The 2017 USL Premier Development League season is the 23rd season of the PDL. The league consisted of 72 teams playing in 10 divisions. The Michigan Bucks entered the season as the defending champions, but their title defense campaign ended with a loss in the Central Conference semi-finals. On August 5, 2017, the Charlotte Eagles won their first PDL championship by defeating the Thunder Bay Chill 2-1.
Changes from 2016
New Teams Team Country City/area Stadium Founded Head coach Notes FC Cleburne U.S. Cleburne, Texas The Depot at Cleburne Station 2017 Paul Davenport Expansion FC Boulder U23 U.S. Boulder, Colorado Pleasant View Fields Sports Complex 2017 Luis Swisher Expansion Brazos Valley Cavalry F.C. U.S. Bryan, Texas Nutrabolt Stadium 2017 James Clarkson Expansion Houston FC U.S. Houston, Texas Rice Track/Soccer Stadium 2017 Bruce Talbot Expansion Lakeland Tropics U.S. Lakeland, Florida Bryant Stadium 2016 Eoghan Conlon Expansion Myrtle Beach Mutiny U.S. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex 2011 Kyle Russell NPSL Nashville SC U23 U.S. Nashville, Tennessee Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex 2016 Kyle Roelke Expansion SIMA Águilas U.S. Montverde, Florida Montverde Academy Center 2017 Mike Potempa Expansion SoCal Surf U.S. Carlsbad, California Maffucci Field 2015 Cody Worden NPSL Tampa Bay Rowdies U-23 U.S. Tampa, Florida Waters Soccer Complex 2017 Keith Fulk Expansion Tobacco Road FC U.S. Durham, North Carolina Durham County Stadium 2013 Cedric Burke NPSL Weston FC U.S. Weston, Florida Broward College Soccer Field 1998 Victor Pastora NPSL Wilmington Hammerheads FC U.S. Wilmington, North Carolina Legion Stadium 1996 Kevin Johnson USL TSS FC Rovers Canada Burnaby, British Columbia Swangard Stadium 2017 Colin Elmes Expansion
Name Changes FC Miami City Champions became FC Miami City FC Sonic Lehigh Valley became Lehigh Valley United
Folded/left Baltimore Bohemians – Folded Floridians FC – Folded Kitsap Pumas – renamed Kitsap SC and moved to the National Premier Soccer League Kokomo Mantis FC – Folded its PDL team LA Laguna FC – Folded Laredo Heat – Folded its PDL team Las Vegas Mobsters – moved to the United Premier Soccer League Midland/Odessa Sockers – renamed Midland-Odessa FC and moved to the National Premier Soccer League Pittsburgh Riverhounds U23 – Folded SW Florida Adrenaline – Folded Southern West Virginia King's Warriors – Folded its PDL team
Standings Tiebreakers
Head-to-head results Goal differential Goals scored
Central Conference Great Lakes Division
Heartland Division
Eastern Conference Northeast Division
Mid Atlantic Division
South Atlantic Division
Southern Conference Mid South Division
Southeast Division
Western Conference Mountain Division
Northwest Division
Southwest Division
Playoffs
After extra time
Divisional Qualification
Matches in the Divisional Qualification round were held on July 18. Two Eastern Conference play-in matches were played at Amesbury, MA (Seacoast United Phantoms) and Whippany, NJ (New York Red Bulls U-23). One Western Conference play-in match was played at Salem, OR (Portland Timbers U23s).
Conference Championships
The PDL Conference Championships were held over the weekend of July 21–23. Matches were played at: Tucson, AZ (Western Conference, host FC Tucson); Statesboro, GA (Eastern Conference, host South Georgia Tormenta FC); Pontiac, MI (Central Conference, host Michigan Bucks); and Clinton, MS (Southern Conference, host Mississippi Brilla FC). The four conference champions advanced to the PDL semifinals.
Eastern Conference
Southern Conference
Central Conference
Western Conference
PDL Championship
The PDL semifinals were held on July 29, with matches played at Charlotte, NC (Charlotte Eagles) and Thunder Bay, ON (Thunder Bay Chill). The PDL Championship Game was held on August 5 in Matthews, NC (Charlotte Eagles).
Semi-finals
Championship Game
Championship MVP: Ryan Williams (CHE)
Awards Most Valuable Player: Brian White (NYR) Golden Boot: Brian White (NYR) Young (U21) Player of the Year: Aaron Molloy (REA) Coach of the Year: Robert Elliott (NYR) Goalkeeper of the Year: Ben Lundgaard (NYR) Defender of the Year: Mitch Osmond (TBC) Creative Player of the Year: Harry Pearse (JER)
Monthly Awards Goal of the Month Month Player Club Opponent May Ignacio TellecheaOcean City Nor'eastersEvergreen FC June Jack FasteenDerby City RoversNashville SC U23 July Jad ArslanSouth Georgia Tormenta FCPeachtree City MOBA
Save of the Month Month Player Club Opponent May Jackson HawthorneTobacco Road FCCarolina Dynamo June Lucas ValliloFC TucsonSan Diego Zest FC July Ben WillisLane United FCPortland Timbers U23s
Weekly Awards Player of the Week Week Player Club Position Reason 1 Blake FrischknechtBYU CougarsForward 2 goals in win against FC Tucson 2 Joao CostaCharlotte EaglesForward Hat-trick vs Wilmington Hammerheads FC 3 Matt WiesenfarthBurlingame Dragons FCForward 4 goals in win against San Francisco City FC 4 David GarciaMyrtle Beach MutinyGoalkeeper 12 saves against Charlotte Eagles 5 Luke BrownGPS Portland PhoenixForward 4 goals, 2 assists in pair of wins against the Long Island Rough Riders and Westchester Flames 6 Willian HopfnerThe Villages SCMidfielder 4 goals in 2 wins against Tampa Bay Rowdies U23 and IMG Academy Bradenton 7 Julio MoncadaOKC Energy U23Forward 3 goals, 1 assist in 2 wins against Houston FC and Brazos Valley Cavalry FC 8 Harry PearseJersey Express SCMidfielder 2 goals, 4 assists in 2 wins over FA Euro New York, and Lehigh Valley United 9 Tobenna UzoMyrtle Beach MutinyForward 4 goals, 1 assist in pair of wins over Charlotte Eagles and Wilmington Hammerheads FC 10 Jaret TownsendColorado Rapids U-23Forward 3 goals, 3 assists in 2 wins vs BYU Cougars and Albuquerque Sol FC 11 Moshe PerezFC TucsonForward 4 goals, 1 assist in 3 games vs BYU Cougars twice, and Colorado Rapids U-23
Goal of the Week Week Player Club Opponent 1/2 DeJuan JonesLansing UnitedMichigan Bucks 3 Lee Seong YeonSan Diego Zest FCSan Francisco City FC 4 Sami GuediriSIMA AguilasFC Miami City 5 Daniël KrutzenReading United ACNew York Red Bulls U23 6 Killian ColombieAHFC RoyalsHouston FC 7 Guillermo SegoviaTri-Cities OttersPeachtree City MOBA 8 Austin RicciMichigan BucksLansing United 9 Fredlin MompremierOcean City Nor'eastersFA Euro New York 10 Toni SolerSouth Georgia Tormenta FCBirmingham Hammers 11 Elijah AguSIMA AguilasNext Academy Palm Beach Conference Playoffs Adrian ValenzuelaFC TucsonFC Golden State Force National Playoffs Dominick ZatorCalgary Foothills FCReading United AC
Save of the Week 1/2 Joseph RiceLionsbridge FCLane United FC 3 Giovani RelloBlack Rock FCWestchester Flames 4 Zachary NelsonPortland Timbers U23sCalgary Foothills FC 5 Federico BarriosDayton Dutch LionsDerby City Rovers 6 Gustavo VasconcelosLakeland TropicsFC Florida U23 7 Casey ClarkSt. Louis LionsChicago FC United 8 Bobby EdwardsSC United BantamsCarolina Dynamo 9 Kevin PeachSan Francisco Glens SCFC Golden State Force 10 Joseph RiceLionsbridge FCCarolina Dynamo 11 Konrad DziedzicPeachtree City MOBAMississippi Brilla FC Conference Playoffs Ritchie SteinmannSIMA AguilasBrazos Valley Cavalry FC National Playoffs Timothy McGlynnThe Villages SCReading United AC
Team of the Week Week Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Honorable Mentions 1 Ottman (BYU) Santana (GSF) Nus (FRE) Brewster (SFC) Rude (SDZ) Nogueira (GSF) K. Jones (CGY) Omata (SDZ) Sarkaria (CGY) Frischknecht (BYU) Cuevas (FRE) F – McGrath (SDZ)F – Oduro (GSF)F – McLaughlin (BYU)GK – Miranda (GSF) 2 Kam (VCF) Mauritzon (ENY) Parpeix (MIA) Montgomery (VIC) Delhommelle (REA) Galvão (NAS) Atuahene (MIB) Chica (FRE) Keats (OKC) Costa (CHE) Botte (LIR) F – Ray (TOB)M – Kim (GSF)M – Winn (TOB) F – Patiño (SIM)GK – Hoefs (SUP) 3 Martinez (WMP) Stalboerger (SOC) Antley (SEA) Coiffic (MIA) Tellechea (OCN) Williams (CHE) Carrera-García (GSF) Guzman (TEX) Uzo (MYB) Aborig (KWU) Wiesenfarth (BUR) F – Patiño (SIM)M – Krutzen (TUC)F – Amorosino (POR)M – Verhoven (TSS)F – Moncada (OKC)F – White (NYR)F – Arnone (LIR)D – Morrison (LIR)GK – Vitiello (JER)F – Guirassy (JER)F – Mobbs (JER)F – Rojas (LAK)F – Tagaloa (SDZ)F – Pizarro (SOC)M – Ibarra (WVC)M – Carter (SUP)GK – St. Clair (KWU)D – Stauffer (DMM) 4 Garcia (MYB) Nielsen (NAS) Fabian (WMP) Teixeira (NYR) Bronstorph (HOU) Perez (TUC) Mueller (CHI) Goss (COL) Campos (SIM) Gainford (STL) Diegues (LAK) GK – Lundgaard (NYR)F – Atuahene (MIB)M – Fankhauser (BYU)F – White (NYR)F – Brown (GPP)F – Avila (IMG)F – Rutherford (NCA)F – Omondi (CHE)F – Moon (LNU)M – Cuevas (FRE)F – Bakero (CAR)F – Cojocov (SLL)D – Marcano (MYB)M – Delhommelle (REA)F – Fonseca (GSF)F – Kennedy (SFC)D – Antley (SEA)D – King (SEA)F – Segbers (CHI) 5 Prieur (BUR) Bell (OKC) Fordham (BYU) Hill (SIM) Musse (CGY) Long (EVG) Cair (KWU) Ramos (SFC) Milien (WVC) Knudson (NYR) Brown (GPP) GK – Naude (GPP)GK – Pyle (CHE)GK – Lundt (REA)GK – Finney (IMG)F – Jones (LNU)M – Thomas (DCR)F – Walshaw (SCU)F – Campos (SIM)F – Roberts (WIL)F – Krutzen (TUC)F – Moncada (OKC)F – Verso (GSF)F – Garner (TOB)D – Nielsen (NAS)F – Bakero (CAR)F – Melink (CIN)F – Pizarro (SOC) 6 Shepherd (MIB) Miller (KWU) Fimic (OCN) Davis (WES) Jones (SEA) Vargas (SOC) Hopfner (VIL) Conway (OKC) Merriam (SGT) Pierrot (REA) Verso (GSF) F – D. Jones (MYB)M – Palomino (BVC)GK – Morton (OCN)F – Cojocov (SLL)F – Löbe (KWU)M – Ray (TOB)F – White (NYR)M – Ramos (SFC)F – Leroux (VIL)M – Bustamante (FRE)F – Landell (MIB)F – Greenway-Tambini (ACC)F – Ruiz (WMP)M – Sackie (SUP)F – Noel (BOU)GK – Gavigan (COL) 7 Vallilo (TUC) Rose (LVU) Coiffic (MIA) Padilla (SFC) Salem (ABU) Blanco (FRE) Jepson (SUP) Partain (DMM) Garces (TRI) White (NYR) Moncada (OKC) GK – Rosenberg (SGT)M – Gómez (MYB)M – Kadano (OCU)F – Bosua (LIR)F – Jambga (DMM)F – Amorosino (POR)F – Diegues (LAK)F – Mourchid (MIA)F – Kourouma (MIA)F – Parpeix (MIA)F – Davidson (TSS)F – Melink (CIN)F – Mueller (CHI)F – Lofts (SGT)F – Boulajoul (MIS) 8 Rey (FRE) Torres (VIL) Borges (NYR) Hundelt (SLL) Molloy (REA) Pearse (JER) Bruening (TOB) Sierakowski (CHI) Ozumba (BVC) Russo (CGY) Swartz (BOS) F – Padilla (SFC)D – Clark (JER)F – Leroux (VIL)M – Rivera (TEX)M – Fidler (PCM)F – Kelly (MIS)F – Uzo (MYB)F – Michel (POR)GK – Christiansen (SCS)F – Swartzendruber (TBC)M – Cuevas (FRE)F – Paiva (SUP)F – Musovski (TUC)F – Cojocov (SLL)M – Polisi (TSS) 9 Elias (TBC) Morrison (LIR) Brumati (FRE) Leddy (CIN) Panchot (STL) Michaelson (POR) Brinkman (NCA) Aguinaga (NYR) Uzo (MYB) Kinoshita (BOU) Ayris (WES) F – Byabusha (WES)M – Spaulding (NCA)F – Merriam (SGT)M – Krolicki (KWU)F – Bennett (REA)F – Smythe (CIN)D – Moore (WMP)M – Moshin (PBS)M – Ainscough (BOS)M – Timmer (MIB) 10 la Paz (CIN) Souahy (MIB) Finnegan (REA) VanCompernolle (OKC) Arslan (SGT) Kirkland (SFC) Villez (WMP) Ohin (WSA) Townsend (COL) Kinoshita (BOU) T. Langlois (SIM) F – Paynter (NAS) F – Botello (TEX)F – Ryan (TEX)F – Wilson (NAS)F – Pierrot (REA)M – Junior (WMP)F – E. Langlois (SIM)F – Wiesenfarth (BUR)F – Verso (GSF)F – Parreiras (LAK)GK – Bouillennec (REA) 11 Farr (POR) Osmond (TBC) Griffin (SOC) Thomsen (BOU) Goodwin (STL) Diaz (CLE) Wright (TOB) Watt (WVC) White (NYR) Danto (WSA) Perez (TUC) F – Kourouma (MIA) F – Costa (CHE)F – Botte (LIR)F – Nelson (VIC)M – O'Keefe (SCS)F – Rodrigues (WMP)F – Bevan (MIB)F – Criollo (JER)M – Diaz (CLE)F – Verso (GSF)F – Fonseca (GSF)F – Carter (SUP)
All-League and All-Conference Teams
Eastern Conference F: Tobenna Uzo (MYB) *, Brian White (NYR) *, Joao Costa (CHE) M: Ricardo Gomez (MYB) *, Aaron Molloy (REA) *, Martim Galvão (NAS) D: Douglas Oliveira (CHE), Alex Nelson (MYB), Kevin Politz (NYR), Daniel Kozma (OCN) G: Ben Lundgaard (NYR) *
Central Conference F: Ryan Sierakowski (CHI), Samuel Gainford (STL), Francis Atuahene (MIB) M: Abraham Villon (TBC), Amass Amankona (DDL), Chris Mueller (CHI) D: Mitch Osmond (TBC) *, Nick Walker (MIB) *, Lucas Stauffer (DMM), Brandon Fricke (DMM) G: Michael Yantz (DDL)