The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that the New York Cosmos have joined the league as an expansion team.
“The NPSL is tremendously excited to welcome the New York Cosmos into the league,” NPSL Chairman Joe Barone stated. “The Cosmos are known globally and have been such an important part of the American soccer community for many years. Personally, this is an incredible honor as I remember with great joy attending my first Cosmos match at the age of eight. Having them join us is one of the great moments in the history of our league and we couldn’t be more delighted.”
The team, which will be called the New York Cosmos B, will play in the Northeast Region’s North Atlantic Conference. Their 2015 opponents will include the Brooklyn Italians, Greater Lowell United FC, New York Athletic Club, Rhode Island Reds, Seacoast United Mariners, and Seacoast United Phantoms.
“This is a key step for us in terms of our player development plans,” said Erik Stover, Chief Operating Officer of the New Yorks Cosmos. “The creation of New York Cosmos B to play in the NPSL provides us with the flexibility and a structured development path for our reserve players to flourish. We see it as a training ground that will not only help develop younger players vying for more first-team action but also help integrate and accelerate the progress of our academy players.”
The Cosmos join the Carolina RailHawks, Atlanta Silverbacks, and Minnesota United as North American Soccer League (NASL) teams with reserve or developmental squads in the NPSL.
The NPSL has experienced meteoric growth since its inception in 2002, growing into a robust league with teams across the country. Currently the NPSL has over 70 teams in four regions: West, Midwest, Northeast, and South.
The league has become a key developmental vehicle for players, coaches, and programs nationwide. A growing number of NPSL players join the professional ranks each and every year, joining teams in the U.S. and abroad. Dane Murphy (New York Athletic Club), Jimmy Mulligan (Brooklyn Italians), Pedro Mendes (Rhode Island Reds), Paulo Mendes (Rhode Island Reds), and Chris Rodd (Sonoma County Sol) are all NPSL alumni that have played for the Cosmos in the NASL.
