Reaching its 10th Anniversary with much success over the years, USL celebrates by designing and launching the final element of the developmental pyramid by creating the Select League. The Select League, a higher level of Division III at the time, was granted Division II status for the upcoming 1997 season by USSF, an action that would have far-reaching effects for soccer in North America in the near future. The Select League was just another selling point for USL as it came to an agreement with Major League Soccer, which made its debut in ‘96, to serve as a player development system for the Division I league.

 

The year was historic on the field as well with the USL shootout coming into play in two of the four championship matches. The Select and D3 Pro League championships came down to the revolutionary tiebreaker, which would be dropped after the ‘99 season, allowing draws for the first time in USL history.

 

Kevin Rueda gave the California Jaguars the Select title over the Richmond Kickers with three saves in the shootout and Eddie Pigford handed the Charleston Battery the D3 crown by stopping a penalty kick late in regulation, a blistering shot in overtime and two shootout attempts versus the Charlotte Eagles.

 

In the PDL, it was two West Coast teams battling it out on the opposite side of the country in Cocoa, Fla. for the championship. At the final whistle it was the Central Coast Roadrunners edging the San Francisco Bay Seals, who would move on to D3 the next year, by the score of 1-0. Bryan Taylor, who scored the game-winner and five of his team’s six goals in the “Premier Six” tournament, would move on to play in MLS. The Roadrunners would go on to win a second consecutive championship while playing host to the ‘97 PDL Finals.

 

The Maryland Pride left no doubts in the W-League “Swizzlin’ Six” championship tournament, winning the title without allowing a single goal in their three matches. The final statement was a 3-0 blanking of the Dallas Lightning, who were the only other team in the league with one loss.