# 2011 PDL season

The 2011 USL Premier Development League season was the 17th season of the PDL. The regular season began on April 29, 2011, when the Los Angeles Blues 23 played Fresno Fuego, and ended on July 24. The league consisted of 64 teams across nine divisions with the addition of the South Atlantic division. The playoffs began on Tuesday, July 26 and concluded with the PDL Championship Game on August 6. As in previous years, the PDL Championship Game was broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel in the United States, with commentary by Steve Bell and Keith Tabatznik.
The Kitsap Pumas ended the season as national champions, beating Laredo Heat 1–0 in the 2011 PDL Championship game. The playoffs were held at the home of the Pumas in Bremerton, Washington.
Fresno Fuego had the best regular-season record, posting an unbeaten 13–0–3 record. Fresno midfielder Milton Blanco was named League MVP, after leading the league in points (38) and assists (14) and helping his team to the Southwest Division title. Two Michigan Bucks players - Stewart Givens and Mitch Hildebrandt - were given end-of-season awards as Defender of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year respectively, while their coach Gary Parsons was named Coach of the Year. Jake Keegan of the Westchester Flames was named Rookie of the Year after tallying 16 goals in 16 games to take the league goal-scoring crown. Keegan accounted for 64 percent of Westchester's goals in 2011 and also finished third in the league in points with 34.

## Changes from 2010
### Name changes

* Hampton Roads Piranhas rebranded as Virginia Beach Piranhas
* Los Angeles Azul Legends rebranded as Los Angeles Misioneros
* Newark Ironbound Express rebranded as Jersey Express

### New franchise

* Ten franchises were announced as joining the league this year:
| Team Name | Metro Area | Location | Previous Affiliation |
| Akron Summit Assault | Akron area | Akron, OH | expansion |
| Fredericksburg Hotspur | Fredericksburg area | Fredericksburg, VA | expansion |
| Hamilton Rage | Hamilton area | Hamilton, ON | expansion |
| FC Jax Destroyers | Jacksonville area | Jacksonville, FL | expansion |
| Los Angeles Blues 23 | West Los Angeles area | Pacific Palisades, CA | expansion |
| North Sound SeaWolves | Snohomish County area | Everett, WA | expansion |
| Real Maryland Monarchs | Montgomery County area | Rockville, MD | from USL Second Division |
| Rio Grande Valley Grandes | Rio Grande Valley area | Edinburg, TX | expansion |
| River City Rovers | Louisville area | Louisville, KY | expansion |
| WSA Winnipeg | Winnipeg area | Winnipeg, MB | expansion |

### Folding/moving

* Thirteen teams were announced as leaving the league prior to the beginning of the season:
** Albany BWP Highlanders - Schenectady, New York
** Atlanta Blackhawks - Alpharetta, Georgia
** Cleveland Internationals - Medina, Ohio
** Dayton Dutch Lions - Bellbrook, Ohio - left to join USL Pro
** DFW Tornados - Frisco, Texas
** Hollywood United Hitmen - Los Angeles, California - left to join National Premier Soccer League
** Houston Leones - Richmond, Texas
** Kalamazoo Outrage - Kalamazoo, Michigan
** Lancaster Rattlers - Lancaster, California - left to join National Premier Soccer League
** Rio Grande Valley Bravos - Brownsville, Texas - left to join Southern Premier Soccer League, changed name to RGV Ocelots
** Rochester Thunder - Rochester, Minnesota
** Spokane Spiders - Spokane, Washington
** Yakima Reds - Yakima, Washington

## Standings

* Key to colours in group tables
* Team won the Division Title
* Team qualified for playoff berth
Note: The first tie-breaker in PDL standings is head-to-head results between teams tied on points, which is why some teams with inferior goal differences finish ahead in the standings.

### Central Conference
#### Great Lakes Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Michigan Bucks | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 38 | 9 | +29 | 38 |
| 2 | Chicago Fire Premier | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 10 | +18 | 35 |
| 3 | Forest City London | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 29 |
| 4 | Indiana Invaders | 16 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 26 | −1 | 21 |
| 5 | Akron Summit Assault | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 18 |
| 6 | Hamilton Rage | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 18 |
| 7 | Toronto Lynx | 16 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 15 | 25 | −10 | 17 |
| 8 | Cincinnati Kings | 16 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 33 | −10 | 13 |
| 9 | River City Rovers | 16 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 37 | −21 | 12 |

#### Heartland Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 31 | 9 | +22 | 38 |
| 2 | Des Moines Menace | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 20 | +21 | 36 |
| 3 | Real Colorado Foxes | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 49 | 23 | +26 | 36 |
| 4 | Kansas City Brass | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 28 | 36 | −8 | 16 |
| 5 | St. Louis Lions | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 13 |
| 6 | WSA Winnipeg | 16 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 44 | −29 | 10 |
| 7 | Springfield Demize | 16 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 45 | −33 | 6 |
* ↑ St. Louis Lions deducted four points for league rules infringement.

### Eastern Conference
#### Mid Atlantic Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Long Island Rough Riders | 16 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 42 | 13 | +29 | 39 |
| 2 | Reading United | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 14 | +27 | 38 |
| 3 | Jersey Express | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 45 | 12 | +33 | 36 |
| 4 | Westchester Flames | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 33 | −8 | 22 |
| 5 | Central Jersey Spartans | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 31 | −7 | 16 |
| 6 | Bermuda Hogges | 16 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 31 | −14 | 15 |
| 7 | Ocean City Nor'easters | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 25 | −5 | 14 |
| 8 | New Jersey Rangers | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 32 | −17 | 12 |
| 9 | Brooklyn Knights | 16 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 53 | −38 | 5 |
* ↑ New Jersey Rangers deducted four points for league rules infringement.

#### Northeast Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | MPS Portland Phoenix | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 11 | +13 | 29 |
| 2 | New Hampshire Phantoms | 16 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 20 | +5 | 24 |
| 3 | Western Mass Pioneers | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 20 | −2 | 23 |
| 4 | Ottawa Fury | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 22 | 31 | −9 | 17 |
| 5 | Vermont Voltage | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 21 | −9 | 15 |

#### South Atlantic Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Carolina Dynamo | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 14 | +23 | 34 |
| 2 | Northern Virginia Royals | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 13 | +7 | 31 |
| 3 | Real Maryland Monarchs | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 20 | +9 | 26 |
| 4 | West Virginia Chaos | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 25 |
| 5 | Virginia Beach Piranhas | 16 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 32 | −19 | 12 |
| 6 | Fredericksburg Hotspur | 16 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 39 | −29 | 9 |

### Southern Conference
#### Mid South Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Laredo Heat | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 35 | 13 | +22 | 35 |
| 2 | Chivas El Paso Patriots | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 22 | +2 | 33 |
| 3 | Baton Rouge Capitals | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 25 |
| 4 | New Orleans Jesters | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 23 |
| 5 | West Texas United Sockers | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 35 | −15 | 15 |
| 6 | Rio Grande Valley Grandes | 16 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 29 | −10 | 11 |

#### Southeast Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Mississippi Brilla | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 39 | 14 | +25 | 38 |
| 2 | Central Florida Kraze | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 23 | +11 | 35 |
| 3 | Bradenton Academics | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 34 | 27 | +7 | 26 |
| 4 | Jax Destroyers | 16 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 22 | 37 | −15 | 13 |
| 5 | Nashville Metros | 16 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 15 | 31 | −16 | 12 |
| 6 | Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy | 16 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 30 | −13 | 9 |

### Western Conference
#### Northwest Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Kitsap Pumas | 16 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 42 | 9 | +33 | 35 |
| 2 | Victoria Highlanders | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 29 | 16 | +13 | 30 |
| 3 | Vancouver Whitecaps Residency | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 24 | 21 | +3 | 27 |
| 4 | Portland Timbers U23's | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 34 | 21 | +13 | 22 |
| 5 | Abbotsford Mariners | 16 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 22 | 25 | −3 | 21 |
| 6 | North Sound SeaWolves | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 34 | −14 | 16 |
| 7 | Washington Crossfire | 16 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 22 | 39 | −17 | 14 |
| 8 | Tacoma Tide | 16 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 49 | −28 | 8 |
* ↑ Kitsap Pumas deducted four points for league rules infringement.

#### Southwest Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Fresno Fuego | 16 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 43 | 15 | +28 | 42 |
| 2 | Ventura County Fusion | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 38 | 10 | +28 | 36 |
| 3 | Orange County Blue Star | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 45 | 31 | +14 | 29 |
| 4 | Southern California Seahorses | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 24 | −2 | 27 |
| 5 | BYU Cougars | 16 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 16 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Blues 23 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 17 | 37 | −20 | 14 |
| 7 | Ogden Outlaws | 16 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 18 | 36 | −18 | 10 |
| 8 | Los Angeles Misioneros | 16 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 40 | −24 | 5 |

## League post-season tournament
### Division matches for qualification

| Northeast Division Eastern Conference | Northeast Division Eastern Conference | Northeast Division Eastern Conference |
| NE1 | MPS Portland Phoenix | 0 |
| NE2 | New Hampshire Phantoms | 1 |
| Mid Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | Mid Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | Mid Atlantic Division Eastern Conference |
| MA2 | Reading United | 0 |
| MA3 | Jersey Express | 1 |
| South Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | South Atlantic Division Eastern Conference | South Atlantic Division Eastern Conference |
| SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 1 |
| SA2 | Northern Virginia Royals | 0 |
| Great Lakes Division Central Conference | Great Lakes Division Central Conference | Great Lakes Division Central Conference |
| GL2 | Chicago Fire Premier | 3 |
| GL3 | Forest City London | 0 |

### Bracket

| Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| SE1 | Mississippi Brilla | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Chivas El Paso Patriots | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Chivas El Paso Patriots | 0 | SE1 | Mississippi Brilla | 2 (6) | | | | | | | |
| Southern Conference | Southern Conference | Southern Conference | SE1 | Mississippi Brilla | 2 (6) | | | | | | | |
| Southern Conference | Southern Conference | Southern Conference | MS1 | Laredo Heat | 2 (7) | | | | | | | |
| MS1 | Laredo Heat | 1 | MS1 | Laredo Heat | 2 (7) | | | | | | | |
| SE2 | Central Florida Kraze | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SE2 | Central Florida Kraze | 0 | | | | MS1 | Laredo Heat | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | MA1 | Long Island Rough Riders | 1 | | | | |
| MA1 | Long Island Rough Riders | 3 | | | | | | | MA1 | Long Island Rough Riders | 1 | | | | |
| NE2 | New Hampshire Phantoms | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| NE2 | New Hampshire Phantoms | 1 | MA1 | Long Island Rough Riders | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | MA1 | Long Island Rough Riders | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | MA3 | Jersey Express | 2 | | | | | | | |
| MA3 | Jersey Express | 2 | MA3 | Jersey Express | 2 | | | | | | | |
| SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SA1 | Carolina Dynamo | 1 | | | | | | | | MS1 | Laredo Heat | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | | | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 1 |
| SW1 | Fresno Fuego | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 1 |
| NW2 | Victoria Highlanders | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| NW2 | Victoria Highlanders | 1 | SW1 | Fresno Fuego | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | SW1 | Fresno Fuego | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 1 | | | | | | | |
| NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 1 | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 1 | | | | | | | |
| SW2 | Ventura County Fusion | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SW2 | Ventura County Fusion | 0 | | | | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | HL1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 1 | | | | |
| GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 3 | | | | | | | HL1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 1 | | | | |
| HL2 | Des Moines Menace | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| HL2 | Des Moines Menace | 2 | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Central Conference | Central Conference | Central Conference | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Central Conference | Central Conference | Central Conference | HL1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 2 | | | | | | | |
| HL1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 1 | HL1 | Thunder Bay Chill | 2 | | | | | | | |
| GL2 | Chicago Fire Premier | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |

### PDL Final
## Award Winners and Finalists

MVP: Milton Blanco (FRE) (winner), Mitch Hildebrandt (MIC), Chandler Hoffman (OCB) Rookie of the Year: Albert Edward (RCR), Brian Holt (REA), Jake Keegan (WES) (winner) Defender of the Year: Dillon Barna (VCF), Stewart Givens (MIC) (winner), Wilson Neto (TBC) Goalkeeper of the Year: Mitch Hildebrandt (MIC) Coach of the Year: Tony Colistro (TBC), Pete Fewing (KIT), Gary Parsons (MIC) (winner)

## All-League and All-Conference teams
### Eastern Conference

F: Hakan Ilhan (CAR), Jake Keegan (WES)*, Dominick Sarle (LIR) M: Keishen Bean (BER), Jason Massie (POR), Stephen Okai (REA) D: Matthew Baker (REA), Brian Fekete (POR), Shaun Foster (JER), Kyle Manscuk (OTT) G: Brian Holt (REA)

### Central Conference

F: Adam Mena (IND), Branden Stelmak (CIN), Brandon Swartzendruber (TBC) M: Tom Catalano (MIC), Albert Edward (RCR), John Sosa (DMM)* D: Kevin Cope (CHI), Stewart Givens (MIC)*, Jonathan Raj (CHI), Wilson Neto (TBC)* G: Mitch Hildebrandt (MIC)*

### Southern Conference

F: Moses Aduny (MIS), Esteban Bayona (LAR), Achille Campion (BRC) M: Michael Azira (MIS), Enrique Cervantes (EPP), Jonathan Mendoza (CFK)* D: Carlos Ordaz (LAR), Guilherme Reis (BRD), Daniel Sackman (CFK), Hugo Samano Contreras (EPP) G: Keneil Baker (CFK)

### Western Conference

F: Milton Blanco (FRE)*, Chandler Hoffman (OCB)*, Brent Richards (POR) M: Danny Barrera (VCF)*, Nikolas Besagno (KIT), Jose Cuevas (FRE) D: Dillon Barna (VCF)*, Fernando De Alba (LAB), Ryan Kawulok (POR), Daniel Scott (KIT)* G. Bryan Meredith (KIT)
* denotes All-League player