Introduction to WPSL

The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is the oldest women’s soccer league in the country and will play it’s 21st season in 2018. The WPSL consists of 105 clubs split into 4 regions, each region is then divided into 4 or 5 conferences each. There are also 2 provisional clubs in addition to the others. Each Conference consists of between 4 and 9 teams who play between 6 and 14 games per season.

Like the NPSL the WPSL is a semi-professional (or amateur) league made up of collegiate, post-collegiate, and top level prep players. However the WPSL (along the United Women’s Soccer) make up an unofficial 2nd Division of Women’s Soccer in the United States, just below the fully professional National Women’s Soccer League.

The WPSL Central Region - North Conference is brand new for the 2018 season and consists of 6 clubs.

Chicago City SC
Founded: 2018
Facebook: Chicago City WPSL
Twitter: @chicagocitywpsl
Home Field: Loyola Soccer Park - Chicago, IL ; Stuart Field - Chicago, IL ; Wish Field - Chicago, IL

Chicago City SC is one of four brand new clubs playing in WPSL North this season. One advantage the club has is an already existing Youth Academy as well as numerous colleges to draw players from. CCSC will make their home from 3 different places, Loyola Soccer Park (2 Games) on the campus of Loyola University, Wish Field (2 games) on the campus of DePaul University, and Stuart Field (1 Game) on the campus of Illinois Institute of Technology.

Chicago Red Stars Reserves
Founded: 2014
Facebook: Chicago Red Stars
Home Field: Evergreen Bank Group Athletic Field - Oak Brook, IL ; Gentile Field - Aurora, IL ; Oak Brook Polo Fields - Oak Brook, IL

Chicago Red Stars Reserves are one of only two established teams playing in WPSL North in 2018. Red Stars Reserves were founded in 2014 as the amateur side of the NWSL Chicago Red Stars, who played in WPSL in 2011 and WPSL Elite in 2012 before moving to NWSL in 2013. Red Stars Reserves are an easy early favorite to win the North Conference as they have a 24-2-4 record since 2015 including the 2015 WPSL National Championship. Just like their Chicago counterparts CCSC, Red Stars Reserves will play at three different home grounds, Evergreen Bank Group Athletic Field and Oak Brook Polo Fields (2 games each) in Oak Brook, IL and Gentile Field in Aurora, IL.

Dakota Fusion FC
Founded: 2018
Facebook: Dakota Fusion FC
Twitter: @DakotaFusionFC
Home Field: Jim Gotta Stadium - Moorhead, MN

Dakota Fusion FC is an expansion franchise, and an extension to the club's 2nd year old NPSL franchise. On the pitch they are building from scratch but rooted in the fertile soil of the Red River Valley, with former Fusion NPSL player Jack Hartley (who played NAIA in Jamestown) making his coaching debut, with a team including members from North Dakota State in Fargo, Minnesota State Moorhead, University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, South Dakota State and University of Mary. Just like the Men’s side they’ll make their home from Jim Gotta Stadium at Moorhead High School in Moorhead, MN.

Fire SC 98
Founded: 2018
Facebook: FIRE SC 98 - WPSL
Twitter: @Fire_98_SC_WPSL
Home Field: SeaFoam Stadium - St. Paul, MN

Fire SC 98 are the third of four brand new teams in WPSL North for 2018. Even though the club is brand new they are bring founded on the backs of the 20 year old Twin Cities Fire Soccer Club youth teams. Fire SC 98 has promoted a Minnesota connection which is very much true as 28/33 players hail from the North Star State. The club scrimmaged the MapleBrook Soccer Club U17 boys team on Monday May 13th but fell 3-1. Fire SC 98 has found a home for 2018 at Concordia Univeristy’s SeaFoam Stadium in St. Paul, MN.

Milwaukee Torrent
Founded: 2018
Facebook: Milwaukee Torrent
Twitter: @MKETORRENT
Home Field: Hart Park - Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Torrent comes in as the fourth brand new club for the 2018 WPSL North season, being founded as the Women’s counterpart to the already existing NPSL side. Milwaukee will play it’s inaugural women’s season out of the same location the Men’s team plays, Hart Park in Milwaukee, WI.

Minnesota TwinStars FC
Founded: 2014
Facebook: Minnesota TwinStars FC WPSL
Twitter: @MNTS_Dragons
Home Field: Einer Anderson Stadium - Minnetonka, MN

Minnesota TwinStars FC are the second already established club (the other being Chicago Red Stars Reserves) as they were founded in 2014 as the Women’s side of the long existing Men’s side that was founded in 1997. Over the last three years TwinStars have had a record of 3-18-4 including an 0-5-2 campaign last season. They do bring quite a few players to the club this year from the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State-Mankato (who went 17-2-3 winning the NSIC and going to the Round of 16 in the National Tournament) but will they be enough to bring the team out of the cellar in 2018? Just like the men’s team the women make their home at Minnetonka High School’s Einer Anderson Stadium.

WPSL Central Region - North Conference will play a schedule consisting of 10 games (2 games against each club with a total of 5 home and 5 away) with the best team at the end of 10 games qualifying for the Central Region playoffs. The four conference champions in the Central Region will then play for the Central Region Championship and the opportunity to compete for the Jerry Zanelli Cup in the WPSL National Tournament.

Week 1 Schedule*:

Friday:

Fire SC 98 vs Dakota Fusion FC

Saturday:

Minnesota TwinStars FC vs Dakota Fusion FC

Fire SC 98 vs Milwaukee Torrent

*For exact kickoff times, locations, and tickets, visit the websites of the home club, which can be found by clicking the bolded team.

Follow us all season as we continue our coverage of the inaugural season WPSL North soccer!