WPSL HISTORY IN THE MAKING
Last Two WPSL Champions Meet in the Final
 

 

STILLWATER, OKLA. — Women’s Premier Soccer League history will be made in Sunday’s Battle of the Champions when 2023 WPSL Winners, Charlotte Eagles, take on 2022 WPSL Champions, California Storm. 

In the 26-year history of the league, there has never been a repeat WPSL Champion. The Charlotte Eagles can become the first to win back-to-back when the two sides square off at Neal Patterson Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM CDT. Watch it here. 

 

Charlotte Eagles (11-0-1)

Charlotte won the Carolinas Division, Atlantic Conference, and South Region Titles enroute to its second WPSL Championships berth going 7-0-1 in regular season play. 

On Friday, Charlotte topped Central Region Winners FC Pride out of Indianapolis, Ind. behind goals by Meredith King (University of Oklahoma) and Lauren Walter (John Brown University). Goalkeeper Emma Wakeman (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) earned the shutout for the Eagles in the semifinal win. 

With Friday’s clean sheet, Charlotte has now played 586 minutes without conceding a goal – stretching back to Week 7 of regular season play. Charlotte’s defensive record in the WPSL Championships is equally impressive as the club has yet to concede a goal at Neal Patterson Stadium. The Eagles won last year’s semifinal over the Rhode Island Rogues 1-0, followed by a 1-0 win over Salvo SC in the championship match. 

 

California Storm (10-3-0)

The Storm went 6-3-0 in regular season play to capture its 15th Pac North Conference Title before it won its fifth West Region Title on penalty kicks to make its return to Stillwater. 

The Storm tied the record for the highest margin of victory in a WPSL Championships Semifinal match after its 5-0 win over East Region Champions, Clarkstown Soccer Club – The Storm equaled Ajax America Women’s 5-0 semifinal wins from 2008 and 2009. 

Erica Grilione (Stanford University) and Camryn Lancaster (Texas Christian University) tallied goals in the first half off assists from Alex Klos(University of California). Emily Ormson (post-collegiate) and Susie Long (Harvard University) added goals in the second half of the comprehensive win. 

Goalkeepers Abbie Fangold (post-collegiate) and Madeline Smith (Florida State University) shared the shutout to put the Storm through to its record fifth WPSL Championships Final appearance. 

 

So Close 

Coincidently, it is the Storm that has come closest to repeating as WPSL Champions — twice. After winning the 2002 league title 1-0 over SoCal rival, Ajax America Women, the Storm fell in the championship match the following year, 3-1, to the Utah Spiders in the 2003 Championship in San Francisco, Cali. 

The Storm had a second chance to repeat as WPSL Champions following its 3-2 win over New England Mutiny in Folsom, Cali. in 2004 when it lost to FC Indiana on penalty kicks the following year in Agawam, Mass. 

Ajax America Women is the only other club to return to the WPSL Championships Final the year after winning. After topping the Arizona Rush 1-0 for the 2008 WPSL Title in Sacramento Cali., the southern California side returned to the Final in Garden City, N.Y. and fell to the Long Island Fury, 1-0, to quelch the hopes of repeating as WPSL Champions. 

 

Short and Sweet Success

Since joining the league in 2019, the Charlotte Eagles has reached the South Region Playoffs Semifinals four times, the South Region Playoffs Finals three times, the WPSL Championships Semifinal and Final twice each. Charlotte won its first WPSL title in 2023 with a 1-0 win over Slavo SC. 

Charlotte is 33-4-2 all-time in five seasons of WPSL play. 

 

A Stormy History

As one of the WPSL founding clubs, the California Storm has competed for more league championships than any other team in league history – eight in all dating back to 1999 when the club won its first WPSL Title. At this time, the league only consisted of five teams from California and the championship was awarded to the club with the best regular season record. Coached by Jerry Zanelli, the Storm went 10-1-1 to win its first WPSL Championship. 

In 2002, with the expansion to 10 teams stretching as far east as Denver, the league began playing a championship match between division winners. In the league’s first championship match, the Storm topped South Division winners, Ajax America Women, 1-0 to claim its second WPSL title. The following year, the Storm fell, 2-1, to the Utah Spiders. 

After winning its third WPSL Title in 2004, 3-2 over New England Mutiny, the Storm returned in 2005 but fell to FC Indiana in penalty kicks. The Storm returned to the national stage in 2022 and won its fourth WPSL Championship, 3-1, over the Colorado Rapids Women in Stillwater, Okla. 

After 26 years of WPSL, the Storm are 223-36-44 in WPSL play. 

 

Home Sweet Home

One of the finest collegiate soccer facilities in the country, Neal Patterson Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University, is set to host its fourth WPSL Championships final on Sunday. Previous WPSL Championships were hosted by participating teams. 

Pensacola FC was the first to hoist the Jerry Zanelli Cup at Neal Patterson Stadium with its 4-3 win over the Utah Royals FC Reserves in 2019. The Championships returned to Stillwater in 2022 when national play resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic ended and the California Storm beat the Colorado Rapids Women, followed by the Charlotte Eagles’ win over Salvo SC in 2023. 

 

Spread the Wealth

The seven goals scored in Friday’s two semifinal games were scored by seven different players. 

Kayla Budish (Purdue University) of FC Pride leads postseason scoring with four goals, followed by Clarkstown’s Kelly Brady (Ole Miss), and Marissa Garcia (Gonzaga University) of the Spokane SC Shadow with three postseason goals. 

Charlotte’s Lauren Walter (John Brown University) and Faith Adams (Lipscomb University) and the Storm’s Erica Grilione (Stanford University), Camryn Lancaster (Texas Christian University), Susie Long (Harvard University), Lauren Hunter (Santa Clara University), and Brenda Uribe (post-collegiate) all have two postseason goals entering Sunday’s championship match. 

 

By the Numbers

California Storm / Charlotte Eagles

 

Region: West / South

Conference: Pac North Conference / Atlantic Conference – Carolinas Division

2024 Record: 10-3-0 / 11-0-1

Average Age: 21.2 years-old / 23.7 years-old

Current & Former College Players: 19 of 19 (100%)/ 15 of 17 (88%)

NCAA Division I Players: 17 of 19 (89%)/ 12 of 17 (71%)

WPSL Seasons: 26 / 5

All-Time Records: 223-36-43 / 33–4-2

All-Time WPSL Playoff Record: 16-9 / 6-2

WPSL Championships Final Appearances: 6 / 2

WPSL Championships Titles: 1990, 2002, 2004, 2022 / 2023

WPSL Championship Runners-Up: 2000, 2005 / None

 

Over the Years

WPSL Championships Final Results

 

1998: *Silicon Valley Red Devils (San Diego Auto Trader)

1999: *California Storm (San Diego Auto Trader)

2000: *Can Diego SeaLions (California Storm)

2001: *Ajax America Women (San Diego SeaLions)

2002: California Storm 1 – 0 Ajax America Women 

2003: Utah Spiders 2 – 1 California Storm

2004: California Storm 3 – 2 New England Mutiny

2005: FC Indiana 5 – 4 California Storm (PKs)

2006: Long Island Fury 1 – 0 River Cities FC

2007: FC Indiana 3 – 0 New England Mutiny

2008: Ajax America Women 1 – 0 Arizona Rush

2009: Long Island Fury 1 – 0 Ajax America Women

2010: Boston Aztec 2 – 1 Ajax America Women

2011: Orange County Waves 2 – 1 (AET) Chicago Red Stars Reserves

2012 Pensacola FC 4 – 0 Boston Aztec

2013: San Diego SeaLions 2 – 1 Houston Aces

2014: Beach Futbol Club 1 – 0 Houston Aces

2015: Chicago Red Stars Reserves 2 – 1 So Cal FC

2016: Boston Breakers Reserves 3 – 0 San Diego SeaLions

2017: Fire & Ice FC 2 – 1 Pensacola FC

2018: Seattle Sounders Women 3 – 1 Pensacola FC

2019: Pensacola FC 4 – 3 Utah Royals FC Reserves

2020: Did not play due to Covid-19 Pandemic

2021: Did not play due to Covid-19 Pandemic

2022: California Storm 3 – 1 Colorado Rapids Women

2023: Charlotte Eagles 1 – 0 Salvo SC

*Champion determined by regular season standings.