The 2002 USL A-League was an American Division II league run by the United Soccer League during the summer of 2002.

USL A-League
-2002 Season-
Season2002
ChampionsMilwaukee Rampage
(2nd title)
PremiersSeattle Sounders
(2nd title)
Matches played504
Goals scored751 (1.49 per match)
Top goalscorerMcKinley Tennyson, Fadi Afash
(18 goals)
2001
2003

League standings

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Eastern Conference

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Northeast Division

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Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD BP Pts
1 Rochester Raging Rhinos 28 17 8 3 38 25 +13 1 72
2 Montreal Impact 28 16 9 3 39 29 +10 5 72
3 Toronto Lynx 28 10 13 5 37 35 +2 3 48
4 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 28 8 15 5 39 44 −5 4 41
Source: kenn.com

Southeast Division

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Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD BP Pts
1 Charleston Battery 28 19 3 6 46 16 +30 7 89
2 Richmond Kickers 28 13 9 6 44 37 +7 7 65
3 Atlanta Silverbacks 28 13 13 2 47 44 +3 8 62
4 Charlotte Eagles 28 10 14 4 46 46 0 6 50
5 Hampton Roads Mariners 28 6 19 3 25 57 −32 2 29
Source: kenn.com

Western Conference

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Central Division

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Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD BP Pts
1 Milwaukee Rampage 28 16 7 5 48 29 +19 6 75
2 Minnesota Thunder 28 14 9 5 55 35 +20 9 70
3 Cincinnati Riverhawks 28 8 20 0 35 68 −33 3 35[a]
4 Indiana Blast 28 6 18 4 29 67 −38 1 29
Source: kenn.com
Notes:
  1. ^ Cincinnati lost three point for using an ineligible player (bonus points entry total reflects this deduction)

Pacific Division

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Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD BP Pts
1 Seattle Sounders 28 23 4 1 71 27 +44 14 107
2 Portland Timbers 28 13 12 3 47 39 +8 8 63
3 Vancouver Whitecaps 28 11 12 5 41 39 +2 5 54
4 El Paso Patriots 28 10 11 7 38 48 −10 7 54
5 Calgary Storm 28 4 21 3 26 66 −40 3 22
Source: kenn.com

The 2002 USL A-League points system was 4 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss + 1 bonus point when scoring three or more goals in a game.[1]

Playoff bracket

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First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Final
                  
W1 Seattle Sounders 0 2 2
W5 Vancouver Whitecaps 2 6 8
W4 Portland Timbers 0 0 0
W5 Vancouver Whitecaps 1 1 2
W2 Milwaukee Rampage (a.e.t.) 0 2 2
Western Conference
W5 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 1 1
W2 Milwaukee Rampage 0 2 2
W3 Minnesota Thunder 0 1 1
W3 Minnesota Thunder 2 1 3
W6 El Paso Patriots 1 1 2
Milwaukee Rampage (a.e.t.) 2
Richmond Kickers 1
E1 Charleston Battery 2 1 3
E4 Richmond Kickers 1 3 4
E4 Richmond Kickers 1 2 3
E5 Atlanta Silverbacks 1 1 2
E4 Richmond Kickers (p) 1 0 1 (9)
Eastern Conference
E2 Rochester Raging Rhinos 1 0 1 (8)
E2 Rochester Raging Rhinos 0 1 1
E3 Montreal Impact 0 0 0
E3 Montreal Impact (p) 0 1 1 (6)
E6 Charlotte Eagles 1 0 1 (5)

Playoff first round

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Charlotte vs Montreal

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Charlotte Eagles (NC)1–0Montreal Impact (QC)
Dwyane Demmin   17' Report   30' Adam Braz
  67' Nevio Pizzolitto


Montreal advances on penalties after series tied 1–1 on aggregate.

Richmond vs Atlanta

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Richmond Kickers (VA)1–1Atlanta Silverbacks (GA)
Peter Luzak   23'
Josh Henderson   86'
Peter Luzak   90'
Report   36',   88' James Wall
  42' Alan Woods
  56' Jason Annicchero
  86' Jeff Cassar
Attendance: 1,258
Referee: Todd Perry


Atlanta Silverbacks (GA)1–2Richmond Kickers (VA)
Philippe Godoy   10'
Ryan Leib   20'
Jason Annicchero   39'
John Barry Nusum   55',   88'
Gilbert Jean-Baptiste   66'
Byron Mitchell   78'   84'
Report   8' Josh Henderson
  13' Bryan Namoff
  39' Kevin Knight
  45' Kevin Jeffrey
  80' Khary Stockton
Attendance: 351
Referee: Kermit Quisenberry

Richmond advances 3–2 on aggregate.

Minnesota vs El Paso

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El Paso Patriots (TX)1–2Minnesota Thunder (MN)
Johnny Frias   7'   25' Johnny Torres
  29' Johnny Menyongar
Attendance: 1,270


Minnesota Thunder (MN)1–1El Paso Patriots (TX)
Zafer Kılıçkan   70'   32' (pen.) Jose Abarca
Attendance: 1,567

Minnesota advances 3–2 on aggregate.

Vancouver vs Portland

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Portland Timbers (OR)0–1Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)
Keith Costigan   10'
Fadi Afash   68'
Brent Sancho   69'
Report   32' Paul Dailly
  43' Chris Franks
  45' Ollie Heald
  68' Nick Dasovic
Attendance: 4,071


Vancouver Whitecaps advance 2–0 on aggregate.

Conference semifinals

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Eastern Conference Semifinal 1

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Rochester Rhinos (NY)1–0Montreal Impact (QC)
Yuri Lavrinenko   26'
Bill Sedgwick   62'
Report   43' Patrice Bernier

The Rochester Rhinos advanced 1–0 on aggregate.

Eastern Conference Semifinal 2

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Charleston Battery (SC)2–1Richmond Kickers (VA)
Justin Evans   63'
Paul Conway   87' (pen.)
Report   75' Mike Burke
  86' Marco Ferruzzi
Attendance: 2,379
Referee: Daniel Baruk (USA)


Richmond Kickers (VA)3–1Charleston Battery (SC)
Josh Henderson   8'
Kevin Jeffrey   22'
Chris Fox   24'
David Hayes   36'
Report   4',   45' Mac Cozier
  15' Mark Watson
Attendance: 2,043
Referee: Mike Stutt (USA)

The Richmond Kickers advanced 4–3 on aggregate.

Western Conference Semifinal 1

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Minnesota Thunder (MN)0–0Milwaukee Rampage (WI)
Mike Gores   42'
Don Gramenz   64'
Steve Shak   82'
Mike Gentile   87'
Report


Milwaukee Rampage (WI)2–1Minnesota Thunder (MN)
Miguel Saavedra   20'
John Wolyniec   77'
  65' Steve Shak
Milwaukee Rampage Sports Complex, Franklin, Wisconsin
Attendance: 3,579

The Milwaukee Rampage advanced 2–1 on aggregate.

Western Conference Semifinal 2

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Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)2–0Seattle Sounders (WA)
Chris Franks   3'
Jason Jordan   44', 90'
Jeff Clarke   47'
Report   14' Dick McCormick
  78' Viet Nguyen
  79' Leighton O'Brien
Attendance: 5,686
Referee: Steve DePiero (USA)


Seattle Sounders (WA)2–6Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)
Andrew Gregor   38'
Leighton O'Brien   43'
Kyle Smith   52'
Jason Farrell   60'
Scott Jenkins   61'
Report   19',   26', 70' (pen.) Ollie Heald
  22' Jeff Clarke
  39' Steve Kindel
  67' Dave Morris
  75' Kevan Cameron
  90' Niall Thompson
Attendance: 3,917
Referee: Sandra Hunt (USA)

The Vancouver Whitecaps advanced 8–2 on aggregate.

Conference finals

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Eastern Conference

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The Richmond Kickers advanced.

Western Conference

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Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)0–0Milwaukee Rampage (WI)
Ollie Heald   45' Report


Milwaukee Rampage (WI)2–1 (a.e.t.)Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)
Destin Makumbu   43'
Matt Bobo   56',   101'
Matt Behncke   60'
Bobby Brennan   90'
Report   59' Niall Thompson
Milwaukee Rampage Sports Complex, Franklin, Wisconsin
Attendance: 3,223

The Milwaukee Rampage advanced.

Final

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Milwaukee Rampage (WI)2–1 (a.e.t.)Richmond Kickers (VA)
John Wolyniec   45',   62'
Steve Bernal   58'
David Lara   68'
Siniša Angelovski   106'
Report   22' Tony Williams
  56'   93' Khary Stockton
  59' (pen.) Marco Ferruzzi
  62' Kevin Knight
  96' Josh Henderson
Milwaukee Rampage Sports Complex, Franklin, Wisconsin
Attendance: 6,189

MPV: John Wolyniec

Points leaders

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Rank Scorer Club GP Goals Assists Points
1 McKinley Tennyson Portland Timbers 24 18 6 42
Brian Ching Seattle Sounders 25 16 8 42
3 Leighton O'Brien Seattle Sounders 27 13 11 37
4 Fadi Afash Portland Timbers 22 18 0 36
Eduardo Sebrango Montreal Impact 28 18 0 36
6 Paul Conway Charleston Battery 25 13 6 32
7 Johnny Menyongar Minnesota Thunder 25 10 11 31
8 Johnny Torres Minnesota Thunder 23 12 5 29
9 Darren Sawatzky Seattle Sounders 28 9 10 28
10 Dustin Swinehart Charlotte Eagles 27 10 6 26
Digital Takawira Milwaukee Rampage 22 9 8 26
12 Niki Budalic Toronto Lynx 28 12 1 25
John Wolyniec Milwaukee Rampage 26 10 5 25
14 Josh Henderson Richmond Kickers 23 11 2 24
Brian Piesner Atlanta Silverbacks 25 7 10 24

Awards and All A-League teams

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All A-League First Team
F: Brian Ching Seattle Sounders); McKinley Tennyson (Portland Timbers) (Co-Leading Goalscorer); Eduardo Sebrango (Montreal Impact) (Co-Leading Goalscorer)
M: Andrew Gregor (Seattle Sounders); Leighton O'Brien (Seattle Sounders); Brian Piesner (Atlanta Silverbacks); Lenin Steenkamp (Rochester Raging Rhinos)
D: Gabriel Gervais (Montreal Impact); Destin Makumbu (Milwaukee Rampage); Mark Watson (Defender of the Year)
G: Dusty Hudock (Charleston Battery) (Goalkeeper of the Year)
Coach: Brian Schmetzer Seattle Sounders) (Coach of the Year)

All A-League Second Team[2]
F: Fadi Afash (Portland Timbers) (Co-Leading Goalscorer); Josh Henderson (Richmond Kickers); Johnny Menyongar (Minnesota Thunder)
M: Mauro Biello (Montreal Impact); Luis da Gama (El Paso Patriots); Jose Gomez (Charlotte Eagles); Steve Kindel (Vancouver Whitecaps)
D: Craig Demmin (Rochester Raging Rhinos); Linval Dixon (Charleston Battery); Mark Schulte (Minnesota Thunder)
G: Preston Burpo (Seattle Sounders)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Litterer, David (February 14, 2010). "United Soccer Leagues Statistical History, Part 4 (2000-2003)". American Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  2. ^ A-League Awards: 2002 Archived 2012-02-12 at the Wayback Machine
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