Women's Premier Soccer League

The Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is an amateur women's soccer league in the United States.

History

WPSL is the top amateur league for women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, and considered the 2nd tier below only National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The WPSL is the longest-running active women's soccer league as it enters its 25th season in 2023. The WPSL is also the largest women's soccer league in the United States, North America and the world with 130 active teams as of 2023.

The WPSL started as the Western Division of the W-League, before breaking away to form its own league in 1998. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association, an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). WPSL players consists of collegiate and post-collegiate players, who currently or have played across all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA. Former players of the WPSL have taken their playing careers to the next level by signing professional in the NWSL and top leagues overseas. WPSL Alumnae have also reached international status by making international rosters seen in the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Olympics. Notable alumnae include Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Heather Mitts, Julie Foudy, Shannon Boxx, Alex Morgan and Leslie Osborne. The Jerry Zanelli Cup is awarded to the champion of each WPSL season.

When Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) suspended play in 2012, WPSL moved forward with its ambitions toward professionalism and created the WPSL Elite League. The Elite League was a pro-am league, with at least four fully professional teams, including three former WPS teams. The Elite league operated for just the 2012 season, disbanding in 2013 with the formation of the NWSL, which the three former WPS teams joined.

WPSL U21

In 2021, the WPSL announced its second division, WPSL U21, which is scheduled to begin play in mid-2021.

WPSL PRO

On February 8, 2023, WPSL announced plans to create a Division III professional league named WPSL PRO. The league plans to start in 2025 with ten teams. In August 2023, five teams signed letter of intents to join the WPSL Pro. SouthStar FC, Sioux Falls City FC, Oklahoma City FC (WPSL), Austin Rise FC, and The Town FC will be five of the first ten teams to join WPSL Pro.

On February 6, 2024, the league announced the sixth team will be Georgia Impact FC. The league needs 6 teams to conform with US Soccer Division III Professional League Standards On February 20, 2024, the league announce the seventh team signing a letter of intent was AC Houston Sur for the 2025 season.

On February 22, 2024, the league announced the first team signing a letter of intent for the 2026 season was Dakota Fusion FC.

League Affiliations

On April 2, 2024, WPSL announced they had partnered with the Michigan Super League to provide support to the development of underrepresented leagues. The WPSL will partner with the United States Adult Soccer Association to provide support to these leagues. The Michigan Super League will consist of five teams for the 2024 season.

WPSL champions

As of November 23, 2023.

Staff

Executive committee

As of November 28, 2023.

• Sean Jones – president
• DeBray Ayala – vice-president
• Brad Lund – vice-president
• Kendra Halterman – commissioner
• Matt Homonoff – deputy commissioner
• Rich Sparling – commissioner emeritus

Front office

As of November 28, 2023.

• Nichole Singleton – communications & creative services director
• Alex Simpson - team services manager (West & East)
• Jaclyn Purvine - team services manager (Central & South)
• Lunden Foreman – team services manager (WPSL U21)
• Rob Kehoe – collegiate relations
• Josh Fredrickson – match reporting
• David Simmons – referee coordinator
• Dr. Vytas Ringus – medical director

Associate commissioners

As of November 28, 2023.

• Shelley Dougherty – east region
• Sam Hope – south region
• Lindsay Eversmeyer – central region
• Sly Yeates – west region

League Structure

The league is divided into four regions - West, Central, South, and East. Each region is divided into conferences, with the West Region having four conferences, one of which has two divisions, the Central Region having four conferences, two of which has two divisions, the South Region having four conferences, one of which has two divisions, and the East Region having four conferences, one of which has two divisions,.

Current teams

Former teams

See also

• NWSL
• Women's Premier Soccer League Canada
• WPSL Elite League

References

External links

• Official website