USL Academy League divisional alignment and schedule released for 2024 season

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Academy has announced its divisional alignment and schedule for the 2024 USL Academy League which will culminate with the USL Academy League Finals following the conclusion of the regular season.

Established in 2021, the USL Academy League provides clubs in all three of the USL’s professional divisions (USL Championship, USL League One, USL Super League) with an elite youth development and competition platform to develop local players for their senior team. Last year saw the introduction of USL Academy Girls divisions to connect with the pre-professional and professional ranks of the USL W League and USL Super League, respectively.

Overall, there will be 103 clubs with USL Academy Boys programs and 31 clubs with USL Academy Girls programs taking the field in the 2024 competition. Since the USL Academy program’s introduction, over 100 players have progressed through the pathway to play professionally for the first team of USL Championship or USL League One clubs.

(VIEW THE 2024 USL ACADEMY LEAGUE SCHEDULE)

“As the USL Academy platform continues to grow, we’re excited to get to the point where we are now not only diversifying our regional divisions with new, quality members, but are also starting to lower and limit travel demand,” said Liam O’Connell, USL Men’s Pathway Technical Director. “This will allow our clubs to focus their time and resources even further on improving their training environments and helping develop local players to their individual potential, and hopefully increase the likelihood of those top prospects becoming Senior Team Players for their clubs.”

One of the most recent success stories of the USL Academy men’s pathway is current Indy Eleven midfielder Diego Sanchez. After joining the club’s Academy program in 2021 and signing a USL Academy contract with the first team, Sanchez made his debut for Indy Eleven as a 17-year-old in the final game of the 2022 USL Championship regular season. He then signed a professional contract with the club in November 2023 and will look to continue his development with both the USL Academy team and the Indy Eleven first team this season.

With the inaugural season of the USL Super League kicking off later this year, plans are already underway for USL Academy to continue to evolve to provide more young players a clear path to pursuing playing opportunities within the women’s professional ranks.

“Since taking this role at USL, I’ve been incredibly proud and excited by the enthusiasm from our women’s professional and amateur clubs to invest in building their USL Academy programs,” added Carrie Taylor, USL Women’s Pathway Technical Director. “We look forward to enhancing the platform and ensuring that these top clubs can utilize USL Academy to develop future local Senior Team players.”

For a list of all the USL Academy clubs competing in the 2024 league season, please see below:

2024 BOYS USL ACADEMY LEAGUE

Metro Division (8): Brooklyn FC, Brooklyn Italians, Cedar Stars Academy, FA Euro NY, Hudson Valley Hammers, Ironbound SC, Manhattan SC, Westchester Flames.

Mid-Atlantic Division (7): FC Motown, Lancaster FC, Morris Elite, NJ Copa FC, Philadelphia Lone Star, Reading United AC, Real Central NJ

Chesapeake Division (4): Grove United, NOVA FC, Patuxent Football Athletics, Richmond Kickers

South Atlantic Division (6): North Carolina FC, Richmond Kickers, Salem City, Tobacco Road FC, VBR Star, Wake FC

Southeast Coast Division (5): Asheville City, Charlotte Eagles, Charlotte Independence, South Carolina United, South Georgia Tormenta

Southeast Division (8): FC Miami City, Ft. Lauderdale Pro, Miami Athletic Club, Miami FC, Nona SC, St Petersburg FC, Swan City SC, Tampa Bay United

Great Forest Division (6): Cleveland Force, Indy Eleven, Kings Hammer SC, Lexington SC, Louisville City, Michiana FC

Mountain Division (8): Albion SC Colorado, Colorado International Soccer Academy, Colorado Springs Switchbacks, Flatirons Rush, Northern Colorado Hailstorm, Real Colorado Foxes, Utah Red Wolves, Utah United Academy

Lonestar Division (7): AHFC Royals, Hill Country Lobos, Houston FC, Laredo Heat, Lonestar SC, San Antonio FC

Cactus Division (6): AZ Arsenal, Barca AZ, El Paso Locomotive, FC Tucson, New Mexico United, Phoenix Rising FC

Southwest Division (6): AMSG, Central Valley Fuego, City SC, Orange County SC, Ventura County Fusion, West Coast FC

NorCal Division (5): Academica SC, NOVA Academy, River Valley Surf, Sacramento Republic, San Francisco Glens

South Central Division (5): Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, East Atlanta FC, One Knox SC, Southern Soccer Academy, Tri-Cities United

Northeast Division (5): AC Connecticut, Boston Bolts, Hartford Athletic, NEFC, Western Mass Pioneers

Valley Division (4): FC Buffalo, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Cleveland Force, Kings Hammers SC

Great Lakes Division (4): Detroit City FC, Michiana FC, Midwest United, Toledo Villa

Deep North Division (7): Bavarian United, Chicago City SC, Dakota Alliance, MPLS City, Rochester FC, St. Charles FC, St. Croix Legends

2024 GIRLS USL ACADEMY LEAGUE

Metro Division (5): AC Connecticut, Manhattan SC, Morris Elite, NJ Copa FC, Real Central New Jersey

South Atlantic Division (6): Asheville City, Fox Soccer Academy, NC Courage, NC Fusion, VBR Star, Wake FC

Southeast Coast Division (4): Charlotte Eagles, Charlotte Independence, South Carolina United, South Georgia Tormenta

South Central Division (4): Chattanooga Red Wolves, East Atlanta FC, One Knox SC, Southern Soccer Academy.

Great Lakes Division (4): Chicago City SC, Cleveland Force, Michiana FC, Midwest United

Southeast Division (5): FC Miami City, Miami AC, Nona SC, Swan City SC, THL Reckoning

NorCal Division (3): California Storm, Pleasanton Rage SC, San Francisco Glens