National League: Scores and Standings | Get National League News | Video
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #EarnYourPlace
National Championships: Official Website | Get National Championships News | Video
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | #ROADtoTX
FRISCO, Texas (March 22, 2017) — US Youth Soccer is proud to announce the US Youth Soccer National League 15U, 16U, 17U, 18U and 19/20U Boys and Girls teams that have qualified to compete in the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships, which are being held July 24-30 in Frisco, Texas.
Just six 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 27 National League titles captured during play in Las Vegas, 13 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 2016-17 US Youth Soccer National League, the division winners in each age group, along with second-place finishers in the 15U and 19/20U age groups, have earned a direct path to the National Championships. Annually, the final leg of the nation's most elite and prestigious competition provides 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.
2016-17 National League representatives for the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships
15U Girls
Blue Champion: Nationals Union 02 Black (MI)
Blue Runner-up: Legends FC 02 Academy 1 (CA-S)*
Red Champion: Cincinnati United Premier Gold (OH-S)*
Red Runner-up: La Roca-PO 02 (UT)*
16U Girls
Black Champion: Florida Elite 2001 (FL) *
Blue Champion: Michigan Jaguars 01 Green (MI)
Red Champion: CUP Gold 01 (OH-S)
White Champion: Legends FC 01 Academy (CA-S)*
17U Girls
Black Champion: CUP 00 Gold (OH-S)*
Blue Champion: Midwest United FC 00 Royal (MI)#
Red Champion: Scottsdale Blackhawks Taylor (AZ)*
White Champion: Legends FC 00 Academy (CA-S)*
18U Girls
Black Champion: Nationals Union 99 Black (MI)*
Blue Champion: TSC Showcase (TN)*
Red Champion: Legends FC 99 Academy (CA-S)*
White Champion: FC Pennsylvania Strikers (PA-E)
19/20U Girls
Blue Champion: Beach FC 98 Academy (CA-S)*
Blue Runner-up: Team Chicago Academy 1998 Elite (IL)*
Red Champion: YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E)*#
Red Runner-up: 98 CR Academy (NC)
15U Boys
Blue Champion: Boca Juniors OC 02 White (CA-S)*
Blue Runner-up: Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker (TX-N)*
Red Champion: Midwest United FC 02 Royal (MI)*
Red Runner-up: St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC Elite (MO)*
16U Boys
Black Champion: Raiders FC (IL)*
Blue Champion: CUP Gold 01 (OH-S)*
Red Champion: Lobos Rush 01 Premier (TN)
White Champion: LVSA 01 Red (NV)*
17U Boys
Black Champion: McLean 00 Green (VA)#
Blue Champion: West Coast FC Armour 2000 (CA-S)*
Red Champion: Raiders FC (IL)*
White Champion: Sparta 00 JK (UT)*
18U Boys
Black Champion: OP Green (OH-S)*
Blue Champion: BRYC 99 Elite (VA)*
Red Champion: WPFC 99 Black (WA)*
White Champion: CUP 99 Gold (OH-S)*
19/20U Boys
Blue Champion: Chicago Fire Juniors South (IL)*
Blue Runner-up: Challenger Crew Jrs Gold 98 (OH-N)*
Red Champion: Penn Fusion 98 (PA-E)
Red Runner-up: FC United (IL)*
*Qualified during final weekend in Las Vegas
# Defending National Champion
By US Youth Soccer State Association: California-South (7), Ohio-South (6), Illinois (5), Michigan (5), Eastern Pennsylvania (3), Tennessee (2), Utah (2), Virginia (2), Arizona (1), Florida (1), Missouri (1), Nevada (1), North Carolina (1), North Texas (1), Ohio-North (1) and Washington (1)
National League Girls Results:
After dropping its first game of the season, Nationals Union 02 Black (MI) strung together six straight wins to close out its season, which proved to be enough to win the 15U Blue Division. The side that handed Nationals that loss — Legends FC 02 Academy 1 (CA-S) — held on for a tie on the season’s final day to finish second in the group and earn its way to Frisco, Texas, as well. In the 15U Red Division, Cincinnati United Premier Gold (OH-S) put together a historically dominant performance — outscoring opponents 34-to-1 en route to a 7-0-0 record and the division title. Runner-up La Roca-PO 02 (UT) needed a little more drama to secure its place at Nationals, as it scored a late game-winner on the season’s final day that — coupled with a result in the other group game — helped the Utah side jump into second place in the group.
Following two early ties, Florida Elite 2001 (FL) won five straight to finish the season on top of the 16U Black Division with 17 points. Michigan Jaguars 01 Green (MI) also earned a 5-0-2 record, which helped it seal the 16U Blue Division title during play in Orlando. The 16U Red Division title was also clinched in Orlando, as CUP Gold 01 (OH-S) finished a 5-1-1 campaign. The age group’s tightest division race came in the White Division, where Legends FC 01 Academy (CA-S) needed a scoreless draw on the season’s final day to win the group by owning a goal differential tiebreaker.
CUP 00 Gold (OH-S) pulled away on the season’s final day to win the 17U Black Division, while defending National Champion Midwest United FC 00 Royal (MI) overcame an early loss in Orlando to wrap up the Blue Division title in January. With five shutouts, Scottsdale Blackhawks Taylor (AZ) went 7-0-0 and claimed the 17U Red Division title on the strength of its defense. Meanwhile, the 17U White Division came down to the final day, when Legends FC 00 Academy (CA-S) overcame an early deficit to earn a 2-2 draw and win the group.
Results in Las Vegas went just the way Nationals Union 99 Black (MI) needed, as the Michigan side’s 14 points earned through play in Orlando proved to be enough to claim the 18U Black Division. Meanwhile, TSC Showcase (TN) left no doubt by winning the 18U Blue Division with a 7-0-0 record. In the 18U Red Division, Legends FC 99 Academy (CA-S) used a late game-winner on the final day of play to secure the win it needed to move into first place. A couple months earlier in Orlando, FC Pennsylvania Strikers (PA-E) did the same, as it won a matchup of the 18U White Division’s top two teams to claim the group title.
The 2016 National Championship finalists each secured National League division titles in the 19/20U age group to earn their way back to Frisco, Texas. Beach FC 98 Academy (CA-S) went 6-0-1 to win the 19/20U Blue Division, while defending National Champion YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E) recorded the same record to claim the Red Division title. Team Chicago Academy 1998 Elite (IL) hung on to finish second in the Blue Division, and 98 CR Academy (NC) narrowly missed out on first place in the Red Division — going 5-0-2 and finishing second.
National League Boys Results:
A big win over Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker (TX-N) on the final day of play helped Boca Juniors OC 02 White (CA-S) jump from third to first in the 15U Blue Division, while the North Texas side advanced to Nationals with a second-place finish. Midwest United FC 02 Royal (MI) won its first six games of the season to claim the 15U Red Division title, and St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC Elite (MO) earned seven points in Las Vegas to finish second in the group.
Three straight wins to close out the season helped Raiders FC (IL) finish on top in a close 16U Black Division race, while CUP Gold 01 (OH-S) used five shutouts to help compile a 5-1-1 record and win the 16U Blue Division. Meanwhile, Lobos Rush 01 Premier (TN) displayed stout defense of its own, as it allowed just three goals en route to the 16U Red Division title. LVSA 01 Red (NV) took advantage of playing locally, as it scored five goals in each of its Las Vegas games to finish strong and win the 16U White Division.
Defending National Champion McLean 00 Green (VA) is heading back to defend its title after going undefeated with a 5-0-2 mark in the 17U Black Division. Knowing it had to win all three games in Las Vegas, West Coast FC Armour 2000 (CA-S) did just that to claim the 17U Blue Division title. Thanks to 29 goals scored, Raiders FC (IL) finished its second straight season with a 7-0-0 record to win the 17U Red Division. And in the 17U White Division, a win on the final day of play helped Sparta 00 JK (UT) hold on for a first-place finish.
A quick start in North Carolina helped OP Green (OH-S) post a 5-0-2 record and win the 18U Black Division, while BRYC 99 Elite (VA) did just enough to win a tightly-bunched 18U Blue Division that saw just seven points separate first from last. A head-to-head tiebreaker helped WPFC 99 Black (WA) win the 18U Red Division. Meanwhile, CUP 99 Gold (OH-S) was the clear winner in the 18U White Division, as its 19 points were seven better than a trio of second-place teams.
Chicago Fire Juniors South (IL) scored a victory in a must-win final game to claim the 19/20U Blue Division title. The team it beat in that matchup, Challenger Crew Jrs Gold 98 (OH-N), finished second in the group and will also advance to the National Championships. A record-setting 31 goals scored helped Penn Fusion 98 (PA-E) win the 19/20U Red Division. Second place in the group came down to the season’s final day, but FC United (IL) earned the result it needed to hold on to that spot and punch its ticket to Frisco.
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 Frisco, Texas.
The National League kicked off the season in December 2016 in Wilson, N.C., before half of the teams finished their seasons in late December and January alongside the Disney Soccer Showcase in Orlando, Fla. The final two weekends of play took place alongside the Players Soccer Showcase in Las Vegas. The Boys finished their season March 10-12, while the girls wrapped up play March 17-19. 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 Eastern Regional League, Midwest Regional League, Southern Regional 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 will play into who represents the National League this summer in Frisco, Texas.
The National League’s alumni have gone on to prove themselves at the collegiate and professional levels, with former players competing in NCAA Division I, II and III, Major League Soccer, National Women’s Soccer League, the UEFA Champions League, the Olympics and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The top pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft and the last three NWSL Drafts (2015-17) have each been former National League players.
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 13U through 19/20U age groups from each regional event will converge in the finals with the National League teams. Click here for the dates and locations of the Regional Championships.
2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships | Frisco, Texas
Toyota Soccer Center
Player Luncheon: July 24
Round Robin: July 25-27
Semis: July 29 (15U-19/20U)
Finals: July 29 (13U & 14U); July 30 (15U-19/20U)
For more information on the US Youth Soccer National Championships, visit http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org, the online home for the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, providing the latest in news, information and more.