United Soccer Leagues’ additions of the USSF Division 2-Pro League regular season champions the Rochester Rhinos and Orlando City Soccer Club, formerly USSF D-2 regular season runner-up the Austin Aztex, to USL PRO made a statement on Monday as to the direction USL expects its clubs to follow. Both Rochester and Orlando are expected to be cornerstones as the league moves toward its inaugural season in the spring of 2011. 

The Rochester Rhinos, 2010 USSF Division 2 regular season champions and one of the most successful franchises in United Soccer Leagues history, are proud to announce today that they will join USL PRO starting with the 2011 season. Designed to help ensure the long-term stability of professional soccer in North America, USL PRO will feature 18-20 teams playing in four main regions throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

Professional soccer is coming to Orlando in April. On Monday, Orlando Sports Holdings (OSH) announced that it had acquired the franchise rights to the United Soccer League’s Austin Aztex franchise and will move the team to Orlando. The franchise will play under the name Orlando City Soccer Club and will compete in the new USL PRO beginning in April, 2011. 

A day after being confirmed as the USSF Division 2-Pro League’s leading goal and points-scorer, Portland Timbers midfielder Ryan Pore was named League MVP by the U.S. Soccer Federation. Pore, who was one of four players signed by the Timbers to be part of their inaugural season in Major League Soccer, was joined on the league’s Best XI by Austin’s Eddie Johnson and Jamie Watson and Rochester’s Aaron Pitchkolan and Troy Roberts.

U.S. Soccer announced today that Portland Timbers midfielder Ryan Pore was named the 2010 USSF Division-2 Pro League Goal-Scoring Champion as the league’s leading goal scorer. He finished the regular season with a league-best 15 goals. In addition to leading the league in goals, Pore, 27, also led the league in scoring with 35 points and ranked among league leaders with five assists.
 

Maxwell Griffin has been named the USSF Division 2-Pro League Rookie of the year after a season that saw him finish tied for third in the league in points with 25 as the Aztex finished with the second-best regular season record. Griffin scored 10 goals and added five assists for the Aztex, trailing only Eddie Johnson for the team lead in both goals and points.