First 40 of 96 teams qualify for US Youth Soccer National Championships

FRISCO, Texas (Via US Youth Soccer) — US Youth Soccer has announced the US Youth Soccer National League U-14 through U-18 Boys and Girls teams that have qualified to compete in the 2016 US Youth Soccer National Championships, which are being held July 25-31 in Frisco, Texas.

Just five 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 15 National League titles captured during play in Las Vegas, 10 were decided on the respective final day of the boys’ and girls’ seasons.

+Read: US Youth Soccer National League Girls wrap up 2015-16 season

By way of their success in the 2015-16 US Youth Soccer National League, the top two finishers in each division have earned a direct path to the final leg of the competition, providing 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.

+Read: US Youth Soccer National League Boys conclude season in Las Vegas

2015-16 National League representatives for the 2016 US Youth Soccer National Championships

Girls

Under-14 Girls
Blue Champion: Tennessee SC 20 (TN)*
Blue Runner-up: PSG MI Gators 02 Orange (MI)*#
Red Champion: CUP Gold 01/02 (OH-S)*
Red Runner-up: Greater Binghamton United FC (NY-W)*

Under-15 Girls
Blue Champion: Midwest United FC 01 Royal (MI)
Blue Runner-up: CUP Gold 00/01 (OH-S)*
Red Champion: FC Pride 01 Elite (IN)*
Red Runner-up: Sunrise Sting 00/01 (FL)*

Under-16 Girls
Blue Champion: Carlsbad Elite 99 (CA-S)*
Blue Runner-up: Albion SC White (CA-S)*
Red Champion: La Roca Premier PO (UT)*
Red Runner-up: FCKC Pink Panthers Elite (MO)

Under-17 Girls
Blue Champion: Team Chicago Academy-Brasilia (IL)*
Blue Runner-up: Legends FC 98 (CA-S)*
Red Champion: YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E)
Red Runner-up: Beach FC 98 Academy (CA-S)*

Under-18 Girls
Blue Champion: Carlsbad Elite 97/98 (CA-S)*
Blue Runner-up: KHA Red (OH-S)*
Red Champion: MD United Coyotes (MD)
Red Runner-up: NJ Stallions Dynamite (NJ)

Boys

Under-14 Boys
Blue Champion: Baltimore Darby 01/02 (MD)*#
Blue Runner-up: South Carolina United FC 01 Elite (SC)*
Red Champion: Valparaiso United Futbol 02 JG (AZ)*
Red Runner-up: SLA Nomads 01 (CA-S)*

Under-15 Boys
Blue Champion: United FA 01 Premier (GA)
Blue Runner-up: McLean 00 Green (VA)*
Red Champions: CFA Raiders (IL)*
Red Runner-up: Sparta 01 JK (UT)*

Under-16 Boys
Blue Champion: La Roca South CS 99/00 Premier (UT)*
Blue Runner-up: Fullerton Rangers White (CA-S)*
Red Champion: Dix Hills Hurricanes (NY-E)
Red Runner-up: United FA Premier (GA)*

Under-17 Boys
Blue Champion: Baltimore Celtic 98/99 (MD)#
Blue Runner-up: Sporting St. Croix (MN)*
Red Champion: Solar Chelsea Red 99 (TX-N)
Red Runner-up: Loudoun 98 Red (VA)

Under-18 Boys
Blue Champion: Lehigh Valley United 97 (PA-E)
Blue Runner-up: Arlington Impact Red (VA)*
Red Champion: Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S)*
Red Runner-up: FC Golden State Platinum (CA-S)*

*Qualified during final weekend in Las Vegas
# Defending National Champion

By US Youth Soccer State Association: California-South (9), Maryland (3), Ohio-South (3), Utah (3), Virginia (3), Georgia (2), Illinois (2), Michigan (2), Eastern Pennsylvania (2), Arizona (1), Florida (1), Indiana (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), Eastern New York (1), New York West (1), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (1) and North Texas (1)

Three teams will be returning to the National Championships with a chance to defend their titles — two on the boys’ side and one girls squad. There are also two former National Champions who earned a chance to reclaim their titles in Frisco after qualifying through the National League.

National League Girls Results

An impressive showing on the season’s final day helped Tennessee SC 20 (TN) claim first place in a very close Under-14 Blue Division. Joining Tennessee from that group is defending National Champion PSG MI Gators 02 Orange (MI), who used a win on the last day of play to move from fourth to second. In the Red Division, CUP Gold 01/02 (OH-S) compiled a dominant season — going 7-0-0 while outscoring opponents 24-to-0 — to finish first. Greater Binghamton United FC (NY-W) picked up a key win on the final day of play to wrap up second place in the division.

Midwest United FC 01 Royal (MI) wrapped up the Under-15 Blue Division title in Orlando by going 7-0-0 and scoring a league-high 25 goals. CUP Gold 00/01 (OH-S) matched that goal-scoring mark en route to a runner-up finish in the group. After a semifinals appearance last season, FC Pride 01 Elite (IN) is heading back to Nationals as the Under-15 Red Division champion, while Sunrise Sting 00/01 (FL) also advances to Frisco as the second-place finisher in the group.

The Under-16 Blue Division title came down to a matchup of Cal South sides on the season’s final day. Carlsbad Elite 99 (CA-S) earned a shutout victory in the matchup against Albion SC White (CA-S) to take the division title, while Albion settled for second. La Roca Premier PO (UT), the 2015 National finalist, earned another trip to the National Championships with a win on the last day of play that secured first place in the Under-16 Red Division. FCKC Pink Panthers Elite (MO) tied La Roca with 16 points in the standings and punched its ticket to Frisco with a second-place finish in the division.

Team Chicago Academy-Brasilia (IL) held on for the Under-17 Blue Division title after compiling a 4-0-3 record in North Carolina and Orlando, while Legends FC 98 (CA-S) picked up four points in Las Vegas to secure second place in the group. After three straight losses in the National Championship final, YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E) has earned another trip to Nationals by securing its first National League division title. YMS went 6-1-0 to win the Under-17 Red Division, and it will be joined in Frisco by runner-up Beach FC 98 Academy (CA-S).

Carlsbad Elite 97/98 (CA-S) added to its own record by claiming its fourth National League division title in as many years. The Under-18 Blue Division champs were pushed in Las Vegas by KHA Red (OH-S), who picked up 15 points to take second place. The Red Division saw two sides wrap up berths in Orlando, as MD United Coyotes (MD) finished first with 18 points — capped by a win over second-place NJ Stallions Dynamite (NJ), who also had six wins on the season.

National League Boys Results

Baltimore Darby 01/02 (MD) put on the most impressive performance of any of the defending National Champions, as it went 7-0-0 to win the Under-14 Blue Division. South Carolina United FC 01 Elite (SC) finished second in the group to book its second trip to Nationals. In the Red Division, Valparaiso United Futbol 02 JG (AZ) recorded an undefeated record of 5-0-2 to win the title, while SLA Nomads 01 (CA-S) tied the Arizona side on the season’s final day to get the point it needed to finish second.

With all but one game decided by a goal or less, United FA 01 Premier (GA) squeaked out enough wins to capture the Under-15 Blue Division title. A 2-1 win over McLean 00 Green (VA), who finished tied with United in the standings, allowed the Georgia side to take the crown while McLean settled for second. Meanwhile, CFA Raiders (IL) went 7-0-0 to capture the Red Division, and Sparta 01 JK (UT) picked up wins in its final two games to earn a berth to Nationals with a second-place finish in the group.

La Roca South CS 99/00 Premier (UT) did not drop a game all season, as it went 6-0-1 to win the Under-16 Blue Division. Despite losing two of its three games in Vegas, Fullerton Rangers White (CA-S) held on for second place. Dix Hills Hurricanes (NY-E) wrapped up a berth to Nationals after play concluded in Orlando. Results in Vegas gave Dix Hills the Red Division title, while United FA Premier (GA) held on to finish in second place and also earn a berth to Nationals.

Baltimore Celtic 98/99 (MD) earned a chance to defend its National Championship by going 6-0-1 to win the Under-17 Blue Division, while Sporting St. Croix (MN) used a fast start in the league to finish second in the group. Solar Chelsea Red 99 (TX-N) went 5-1-1 in North Carolina and Orlando to wrap up the Under-17 Red Division title before the remaining teams headed to Vegas. The same went for Loudoun 98 Red (VA), which compiled 15 points in the first two league events to secure second place in the group and punch its ticket to Nationals.

Lehigh Valley United 97 (PA-E) won its club’s first National League title by going undefeated in the Under-18 Blue Division, and the results in Las Vegas allowed idle Arlington Impact Red (VA) to secure second place in the group. By picking up seven points from three close games in Vegas, Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S) captured the Red Division title. Each of those results proved necessary to hold off FC Golden State Platinum (CA-S), who finished second with a 5-0-2 record.

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 on Dec. 6, 2015, with the girls starting things off in Wilson, N.C. Boys play kicked off a week later at the same location. The boys and girls each played on separate dates in late December and January alongside the Disney Soccer Showcase in Orlando, Fla. The final two weekends took place alongside the Players Soccer Showcase in Las Vegas. The Boys finished their season March 11-13, while the girls wrapped up play March 18-20. 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 US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues (US Youth Soccer Region I Champions League, Midwest Regional League, Southern Regional Premier League and Far West Regional League).