The Ohio Valley Premier League (OVPL) is a USASA-affiliated league through US Club Soccer that includes teams from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The regular season of the OVPL runs May through July.

The men's division was announced in November 2019 and the women's division was announced in February 2020. Both were due to begin play in summer 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer season was cancelled and a fall season was started. In 2021, the OVPL also hosted a spring season.

Background The OVPL is a competitive soccer circuit to offer the only amateur competition throughout the Ohio Valley (Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia) region.

The Ohio Valley Premier League (OVPL) has received sanctioning from US Club Soccer and is set to kick off in May 2020. A first of its kind in the region, the OVPL will seek to provide a competitive league for players of all ages, beginning with a competitive amateur men's division.

As a league, the OVPL will operate within Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to help local communities grow the beautiful game through competitive matches and local soccer culture. The amateur men's division allows for players as young as sixteen (16) years old to compete in a structure that provides an opportunity for competition in the country's longest-running tournament in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Due to the structure of the OVPL, no players will jeopardize amateur status within their youth clubs, high schools, or universities.

With the sanctioning of the OVPL through US Club Soccer, the regionalized league is a first of its kind for the Ohio Valley area.

Clubs

Current Men's Division Team City Stadium Founded Joined OVPL Head coach Other Affiliation Indy Saints FC Indianapolis, IN Cardinal Ritter High School 2017 2020 TBD WPSL Lexington Landsharks Lexington, KY Transylvania University 2019 2020 TBD N/A Cincy SC Cincinnati, OH TBD 2015 2020 TBD N/A Valhalla FC Milford, OH Milford High School 2018 2020 TBD N/A Cincinnati Swerve Fairfield, OH Fairfield High School 2015 2020 Rudy Argueta PASL Ohio Premier Soccer Club Plain City, OH OP Training Facility 1993 2020 TBD ECNL Croatia Juniors Mentor, OH Mentor High School 1957 2020 TBD GLA/NPL Ohio Galaxies FC Dayton, OH DOC Stadium 1974 2020 Arturo Rodriguez USL2 Hoosier FC Noblesville, IN TBD 2003 2020 TBD N/A Cincinnati Saints SC Crestview Hills, KY Thomas More University 2020 2020 TBD N/A Clermont County FC Batavia, OH TBD 2020 2020 Tim Farrell N/A Dana Gardens FC/Xavier Club Norwood, OH Xavier University 2020 2020 Steve Abbenhaus N/A Northern Kentucky FC Highland Heights, KY Highland Heights Soccer Field 2015 2020 Sean Eubanks N/A Cleveland Force SC Willoughby, OH Lost Nation Sports Park TBD 2021 Bill Lawrence USL2 Soccer Field Academy Grove City, OH Grove City Christian School 2016 2021 James Field Super Y League Century United Pittsburgh, PA Century Field 1984 2021 John Lichina WPSL Blast FC Marengo, OH Highland High School 1986 2021 TBD TBD Evansville Legends FC Evansville, IN Old National Bank Field 2021 2021 Jesse Sharp TBD Club Ohio Dublin, OH TBD 1997 2021 TBD TBD Wheeling Highlanders FC Wheeling, WV East Wheeling Turf Field 2021 2021 Ryan Wall N/A Old Bhoys SC Indianapolis, IN Cardinal Ritter High School 2017 2021 Steve Bushre N/A University of Cincinnati Men's Club Soccer Cincinnati, Ohio Gettler Stadium 2001 2021 Randy Anderson Midwest Alliance Soccer Conference Ambassadors FC Ohio (AFC Ohio) Macedonia, Ohio Pioneer Park / CVCA Stadium 1990 (as Ambassadors in Sport) / 2021 (as AFC Ohio) 2022 Ryan Dean NOSL

Women's Division Team City Stadium Founded Joined OVPL Head coach Other Affiliation Lexington Fillies Lexington, KY Transylvania University 2019 2020 Jim Borman N/A Cincinnati Sirens FC I Fairfield, OH Fairfield High School 2016 2020 Jake Morrison WPSL/PASL Cincinnati Saints SC Crestview Hills, KY Thomas More University 2020 2020 TBD N/A Cincinnati Saints SC II Crestview Hills, KY Thomas More University 2020 2020 TBD N/A Cleveland Ambassadors FC I Macedonia, OH Nordonia High School 1990 2020 TBD WPSL Club Ohio Dublin, OH TBD 1997 2021 TBD TBD Empire FC Bridgeport, WV Bridgeport Recreational Complex 2018 2021 Hannah Abraham TBD Ohio Premier Soccer Club Plain City, OH OP Training Facility 1993 2021 TBD ECNL Cincinnati Sirens FC II Fairfield, OH Fairfield High School 2016 2021 TBD PASL Ohio Galaxies FC Dayton, OH DOC Stadium 1974 2021 Javier Iriart WPSL Croatia Juniors Mentor, OH Mentor High School 1957 2021 TBD GLA/NPL

Former Team Founded Joined OVPL Left OVPL Other Affiliation Notes Cincinnati Dutch Lions 2013 2020 2020 USL League Two Club folded FC Pride 2001 2020 2021 WPSL Hiatus Kings Hammer SC 2012 2020 2021 USL2/USLW Hiatus1927 SC192720222022N/AMoved to Midwest Premier League

Champions SeasonLeague ChampionsRiver DivisionValley Division2025Northern Kentucky NitroNorthern Kentucky NitroOhio Premier2024 SummerOhio PremierValhalla FcOhio Premier2023 SummerOhio PremierValhalla FCSpire Academy 2022 Summer1927 SC1927 SCWheeling Highlanders FC2021/22 Fall/SpringValhalla FCN/AN/A2021 SummerEvansville Legends FCEvansville Legends FCOhio Premier2021 SpringOhio Galaxies FCN/AN/A2020 FallKings Hammer SCN/AN/A2020 SummerPandemic cancelledN/AN/A Summer season is split into Valley and River Divisions.

Notable players Enrico del Rosario (Northern Kentucky FC), 2021–present, Northern Mariana Islands National Team Manny Adjei, 2021–present, U.S. 6 National Team Kalu Abass (Northern Kentucky FC), 2021–present, member of MASL Cincinnati Swerve Andrej Novakovic (Northern Kentucky FC), 2020–present, member of MASL Cincinnati Swerve since 2021 Bryce Day (Northern Kentucky FC), 2021–present, member of Cincinnati Dutch Lions FC in 2019 Andrew Norman (soccer player) (Northern Kentucky FC), 2021–present, member of Cincinnati Swerve PASL from 2017-20 Ryan Gray (Northern Kentucky FC), 2021–present, member of Cincinnati Swerve PASL from 2017-21 Sean Eubanks (Northern Kentucky FC), 2020–present, member of Cincinnati Swerve PASL since 2020 Paul Nicholson (Kings Hammer SC), 2020, retired who played in the United Soccer League from 2011 to 2017.

Notable former players Jacob Goodall, Kings Hammer SC - 2021, signed in 2021 by Greenville Triumph SC () Cameron Cool, Lexington Landsharks - 2020, signed in 2020 by SC Hansa von 1911 e.V () Rizwaan Dharsey, Kings Hammer SC - 2021, signed in 2021 by Vitória Futebol Clube - Pico () Max Miller, Lexington Landsharks - 2021, signed in 2022 by FC Cincinnati 2 () Mohammedi Alkhateeb, West Virginia Highlanders FC - 2021, signed in 2022 by KF Trepça () Josue Dubon, Evansville Legends FC - 2021, signed in 2023 by AD Chalatenango () Diallo Irakoze, Lexington Landsharks - 2020, signed in 2023 by Lexington Sporting Club () Abubakar Kasule, Northern Kentucky Nitro FC - 2022, signed in 2022 by Express FC () Sam Robinson, Kings Hammer SC - 2023, international call-up to Puerto Rico men's national soccer team () Laurence Wootton, Ohio Premier - 2023, MLS SuperDraft Pick (Round 3, Pick 6; 64th Overall) by Chicago Fire FC ()

References

External links Ohio Valley Premier League website