title thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker. United FA, which finished tied with Fullerton with 16 points, settled for second place but still has a chance to defend its National title. In the Red Division, South Carolina United FC 99 Elite (SC) finished atop the group with a 5-1-1 record.
The only team in the Under-16 age group to go undefeated, SDFC Rangers (NJ) used its 5-0-2 mark to claim the Blue Division title. In the Red Division, Penn Fusion 98 (PA-E) finished in first after a hot start in North Carolina that saw it earn 10 points. Little separated the teams in both Under-16, so runners-up Loudoun 98 Red (VA) and Albion SC White (CA-S) could certainly make some noise in Tulsa.
An undefeated December fueled Virginia side Arlington Impact Red’s run to Under-17 Blue Division title. Arlington held off two-time National Champion Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S), which finished second and will head to Tulsa with a chance to win its third National title in four years. That won’t be easy, as defending National Champion Baltimore Celtic 97/98 (MD) is heading back to Nationals after winning the Red Division. And with 2012 National finalist Sunrise Elite 97/98 (FL) moving on as the Red Division runner-up, the Under-17 age group will be filled with experienced teams in Tulsa.
FC Dallas 97 Premier (TX-N), the 2014 National finalist, went 7-0-0 to win the Under-18 Red Division and will be out to finish on top this summer in Tulsa. Meanwhile, two-time National Champion Fullerton Rangers 96 White (CA-S) finished second in the group to earn a berth to its fifth National Championships. In the Red Division, CUP Gold 96/97 (OH-S) did just enough to hold off LVSA 97 Red (NV) for the group title.
The 40 Boys and Girls teams that qualified for the National Championships through the National League will be joined by 56 US Youth Soccer Regional Champions to complete the field of 96 teams this summer in Tulsa, Okla.
The National League kicked off the season in November 2014, with the girls starting things off in Wilson, N.C. Boys play kicked off three weeks later at the same location. The boys and girls each played on separate dates in late December and January alongside the Disney Soccer Showcase in Orlando, Fla. The final two weekends took place alongside the Players Soccer Showcase in Las Vegas. The Boys finished their season March 13-15, while the girls wrapped up play March 20-22. Each weekend of play provided key recruiting and scouting opportunities for college coaches seeking future impact players.
The National League is an extension of the highly successful US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues (US Youth Soccer Region I Champions League, Midwest Regional League, Region III Premier League and Far West Regional League). The National League provides an avenue for teams to play in meaningful matches against top competition from across the country for continued development and opportunities for exposure at the national team, collegiate and professional levels.
National League teams earn their place in the league based on a proven track record of success in US Youth Soccer regional and national competitions and are among the nation’s best. Competing for a league title and a spot in the US Youth Soccer National Championships, each and every game played into who is representing the National League this summer in Tulsa, Okla.
The US Youth Soccer National Championships cap a yearlong series of competitions that comprise the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Boys and girls teams in multiple age groups earn their way by competing against the top teams in their state and region. US Youth Soccer State Champions and selected wildcard teams are eligible to compete in one of four US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. The champions in the Under-13 through Under-19 age groups from each regional event will converge in the finals with the National League teams.
2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships | Tulsa, Okla.
Mohawk Soccer Complex
Player Luncheon: July 20
Round Robin: July 21-23
Semis: July 25 (U14-U18)
Finals: July 25 (U13 & U19); July 26 (U14-U18)
