PORTLAND
, Ore.
–
United Soccer Leagues today announced details of the Portland Timbers U-23s’ inaugural Premier Development League (PDL) season in 2009. Details were finalized regarding alignment, schedule and playoffs for the upcoming PDL campaign.
The Timbers U-23s are one of 68 PDL teams scheduled to play in 2009, and will compete in the 10-team Northwest Division of the Western Conference. The Northwest Division features clubs from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, including the Spokane Spiders, Tacoma Tide, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, Yakima Reds and Cascade Surge, which is based in Salem, Ore.
Teams will play a 16-match regular-season schedule primarily based upon division alignment. The 2009 season will begin on May 1 and conclude July 19.
For the first time since 1998, the playoff structure begins with the top three teams from each division advancing to a divisional championship playoff on July 24-26. The eight division champions will then advance to the PDL Elite Eight Weekend on July 31-Aug. 2, where the PDL Quarterfinals and Semifinals will take place. Divisional champs from the Eastern and Central Conferences will be grouped into one bracket, with the divisional winners from the Southern and Western Conferences grouped into another. The PDL Championship will be held on Saturday, Aug. 8, and televised live on Fox Soccer Channel.
The Timbers new development team is one of seven PDL expansion clubs that have been formally announced for the 2009 season. Three additional expansion clubs will be announced by USL in the coming weeks.
For more information on the 2009 PDL season, visit
www.uslsoccer.com
.
2009 Premier Development League Alignment :
Western Conference
Northwest Division:
Abbotsford Mariners, Cascade Surge, Kitsap (TBA),
Portland
Timbers U-23s
, Seattle (TBA), Spokane Spiders, Tacoma Tide, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, Victoria Highlanders, Yakima Reds
Southwest Division:
Bakersfield Brigade, BYU Cougars, Fresno Fuego, Lancaster Rattlers, Los Angeles Storm, Ogden Outlaws, Orange County Blue Star, San Fernando Valley Quakes, Southern California Seahorses, Ventura County Fusion
Southern Conference
Mid South Division:
Austin Aztex, DFW Tornados, El Paso Patriots, Houston Leones, Laredo Heat, Rio Grande Valley Bravos, Midland (TBA)
Southeast Division:
Atlanta, Baton Rouge Capitals, Bradenton Academics, Central Florida Kraze, Mississippi Brilla, Nashville Metros, New Orleans Shell Shockers, Panama City Pirates
Central Conference
Great Lakes Division:
Chicago Fire, Cincinnati Kings, Cleveland Internationals, Forest City London, Fort Wayne Fever, Indiana Invaders, Kalamazoo Outrage, Michigan Bucks, Toronto Lynx
Heartland Division:
Des Moines Menace, Kansas City Brass, Real Colorado Foxes, Rochester Thunder, Springfield Demize, St Louis Lions, Thunder Bay Chill
Eastern Conference
Mid Atlantic Division:
Carolina Dynamo, Cary Clarets, Fredericksburg Gunners, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Northern Virginia Royals, Reading Rage, Richmond Kickers Future, Virginia Legacy, West Virginia Chaos
Northeast Division:
Brooklyn Knights, Long Island Rough Riders, New Hampshire Phantoms, New Jersey Rangers, Newark Ironbound Express, Ocean City Barons, Ottawa Fury, Rhode Island Stingrays, Westchester Flames
