# 2014 PDL season

The 2014 USL Premier Development League season was the 20th season of the PDL. The regular season began on May 3 and ended July 20. The regular season was followed by a postseason tournament of conference winners to determine the league's champion. Seven teams were added to the league and seven left, keeping the total number of teams in the league at 64 across 10 divisions with the addition of the Mountain Division. The Austin Aztex were the defending champions.

## Changes from 2013
### New teams

Seven new clubs joined the PDL in 2014.
| Team Name | Metro Area | Location | Previous Affiliation |
| Montreal Impact U23 | Greater Montreal | Montreal, Quebec | CSL |
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds U23 | Pittsburgh metropolitan area | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | expansion |
| Cincinnati Dutch Lions | Greater Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | expansion |
| Albuquerque Sol FC | Albuquerque metropolitan area | Albuquerque, New Mexico | expansion |
| Las Vegas Mobsters | Las Vegas–Paradise, Nevada | Las Vegas, Nevada | expansion |
| Lane United FC | Lane County, Oregon | Eugene, Oregon | expansion |
| San Jose Earthquakes U-23 | Santa Clara County, California | San Jose, California | expansion |

### Name Changes

* Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy became Floridians FC.
* West Texas Sockers became Midland/Odessa Sockers.
* NJ-LUSO Rangers FC became NJ-LUSO Parma.
* North Sound SeaWolves became Puget Sound Gunners FC.
* OC Blues Strikers FC became OC Pateadores Blues

### Folding/moving

* Central Jersey Spartans - Folded
* El Paso Patriots - Folded
* Kansas City Brass - Folded
* Oklahoma City FC - Withdrew - joined NPSL, new team to play in the 2015 NASL
* Ottawa Fury - Folded, new Ottawa Fury FC team plays in the NASL
* VSI Tampa Bay FC - Folded
* Virginia Beach Piranhas - Folded
* Chicago Inferno - Folded mid-season

### Divisions

The schedule and divisions were announced January 31 with each team to play a 14-game schedule. The Western Conference was split into three divisions (Northwest, Southwest and Mountain).

## Standings

2014 Premier Development League standings.
* Key to colours in group tables
* Team in position to win Division Title
* Team in position to qualify 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 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 38 | 8 | +30 | 30 |
| 2 | K-W United FC | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 27 |
| 3 | Chicago Fire Premier | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 20 | +1 | 23 |
| 4 | Forest City London | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 32 | 25 | +7 | 22 |
| 5 | Toronto Lynx | 14 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 15 | 35 | −20 | 9 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds U23 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 37 | −24 | 7 |

#### Heartland Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Des Moines Menace | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 32 | 7 | +25 | 37 |
| 2 | St. Louis Lions | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 22 |
| 3 | Thunder Bay Chill | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 17 | +5 | 19 |
| 4 | Springfield Demize | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 11 | −3 | 16 |
| 5 | WSA Winnipeg | 14 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 33 | −23 | 8 |
| 6 | Chicago Inferno | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 2 |
* ↑ Chicago Inferno withdrew from the league on June 20.

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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Jersey Express | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 45 | 15 | +30 | 33 |
| 2 | Reading United AC | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 30 | 12 | +18 | 31 |
| 3 | Long Island Rough Riders | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 26 | 13 | +13 | 28 |
| 4 | Ocean City Nor'easters | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 23 |
| 5 | Baltimore Bohemians | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 20 |
| 6 | Northern Virginia Royals | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 30 | −13 | 11 |
| 7 | F.A. Euro | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 36 | −20 | 10 |
| 8 | NJ-LUSO Parma | 14 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 40 | −30 | 3 |

#### Northeast Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Seacoast United Phantoms | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 7 | +21 | 35 |
| 2 | Connecticut FC Azul | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 13 | +14 | 30 |
| 3 | Western Mass Pioneers | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 33 | 16 | +17 | 26 |
| 4 | Montreal Impact U23 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 23 |
| 5 | Real Boston Rams | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 20 |
| 6 | GPS Portland Phoenix | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 32 | −13 | 13 |
| 7 | Westchester Flames | 14 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 36 | −25 | 8 |
| 8 | Vermont Voltage | 14 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 27 | −18 | 4 |

#### South Atlantic Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | West Virginia Chaos | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 25 |
| 2 | Cincinnati Dutch Lions | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 27 | 20 | +7 | 22 |
| 3 | King's Warriors | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 20 | +3 | 22 |
| 4 | Carolina Dynamo | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 26 | −5 | 20 |
| 5 | SC United Bantams | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 19 | 23 | −4 | 14 |
| 6 | River City Rovers | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 27 | −8 | 13 |

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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Austin Aztex | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 37 | 11 | +26 | 35 |
| 2 | Laredo Heat | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 16 | +7 | 24 |
| 3 | Midland/Odessa Sockers | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 26 | 19 | +7 | 24 |
| 4 | Mississippi Brilla | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 32 | −12 | 13 |
| 5 | Houston Dutch Lions | 14 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 37 | −25 | 6 |

#### Southeast Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ocala Stampede | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 16 | +13 | 31 |
| 2 | SW Florida Adrenaline | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 26 |
| 3 | IMG Academy Bradenton | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 22 | −7 | 17 |
| 4 | Panama City Beach Pirates | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 16 |
| 5 | Orlando City U-23 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 23 | −7 | 11 |
| 6 | Floridians FC | 14 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 23 | −9 | 11 |

### Western Conference
#### Mountain Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | FC Tucson | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 11 | +24 | 34 |
| 2 | BYU Cougars | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 25 | −2 | 24 |
| 3 | Albuquerque Sol FC | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 16 | −4 | 15 |
| 4 | Las Vegas Mobsters | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 31 | −14 | 13 |
| 5 | Real Colorado Foxes | 14 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 18 | −6 | 10 |

#### Northwest Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Kitsap Pumas | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 9 | +16 | 31 |
| 2 | Victoria Highlanders (J) | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 18 | +14 | 27 |
| 3 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 19 | +15 | 27 |
| 4 | Portland Timbers U23's | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 5 | Seattle Sounders FC U-23 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 20 | −2 | 17 |
| 6 | Washington Crossfire | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 22 | −4 | 14 |
| 7 | Puget Sound Gunners FC | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 31 | −22 | 11 |
| 8 | Lane United FC | 14 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 27 | −17 | 8 |

#### Southwest Division

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ventura County Fusion | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 27 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Misioneros | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 17 | +11 | 26 |
| 3 | San Jose Earthquakes U-23 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 18 | +9 | 24 |
| 4 | Fresno Fuego | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 25 | 18 | +7 | 19 |
| 5 | OC Pateadores Blues | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 29 | −9 | 17 |
| 6 | Southern California Seahorses | 14 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 14 | 41 | −27 | 4 |

## Conference Championships

Participants in the four conference championships were determined according to the specific rules of each conference. In the two-division Central and Southern Conferences, the top two teams from each division meet in a conference final four. In the Eastern and Western Conferences, both of which are broken into three divisions, additional quarterfinal matches were required. In the Western Conference, two teams from the Northwest Division advanced to the conference final four: the division champion and the winner of a match between the division's second- and third-place teams. The first-place teams from the Mountain and Southwest divisions met the second-place teams of the other division to determine the final two participants. In the Eastern Conference the winner of a match between the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic divisions' second-place teams advanced to the final four along with the three division champions.
| Inter-Divisional Playoff Eastern Conference | Inter-Divisional Playoff Eastern Conference | Inter-Divisional Playoff Eastern Conference |
| MA2 | Reading United | 0 |
| NE2 | Connecticut FC Azul | 3 |
| Northwest Division Playoff Western Conference | Northwest Division Playoff Western Conference | Northwest Division Playoff Western Conference |
| NW2 | Victoria Highlanders | 2 |
| NW3 | Vancouver Whitecaps U-23 | 7 |
| Inter-Divisional Playoff Western Conference | Inter-Divisional Playoff Western Conference | Inter-Divisional Playoff Western Conference |
| MT1 | FC Tucson | 2 |
| SW2 | Los Angeles Misioneros | 1 |
| Inter-Divisional Playoff Western Conference | Inter-Divisional Playoff Western Conference | Inter-Divisional Playoff Western Conference |
| SW1 | Ventura County Fusion | 1 |
| MT2 | BYU Cougars | 0 |

### Western Conference Championship
## Playoff Bracket

| Conference Semifinals (July 25–26) | Conference Semifinals (July 25–26) | Conference Semifinals (July 25–26) | Conference Finals (July 26–27) | Conference Finals (July 26–27) | Conference Finals (July 26–27) | Semi-Finals (August 1) | Semi-Finals (August 1) | Semi-Finals (August 1) | | Championship (August 3) | Championship (August 3) | Championship (August 3) |
| NE1 | Seacoast United Phantoms | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SA1 | West Virginia Chaos | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SA1 | West Virginia Chaos | 2 | SA1 | West Virginia Chaos | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | SA1 | West Virginia Chaos | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | MA1 | Jersey Express | 3 | | | | | | | |
| MA1 | Jersey Express | 2 | MA1 | Jersey Express | 3 | | | | | | | |
| NE2 | Connecticut FC Azul | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| NE2 | Connecticut FC Azul | 0 | | | | MA1 | Jersey Express | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 2 | | | | |
| HL1 | Des Moines Menace (PEN) | 0 (4) | | | | | | | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 2 | | | | |
| GL2 | K-W United FC | 0 (3) | | | | | | | | | | |
| GL2 | K-W United FC | 0 (3) | HL1 | Des Moines Menace | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Central Conference | Central Conference | Central Conference | HL1 | Des Moines Menace | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Central Conference | Central Conference | Central Conference | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 2 | | | | | | | |
| GL1 | Michigan Bucks (AET) | 3 | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 2 | | | | | | | |
| HL2 | St. Louis Lions | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| HL2 | St. Louis Lions | 1 | | | | | | | | GL1 | Michigan Bucks | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 0 |
| MS1 | Austin Aztex | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 0 |
| SE2 | SW Florida Adrenaline | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SE2 | SW Florida Adrenaline | 1 | MS1 | Austin Aztex | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Southern Conference | Southern Conference | Southern Conference | MS1 | Austin Aztex | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Southern Conference | Southern Conference | Southern Conference | SE1 | Ocala Stampede | 2 | | | | | | | |
| SE1 | Ocala Stampede (PEN) | 1 (5) | SE1 | Ocala Stampede | 2 | | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Laredo Heat | 1 (4) | | | | | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Laredo Heat | 1 (4) | | | | SE1 | Ocala Stampede | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 2 | | | | |
| MT1 | FC Tucson | 1 | | | | | | | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 2 | | | | |
| NW3 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| NW3 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 | 0 | MT1 | FC Tucson | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | MT1 | FC Tucson | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 3 | | | | | | | |
| NW1 | Kitsap Pumas (PEN) | 3 (3) | NW1 | Kitsap Pumas | 3 | | | | | | | |
| SW1 | Ventura County Fusion | 3 (1) | | | | | | | | | | |

## PDL Championship
### Championship

Championship MVP: Adam Grinwis, (MIB)

## Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Dzenan Catic, (MIB)
* Young (U21) Player of the Year: Ricardo Velazco (TUC)
* Coach of the Year: Michael Jeffries, (DMM)
* Goalkeeper of the Year: Billy Thompson, (TUC)

## All-League and All-Conference Teams
### Eastern Conference

F: Anthony Grant (SUP) *, Jeff McClure (CIN), Alencar Junior (WMA) M: Boluwatife Akinyode (NJL), Shaun Foster (LIR), Walter Hines (JER) D: Kouassi Sylvain N’Guessan (JER), Jake Stovall (CIN), Tom Wharf (LIR), Travis Brent (WVA) G: Alex Bono (REA)

### Central Conference

F: Chris Hellmann (DMM) *, Moses Danto (WSA), Dzenan Catic (MIB) * M: Zach Steinberger (MIB) *, Drew Conner (CHI), Ralph Lundy (DMM) D: Nolan Intermoia (THU) *, Ken Tribbett (MIB), Blake Jones (STL), Dan Keller (CHI) G: Yuta Nomura (SPR)

### Western Conference

F: Javier Castro (LAM), Cody Cook (VAN), Kharlton Belmar (POR) M: Ricardo Velazco (TUC) *, Jose Cuevas (FRE) *, Bryan de la Fuente (LAM) D: Ramon Martin Del Campo (SJO) *, James Kiffe (VEN), Cory Keitz (KIT) *, Jordan Farahani (VAN) G: Billy Thompson (TUC) *

### Southern Conference

F: Jesus Cortes (AUS), Ilija Ilić (OCA), Adi Kavara (PAN) M: Tony Rocha (AUS), Michael Lightbourne (PAN), Karamba Janneh (OCA) D: Yair Hernandez (LAR) *, Walker Hume (MIO), Ben Knight (OCA), Kalen Ryden (AUS) G: Devin Cook (AUS)
* denotes All-League player