The 2016 USL Premier Development League season was the 22nd season of the PDL. The regular season began on May 6 and ended on July 17, consisting of 67 teams playing across 10 divisions. The Michigan Bucks were the playoff champions.
Conferences
Western ConferenceSouthern ConferenceCentral ConferenceEastern ConferenceNorthwest Division Alberta British Columbia Oregon Washington Central Pacific Division California Nevada Utah Southwest Division California ArizonaMidsouth Division Missouri Mississippi New Mexico Oklahoma Texas Southeast Division FloridaGreat Lakes Division Kentucky Michigan Ohio Ontario Pennsylvania Heartland Division Illinois Indiana Iowa Manitoba Missouri OntarioSouth Atlantic Division Georgia North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee West Virginia Mid Atlantic Division Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia Northeast Division Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New York
Changes From 2015
New/Returning teams Team name Metro Area Location Previous Affiliation Kokomo Mantis FC Kokomo Metro Area Kokomo, Indiana Expansion Team Oklahoma City Energy U23 Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Expansion Team Tormenta FC Bulloch County, Georgia Statesboro, Georgia Expansion Team San Francisco City FC San Francisco Bay Area San Francisco, California US Club Soccer Peachtree City MOBA Metro Atlanta Peachtree City, Georgia Expansion Team San Diego Zest FC San Diego–Tijuana San Diego, California Expansion Team The Villages SC Sumter County, Florida The Villages, Florida Expansion Team FC Golden State Force Los Angeles County Pasadena, California Expansion Team South Florida Surf Treasure Coast Port St. Lucie, Florida Expansion Team Tri-Cities Otters Tri-Cities, Tennessee Johnson City, Tennessee Expansion Team FC Boston Boston, Massachusetts Expansion Team Evergreen FC Washington DC Leesburg, Virginia Expansion Team Victoria Highlanders Greater Victoria Victoria, British Columbia PDL (2009–14); Returns from Pacific Coast Soccer League
Name Changes Golden State Misioneros became LA Laguna FC. Springfield Synergy became Saint Louis FC U23.
Folding/Moving Forest City London – moved to League1 Ontario Houston Dutch Lions – moved to National Premier Soccer League Puget Sound Gunners FC – Folded Boston Rams – Folded Real Colorado Foxes – Folded D.C. United U-23 – Folded its PDL team Orlando City U-23 – Folded its PDL team Ocala Stampede – Folded
On Hiatus Laredo Heat
Standings
Tiebreakers 1. Head-to-head results 2. Goal differential 3. Goals scored
Eastern Conference Northeast Division
Mid Atlantic Division
South Atlantic Division
Central Conference Great Lakes Division
Heartland Division
Southern Conference Southeast Division
Mid South Division
Western Conference Northwest Division
Central Pacific Division
Southwest Division
Playoffs
After extra time
Conference Championships
The PDL Conference Championships were held on the weekend of July 22–24, with the four conference champions advancing to the PDL Semifinals.
Eastern Conference
Southern Conference
Central Conference
Western Conference
PDL Championship
The PDL Championship semi-finals are to be held on the week of July 24–31. The 2016 PDL Championship Game will be held on the weekend of August 5–7.
Semifinals
Championship Game
Championship MVP: Russell Cicerone (MIB)
Awards Most Valuable Player: Chevaughn Walsh (OCN) Young (U21) Player of the Year: Sven Koenig (KWU) Coach of the Year: Demir Muftari, (MIB) Defender of the Year: Alhassan Abubakar (MIB) Goalkeeper of the Year: Ryan Cretens (CAR) Creative Player of the Year: Adam Najem (MIB)
Weekly Awards Player of the Week Week Player Club Position Reason 1 Jamael CoxBurlingame Dragons FCForward 2 goals in 2 wins against Fresno Fuego and LA Laguna FC 2 Michael YantzSW Florida AdrenalineGoalkeeper 8 Saves in team's first win vs FC Miami City 3 Christian ChaneyFresno FuegoForward 5 goals in 2 games against Las Vegas Mobsters 4 Jay WheeldonCalgary Foothills FCDefender playing a key role in helping record two wins over Northwest Division rivals the Portland Timbers U23s 5 AJ ShetaEvergreen FCMidfielder hat-trick in comeback win against Jersey Express 6 Sven KoenigK-W United FCForward hat trick against Derby City Rovers 7 Anton WidenSouth Georgia Tormenta FCGoalkeeper 15 total saves in shutout wins against Charlotte Eagles and Carolina Dynamo 8 Juan CorreaJersey Express SCMidfielder 2 goals, 3 assists in 2 wins over Baltimore Bohemians, and Lehigh Valley United Sonic 9 Mark VersoFC Golden State ForceForward hat trick in 6–0 win over Orange County Blues U-23 10 Sullivan SilvaThunder Bay ChillForward 5 goals, 1 assists in 4 games 11 Afonso PinheiroFC TucsonForward 4 goals, 1 assist in 3 games vs BYU Cougars twice, and Colorado Rapids U-23
Team of the Week Week Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Honorable Mentions 1 Angoitia (TUC) Wharf (LIR) Stadler (LNU) J. Smith (BUR) Binder (LNU) Sanchez (KIT) Roswess (WMP) Le Nours (MIA) Cox (BUR) Collins (SFS) Vu (TUC) Ramos (KIT) Botte (LIR) Ruiz (SFS) 2 Yantz (SWF) Russo (CGY) Aune (WAS) Ryan (SUP) Stalboerger (SDZ) G. Blanco (OCB) Cruz (MIS) Schmitt (TUC) M. Blanco (FRE) Graham (OKC) Bennett (REA) Ekern (GPP) Merriam (BAL) Micaletto (CHE) Cole (SWV) Ruiz (SFS) Willis (LNU) 3 Ihn (KOK) Montgomery (VIC) McCabe (SFC) Nimmo (OCN) Hezel (MIA) Kenawy (BOS) Marie (REA) Stark (WAS) Cicerone (MIB) Chaney (FRE) Ricci (KWU) Perea (MIA) Fitzpatrick (MIB) Taylor (MIO) Sanchez (KIT) Collister (IMG) Hunter (BYU) Taylor (WMP) Greenway-Tambini (ACC) Guégan (WVC) Miezan (SUP) Cousin (DDL) Thielfoldt (SLL) 4 Campbell (DMM) Phelps (SWV) Wheeldon (CGY) Jiménez (CHI) Charalambous (MIB) Karcz (JER) Keats (OKC) Baus (SFC) Mbuyu (CHE) Kourouma (MIA) Dokaj (KOK) German (TUC) Arce (FLO) Brew (FLO) Medina (FLO) Shepherd (MIB) Smythe (CIN) Lara (OCB) 5 Pinto (DDL) Hoskins (OKC) Barnathan (POR) Kilwien (SFS) Sheta (EVG) Zandi (REA) Dhillon (VIC) Marshall (LIR) Markovic (MIO) da Silva (TRI) Devivo (WES) Cichero (OKC) Morton (LVU) Polley (LVU) Cox (BUR) Achara (GPP) Medina (FLO) Dias (VIL) de Vera (POR) Chapin (BAL) Bryan (SCU) Martin (NYR) 6 Velleca (ACC) Castellan (SCU) Botes (CHE) Barksdale (SCS) N'guessan (JER) Coutinho (SFS) Marie (REA) Veidman (DMM) Henry (MIS) Musovski (BUR) Koenig (KWU) Chaney (FRE) Tuithof (DDL) Correa (JER) Klabough (MIO) Najem (MIB) Junior (SUP) Kenawy (BOS) 7 Widen (SGT) Browne (SCU) Herrera (TUC) Wheeler-Omiunu (SEA) Meyer (BYU) Pahkasalo (DER) Lynch (DDL) Holland (VCF) Araujo (VIL) Brangman (WMP) Hurlow-Paonessa (SDZ) Cain (KWU) Silva (TBC) Veidman (DMM)Jimenez (MIS) Lema (NYR) Achara (GPP) Keats (OKC) Medina (FLO) Chaney (FRE) Russo (CGY) Bauche (CGY) 8 Guerra (SGT) Zator (CGY) Springer (KWU) Machado (MIO) De Lima (VIL) Aguinaga (SEA) Miezan (SUP) Correa (JER) Walsh (OCN) Contreras (SCS) Veidman (DMM) Brew (FLO) Landell (MIB) Regis (OCN) Barlow (DMM) Coons (MIO) G. Mobley (MIO) T. Mobley (MIO) Koenig (KWU) Basuljevic (NYR) Rey (FRE) Millard (SCU) N'guessan (JER) Cox (BUR) Hoskins (OKC) 9 Putna (CHI) McGuinness (IMG) Eronemo (KIT) Miele (ABU) Keats (OKC) Cicerone (MIB) Nogales (FRE) Schmitt (TUC) Verso (GSF) Araujo (VIL) Greenway-Tambini (ACC) Browne (SCU) Walsh (OCN) German (TUC) Rey (FRE) Thomas (SWF) Teupen (SEA) Milne (GPP) 10 Cretens (CAR) Pineda (CHI) Markey (WAS) Howe (OCN) Lamb (WMP) Leme (GPP) Boukemia (REA) Lynch (DDL) Silva (TBC) Arramdani (BUR) Perea (MIA) Basuljevic (NYR) Barlow (DMM) Hurlow-Paonessa (SDZ) Allmaras (SDZ) Verso (GSF) Lightbourne (STL) Moar (CHE) Omondi (CHE) Keats (OKC) Mills (KWU) Blackman (SWV) Santana (PBS) Swartz (BOS) 11 Shepherd (MIB) James (CAR) Moro (ACC) Davidson (KIT) Pineda (TUC) Danto (WSA) Kirkland (SFC) Englis (IMG) Rollocks (TFC) Pinheiro (TUC) Verso (GSF) Hyrich-Krueger (WSA) Koenig (KWU) Basuljevic (NYR) Cicerone (MIB) Camargo (KOK) Veira (PIT) Fidler (PCM) Milne (GPP) Dupont (CIN) G. Blanco (OCB) Troccoli (PBS)
All-League and All-Conference Teams
Eastern Conference F: Nathan Regis (OCN), Santi Moar (CHE), Chevaughn Walsh (OCN) * M: Arun Basuljevic (NYR) *, Marco Micaletto (CHE), Paul Marie (REA) D: Cameron Botes (CHE), Juan Sanchez (CHE), Marquez Fernandez (BAL) *, Peyton Ericson (TRM) G: Ryan Cretens (CAR) *
Central Conference F: Sven Koenig (KWU), Sullivan Silva (TBC), Russell Cicerone (MIB) M: Aleksi Pahkasalo (DRC), Anthony Putrus (TBC), Sergio Camargo (KWU) D: Alhassan Abubakar (MIB) *, Tom Owens (MIB) *, Austin Ledbetter (DMM), Moustapha Fofana (DRC) G: Nico Campbell (DMM)
Western Conference F: Mark Verso (GSF), Christian Chaney (FRE) *, Dominic Russo (CGY) * M: Michael Turner (TUC), Erik Holt (SDZ), Jose Hernandez (GSF) D: Josh Smith (BUR), Niko de Vera (POR), Gordon Hall (TUC), Nathan Aune (WAS) G: Augustin Rey (FRE)
Southern Conference F: Carlos Araujo (VIL), Bruno Henrique (MIO), Mohamed Kourouma (MIA) M: Tosan Popo (SWF), Lucas Coutinho (SFS) *, Noah Keats (OKC) * D: Kimathi Kaumbutho (SWF), Fernando Machado (MIO), Sebastian Pineda (OKC), Josh Taylor (OKC) * G: Paulo Pita (VIL)
* denotes All-League player
All-League Team F: Dominic Russo (CGY), Christian Chaney (FRE), Chevaughn Walsh (OCN) M: Arun Basuljevic (NYR), Lucas Coutinho (SFS), Noah Keats (OKC) D: Marquez Fernandez (BAL), Tom Owens (MIB), Josh Taylor (OKC), Alhassan Abubakar (MIB) G: Ryan Cretens (CAR)
All-Playoff Team
F: Russell Cicerone (MIB) (Championship Game MVP), Dominic Russo (CGY), Ajeej Sarkaria (CGY) M: Kyle Jones (CGY), Elijah Adekugbe (CGY), Jade Mesias (MIO) D: Dominick Zator (CGY), Alhassan Abubakar (MIB), Fernando Machado (MIO), Francis de Vries (MIB) G: Dylon Powley (CGY)
Attendance Teams with an average home attendance of at least 1,000: TeamHome averageFresno Fuego 3,441Des Moines Menace 2,856Burlingame Dragons 2,357FC Tucson 1,379Albuquerque Sol 1,121
References