The 1995 USWISL, also known as the 1995 Nike W League for sponsorship reasons,[1][2][3] was the inaugural season of the United States Women's Interregional Soccer League (USWISL), which later became the USL W-League. Operated by the USISL, it was the highest division of women's soccer in the United States at the time. The Long Island Lady Riders were crowned champions after defeating the Southern California Nitemares in the Championship game.
Background
In December 1993, it was announced that the USISL had committed to establishing the first US-wide women's soccer league, and that it would begin operations in 1995.[5] In 1994, in preparation for the following year, around eighteen teams were established with the purpose of playing a few exhibition games with each other under the USISL umbrella. Five of these teams were then invited to a final tournament in Trinity, North Carolina, which was won by the Sacramento Storm, who defeated the Greensboro Dynamo 1–0 in the Championship game.[5]
The league was originally meant to include 20 teams,[1] but only 19 entered the competition; moreover, the Wichita Lady Blues and the Tulsa Roughnecks folded early in the year, thus bringing the number of competing teams down to 17, divided into three divisions (Eastern, Central, and Western).[3]
The league did not follow the standard FIFA points system; instead, points were awarded as follows:
- Regulation win (W) = 6 points
- Shootout win (SW) = 4 points
- Shootout loss (SL) = 2 points
- Regulation loss (L) = 0 points
- Bonus points (BP): An additional one point per goal, up to a maximum of three points per game.
League standings
Eastern Division
Central Division
| Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
L
|
SW
|
SL
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
BP
|
| 1
|
Rockford Dactyls
|
9
|
8
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
38
|
5
|
+33
|
72
|
24
|
| 2
|
Texas Lightning
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
31
|
12
|
+19
|
56
|
20
|
| 3
|
Columbus Ziggx
|
9
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
22
|
26
|
−4
|
49
|
19
|
| 4
|
Cincinnati Leopards
|
10
|
5
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
24
|
26
|
−2
|
47
|
17
|
| 5
|
Tulsa Roughnecks
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| 6
|
Wichita Lady Blues
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Western Division
Sizzlin' Six Tournament
The Sizzlin' Six Tournament took place in Cincinnati, Ohio from August 11 to August 13, 1995. The Cincinnati Leopards qualified automatically as the hosts of the tournament. Having won their respective divisions, the Long Island Lady Riders (Eastern), the Rockford Dactyls (Central), and the Southern California Nitemares (Western) also qualified for the tournament. The Pennsylvania Freedom and the Texas Lightning, who finished second in the Eastern and Central divisions respectively, took the remaining two spots.[3]
The six qualified teams played in a modified round-robin tournament, with each team playing games on August 11 and 12 against two non-division opponents. The Championship game was played on August 13, 1995.[3]
Championship
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
Awards
References
- ^ a b Deardorff, Julie (June 1, 1995). "U.S. WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM GOING FOR MORE GLORY". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ "NEW JORDAN NIKE AD TO PREMIER SUNDAY". Sports Business Journal. May 5, 1995. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Litterer, David. "The Year in American Soccer, 1995". www.soccerhistoryusa.org. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ a b Litterer, David. "The Year in American Soccer, 1994". www.soccerhistoryusa.org. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "2013 USL Media Guide". United Soccer League. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ^ a b "GETTING THE SPOILS: Lady Riders brought home a lot of hardware in '95". www.frontrowsoccer.com. September 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ Lewis, Michael. "Women's History 1995 – 2006". Long Island Rough Riders. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ Lewis, Michael (September 13, 2020). "WHEN THE LADY RIDERS RODE HIGH: How LI team captured national women's title in 1995". www.frontrowsoccer.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.