WPSL Preview Part 2 — Returning clubs

Realignment makes for strange bedfellows so we say hello to some clubs who we have only seen in playoffs until now. As mentioned in Part 1, we are not covering the Mountain Conference, but say hello to the Ohio Valley and Midwest Conferences.

Cleveland Ambassadors actually operate two sides in the Eastern division of the Ohio Valley Conference. Yes, seriously, that is not a typo in the above graphic. They finished first and second in the Ohio Valley last season.

Columbus Eagles are the other club to return in the East. They have been around since 2014.

Cincinnati Sirens FC return in the West division of the Ohio Valley Conference, having joined the league in 2016.

Dayton Dutch Lions FC also return in the West. They joined the WPSL in 2010 and have a derby to savor this year.

FC Pride return to the league for “their 8th season” (according to their website). They are based in Indianapolis.

Lady Victory FC were last year’s Midwestern Conference champions and are based in Westfield, IN — at the Northern end of the Indianapolis metro. They have moved into the West division of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Fire & Ice SC are the only returning club in the Heartland division of the Midwest Conference. They are based in suburban St Louis.

In contrast to the Heartland’s new look, four of the five clubs in the Lake Michigan division are established clubs.

Bavarian United is the product of the Milwaukee Bavarian soccer club merging with Inter Northshore FC last year. Bavarians SC has played men’s and boys soccer since 1929 but only expanded into adult women’s soccer in 2020, having inaugurated girls teams in 2011–12.

Chicago Dutch Lions FC shares ownership with Dayton Dutch Lions above, and joined the WPSL last year.

Chicago KICS joined the WPSL last year and were established to “provide equitable representation to the South Side of Chicago”.

FC Milwaukee Torrent have been in the WPSL since 2017 and are a self described “professional team”.

Dakota Fusion FC joined WPSL in 2018 as an outlet for young talent which was otherwise aging out of youth clubs. Nonetheless, recruitment has been far and wide. They are based in Fargo, ND.

Mankato United SC joined WPSL in 2019 and has consistently fielded sides with their roots deep in Mankato youth sides and the Minnesota State Mankato college sides.

MapleBrook Fury joined the WPSL in 2014 as Minnesota TwinStars Dragons. The club is now the apex of the MapleBrook youth club structure. With the depth of talent in the Twin Cities, they have remained competitive through the changes in control. Fury play in Osseo, MN.

Minnesota Thunder may share the name of the historic MN men’s club but Minnesota Thunder Academy was always a separate organization, with a focus on keeping hold of the prodigious amount of talent that its academy has produced. They rolled to the Northern Conference title in their first year, 2021. They play at Providence Academy in Plymouth, MN.

Rochester United entered the WPSL in 2019, another club with a focus on youth development.

Salvo SC entered the WPSL in 2019. The club itself is the result of a merger of youth clubs in the Twin Cities and plays at University of Northwestern in Roseville, MN.