The East Region in 2018 will host 23 clubs divided into four conferences, including the reorganized Ohio Valley Conference.

Each club will play either six or eight regular season matches, depending on its conference.

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

The Colonial Conference is set with four teams. This conference includes the states of Maryland and Virginia as well as Washington, D.C.

Last year’s Old Dominion Cesena USA team struggled on both sides of the ball, averaging less than a goal scored per game while conceding more than two. A move from the top-heavy Mid-Atlantic Conference might help it find more success this year.

In two years of WPSL play, the Washington Spirit Reserves have not lost a regular season match. The club looks poised to continue their dominant form in 2018. Although the Legacy 76 organization dates back to 1976, its WPSL team made its debut last year and earned three victories.

Last season was an aberration for Virginia Beach City FC with its worst performance to date in WPSL play. The organization, which operates a NPSL club, is looking to return to form with an announced a partnership with D.C. United of Major League Soccer.

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

This conference comprises of five teams from New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

The NJ Wildcats organization has been a major part of New Jersey soccer for more than 20 years. Its WPSL team is entering its third season with two years of consistently strong performances.

Longtime member Long Island Fury is a WPSL pillar having played a dozen seasons in the league. The club rebounded last year following a disappointing 2016 season, winning two of its final three matches 3-0.

New York Athletic Club had an uncharacteristically poor season last year, having finished at the top of the Mid-Atlantic conference in 2016. With a new coach at the helm, the club is likely to rebound and contend for the conference title.

SUSA FC is one of two expansion clubs in the conference, but it is not new to women’s soccer. The organization has existed since 2001 and is the largest soccer academy on Long Island.

Rhode Island Rogues, the other expansion club, will serve as the top women’s side in the Providence City FC organization, which was founded in 2016. The men’s club has already seen a fair bit of success, a good indicator for the women’s side.

MID-ATLANTIC CONFERENCE

The conference features five teams, all which are based in Pennsylvania. Torch FC has regularly finished in the top half of its conference and lost only one match last season.

Last season’s Penn Fusion team missed out on consecutive conference titles via goal differential. In two seasons of WPSL play, it has won 16 of 33 matches compared to only two losses.

Lehigh Valley Tempest made its WPSL debut last season with a strong season. The club has since promoted last season’s coach Rob Rooney to vice president and has hired Kutztown University coach Erik Burstein as his replacement.

Philly Fever had a sophomore slump last season following a strong debut campaign. However, it finished the 2017 season strong with a 7-1 home victory.

Hershey Soccer Club has had ups and downs during the past three seasons. After winning five matches in 2015, it won only one in 2016. But it rebounded with four victories in 2017.

OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE

The conference comprises of six club that played in the Central Region in 2017, the Empire Revs moving from the Mid-Atlantic Conference and two expansion clubs in Indy Saints FC and AAFC Lumberjills. At nine clubs, it is the largest conference in the WPSL this season.

FC Pride finished second in its conference in 2017 behind eventual league champions Fire & Ice SC. Conference realignment has split those two clubs into separate regions for the upcoming summer fixtures.

Columbus Eagles also improved in 2017 and finished third, its best placing since joining the league. Cincinnati Sirens are looking to bounce back after they had only one win and one draw last season.

Motor City FC finished ahead of Cleveland Ambassadors last season, and both clubs were easily among last season conference’s strongest.

Steel City FC has the unusual distinction of having no ties during the past two seasons. Empire Revs will be glad to play in a much less top-heavy conference this season, for they lost nine of their 11 matches in 2017.

Two expansion clubs, Indy Saints FC in Indianapolis and AAFC Lumberjills in Ann Arbor, enter the conference and will provide regional derbies with FC Pride and Motor City FC, respectively.