Maryland Pride
Encyclopedia
The Maryland Pride is a WPSL
club based in Howard County, Maryland
. The team changed ownership in mid-season 2007 when the Thunder Soccer Club in Columbia, Maryland took over the team.
The club was originally named the Lady Bays and began play in 1994 when the United Soccer Leagues
(USL) organized a pilot season to test the demand for a national women's soccer league. The Lady Bays advanced to the first unofficial national tournament, where they were eliminated by Sacramento, California, the eventual 1994 champion. In 1996, playing as the Pride, the team set a goal of winning the national title. After compiling an 8-1 regular-season record, the Pride rolled to the national title by defeating three opponents by a combined score of 9-0 at the 1996 national championship tournament. Maryland finished an undefeated season in 2001 and won the regular season championship. The Pride have advanced to national playoffs seven times in their 16 years of operation. On January 18, 2011, the team announced that they would not play in 2011 but hoped to return to WPSL in 2012.
Women's Premier Soccer League
The Women's Premier Soccer League is a national women's soccer league in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the W-League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
club based in Howard County, Maryland
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. The team changed ownership in mid-season 2007 when the Thunder Soccer Club in Columbia, Maryland took over the team.
The club was originally named the Lady Bays and began play in 1994 when the United Soccer Leagues
United Soccer Leagues
The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
(USL) organized a pilot season to test the demand for a national women's soccer league. The Lady Bays advanced to the first unofficial national tournament, where they were eliminated by Sacramento, California, the eventual 1994 champion. In 1996, playing as the Pride, the team set a goal of winning the national title. After compiling an 8-1 regular-season record, the Pride rolled to the national title by defeating three opponents by a combined score of 9-0 at the 1996 national championship tournament. Maryland finished an undefeated season in 2001 and won the regular season championship. The Pride have advanced to national playoffs seven times in their 16 years of operation. On January 18, 2011, the team announced that they would not play in 2011 but hoped to return to WPSL in 2012.
Year-by-year
| Year | League | Conf/ Div | Reg Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | W-League | |||
| 1995 | W-League | 4-5 | Did not qualify | |
| 1996 | W-League | 9-1 | W-League Champions | |
| 1997 | W-League | 8-1 | Won 3rd place game | |
| 1998 | W-League | 1 | 10-4 | Lost 3rd place game |
| 1999 | W-League | 1 | 10-4 | Won 3rd place game |
| 2000 | W-League | |||
| 2001 | W-League | Eastern Conference | 12-0-1, 1st place | Lost in semifinal |
| 2002 | W-League | |||
| 2003 | WPSL | |||
| 2004 | WPSL | |||
| 2005 | WPSL | East | 8th place | |
| 2006 | WPSL | East/ South | 5th place | |
| 2007 | WPSL | East/ Mid-Atlantic | 6th place | Did not qualify |
| 2008 | on hiatus | |||
| 2009 | WPSL | East | 10th place | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | WPSL | East/ Mid-Atlantic | 4th place | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | on hiatus | |||