- Source: 1996 USISL Select League
The 1996 USISL Select League season was the first season of a professional men's soccer league which featured teams from the United States. The league shared Division II status in the American soccer pyramid with the A-League, before the two leagues merged in 1997 as the USISL A-League.
History
The league had its origins in the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), which was the de facto second tier of American soccer during the early 1990s, and until 1995 confined itself to organising regional leagues.
The USISL Pro League, which had been at the third tier of the pyramid in 1995, split into two leagues in 1996; the best teams joined the new USISL Select League, while the remainder (plus expansion teams) remained in the USISL Pro League, which retained its Division III status. Both the A-League and the new USISL Select League had Division II status in 1996.
In an attempt to counteract the fact that a number of top A-League players had left to join MLS in 1995 and 1996 six of the seven remaining A-League teams – Montreal Impact, Colorado Foxes, Seattle Sounders, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Vancouver 86ers and Atlanta Ruckus, plus two planned A-League expansion teams (Toronto Lynx and Hershey Wildcats) merged with the USISL Select League to form a consolidated Division II league before the 1997 season. The resulting merged league retained the A-League name, and the USISL Select League name was abandoned.
= USISL Select League teams
=Champions
Regular Season: Carolina Dynamo (43 points, 14–3–1 record)
Playoff Winners: California Jaguars (beat Richmond Kickers 2–1)
Regular season
Regulation win = 3 points
Shootout win (SW) = 1 point
Loss (regulation or shootout) = 0 points
= Eastern Conference
=North Atlantic Division
South Atlantic Division
= Western Conference
=Central Division
Pacific Division
Playoffs
= First round
== Second round
=Minnesota Thunder vs Milwaukee Rampage
Hampton Roads Mariners vs Carolina Dynamos
California Jaguars vs Sacramento Scorpions
Long Island Rough Riders vs Delaware Wizards
The game was suspended in the 39th minute due to lightning. Play resumed on August 24, 1996, at 2:00 PM.
Select Six Tournament
The Select Six Tournament consisted of six teams. The Richmond Kickers participated as hosts. The Charleston Battery entered as the champion of the 1996 USISL Professional League. The other four teams came from the winners of the second round playoff games.
= Group A
== Group B
== Semifinals
=California Jaguars vs Minnesota Thunder
Richmond Kickers vs Long Island Rough Riders
Final
Points leaders
Honors
MVP: Dan Stebbins
Points leader: Dan Stebbins
Defender of the Year: Ezra Hendrickson
Goalkeeper of the Year: Scott Garlick
Rookie of the Year: Luis Marillo
Coach of the Year: Alan Dicks
Organization of the Year: Minnesota Thunder
All-League
Goalkeeper: Carmine Isacco
Defenders: Ezra Hendrickson, Derick Crownell, Stuart Fitzsimmons
Midfielders: Amos Magee, Travis Rinker, Oswaldo Ortiz, Yari Allnutt
Forwards: Dan Stebbins, John Jones, Paul Young
External links
United Soccer Leagues (RSSSF)
References
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- 1996 USISL Select League
- A-League (1995–2004)
- USL Second Division
- Milwaukee Rampage
- United Soccer League
- 1996 USISL Pro League
- California Jaguars
- USL League Two
- American Professional Soccer League
- Randy Mann
