UPSL Expands Further into Midwest, United West FC Founder Salvatore Vilardi Named Conference Manager

April 11th, 2023

With conferences across the country already underway for the start of the Spring season, the UPSL is proud to announce further expansion into the Midwest Region. Leading the Midwest East as Conference Manager this year, will be United West Football Club co-founder Salvatore Vilardi.  

The UPSL continues to serve as one of the only semi-professional soccer leagues in the area—presenting a unique opportunity for high-level soccer players in the area to compete for a potential National Championship. Vilardi spoke about the growth of the UPSL in the Midwest. 

“The UPSL is an opportunity for this region to show off its talent on a national stage. The league also provides local teams the opportunity to compete against other teams and talent that it would not normally compete against.” 
 
“My goals are to increase the awareness of the talent that exists in the Michigan-region.  I’m also looking to bring in teams of all levels into both the Premier and Division 1. I’m very excited to be a part of the league’s growth.” 

The teams set to compete in the UPSL Midwest East Conference this Spring: 

  • Detroit United (Detroit, Michigan) 
  • United West FC (Grand Rapids, Michigan) 
  • Cedars FC (Dearborn, Michigan) 
  • Nationals Soccer (Detroit, Michigan) 
  • Alianza FC (Detroit, Michigan) 
  • FK Olimpik Macomb (Macomb, Michigan) 
  • Shabab Alyemen FC (Dearborn, Michigan) 
  • Motor City FC (Detroit, Michigan) 

United West FC Head Coach Rogelio Giron Jr spoke about what role the conference plays for his club. 

“As head coach, it’s my job to provide players with the understanding of their responsibilities on the pitch and present them with the challenges that allows them to take their game to the next level. Taking part in the UPLS will continue to fulfill our mission of connecting local talent to opportunities at the highest level. We look forward to competing this spring and challenging for the Midwest East conference title. 

The UPSL Midwest East conference began play last week with long-time UPSL team Detroit United defeating newcomers Motor City. Detroit United were last year’s Midwest East champions, having finished one point ahead of the second-place team. Expect this year’s title race to be just as dramatic as last season with more teams coming in. For more information and to view the latest standings in the Midwest East conference, please visit staging.upsl.com.

About United Premier Soccer League 

The UPSL was formed in 2011 and occupies the unofficial fourth tier of US Soccer. Across its Premier, Division 1 and Womens leagues there are more than 400 teams competing nationwide. The UPSL is now the largest Pro Development League in North America and is a National Affiliate member of the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated. UPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the league’s affiliation with USSF. 

More information about UPSL can be found at www.staging.upsl.com or by following the league on Facebook (facebook.com/upslsoccer), Instagram (@upslsoccer) and Twitter (@upslsoccer). 

Contact UPSL: [email protected] / Media: [email protected]