Maryland Bobcats FC

Maryland Bobcats FC, formerly World Class Premier Elite (WCPE), are an American soccer team and academy based in Montgomery County, Maryland, which was founded in 2016. At senior men's level, Maryland Bobcats FC currently have two teams. The first competes in the National Premier Soccer League and plays home games at Montgomery Blair High School in Montgomery County, Maryland. The second team plies its trade in the Northeast Conference - Beltway - Division I of the United Premier Soccer League also at Montgomery Blair High School.

Maryland Bobcats FC
Founded2016
StadiumMontgomery Blair High School
Operated byJay Saba, Idrissa Sesay
Head coachPhil Nana
LeagueNPSL, UPSL
WebsiteClub website

Club and Academy

WCP began as a private training academy and two men's amateur teams playing in separate areas of the metro Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas. As of September 2019 the club features 11 youth teams from U-10 to U-19 and one of the most successful men's teams on the East Coast. WCP were the 2018 Spring Season champions in both the Washington Premier League (WPL) and Maryland Major Soccer League (MMSL).[1] Both leagues are affiliated with the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).

United Premier Soccer League

WCP were announced as the UPSL's newest expansion into Maryland on 30 November 2018.[2] WCP would play in the Northeast Conference and play its UPSL home games at Montgomery Blair High School's football stadium, in Silver Spring, Maryland in compliance with UPSL's Minimum Standards.

National Premier Soccer League

On September 26, 2019, it was announced that the club would join the National Premier Soccer League as an expansion team. WCP will begin competition in the Northeast Region's Mid-Atlantic Conference in 2020 and will play home matched at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.[3] Although the NPSL is officially affiliated to the USASA and qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup through USASA channels, the league is generally considered to be at the fourth tier of competition in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer (MLS), the USL Championship (USLC), USL League One (USL1), and roughly equal with USL League Two (USL2).[4]

National Independent Soccer Association

In mid July 2020, the Bobcats were announced as a participant in the inagural NISA Independent Cup, a regional tournament held by the National Independent Soccer Association, a USSF sanctioned Division 3 league, between its professional members and independent pro / amateur teams.[5][6] The Bobcats were set the host the event's Mid-Atlantic Region which included FC Baltimore Christos, New Amsterdam FC, and the New York Cosmos at Maryland SoccerPlex before a surger in COVID-19 cases forced its postponement and relocation.[7]

On July 27, 2020, the Bobcats announced it had applied to join NISA.[8][9] If accepted, it would be the state's first professional outdoor soccer team since Crystal Palace Baltimore.

Year-by-year
Year League Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Notes
2019 Fall UPSL 1st, Beltway Division[10] National Champions Did not qualify Defeated Santa Ana Winds FC in the National Final[11][12]
2020 NPSL Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[13]

References
  1. "WORLD CLASS PREMIER ELITE JOINS THE NPSL FOR THE 2020 SEASON". NPSL. September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  2. "UPSL Announces Marylands World Class Premier Elite as Expansion Team". Maryland Major Soccer. November 30, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  3. "WORLD CLASS PREMIER ELITE JOINS THE NPSL FOR THE 2020 SEASON". NPSL. September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  4. "The Unruly Soccer Pyramids of America by Mike Firpo". Soccer News Day. February 10, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  5. "NISA Independent Cup". www.nisaofficial.com. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  6. Andrews, Kyle J. "FC Baltimore Christos set to return to play in Mid-Atlantic NISA Independent Cup". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  7. "NISA Independent Cup Mid-Atlantic Region Update". www.nisaofficial.com. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  8. "Maryland Bobcats FC Apply to Join NISA". Maryland Bobcats FC. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  9. Byck, Daniella (27 July 2020). "Maryland Is Getting a Professional Soccer Team". Washingtonian. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  10. "UPSL Northeast Conference - Beltway Division Regular Season Champions!". Maryland Bobcats FC. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  11. "Fall 2019 UPSL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS". Maryland Bobcats FC. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  12. Queen, Michelle (10 March 2020). "Council Recognizes National Champion Maryland Bobcats Soccer Team". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  13. Prince-Wright, Joe (26 March 2020). "2020 NPSL season cancelled". ProSoccerTalk. NBC Sports. Retrieved 20 May 2020.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.