U.S. SOCCER DIVISION 2 PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

• Regular Season Opens on April 10 and Will Conclude on Oct. 3
• Each Team Will Play 30 Games for a Total of 180 League Matches
• Eight Teams Will Advance to the Playoffs to be Contested in October

CHICAGO, IL - February 8, 2010 - The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced the schedule for the 2010 Division 2 Professional League. The regular season will open in the second weekend of April and run until early October, with the playoffs to be contested during the following weeks.

Each of the 12 teams participating in the league will play 30 regular season games for a total of 180 games. The kickoff times for each match will be determined and announced in the near future. The 12 teams are divided into two conferences – the USL Conference and the NASL Conference. The USL Conference includes Austin Aztex, NSC Minnesota, Portland Timbers, Puerto Rico Islanders, Rochester Rhinos and Tampa Bay Rowdies. The NASL Conference will consist of Crystal Palace Baltimore, Carolina RailHawks, Miami FC, Montreal Impact, AC St. Louis and Vancouver Whitecaps.

Eight teams will advance to the postseason, with the winners of each conference earning the top two seeds. The next six teams with the most points during the regular season from either conference will also move on to the playoffs. The four teams with the fewest points will be eliminated from post-season play.

Due to travel considerations, the 12 teams were divided into three geographical pods of four teams each to determine the schedule. The teams in Pod 1 are Vancouver, Portland, Minnesota and St. Louis; Pod 2 includes Montreal, Rochester, Baltimore and Carolina; and Pod 3 includes Austin, Tampa Bay, Miami and Puerto Rico.

Within its pod, each team will play the other three teams twice at home and twice away for a total of 12 matches. Each team will also compete against the eight teams from the other two pods twice, one home and once away for a total of 16 matches. To get to a total of 30 matches for each team (15 home and 15 away), each team was paired with a team from a different pod for a final home-and-away series.

The opening two matches of the season will take place on Saturday, April 10, with Miami FC hosting the Rochester Rhinos and the Carolina RailHawks hosting AC St. Louis. The opening weekend will continue with two more matches on Sunday, April 11, with NSC Minnesota visiting the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Montreal Impact traveling to face the Austin Aztex.

The season will come to an end on Oct. 3, with the playoffs will beginning the following week. The first round, semifinal round and championship will be home-and-away series determined by aggregate goals. The final details for the playoff dates and location of the championship match will be announced at a later date.

In the near future, U.S. Soccer will announce more details of the new league, including league rules and other important operational issues.

For ticket information, fans should contact the Division 2 Pro League participating clubs.

Full 2010 Division 2 Professional League Schedule

Sat., April 10 
Rochester Rhinos at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Carolina Railhawks

Sun., April 11
NSC Minnesota at Vancouver Whitecaps
Montreal Impact at Austin Aztex

Fri., April 16 
NSC Minnesota at Carolina Railhawks
Montreal Impact at Puerto Rico Islanders
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Crystal Palace Baltimore

Sat., April 17 
Austin Aztex at AC St. Louis
Rochester Rhinos at Portland Timbers
Vancouver Whitecaps at Miami FC

Sun., April 18
NSC Minnesota at Puerto Rico Islanders

Wed., April 21           
Puerto Rico Islanders at Crystal Palace Baltimore

Thu., April 22           
AC St. Louis at Portland Timbers

Sat., April 24 
Rochester Rhinos at Austin Aztex
AC St. Louis at Vancouver Whitecaps
Tampa Bay Rowdies at NSC Minnesota

Sun., April 25
Portland Timbers at Montreal Impact

Wed., April 28           
Rochester Rhinos at NSC Minnesota

Thu., April 29           
Vancouver Whitecaps at Portland Timbers

Sat., May 1     
Austin Aztex at NSC Minnesota
Crystal Palace Baltimore at AC St. Louis
Carolina Railhawks at Rochester Rhinos
Puerto Rico Islanders at Montreal Impact
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Miami FC

Sat., May 8     
Austin Aztex at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Vancouver Whitecaps
Carolina Railhawks at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Rochester Rhinos

Sun., May 9   
NSC Minnesota at Montreal Impact

Thu., May 13 
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Portland Timbers

Fri., May 14   
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Carolina Railhawks

Sat., May 15   
Miami FC at NSC Minnesota
Montreal Impact at Vancouver Whitecaps
AC St. Louis at Portland Timbers

Sun., May 16 
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Austin Aztex

Wed., May 19 
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Rochester Rhinos
Montreal Impact at Portland Timbers
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Austin Aztex

Sat., May 22   
NSC Minnesota at Miami FC
Portland Timbers at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Rochester Rhinos at Vancouver Whitecaps
Tampa Bay Rowdies at AC St. Louis

Wed., May 26 
Austin Aztex at Miami FC
Carolina Railhawks at Puerto Rico Islanders

Thu., May 27 
NSC Minnesota at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Sat., May 29   
Austin Aztex at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Puerto Rico Islanders at Tampa Bay Rowdies
AC St. Louis at NSC Minnesota
Vancouver Whitecaps at Rochester Rhinos

Sun., May 30 
Carolina Railhawks at Montreal Impact

Wed., June 2  
Miami FC at Puerto Rico Islanders

Fri., June 4   
NSC Minnesota at Rochester Rhinos

Sat., June 5   
Puerto Rico Islanders at Austin Aztex

Sun., June 6  
Carolina Railhawks at Portland Timbers
Miami FC at Montreal Impact
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Vancouver Whitecaps

Wed., June 9  
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Miami FC
Carolina Railhawks at Vancouver Whitecaps
Montreal Impact at NSC Minnesota
Portland Timbers at Austin Aztex

Sat., June 12 
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Rochester Rhinos
Montreal Impact at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Portland Timbers at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Puerto Rico Islanders
Vancouver Whitecaps at Austin Aztex

Wed., June 16
Vancouver Whitecaps at Puerto Rico Islanders

Thu., June 17
NSC Minnesota at Portland Timbers

Sat., June 19 
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Carolina Railhawks
Miami FC at Austin Aztex
Portland Timbers at NSC Minnesota
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Puerto Rico Islanders

Sun., June 20
Rochester Rhinos at Montreal Impact

Sat., June 26 
Austin Aztex at Miami FC
NSC Minnesota at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Montreal Impact at Carolina Railhawks
Puerto Rico Islanders at Rochester Rhinos
Vancouver Whitecaps at AC St. Louis

Sun., June 27
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Portland Timbers

Wed., June 30
Vancouver Whitecaps at Montreal Impact

Sat., July 3    
Carolina Railhawks at AC St. Louis
Montreal Impact at Rochester Rhinos
Puerto Rico Islanders at Austin Aztex
Vancouver Whitecaps at Portland Timbers

Sun., July 4   
Crystal Palace Baltimore at NSC Minnesota
Miami FC at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Thu., July 8   
AC St. Louis at Vancouver Whitecaps

Fri., July 9    
Austin Aztex at Rochester Rhinos
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Puerto Rico Islanders

Sat., July 10  
Miami FC at Portland Timbers
Montreal Impact at AC St. Louis
Tampa Bay Rowdies at NSC Minnesota

Sun., July 11 
Carolina Railhawks at Puerto Rico Islanders

Wed., July 14 
Carolina Railhawks at Montreal Impact
Miami FC at Vancouver Whitecaps
Rochester Rhinos at Crystal Palace Baltimore
AC St. Louis at NSC Minnesota

Thu., July 15 
Puerto Rico Islanders at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Sat., July 17  
Carolina Railhawks at Rochester Rhinos
Puerto Rico Islanders at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Austin Aztex

Sun., July 18 
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Montreal Impact

Wed., July 21 
AC St. Louis at Montreal Impact

Thu., July 22 
Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps
Rochester Rhinos at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Sat., July 24  
Rochester Rhinos at Puerto Rico Islanders
AC St. Louis at Crystal Palace Baltimore

Sun., July 25 
Miami FC at Tampa Bay Rowdies
NSC Minnesota at Vancouver Whitecaps

Tue., July 27 
Rochester Rhinos at Carolina Railhawks

Wed., July 28 
Portland Timbers at AC St. Louis
Puerto Rico Islanders at NSC Minnesota
Vancouver Whitecaps at Montreal Impact

Sat., July 31  
Miami FC at Austin Aztex
Montreal Impact at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Vancouver Whitecaps at Carolina Railhawks

Sun., Aug. 1  
NSC Minnesota at AC St. Louis

Wed., Aug. 4  
Miami FC at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at Rochester Rhinos

Fri., Aug. 6    
Vancouver Whitecaps at AC St. Louis

Sat., Aug. 7    
Miami FC at Puerto Rico Islanders
Montreal Impact at Carolina Railhawks
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Austin Aztex

Wed., Aug. 11
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Montreal Impact
NSC Minnesota at Portland Timbers
Rochester Rhinos at Carolina Railhawks
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Puerto Rico Islanders

Sat., Aug. 14  
Vancouver Whitecaps at NSC Minnesota
Austin Aztex at Puerto Rico Islanders
Carolina Railhawks at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Montreal Impact at Rochester Rhinos
Portland Timbers at AC St. Louis
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Miami FC

Wed., Aug. 18
Miami FC at Carolina Railhawks
Rochester Rhinos at Crystal Palace Baltimore

Fri., Aug. 20  
Puerto Rico Islanders at AC St. Louis

Sat., Aug. 21  
Carolina Railhawks at Austin Aztex
Miami FC at Rochester Rhinos
Montreal Impact at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at NSC Minnesota
Vancouver Whitecaps at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Wed., Aug. 25
Carolina Railhawks at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Thu., Aug. 26
Austin Aztex at Portland Timbers

Fri., Aug. 27  
Rochester Rhinos at Montreal Impact

Sat., Aug. 28  
Puerto Rico Islanders at Carolina Railhawks

Sun., Aug. 29
Austin Aztex at Vancouver Whitecaps
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Portland Timbers
AC St. Louis at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Thu., Sept. 2  
Puerto Rico Islanders at Portland Timbers

Fri., Sept. 3   
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Carolina Railhawks

Sat., Sept. 4   
NSC Minnesota at Austin Aztex

Sun., Sept. 5  
Miami FC at AC St. Louis
Puerto Rico Islanders at Vancouver Whitecaps

Sat., Sept. 11 
Austin Aztex at Puerto Rico Islanders
NSC Minnesota at AC St. Louis
Montreal Impact at Miami FC
Portland Timbers at Carolina Railhawks
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Rochester Rhinos
Vancouver Whitecaps at Crystal Palace Baltimore

Wed., Sept. 15
Carolina Railhawks at NSC Minnesota

Thu., Sept. 16
Austin Aztex at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Fri., Sept. 17 
Miami FC at Rochester Rhinos

Sat., Sept. 18 
Carolina Railhawks at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at Puerto Rico Islanders
Vancouver Whitecaps at NSC Minnesota
Austin Aztex at AC St. Louis

Sun., Sept. 19
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Montreal Impact

Wed., Sept. 22
AC St. Louis at Miami FC

Fri., Sept. 24
NSC Minnesota at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Montreal Impact at Vancouver Whitecaps

Sat., Sept. 25
Portland Timbers at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Puerto Rico Islanders at Carolina Railhawks
Rochester Rhinos at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Austin Aztex

Thu., Sept. 30
Austin Aztex at Carolina Railhawks 

Fri., Oct. 1     
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Tampa Bay Rowdies 

Sat., Oct. 2
Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps
Puerto Rico Islanders at Miami FC
Rochester Rhinos at AC St. Louis

Sun., Oct. 3
Austin Aztex at Montreal Impact