The Wolves were one of the first teams in the Northeast to join USL in 1993 and been a constant since. The moved up to the Pro League (Third Division) in 1995 and the Select League (Third Division) the following year. With the addition of the A-League, the Wolves took another move up the ladder in 1997 and remained in USL's top flight until 2002, when it returned to the D3 Pro League. Midway through the 1999 season, the Wolves were purchased by the city of New Britain, Connecticut in a landmark deal similar to the situation involving the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Despite the club's longevity, it has seen limited success competitively, reaching the postseason for only the second time in 2002 after posting only its second winning season in 10 years. The 10-8-2 Wolves upset the Western Mass Pioneers in a two-leg, aggregate points series in the first round before falling to the eventual champion Long Island Rough Riders in the semifinals. The club previously reached the postseason in 1996 (11-7), but were eliminated in the first round. The Wolves were brought into the USL landscape with the backing of the Onalfo, chiefly Cliff Onalfo, who served as Managing Director of the club.