United States Women's Football League
 | |
| Sport | Women's American football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 |
| No. of teams | 7 regular & 3 affiliates for 2016 season |
| Country | USA |
| Most recent champion(s) | Cincinnati Sizzle (USWFL) |
The United States Women's Football League (USWFL) is a full-contact women's American football league that opened with exhibition play in 2010 and subsequently played its first regular season in 2011. The league was known as the "Women's Spring Football League" from 2009-2015. It is the newest of three full-contact, 11-on-11 football leagues for women, along with the Independent Women's Football League and the Women's Football Alliance.
The USWFL played with 11-player and 8-player divisions from 2011 through 2013. In 2014, the league split into two leagues, with the 11-woman division retaining the WSFL name and the 8-woman division taking the name the Women's Eights Football League (W8FL). In 2016 the league played only 11-man football with the Cincinnati Sizzle taking the league crown.
History
United States Women's Football League (USWFL)
The USWFL was founded as the Women's Spring Football League in 2009. A few teams played an exhibition season under the WSFL banner in 2010, with the Kansas City Storm going undefeated in the regular season but no playoffs or league championship game were played resulting in no league champion being crowned.
In 2011, the USWFL played what it regards as its first official regular season. The Baltimore Burn finished the season with a 6-0 record against non-league foes and claimed the 2011 WSFL championship on the basis of regular season record.
In 2012, the USWFL staged its first playoffs and held its first league championship game at Endless Mountains Stadium in Towanda, Pennsylvania. The New Jersey Titans defeated the DFW Xtreme, 67-6, to claim the 2012 WSFL championship.
In 2013, the USWFL staged its second playoffs and held its second league championship game in Memphis, Tennessee. The Memphis Dynasty defeated the Arkansas Banshees, 32-12, to claim the title.
In 2014, the USWFL staged its third playoffs and held its third league championship game in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Memphis Dynasty defeated the Arkansas Banshees, 34-12, to claim their second straight WSFL championship.
In 2015, the USWFL staged its fourth playoffs and held its fourth league championship game in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. The Keystone Assault defeated the Tennessee Legacy, 9-7, to claim their first WSFL championship.
In 2016, the Cincinnati Sizzle defeated the New England Nightmare 30-6 at Horn Lake, Mississippi to claim their first league championship.
Women's Eights Football League (W8FL)
The WSFL started an eight-woman division in 2011. The Cape Fear Thunder claimed the WSFL's first eight-player division championship with a 4-2-1 regular season record.
In 2012, the West Virginia Wildfire captured the WSFL title in the 8-player division with a 5-2 record.
In 2013, the WSFL held its first championship game in the eight-player division. The West Virginia Wildfire defeated the Binghamton Tiger Cats, 44-8, to claim their second straight championship in the eight-player division.
In 2014, the eight-player division spun off into its own league, taking the name the Women's Eights Football League (W8FL). The Cape Fear Thunder won their second eight-player championship by defeating the West Virginia Wildfire, 34-26, in the W8FL title game.
In 2015, the New York Knockout defeated the Cape Fear Thunder, 28-0, to win their first W8FL championship title, with the game having been played in Schenectady, New York.
Teams
United States Women's Football League (USWFL)
Northern Division
| Team | Location | Home Field |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Hawks | Danbury, Connecticut | Immaculate High School |
| Erie Illusion | Erie, Pennsylvania | Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium |
| New England Nightmare | Windsor, Connecticut | Jack O'Brien Stadium |
Southern Division
| Team | Location | Home Field | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Sizzle | Cincinnati, Ohio | Woodward Career & Technical High School & Withrow High School | |
| Southern Indiana Storm | Paoli, Indiana | Paoli Community Park Complex Football Field | |
| Tennessee Legacy | Memphis, Tennessee | Latimer Lake Park, Horn Lake, Mississippi | |
| West Virginia Wildfire | South Charleston, West Virginia | Little Creek Park | |
Affiliate/Guest Teams for 2016
| Team | Location | Home Field |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Storm | Kansas City, Missouri | Southeast High School Field |
| Maine Mayhem | Portland, Maine | Memorial Field |
| New York Knockout | Schenectady, New York | Mohonasen & Schenectady High Schools |
Expansion/Inactive Teams
| Team | Location | Home Field |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bullets | Buffalo, New York | |
| Mount Vernon Monarchs | Mount Vernon, Illinois | |
USWFL Championship Game Results
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Baltimore Burn | Baltimore declared league champion with 6-0 record | no game played |
| 2012 | New Jersey Titans | Dallas/FortWorth Xtreme | 67-6 |
| 2013 | Memphis Dynasty | Arkansas Banshees | 32-12 |
| 2014 | Memphis Dynasty | Arkansas Banshees | 34-12 |
| 2015 | Keystone Assault | Tennessee Legacy | 9-7 |
| 2016 | Cincinnati Sizzle | New England Nightmare | 30-6 |
WSFL 8s Championship Game Results 2011-2015
| Year | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Cape Fear Thunder | Cape Fear declared league champion with 4-2-1 record | no game played |
| 2012 | West Virginia Wildfire | West Virginia declared league champion with 5-2 record | no game played |
| 2013 | West Virginia Wildfire | Binghamton Tiger Cats | 44-8 |
| 2014 | Cape Fear Thunder | West Virginia Wildfire | 34-26 |
| 2015 | New York Knockout | Cape Fear Thunder | 28-0 |
USWFL Non-Playoff Postseason Bowl Game Results
| Year | Game Title | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Freedom Bowl | Cincinnati Sizzle | West Virginia Wildfire | 26-20 |
Former USWFL and W8FL teams playing elsewhere
- Huntsville Tigers - played in WSFL from 2012-2013, then left to join Women's Football Alliance.
- Kansas City Storm - played in WSFL in 2010, then played as an independent team, now a member of Women's Xtreme Football League of Oklahoma.
- Mile High Blaze - played independently in 2015, now in Women's Football Alliance
- Nevada Storm - played in W8FL from 2011-2012, then left to join Independent Women's Football League.
- Rocky Mountain Thunderkatz - played in WSFL in 2014, then returned to Independent Women's Football League.
- Ventura Black Widows - played in WSFL and W8FL from 2010-2013, then left to join Independent Women's Football League.