# 2016 United Women's Soccer season

The 2016 United Women's Soccer season is the 22nd season of pro-am women's soccer in the United States, and the 1st season of the new UWS league. The regular season began on May 14 and ended on July 23.
The league was announced with eight teams in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada in December after the USL W-League had folded a few months previously. Five teams in a western division were added in January before the Canadian Soccer Association refused entry of two Quebec clubs into UWS, leaving the league at 11 teams for its inaugural season.

## Teams, stadiums, and personnel
### Personnel and sponsorship

| Team | Head coach | Kit producer | Shirt sponsor |
| Colorado Pride | Richard Simonyi | Adidas | |
| Colorado Storm | Brian Haynes | Nike | |
| Houston Aces | Aguinaldo Ferreira | Under Armour | |
| Lancaster Inferno | Francisco Cleaves | Under Armour | Lancaster Regional Medical Center |
| Long Island Rough Riders | Steve Cadet | Adidas | Rechler Equity Partners, LLC |
| New England Mutiny | Joe Abele | Macron | AAA Insurance |
| New Jersey Copa FC | Roberto Aguas | Adidas | Jersey Mike's Subs |
| New York Magic | Nino DePasquali | Legea | |
| Real Salt Lake Women | Mark Davis | Adidas | DOMO |
| Santa Clarita Blue Heat | Guilherme Mitrovitch | Nike | Uni-Sport |
| TSF Academy Valkyries | Mark White | Adidas | |

## Competition format

* Each team will play each conference opponent once at home and once away.
* The championship match will be played between the winners of each conference.

### East Conference

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | New Jersey Copa FC | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 11 | +20 | 25 | Championship match |
| 2 | New England Mutiny | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 18 | |
| 3 | Long Island Rough Riders | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 10 | +6 | 15 | |
| 4 | Lancaster Inferno | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 15 | +1 | 13 | |
| 5 | TSF Academy Valkyries | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 23 | −9 | 12 | |
| 6 | New York Magic | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 34 | −23 | 2 | |

### West Conference

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 28 | 13 | +15 | 15 | Championship match |
| 2 | Real Salt Lake Women | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 9 | +8 | 14 | |
| 3 | Houston Aces | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 21 | −8 | 13 | |
| 4 | Colorado Pride | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 18 | −7 | 8 | |
| 5 | Colorado Storm | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 15 | −8 | 5 | |

## UWS Championship

Championship MVP: Julia Hernandez (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)

## Statistical leaders
### Top scorers

| Rank | Player | Nation | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Krystyna Freda | CYP | New Jersey Copa FC | 15 |
| 2 | Kate Howarth | USA | New England Mutiny | 9 |
| 3 | Christina Bellero | USA | Long Island Rough Riders | 6 |
| 3 | Jeanine Nunez | USA | New Jersey Copa FC | 6 |
| 5 | Shani Abrahams | USA | New York Magic | 5 |
| 5 | Julia Hernandez | USA | Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 5 |
| 5 | Kodi Lavrusky | USA | Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 5 |
| 5 | Kasandra Massey | USA | Santa Clarita Blue Heat | 5 |
| 9 | Teresa Rynier | USA | Lancaster Inferno | 4 |
| 9 | Stefanie Scholz | USA | TSF Academy Valkyries | 4 |
Source:

## League awards
### Individual awards

* Player of the Year: Krystyna Freda (NJC)
* Defensive Player of the Year: Rebecca Ritchie (RSL)
* Coach of the Year: Roberto Aguas & J.R. Balzarini (NJC)

### All-League Team

F: Krystyna Freda (NJC), Kate Howarth (NEM), Kasandra Massey (SAC) M: Tatiana Ariza (HOU), Jackie Bruno (NJC), Chloe Castaneda (SAC) D: Carol Sanchez (LAN), Natalie Norris (RSL), Kelly Eagan (LIR), Yadira Toraya (SAC) G: Rebecca Ritchie (RSL)