Summer League Kick Off '23

Author: Mark Privratsky

Photo Courtesy of Stadium Digest

It is summer soccer season once again in Minnesota! We use the blue skied shot of TCO Stadium in order to remind you to attend some of the HUNDREDS of games available to you this summer.  To say the game is growing would be an understatement. Minnesota alone has 14 teams playing across the WPSL, USL W, and UPSL, with more by in the Dakotas and Wisconsin. Equal Time is your source for all things Women's Summer League coverage. Throughout the summer, we'll post written pieces on the leagues and help you find games to attend or stream from home. We will be on site at as many games as we can, posting highlights and introducing you to players and coaches in the game. To start in the true opening week of Summer Soccer for MN, let's get an intro on each league with a presence in the North, with info on how to attend or stream games for these talented players.

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The WPSL is the oldest and biggest Women's soccer league in the Country. MN has essentially had it's own WPSL Conference for years, with neighboring Dakota teams joining in recent years. Last year Joy Athletic and Manitou FC joined, with the addition of St Croix SC this year, the WPSL Northern Conference now boasts 10 teams in a single table format. 

​Game to Catch: 
Salvo vs Sioux Falls City
Friday, May 26
6pm
Northwestern College, Roseville
Stream: Eleven Sports

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Salvo SC

Last year: (1st Place) 8-0-0 (29 GF, 3 GA), Northern Conference Champs

Home Games: Northwestern College, Roseville

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Huge amount of Gopher alum on the roster along with other D1 performers, lots of post college/pro experienced players. Salvo creates a lot of content on Socials and we appreciate the peak into the squad!

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Minnesota Thunder

Last Year: (2nd Place) 7-1-0 (37 GF, 10 GA)

Home Games: Academy of Holy Angels STARDOME, Richfield

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: The Thunder also feature high level D1 performers but also mix in a heavy mix of high school youth from their academy. They dropped the “academy” descriptor a few years ago a reclaimed the main “Minnesota Thunder” title

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Maplebrook Fury

Last Year: (3rd Place) 5-3-0 (25 GF, 15GA)

Home Games: Osseo High School

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Maplebrook finished 3rd in both 2022 and 2021 after losing the 2019 title by goal difference. They’re consistently one of the top squads in the Northern Conference

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Sioux Falls City FC

Last Year: (4th Place) 4-3-1 (15 GF, 13 GA)

Home Games: Bob Young Field, University of Sioux Falls

Stream: Eleven Sports (Local Broadcast TV on Midco Sports as well)

FYI: Sioux Falls City had the highest attendance in the Conference last year and were the only squad to be on over the air TV. Check out the huge Roster Reveal show we did with Sioux Falls City earlier this spring below!
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​Mankato United SC

Last Year: (5th Place) 4-4-0 (18 GF, 18 GA)

Home Games: Bethany Lutheran Soccer Stadium, Mankato

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Mankato stands out as a team playing in a soccer specific stadium with a fine gameday environment, and as a team who’s roster is hyper local to their regional high school and college programs. They’re another team who posts to Socials regularly and are easy to follow! 

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Rochester United FC

Last Year: (6th Place) 3-3-2 (11 GF, 18 GA)
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Home Games: RCTC Regional Stadium, Rochester

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Rochester faces local competition from new USL W League squad Rochester FC. The city now hosts 4 lower league soccer teams between the mens and womens sides! Nickname: "Lions" or "United"?

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Manitou FC
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Last Year: (7th Place) 1-5-2 (5GF, 14 GA)

Home Games: White Bear Lake High School North Stadium

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Manitou was one of the newcomers to Northern Conference last year, adding the WPSL squad atop their existing youth club in White Bear Lake. Look for them to adjust to the level of play and take a step up this year

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Joy Athletic 

Last Year: (8th Place) 1-7-0 (7 GF, 22 GA)

Home Games: Oriole Stadium, St Louis Park

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Joy Athletic is a unique soccer club with a focus on affordability and accessibility. They’re based in the non profit Joy of the People, who promote the idea of soccer free play

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St Croix Soccer Club

Last Year: Inaugural Year in WPSL

Home Games: Stillwater High School

​Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: ​St Croix joined the WPSL and the UPSL Midwest West in the same year. They’ve been a long established youth club, so they have the players to fill both squads when including their college prospects

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​The USL W League returned last year in a relaunch into the Women's Pre Professional game. Local team Minnesota Aurora FC made a run all the way to the final at home in Eagan to claim Silver in their first year as a team. The Heartland Division of the W League is reconfigured this year, featuring returners Minnesota Aurora FC, Green Bay Glory, Chicago City and Chicago Dutch Lions, while adding newcomers Rochester FC, RKC Third Coast (Racine, WI) and Bavarian United Soccer Club. The USL W League has expanded quickly with Divisions on the west coast, making it a much tougher league to win in year 2

Game to Catch:

MN Aurora vs Rochester FC
Wednesday, May 24
7pm
TCO Stadium, Eagan

TV: Fox 9+
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Stream: https://www.youtube.com/fox9

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MN Aurora FC

Last Year: (1st Place) 11-0-1 (+27 goal difference)

Home Games: TCO Stadium, Eagan

Stream: Fox 9+ will broadcast all home games over the air, in addition to being the streaming partner via Fox9.com or the Fox 9 YouTube page

FYI: MN Aurora regularly sold out the 6000+ TCO last year, at times outdrawing NWSL teams. The Club stated publicly after the ‘22 W League season that they are openly pursuing Professional League opportunities

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Rochester FC

Last Year: This is the inaugural season in the USL W League for Rochester FC after previously fielding a men’s team in the USL League Two. 

Home Games: RCTC Stadium Rochester

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Rochester FC will be competing with Rochester United for the talent in the Med City, but the (also) Loons have a solid core signed for the ‘23 season, featuring D1 Minnesotans and local NSIC players. Expect MN Aurora supporters to travel to their new local rival on June 4
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See our interview with Lindsey Birch of the Loons below!

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Green Bay Glory

Last Year: (2nd Place) 6-3-3 (+2 Goal Difference)

Home Games: Capital Credit Union Park, Green Bay

Stream: greenbayglory.com 

FYI: Glory were the only team to take a point off Division Winners Aurora in the regular season. Green Bay features a solid collection of Wisconsin D1 products in addition to some high level NSIC players from Minnesota. They produce a full game atmosphere and are a solid option for an overnight road trip

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RKC Third Coast

Last Year: RKC will field a USL W League Team and USL League Two team on the mens side for the first time this summer

Home Games: Pritchard Park, Racine, WI

Stream: Details N/A

FYI: RKC Third Coast got it’s name from a fan voted naming contest similar to MN Aurora FC last year

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Bavarians United SC

Last Year: This is Bavarians first season in the USL W League

Home Games: Bavarian Soccer Park, Glendale, WI

Stream: Eleven Sports

FYI: Milwaukee Bavarians Soccer Club is one of the oldest soccer clubs in the Country, competing in amateur competitions for decades. They join the USL W League with a natural local rival in RKC Third Coast

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​Another year, another new league! UPSL is a huge system of men's leagues across the country, and they've begun to step into the Women's game. This is the most affordable option for clubs and the league focuses on regional play. We'll see two outstate teams (Granite City and Superior City) among the 6 in the new UPSL Midwest West Division, breaking into Central and Northeastern Minnesota for the first time in recent memory. Both Vlora and Superior City have produced streams already this year, if others produce streams we will publicize! 

​Game to Catch: 

Vlora FC vs Superior City FC
Sunday, May 28
5pm
Burnsville High School

Stream: https://www.youtube.com/@vlorafc3523 ​

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Superior City FC Women

Home Games: NBC Spartan Sports Complex, Superior, WI

Stream: ifan.tv 

FYI: We spoke with Head Coach Sharon Lehti this spring about the launch of the first Semi Pro Women’s team in the Twin Ports. Superior City has captured all of the talent they could find from UMD, St Scholastica and UW-Superior, along with a few local high schoolers. See her interview below! 
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LIVE with Sharon Lahti, Head Coach of @SCFCWomen in @UPSLsoccer, presented by @pentzhomes https://t.co/BNXbuZy4Qt

— Equal Time Soccer (@EqualTimeSoccer) May 5, 2023

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​Vlora FC Women

Home Games: Burnsville High School Stadium

Stream: https://www.youtube.com/@vlorafc3523 

FYI: Vlora FC Head Coach Marcus Anthony, Treasurer Vincent Knox and Team Manager Katie Brink joined Equal Time this spring to talk about their inaugural UPSL season

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Tonka Fusion Elite
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Home Games: Minnetonka High School Stadium

Stream: Details N/A

FYI: Tonka Fusion Elite is a well established youth club that produces College talent from the west burbs

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St Croix Soccer Club

Home Games: Stillwater High School

Stream: Details N/A

FYI: St Croix joined the WPSL and the UPSL Midwest West in the same year. They’ve been a long established youth club, so they have the players to fill both squads when including their college prospects

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Granite City FC Women (ROCKS)

Home Games: St Cloud Tech High School Stadium

Stream: Details N/A 

FYI: Granite City is similar to a few other expansion squads in that they had run amateur men’s sides for years before finding an opportunity to join the Women’s game this year through the UPSL

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Northern Tide FC Women

Home Games: Conway Park, St Paul

Stream: Details N/A

FYI: Northern Tide were not announced in the initial press release and don’t appear to have any web presence but they have players listed on the league website and kick off May 28 at St Croix. They are a part of the youth club “Wave Soccer Club” in St Paul