You might have heard that the NCAA will play its women's soccer tournament semifinals and championship - the NCAA Women's College Cup - in the Triangle, in early December, but what you might not know is that another big soccer event will be here at the same time.
Some of the nation's best girls soccer players who aren't already in college will take the field at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, the WRAL Soccer Center in Raleigh and Duke University in Durham for the opening weekend of the US Youth Soccer National League.
The year-long league promises high-level competition. No team from North Carolina is involved, so this will be the best chance to see these teams.
More details and a schedule are below.
TB
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From event news release:
Opening Weekend of the US Youth Soccer National League set for Raleigh
Nation’s top teams kickoff year-long competition
Three reigning national champions in the mix
FRISCO, Texas (November 24, 2008) – The US Youth Soccer National League Under-15, Under-16, and new for 2008, the Under-17 Girls teams are set to kickoff the first weekend of play in this year-long competition December 4-7 at WakeMed Soccer Park and WRAL Soccer Complex in Raleigh, N.C. Games are held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s College Cup to provide greater exposure of these elite teams to collegiate and national team coaches.
“Kicking off the first weekend of play, in the highly-successful US Youth Soccer National League, is very exciting because it sets the stage for a competition that brings together some of the nation’s top teams playing at the highest level,” said Paul Luchowski, US Youth Soccer National League Commissioner. "The National League provides players the opportunity to develop and test themselves in meaningful matches, and everyone is looking forward to the number of collegiate coaches that are expected to be on hand."
The three age groups are comprised of the top teams in the nation who have earned their spots through advancement from one of the four US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues and look to continuing playing at the highest level. Throughout league play, teams will not only be seeking elite development and identification, but they are also vying for one of the coveted top two spots in the League, which provides a direct path to the annual US Youth Soccer National Championships.
The national championships, established in 1976, is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing the opportunity for teams to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play.
At last year’s US Youth Soccer National Championships, seven of the eight championship finals slots in the Under-15 and Under-16 age groups were won by National League representatives. National League teams went on to claim the Under-15 boys (Baltimore Casa Mia Bays) and girls (Dallas Texans 93 Red Dallas) as well as Under-16 boys (Dallas Texans 92 Red) and girls (Dallas Texans Red 92) national titles.
US Youth Soccer National League Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 Girls
Raleigh, N.C.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4
At WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary
12:30 p.m. U-15 Dallas Texans 94 Red Dallas (NTX) v San Diego Surf 93-94 White (CAS) Field 4
12:30 p.m. U-15 D'Feeters 94 (NTX) v San Juan Spirits 94 Blue (CAN) Field 5
12:30 p.m. U-15 Michigan Hawks 94-Black (MI) v Wall Wombats (NJ) Field 6
12:30 p.m. U-15 NSA Fury (IL) v FC Pennsylvania Strikers (EPA) Field 7
2:30 p.m. U-16 Team Boca 92/93 (FL) v Dallas Texans 93 Red-Dallas (NTX) Field 4
2:30 p.m. U-16 Slammers FC (CAS) v Montclair United Thunderbolts (NJ) Field 6
2:30 p.m. U-16 So Cal Blues-Dodge (CAS) v Scorpions Elite (MA) Field 7
2:30 p.m. U-16 Cleveland FC (OHN) v Eclipse Select 92-93 (IL) Field 5
At WRAL Soccer Center
6 p.m. U-17 Eclipse Select 91-92 (IL) v Challenge 92 (STX) Field 1
6 p.m. U-17 BVSC Stars Mallorca 91/92 (KS) v Vardar (MI) Field 4
8 p.m. U-17 Dallas Texans Red 92 Dallas (NTX) v Laguna Hills Eclipse Black (CAS) Field 4
8 p.m. U-17 Ela Elite (IL) v McLean MPS Dragons (VA) Field 1
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5
At WakeMed Soccer Park
8 a.m. U-15 San Juan Spirits 94 Blue (CAN) v Dallas Texans 94 Red Dallas (NTX) Field 6
8 a.m. U-15 Wall Wombats (NJ) v D'Feeters 94 (NTX) 7
8 a.m. U-15 FC Pennsylvania Strikers (EPA) v Michigan Hawks 94-Black (MI) Field 5
8 a.m. U-15 San Diego Surf 93-94 White (CAS) v NSA Fury (IL) Field 4
10 a.m. U-16 Dallas Texans 93 Red-Dallas (NTX) v Slammers FC (CAS) Field 6
10 a.m. U-16 Scorpions Elite (MA) v Cleveland FC (OHN) Field 7
10 a.m. U-17 Vardar (MI) v Eclipse Select 91-92 (IL) Field 5
10 a.m. U-17 Challenge 92 (STX) v BVSC Stars Mallorca 91/92 (KS) Field 4
12 p.m. U-16 Montclair United Thunderbolts (NJ) v So Cal Blues-Dodge (CAS) Field 4
12 p.m. U-16 Eclipse Select 92-93 (IL) v Team Boca 92/93 (FL) Field 5
12 p.m. U-17 McLean MPS Dragons (VA) v Dallas Texans Red 92 Dallas (NTX) Field 6
12 p.m. U-17 Laguna Hills Eclipse Black (CAS) v Ela Elite (IL) Field 7
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6
At WakeMed Soccer Park
8 a.m. U-15 Dallas Texans 94 Red Dallas (NTX) v Wall Wombats (NJ) Field 7
8 a.m. U-15 D'Feeters 94 (NTX) v FC Pennsylvania Strikers (EPA) Field 4
8 a.m. U-15 Michigan Hawks 94-Black (MI) v San Diego Surf 93-94 White (CAS) Field 5
8 a.m. U-15 NSA Fury (IL) v San Juan Spirits 94 Blue (CAN) Field 6
10 a.m. U-16 So Cal Blues-Dodge (CAS) v Dallas Texans 93 Red Dallas (NTX) Field 7
10 a.m. U-16 Cleveland FC (OHN) v Montclair United Thunderbolts (NJ) Field 4
10 a.m. U-16 Team Boca 92/93 (FL) v Scorpions Elite (MA) Field 5
10 a.m. U-16 Slammers FC (CAS) v Eclipse Select 92-93 (IL) 6
12 p.m. U-17 Eclipse Select 91-92 (IL) v Laguna Hills Eclipse Black (CAS) Field 6
12 p.m. U-17 Dallas Texans Red 92 Dallas (NTX) v Vardar (MI) Field 7
2 p.m. U-17 BVSC Stars Mallorca 91/92 (KS) v McLean MPS Dragons (VA) Field 6
2 p.m. U-17 Ela Elite (IL) v Challenge 92 (STX) Field 7
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7
At WakeMed Soccer Park
8 a.m. U-15 FC Pennsylvania Strikers (EPA) v Dallas Texans 94 Red Dallas (NTX) Field 5
8 a.m. U-15 San Diego Surf 93-94 White (CAS) v D'Feeters'94 (NTX) Field 6
8 a.m. U-15 San Juan Spirits 94 Blue (CAN) v Michigan Hawks 94-Black (MI) Field 4
8 a.m. U-15 Wall Wombats (NJ) v NSA Fury (IL) Field 7
10 a.m. U-17 McLean MPS Dragons (VA) v Eclipse Select 91-92 (IL) Field 4
10 a.m. U-17 Challenge 92 (STX) v Dallas Texans Red 92 Dallas (NTX) Field 5
10 a.m. U-17 Laguna Hills Eclipse Black (CAS) v BVSC Stars Mallorca 91/92 (KS) Field 7
10 a.m. U-17 Vardar (MI) v Ela Elite (IL) Field 6
At Duke University
8 a.m. U-16 Dallas Texans 93 Red Dallas (NTX) v Cleveland FC (OHN) Field 1
8 a.m. U-16 Eclipse Select 92-93 (IL) v So Cal Blues-Dodge (CAS) Field 2
10 a.m. U-16 Montclair United Thunderbolts (NJ) v Team Boca 92/93 (FL) Field 1
10 a.m. U-16 Scorpions Elite (MA) v Slammers FC (CAS) Field 2
*All schedules are subject to change.
