2003 PDL season

Template:Short description The 2003 USL Premier Development League season was the 9th PDL season. The season began in April 2003 and ended in August 2003.

Cape Cod Crusaders finished the season as national champions for the second time, beating Chicago Fire Reserves 2–0 in the PDL Championship game. New Orleans Shell Shockers finished with the best regular season record in the league, winning 16 out of their 18 games, suffering just 2 losses, and finishing with a +35 goal difference.

Cape Cod Crusaders striker Joseph Ngwenya and Vermont Voltage forward Bo Vuckovic were the league's top scorers, each knocking in 17 goals. Des Moines Menace midfielders Tomas Boltnar and Joseph Kabwe and Nashville Metros Ben Buerger led the league with 10 assists each, while Indiana Invaders keeper Christopher Sawyer enjoyed the best goalkeeping statistics, with a goals-against average of 0.287 per game, and Richmond Kickers Future keeper kept 7 clean sheets and had a GAA average of 0.568 in his 12 games.

Changes from 2002

New franchises

• Thirteen teams joined the league this year, including twelve brand new franchises:

Team Name	Metro Area	Location	Previous Affiliation
Template:Flagicon Abbotsford Rangers	Abbotsford area	Abbotsford, BC	expansion
Template:Flagicon Albany Blackwatch Highlanders	Albany area	Schenectady, NY	expansion
Template:Flagicon BYU Cougars	Provo area	Provo, UT	expansion
Template:Flagicon Columbus Shooting Stars	Columbus area	Columbus, OH	expansion
Template:Flagicon Fort Wayne Fever	Fort Wayne area	Fort Wayne, IN	expansion
Template:Flagicon Fresno Fuego	Fresno area	Fresno, CA	expansion
Template:Flagicon Jersey Shore Boca	Jersey Shore area	Toms River, NJ	expansion
Template:Flagicon Nevada Wonders	Carson City area	Carson City, NV	expansion
Template:Flagicon New Orleans Shell Shockers	New Orleans area	New Orleans, LA	expansion
Template:Flagicon St. Louis Strikers	St. Louis area	St. Louis, MO	expansion
Template:Flagicon South Jersey Barons	Greater Trenton area	Trenton, NJ	previously in D3 Pro
Template:Flagicon Toledo Slayers	Toledo area	Maumee, OH	expansion
Template:Flagicon West Virginia Chaos	Charleston area	Charleston, WV	expansion

Folding

• Ten teams left the league prior to the beginning of the season:
  • Central Coast Roadrunners - San Luis Obispo, California
  • Chicago Eagles Select - Chicago, Illinois
  • Chico Rooks - Chico, California (left to join the newly formed National Premier Soccer League)
  • Dayton Gemini - Dayton, Ohio
  • Denver Cougars - Commerce City, Colorado
  • Los Angeles Heroes - Los Angeles, California
  • Santa Barbara Sharks - Santa Barbara, California (folded during the 2002 season)
  • Seattle Sounders Select - Seattle, Washington (folded during the 2002 season)
  • Tampa Bay Hawks - Tampa, Florida
  • West Michigan Edge - Grand Rapids, Michigan (spending season on hiatus)

Standings

Legend
Division champion
Team qualified for playoff berth

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