The 2003 USL Premier Development League season was the 9th PDL season. The season began in April 2003 and ended in August 2003.
Cape Cod Crusaders finished the season as national champions for the second time, beating Chicago Fire Reserves 2-0 in the PDL Championship game. New Orleans Shell Shockers finished with the best regular season record in the league, winning 16 out of their 18 games, suffering just 2 losses, and finishing with a +35 goal difference.
Cape Cod Crusaders striker Joseph Ngwenya and Vermont Voltage forward Bo Vuckovic were the league's top scorers, each knocking in 17 goals. Des Moines Menace midfielders and Joseph Kabwe and Nashville Metros led the league with 10 assists each, while Indiana Invaders keeper enjoyed the best goalkeeping statistics, with a goals-against average of 0.287 per game, and Richmond Kickers Future keeper kept 7 clean sheets and had a GAA average of 0.568 in his 12 games.
Changes from 2002 [ ]
New franchises [ ]
Thirteen teams joined the league this year, including twelve brand new franchises:
Team Name
Metro Area
Location
Previous Affiliation
Abbotsford Rangers
Abbotsford area
Abbotsford, BC
expansion
Albany Blackwatch Highlanders
Albany area
Schenectady, NY
expansion
BYU Cougars
Provo area
Provo, UT
expansion
Columbus area
Columbus, OH
expansion
Fort Wayne Fever
Fort Wayne area
Fort Wayne, IN
expansion
Fresno Fuego
Fresno area
Fresno, CA
expansion
Jersey Shore Boca
Jersey Shore area
Toms River, NJ
expansion
Nevada Wonders
Carson City area
Carson City, NV
expansion
New Orleans Shell Shockers
New Orleans area
New Orleans, LA
expansion
St. Louis Strikers
St. Louis area
St. Louis, MO
expansion
South Jersey Barons
Greater Trenton area
Trenton, NJ
previously in D3 Pro
Toledo Slayers
Toledo area
Maumee, OH
expansion
West Virginia Chaos
Charleston area
Charleston, WV
expansion
Folding [ ]
Ten teams left the league prior to the beginning of the season:
Central Coast Roadrunners - San Luis Obispo, California
Chicago Eagles Select - Chicago, Illinois
Chico Rooks - Chico, California (left to join the newly formed National Premier Soccer League )
Dayton Gemini - Dayton, Ohio
Denver Cougars - Commerce City, Colorado
Los Angeles Heroes - Los Angeles, California
- Santa Barbara, California (folded during the 2002 season)
Seattle Sounders Select - Seattle , Washington (folded during the 2002 season)
Tampa Bay Hawks - Tampa, Florida
West Michigan Edge - Grand Rapids, Michigan (spending season on hiatus)
Standings [ ]
Legend
Division champion
Team qualified for playoff berth
Central Conference [ ]
Great Lakes Division [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
Mid-Michigan Bucks
18
14
3
1
40
16
+24
43
2
Indiana Invaders
18
11
5
2
31
19
+12
35
3
Fort Wayne Fever
18
9
7
2
32
30
+2
29
4
Kalamazoo Kingdom
18
6
9
3
29
39
−10
21
5
Toledo Slayers
18
2
13
3
22
45
−23
9
6
18
2
14
2
28
43
−15
8
Source:[citation needed ]
Heartland Division [ ]
Source:[citation needed ]
Eastern Conference [ ]
Mid Atlantic Division [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
Richmond Kickers Future
18
14
3
1
41
12
+29
43
2
Williamsburg Legacy
18
10
6
2
35
22
+13
32
3
Raleigh CASL Elite
18
8
8
2
22
23
−1
26
4
Chesapeake Dragons
18
7
10
1
19
32
−13
22
5
West Virginia Chaos
18
3
14
1
18
54
−36
10
6
Greenville Lions
18
3
13
2
23
41
−18
8[a]
Source:[citation needed ] Notes:
Northeast Division [ ]
Source:[citation needed ] Notes:
Southern Conference [ ]
Mid South Division [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
New Orleans Shell Shockers
18
16
2
0
53
18
+35
48
2
Memphis Express
18
11
5
2
48
25
+23
35
3
Nashville Metros
18
11
7
0
41
21
+20
33
4
Texas Spurs
18
10
7
1
44
28
+16
31
5
Austin Lightning
18
9
8
1
31
42
−11
28
6
Houston Toros
18
3
13
2
21
60
−39
11
7
Louisiana Outlaws
18
3
14
1
23
46
−23
10
Source:[citation needed ]
Southeast Division [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
Cocoa Expos
14
8
3
3
36
27
+9
27
2
Central Florida Kraze
14
7
5
2
38
26
+12
23
3
Bradenton Academics
14
6
5
3
32
24
+8
21
4
Palm Beach Pumas
14
2
11
1
23
55
−32
6[a]
Source:[citation needed ] Notes:
Western Conference [ ]
Northwest Division [ ]
Source:[citation needed ]
Southwest Division [ ]
Source:[citation needed ]
Playoffs [ ]
[1]
References [ ]
hide
USISL Premier League Premier Development Soccer League (PDSL) Premier Development League (PDL) USL League Two