2016-2017 POST SEASON OVERVIEW & COMPETITION STRUCTURE

The ECNL is the most exciting female youth club competition in the world. Hopefully the information below gives you a sense of the scope of the league, and the exciting journey that you are about to start. The competition structure for the 2016-2017 ECNL season is similar to that of last season. Below are basic descriptions for the regular season and post season for all age groups. Please read through carefully!

To see complete information regarding the competition structure for each age group, view Exhibit C of the 2016-17 ECNL Competition Rules: CLICK HERE

Regular Season – Conference Alignment

CLICK HERE for the 2016-2017 ECNL Conference map to see what every conference looks like and to see the ECNL “footprint” across the country!

U18/U19 | Post Season | ECNL Champions League: 16 Teams

The sixteen (16) qualifying teams for the U18/U19 ECNL Champions League will be determined in the same process as last year. First, fifteen (15) teams will earn automatic berths in the U18/U19 ECNL Champions League based on the results of their regular season conference games. The final spot in the U18/U19 ECNL Champions League is a wildcard berth. Teams will qualify for wildcard consideration based on the results of their conference games, and then the top team in the wildcard pool, based on points-per-game from ALL games, conference and national event, will qualify for the U18/U19 ECNL Champions League.
The sixteen (16) qualifying teams in the U18/U19 ECNL Champions League will compete to crown the ECNL National Champion at the ECNL Playoffs, June 22-27 in Rockford, IL. These teams will be seeded into four (4) groups, where they will play three (3) group games, a semifinal, and a final.
For complete information CLICK HERE or go to view Exhibit C of the 2016-17 ECNL Competition Rules.

U15, U16, & U17 | Post Season | ECNL Champions League: 32 Teams Per Age Group

Each conference will have a certain number of automatic qualifiers based on the size of the conference. In total, twenty eight (28) teams per age group will earn automatic berths in the ECNL Champions League in this manner. Results in regular season conference games will also determine which teams qualify for wildcard consideration for the ECNL Champions League. An additional fifteen (15) teams will be in consideration for a wildcard berth in the ECNL Champions League based on their conference results. Of these fifteen (15) teams in the wildcard pool, the top four (4) teams based on points-per-game from ALL games played, conference and national event, will qualify for the ECNL Champions League.
The U15-U17 ECNL Champions League Playoffs is a 32-team group-play, round-robin competition, followed by a knockout round. From group play, eight (8) teams will advance directly to a single game, single-elimination knockout match. The Playoff competition takes place over five (5) days. Upon completion of the Playoffs, four (4) teams, in each age group, will advance from the ECNL Playoffs to the ECNL Final IV/National Finals taking place July 7-8.
U15, U16, & U17 ECNL Champions League Playoffs take place June 23-27 in Rockford, IL.
U15, U16, & U17 ECNL Champions League Finals take place July 7-8.
For complete information CLICK HERE or view Exhibit C of the 2016-17 ECNL Competition Rules.

U15, U16, & U17 | Post Season | ECNL North American Cup: 16 Teams Per Age Group

In the 2016-17 season, sixteen (16) teams per age group will qualify for the ECNL North American Cup. After the qualifiers are determined for the ECNL Champions League, the remaining teams in the ECNL that did not qualify for the ECNL Champions League (including wildcard consideration teams that did not qualify for the ECNL Champions League) will be ranked based on points (PPG) from ALL games played, including conference and national event games. The top sixteen (16) teams in this ranking will qualify for the ECNL North American Cup.
The sixteen (16) teams that qualify for the ECNL North American Cup will play a “knock-out” cup competition at the ECNL Playoffs. The top eight (8) teams will be seeded in the bracket, and the remaining teams will be drawn into the bracket via a blind draw. The North American Cup consists of a guaranteed 3-game knockout competition with a fourth game to crown the North American Cup Champion. The North American Cup will be played in its entirety at the ECNL Playoffs.
U15, U16, & U17 ECNL North American Cup takes place June 23-27 in Rockford, IL.
For complete information CLICK HERE or view Exhibit C of the 2016-17 ECNL Competition Rules.

U15, U16, & U17 | Post Season | ECNL Showcase Cup: 16 Teams Per Age Group

After the ECNL Champions League and ECNL North American Cup participants have been determined, the next sixteen (16) teams (teams ranked 49-64) in the ECNL based on PPG from ALL games played, including conference and national event games), will play in a guaranteed 3-game knockout competition with a fourth game to crown the champion at the Playoffs.
U15, U16, & U17 ECNL Showcase Cup takes place June 23-27 in Rockford, IL.
For complete information CLICK HERE or view Exhibit C of the 2016-17 ECNL Competition Rules.

U14 | Post Season | ECNL Champions League: 16 Teams

The sixteen (16) qualifying teams for the U14 ECNL Champions League will be determined in a very similar process to last year. First, fifteen (15) teams will earn automatic berths in the U14 ECNL Champions League based on the results of their regular season conference games. The final spot in the U14 ECNL Champions League will be a wildcard spot. The wildcard will go to the next highest finisher, based on points from conference games only, from the top conference based on Conference Strength from the previous year’s Overall Club Ranking. For the 2016-2017 season, one wildcard spot will go to the Southwest Conference.
The sixteen (16) qualifying teams in the U14 ECNL Champions League will compete to crown the ECNL National Champion at the ECNL Playoffs. These teams will be seeded into 4 groups, where they will play 3 group games, a semifinal, and a final.
U14 ECNL Champions League Finals take place June 22-27 in Rockford, IL.
For complete information CLICK HERE or view Exhibit C of the 2016-17 ECNL Competition Rules.