# USSF Division 2 Professional League

The USSF Division 2 Professional League (D2 Pro League) was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) for the 2010 season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL). The D2 Pro League was the second tier of the United States soccer league system below Major League Soccer. The league also included two clubs from Canada and one club from Puerto Rico.

## History

On August 27, 2009, Nike agreed to sell their stake in the United Soccer Leagues to investment company NuRock, instead of Jeff Cooper, who had aligned with a group of USL First Division team owners. Disappointed with the sale and state of the league, the ownership group broke away after the 2009 season with the intent to form a new incarnation of the North American Soccer League. The leagues sued each other, but ultimately withdrew their lawsuits and agreed to mediate with the United States Soccer Federation.
The USSF found that three of the NASL teams (NSC Minnesota Stars, Rochester Rhinos, and FC Tampa Bay) had binding contracts to play in the USL First Division in 2010, leaving the NASL with too few teams to be sanctioned. However, this left the USL First Division with only six teams, also too few for sanctioning. The USSF stripped the USL First Division of its sanctioning, and denied sanctioning to the NASL. After a week of negotiations among the three, the USSF agreed to run a 12-team interim league for 2010. The six extant teams in each league would each occupy their own conference, but teams belonging to both leagues would play each other.

## Teams

| Team | City | Stadium | Founded | Head Coach |
| USL Conference |||||
| Austin Aztex | Austin, Texas | House Park | 2008 | Adrian Heath |
| NSC Minnesota Stars | Blaine, Minnesota | National Sports Center | 2009 | Manny Lagos |
| Portland Timbers | Portland, Oregon | PGE Park | 2001 | Gavin Wilkinson |
| Puerto Rico Islanders | Bayamón, Puerto Rico | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium | 2003 | Colin Clarke |
| Rochester Rhinos | Rochester, New York | Marina Auto Stadium | 1996 | Bob Lilley |
| FC Tampa Bay | Tampa, Florida | George M. Steinbrenner Field | 2008 | Perry Van der Beck (interim) |
| NASL Conference |||||
| Carolina RailHawks FC | Cary, North Carolina | WakeMed Soccer Park | 2006 | Martin Rennie |
| Crystal Palace Baltimore | Catonsville, Maryland | Ridley Athletic Complex | 2006 | Jim Cherneski |
| Miami FC | Miami, Florida | FIU Stadium, Lockhart Stadium | 2006 | Daryl Shore |
| Montreal Impact | Montreal, Quebec | Saputo Stadium | 1992 | Marc Dos Santos |
| AC St. Louis | Fenton, Missouri | Anheuser-Busch Center | 2009 | Dale Schilly |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Burnaby, British Columbia | Swangard Stadium | 1986 | Teitur Thordarson |

## Competition format
### Pods

It was announced that the season would be centered around what are called pods. The pods were constructed around geographic regions and did not follow conference lines. Teams within the same pod played each other four times, twice at home and twice away. Teams played one team outside of their pod four times, twice at home and twice away, and played the rest of the teams outside their pod twice, once at home and once away. This resulted in a thirty-game season for each team, and had the additional advantage of reducing travel costs. The season ended a playoff format to crown a league champion.
| Pod | Teams |
| 1 | NSC Minnesota StarsPortland TimbersAC St. LouisVancouver Whitecaps FC |
| 2 | Crystal Palace BaltimoreCarolina RailHawks FCMontreal ImpactRochester Rhinos |
| 3 | Austin AztexMiami FCPuerto Rico IslandersFC Tampa Bay |

### Playoff format

At the end of the regular season, the top teams in each conference qualified for the playoffs as the top two seeds. In addition, the remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advanced to the playoffs.
Each round of the playoffs was a two-game aggregate goal series (the away goals rule was not applied as a tie-breaker). In the event that the aggregate score is tied after the second game of the series, the teams played two 15-minutes periods of extra time. If the score is still tied after extra time, the series was to be decided by a penalty shootout.

## 2010 season
### NASL Conference standings

NASL Conference :
| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Carolina RailHawks FC | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 44 | 32 | +12 | 47 | Conference leader, qualified for playoffs |
| 2 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 32 | 22 | +10 | 45 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 3 | Montreal Impact | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 36 | 30 | +6 | 43 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 4 | Miami FC | 30 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 37 | 49 | −12 | 33 | |
| 5 | AC St. Louis | 30 | 7 | 15 | 8 | 32 | 48 | −16 | 29 | |
| 6 | Crystal Palace Baltimore | 30 | 6 | 18 | 6 | 24 | 55 | −31 | 24 | |
* ↑ The remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advance to the playoffs.

### USL Conference standings

USL Conference :
| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Rochester Rhinos | 30 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 38 | 24 | +14 | 54 | Conference leader, qualified for playoffs |
| 2 | Austin Aztex | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 40 | +13 | 53 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 3 | Portland Timbers | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 23 | +11 | 49 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 4 | NSC Minnesota Stars | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 40 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 5 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 37 | 35 | +2 | 37 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 6 | FC Tampa Bay | 30 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 32 | |
* ↑ The remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advance to the playoffs.

### Playoff standings

USSF Division 2 Pro League :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Rochester Rhinos | 30 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 38 | 24 | +14 | 54 | Conference leaders, qualified for playoffs |
| 2 | Carolina Railhawks FC | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 44 | 32 | +12 | 47 | Conference leaders, qualified for playoffs |
| 3 | Austin Aztex | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 40 | +13 | 53 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 4 | Portland Timbers | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 23 | +11 | 49 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 32 | 22 | +10 | 45 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 6 | Montreal Impact | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 36 | 30 | +6 | 43 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 7 | NSC Minnesota Stars | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 40 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 8 | Puerto Rico Islanders (C) | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 37 | 35 | +2 | 37 | Qualified for playoffs |
| 9 | Miami FC | 30 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 37 | 49 | −12 | 33 | |
| 10 | FC Tampa Bay | 30 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 32 | |
| 11 | AC St. Louis | 30 | 7 | 15 | 8 | 32 | 48 | −16 | 29 | |
| 12 | Crystal Palace Baltimore | 30 | 6 | 18 | 6 | 24 | 55 | −31 | 24 | |
* ↑ The remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advance to the playoffs.

### Match results

Color Key: Home  • Away  • Win  • Loss  • Draw :
| Club | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match | Match |
| Club | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Austin Aztex (AUS) | MTL | STL | ROC | MIN | TAM | CPB | TAM | MIA | CPB | PUE | POR | VAN | MIA | MIA | PUE | ROC | STL | MIA | TAM | PUE | CAR | POR | VAN | MIN | PUE | TAM | STL | STL | CAR | MTL |
| Austin Aztex (AUS) | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| Carolina RailHawks (CAR) | STL | MIN | ROC | MIA | TAM | PUE | MTL | POR | VAN | CPB | MTL | STL | PUE | MTL | ROC | ROC | VAN | MTL | ROC | CPB | MIA | AUS | TAM | PUE | CPB | POR | MIN | CPB | PUE | AUS |
| Carolina RailHawks (CAR) | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Crystal Palace Baltimore (CPB) | TAM | PUE | STL | VAN | POR | AUS | ROC | POR | AUS | MIA | ROC | CAR | MIN | MIN | PUE | ROC | MTL | STL | MTL | MIA | MTL | CAR | ROC | MTL | POR | CAR | VAN | CAR | POR | TAM |
| Crystal Palace Baltimore (CPB) | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–6 |
| Miami FC (MIA) | ROC | VAN | TAM | CAR | MIN | MIN | AUS | PUE | MTL | CPB | POR | AUS | AUS | TAM | POR | VAN | PUE | TAM | AUS | CPB | PUE | TAM | CAR | ROC | STL | MTL | ROC | STL | ROC | PUE |
| Miami FC (MIA) | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| NSC Minnesota Stars (MIN) | VAN | CAR | PUE | TAM | ROC | AUS | MTL | MIA | MIA | TAM | STL | ROC | MTL | POR | POR | CPB | CPB | TAM | STL | PUE | VAN | STL | POR | VAN | POR | AUS | STL | CAR | VAN | TAM |
| NSC Minnesota Stars (MIN) | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| Montreal Impact (MTL) | AUS | POR | PUE | MIN | VAN | POR | CAR | MIA | MIN | TAM | ROC | CAR | VAN | ROC | STL | CAR | CPB | STL | VAN | CPB | CAR | CPB | ROC | CPB | ROC | PUE | MIA | TAM | VAN | AUS |
| Montreal Impact (MTL) | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Portland Timbers (POR) | ROC | STL | MTL | VAN | CPB | STL | MTL | CPB | CAR | AUS | MIA | MIN | MIN | TAM | VAN | MIA | VAN | STL | TAM | ROC | MIN | STL | MIN | AUS | CPB | PUE | CAR | PUE | CPB | VAN |
| Portland Timbers (POR) | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Puerto Rico Islanders (PUE) | MIN | CPB | MTL | CAR | TAM | MIA | AUS | STL | VAN | TAM | ROC | AUS | CPB | CAR | TAM | MIA | MIN | ROC | MIA | TAM | AUS | STL | CAR | POR | VAN | MTL | AUS | POR | CAR | MIA |
| Puerto Rico Islanders (PUE) | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Rochester Rhinos (ROC) | MIA | POR | AUS | MIN | CAR | STL | CPB | VAN | VAN | MIN | CPB | MTL | PUE | MTL | AUS | CPB | CAR | TAM | PUE | CAR | POR | CAR | MTL | CPB | MIA | MTL | TAM | MIA | MIA | STL |
| Rochester Rhinos (ROC) | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| AC St. Louis (STL) | CAR | AUS | POR | VAN | CPB | ROC | POR | TAM | MIN | PUE | VAN | CAR | VAN | MTL | MIN | AUS | MTL | CPB | POR | MIN | VAN | POR | PUE | TAM | MIA | MIN | AUS | MIA | AUS | ROC |
| AC St. Louis (STL) | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–2 |
| FC Tampa Bay (TAM) | CPB | MIN | MIA | AUS | CAR | AUS | STL | MIN | PUE | VAN | MTL | PUE | POR | MIA | MIN | PUE | ROC | MIA | POR | AUS | PUE | MIA | VAN | CAR | STL | ROC | AUS | MTL | MIN | CPB |
| FC Tampa Bay (TAM) | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 6–3 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC (VAN) | MIN | MIA | STL | POR | CPB | MTL | ROC | ROC | TAM | CAR | AUS | PUE | STL | MTL | POR | STL | MIA | POR | MIN | MTL | CAR | STL | MIN | TAM | AUS | PUE | CPB | MIN | MTL | POR |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC (VAN) | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 |
Final regular season results. Based on the results at the NASL results table and USL schedule table

## Playoffs

    Each round was a two-game aggregate goal series. Home teams for the first game of each series listed at the bottom of the bracket.
| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Rochester Rhinos | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 8 | Puerto Rico Islanders (a.e.t.) | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| 4 | Portland Timbers | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | Puerto Rico Islanders (a.e.t.) | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| 5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | 2 | Carolina RailHawks FC | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Austin Aztex | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Montreal Impact | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Montreal Impact | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | Carolina RailHawks FC | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | Montreal Impact | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| 2 | Carolina RailHawks FC | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | Montreal Impact | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| 7 | NSC Minnesota Stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Finals
## Statistical leaders
## Individual awards

| Award | Winner | Club |
| Most Valuable Player | Ryan Pore | Portland Timbers |
| Defender of the Year | Greg Janicki | Vancouver Whitecaps |
| Goalkeeper of the Year | Jay Nolly | Vancouver Whitecaps |
| Rookie of the Year | Maxwell Griffin | Austin Aztex FC |
| Coach of the Year | Bob Lilley | Rochester Rhinos |
Best XI :
| Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
| Jay Nolly (VAN) | Greg Janicki (VAN) Aaron Pitchkolan (ROC) Troy Roberts (ROC) | Ryan Pore (POR) Martin Nash (VAN) Jamie Watson (AUS) Paulo Araujo Jr. (MIA) Daniel Paladini (CAR) | Eddie Johnson (AUS) Ali Gerba (MTL) |