The Maryland Pride was an WPSL club based in Howard County, Maryland.
History The team changed ownership in mid-season 2007 when the Thunder Soccer Club in Columbia, Maryland took over the team.
The club was originally named the Lady Bays and began play in 1994 when the United Soccer Leagues (USL) organized a pilot season to test the demand for a national women's soccer league. The Lady Bays advanced to the first unofficial national tournament, where they were eliminated by Sacramento, California, the eventual 1994 champion. In 1996, playing as the Pride, the team set a goal of winning the national title. After compiling an 8–1 regular-season record, the Pride rolled to the national title by defeating three opponents by a combined score of 9–0 at the 1996 national championship tournament. Maryland finished an undefeated season in 2001 and won the regular season championship. The Pride have advanced to national playoffs seven times in their 16 years of operation. On January 18, 2011, the team announced that they would not play in 2011 and has been discontinued.
Year-by-year YearLeagueConf/ DivReg SeasonPlayoffs1995W-LeagueEastern4–5, 6th place1996W-LeagueEastern Conference9–1, 1st placeW-League Champions1997W-LeagueMid-Atlantic8–1, 1st placeWon 3rd place game1998W-League1, Northern Conference10–4, 2nd placeLost 3rd place game1999W-League1, Northern Conference10–4, 1st placeWon 3rd place game2000W-League1, Northeastern Conference9–4–1, 3rd place2001W-League 1, Eastern Conference13–0–1, 1st place Lost in semifinal2002W-LeagueEastern/Northeast7–5–2, 3rd place2003 WPSLEast7–2, 2nd place2004 WPSLEast2–5, 5th place2005WPSLEast8th place2006WPSLEast/ South5th place2007WPSLEast/ Mid-Atlantic6th placeDid not qualify2008on hiatus2009WPSLEast 10th placeDid not qualify2010WPSLEast/ Mid-Atlantic 4th placeDid not qualify2011on hiatus
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