The 2011 National Premier Soccer League season was the 9th season of the NPSL. The regular season began on April 1, 2011, and ended on July 17. The playoffs concluded with the NPSL Championship Game, which was held at the home of Rocket City United in Madison, Alabama on July 30.
Jacksonville United ended the season as national champions, beating the Hollywood United Hitmen 3–2 in the 2011 NPSL Championship game. Jacksonville were the lowest seeded-team in the playoffs, having finished champions of the Southeast Division with a 6–0–4 record after starting their campaign with four straight losses, and beat number one seed and Northeast Division champions Erie Admirals on their way to the final. Both Jacksonville and Hollywood were first-year NPSL teams, although Hollywood had previously spent two seasons playing in the USL Premier Development League.
The Erie Admirals had the best regular season record, with a points-per-game average of 2.583, just ahead of the Hollywood United Hitmen (2.429) and FC Sonic Lehigh Valley (2.417), who were in such a strong division they did not even qualify for the post-season.
Jacksonville striker Tommy Krizanovic scored a hat trick in the NPSL final, and was named MVP of the championship tournament.
Changes From 2010
Name Changes/Rebrands Atlanta FC formed a partnership with the NASL Atlanta Silverbacks franchise and became Atlanta Silverbacks ReservesSilverbacks Reserves to Play in NPSL
New Franchises 13 franchises were announced as joining the league this year:
Team name Metro area Location Previous affiliation AC Crusaders Atlantic County area Egg Harbor Township, NJ expansion Buxmont Torch FC Montgomery County area Souderton, PA expansion Georgia Revolution Rockdale County area Conyers, GA expansion FC Hasental Conejo Valley area Thousand Oaks, CA expansion Hollywood United Hitmen Los Angeles area Los Angeles, CA USL Premier Development League Jacksonville United Jacksonville area Jacksonville, FL expansion Knoxville Force Knoxville area Knoxville, TN expansion Lancaster Rattlers Antelope Valley area Lancaster, CA USL Premier Development League Mass United Boston area Boston, MA expansion Quad City Eagles Quad Cities area Moline, IL expansion San Diego Flash San Diego area San Diego, CA USL A-League Santa Ana Winds Orange County area Santa Ana, CA expansion Seacoast United Phantoms Rockingham County area Hampton, NH expansion
Folding Six teams have been announced as leaving the league prior to the beginning of the season: Boston Tea Men Long Island Academy TSC Maryland Red Devils New Hampshire Mountaineers Pumas FC Southern Oregon Fuego FC Tulsa
Standings Purple indicates division title clinched Green indicates playoff berth clinched
Northeast Division - Atlantic Conference PlaceTeamPld.WTLGFGAGDPoints1Brooklyn Italians107122611 +15 222Seacoast United Phantoms105141619 -3163New York Red Bulls NPSL104331611 +5154New York Athletic Club104331512 +3155Morris County Colonials102351321 -896Mass United102171325 -12 7
Northeast Division - Keystone Conference PlaceTeamPld.WTLGFGAGDPoints1Erie Admirals1210113011 +19312FC Sonic Lehigh Valley12921257 +18 293Reading Revolution128132813 +15254AC Crusaders126332715 +12215FC Buffalo125162115 +6166Pocono Snow122281127 -1687Buxmont Torch FC1220101136 -2568New Jersey Blaze1210111241 -293
Southeast Division PlaceTeamPld.WTLGFGAGDPoints1Jacksonville United106041612 +4182Georgia Revolution105322015 +5183Chattanooga FC105231510 +5174Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves104241413 +1145Knoxville Force10316716 -9106Rocket City United103071218 -697FC Tulsa000000 00 *Note: Jacksonville finished ahead of Georgia as NPSL rules state that the second tiebreaker after total points is number of victories. FC Tulsa chose not to compete in league play in 2011, and only played in the US Open Cup qualification tournament.
Midwest Division PlaceTeamPld.WTLGFGAGDPoints1Milwaukee Bavarians12822259 +16262Quad City Eagles126512711 +16233Madison 56ers126333414 +20214Minnesota TwinStars FC126152315 +8195Chicago Fire NPSL124351816 +2 156Minnesota Kings12228934 -2587Eau Claire Aris12129845 -375
West Division - Flight Northwest PlaceTeamPld.WTLGFGAGDPoints1Hollywood United Hitmen1411125414 +40342Sacramento Gold147433020 +10253Sonoma County Sol147343823 +15244Bay Area Ambassadors1421111948 -2975Real San Jose1420121145 -346
West Division - Flight Southwest PlaceTeamPld.WTLGFGAGDPoints1San Diego Flash1410133716 +21312Santa Ana Winds FC148242519 +6263FC Hasental146352727 0214San Diego Boca146172932 -3195Lancaster Rattlers1430112652 -269 Source:
NPSL Playoffs
Format
Bracket
Northeast Division Playoffs
West Division Playoffs
NPSL Championship Tournament
Semi-finals
Third Place Playoff
NPSL All-Star Game
NPSL Championship Game
Award Winners and Conference Teams MVP: Tommy Krizanovic (JAC)
NPSL All-Star Team F: Jumol Harewood (GEO), Jose Miranda (HOL), Justin Picou (SDB), Afrim Latifi (ERI), Chris Tsonis (SEA) M: Cody Antonini (SLV), Carlington Lamont (REA), Carlos McCrary (MAD), Kingsley Morgan (ATL), Anthony Santaga (MAD), Billy Sweatra (ACC), Tyler Williams (JAC) D: Peassio Denev (ECA), Adrian Kawuba (MAS), Marcos Mendez (GEO), Joseph Omondi (RCU), Corey Phillips (BUF), Dan Sauerhoff (MCC), Andy Stewart (CFC) G: Zach Brunner (LAN), Thomas Hunter (CFC)
2011 National Championship Best 11 F: Tommy Krizanovic (JAC), Brent Whitfield (HOL) M: Arturo Albarrán (HOL), Gavin Falconer (ERI), Amilcar Herrera (MIL), Shane Howard (ERI), Ramak Safi (JAC) D: Jacobi Goodfellow (JAC), Garrett Teague (JAC), Marcus Watson (HOL) G: Stuart McCrory (JAC)
U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Four NPSL clubs gained berths to the 2011 U.S. Open Cup, one each from the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West divisions.
Northeast Division
Southeast Division
First round
Second round
Final
Midwest Division Madison 56ers were granted the automatic berth for the Midwest Division by virtue of their 2010 division championship. The Midwest was the only NPSL division granting its 2011 U.S. Open Cup berth based on performance in the 2010 season.
West Division The Hollywood United Hitmen were given the berth for the West Division as a result of being the team with the best record over the first seven games of the 2011 regular season.
References