USL W League continues to build in the Northland
The USL W League continues its expansion in the Northland, although a merger keeps the net number of teams the same as last year in the Heartland division of the Central Conference.
Chicago Dutch Lions struggled badly last season, accumulating a 3-0-9 record, which somehow was not the worst in the division. In the offseason, they merged their USL W and USL 2 operations with those of Chicago City SC. City, it should be noted, finished with a net positive goal difference and a third-place finish. The new joint venture is called Chicago City Dutch Lions FC.
The community-owned Minnesota Aurora FC continued their torrid run of form as a new club, with an unbeaten regular season before losing in the Conference Semifinals to Indy Eleven.
RKC Third Coast in Racine, WI, finished rock bottom of the Heartland division with a -49 goal difference.
River Light FC were the second-place qualifier from the Heartland division with an 8-1-3 record. They also lost in the Conference Semifinals.
Rochester FC finished 4-0-8 in the division.
Sioux Falls City FC join after a wildly successful, if short, tenure in the WPSL. Their joining USL W is only one part of a multifaceted plan.
Prospects
An ambitious City side will hope to present some challenge to the established order. In a friendly last year, they did tie with Aurora in a preseason friendly last year
USL League 2 waves goodbye to the Deep North
In the 30-year-old USL League 2, the Heartland Division of the Central Conference is our focus - with that conference the initial focus of any playoff run. Its former neighbor to the East has subsumed the Deep North division. Into the Heartland's Chicagoland base come a trio of Minnesotan clubs and one from Wisconsin. Out go the defending Deep North champions, Thunder Bay Chill, who have gone on hiatus, and Bavarian United, which focuses on UPSL and the Midwest Premier League. Out of the Heartland are St. Charles FC (who are not listed) and national runner-up Peoria City (who move to the Great Plains division).
None of the four playoff qualifiers from the Heartland or Deep North in 2024 are in the Heartland this season. The Central has five divisions.
From the Heartland
Chicago City Dutch Lions are a joint-venture of the operators of two previously separate USL clubs, Chicago City SC and Chicago Dutch Lions (who were one of 11 Dutch Lions teams fielded by the franchise across the USA). CCSC are an established youth operation in the area. Dutch Lions lost all 12 of their games last season, City managed two wins and 2 draws but only managed 6th place.
Joliet-based Sueño FC are a newcomer from last season, when they finished 5th of 7 in the Deep North.
River Light FC were 3 points outside a playoff spot from their base in Aurora, Illinois, with a 7-3-2 record.
From the Deep North
The storied crows of Minneapolis City SC finished 5th of 6 teams in the Deep North last season with 5 wins and 7 losses from a topsy-turvy season.
Their neighbors to the East, St. Croix Legends finished fourth, with a 5-2-5 record.
RKC Third Coast in Racine, WI finished two points short of the second playoff spot last season, with a 6-1-5 record.
Rochester FC finished bottom of the division, with a 2-1-9 record.
Prospects
With the playoff field yet to be established it is difficult to make predictions. However, the absence of all four of last year's playoff representatives would suggest a path for a different club (and maybe some from the Northland) to playoffs. Stay tuned.
A new North is unveiled by NPSL
There are no brand-new clubs to the North Conference of the NPSL, but it is getting longer and shorter at the same time with Dakota Fusion's hiatus and the entry of former Gateway Conference members Iowa Demon Hawks.
Of the four playoff qualifiers from the North in 2024, two (Dakota Fusion and Minnesota TwinStars) are not part of 2025's festivities. The TwinStars leave after 20 years at this level and a 30-year history overall that made them by far the oldest club in this division.
Duluth FC will be defending their region with a new head coach for the first time since 2020, with the departure of Sean Morgan. Their fellow playoff team, Joy Athletic Club, is joined by Lakeville's Minnesota Blizzard (who also play in MASL2 alongside the Demon Hawks) as the only presence in the Twin Cities metro.
The Demon Hawks arrive in the North, having lost in the Regional Semifinals to Duluth FC (as Des Moines United). The Demon Hawks are also an established MASL2 indoor team. There is a possible fresh rivalry between the Des Moines-based Demon Hawks and the Sioux City-based Siouxland United. On the subject of the latter, the Outlaws bring in Alex Trent as head coach off the back of his undefeated regular season with Fusion. Lastly, Sioux Falls Thunder remain in the conference and at Bob Young Field as another potential rival to the Iowans.
Also, a little note about the US Open Cup. The tournament saw Duluth FC seize a priority bid as regional winners and it turns out that Fusion were offered a spot (turned down because of hiatus) as spectacular regular season participants. The BlueGreens are on the road against Forward Madison of USL League One for the second consecutive year, largely as a consequence of two things: Relatively close proximity and a desire to match all amateurs against a pro side in the 1st round. We will be covering that for you.
The North no longer, WPSL does the hokey-pokey
The clubs and structure for the 2025 WPSL season have been announced.
With the departure of Sioux Falls City and Dakota Fusion (at least for now), the WPSL has taken the opportunity to reorganize (what was) the Northern Conference.
The Northern Conference has steadily grown while remaining an outlier until the point where last season, 10 teams competed for 1 playoff spot. Instead, 2025 will see the debut of the North Lakes Conference. To make the new conference, the Lake Michigan division shifts over from the Midwest Conference, and the remaining teams from the Northern Conference make up the Land of Lakes division.
Come playoff time, the winners of the two divisions will play a Conference Championship for a single spot in the Central Playoffs.
The returning teams in the Land of Lakes division
Salvo SC, who play at University of Northwestern in Roseville, MN, finished second in the North last season and are perennial challengers for a playoff berth.
Prior to Sioux Falls City's emergence, Richfield-based Minnesota Thunder provided a duopoly with Salvo but have consistently declined a playoff spot as a matter of club policy.
Joy Athletic Club are the NPSL arm of the St. Paul-based "free play" non-profit, who have thus far not challenged for a playoff spot.
White Bear Lake's Manitou FC finished the season with one win.
MapleBrook Fury are now MN Bliss , as part of a partnership with the UPSL's Tonka Fusion Elite. Formerly challengers, they endured a 2-2-5 season.
The eastern border of the Twin Cities metro (and the Wisconsin border) brings Stillwater, MN based St Croix Legacy.
Outside of the Metro, there remains Mankato United (who were challengers in the era of Jenny Vetter, but no longer) and Minnesota Dutch Lions (who were previously Rochester United FC)