The United States Soccer Federation unveiled the schedule and playoff format for the 2010 USSF Division II league. The season kicks off April 10 and will conclude October 3 with three rounds of playoffs concluding with a two-leg, aggregate score series for the championship.

The Austin Aztex announced that they will host the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer in a preseason friendly on Sunday, March 14 at Nelson Field. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale immediately by visiting www.austinaztex.com or by calling 512-335-8881.

The Portland Timbers will face Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC in a preseason match Thursday, March 11, at 6 p.m. at Qwest Field in Seattle. In support of relief efforts in Haiti following the recent earthquake, the Timbers and University of Portland men’s soccer have joined together to host a special charity match on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. at Merlo Field. All proceeds from the match benefit Mercy Corps. The club also set a friendly versus the Earthquakes in San Jose March 20.

FC New York club executives visited the world’s oldest soccer club, Sheffield FC, as part of their week-long fact-finding visit to the U.K. recently.

USLsoccer.com continues its look at the best and most influential USL First Division players of the past decade with number 17 on the Top 25, Bill Gaudette. The standout goalkeeper has left his mark not only in USL-1, but the CONCACAF Champions League.

As many of you may have noticed in the past week, we at USL have been a lot more active on our previously established social media homes at Facebook and Twitter. Well, that is just the tip of the iceberg of our upcoming efforts to help Grow the Game in North America.