2003 PDL season

The 2003 USL Premier Development League season was the 9th PDL season. The season began in April 2003 and ended in August 2003.

Cape Cod Crusaders finished the season as national champions for the second time, beating Chicago Fire Reserves 2–0 in the PDL Championship game. New Orleans Shell Shockers finished with the best regular season record in the league, winning 16 out of their 18 games, suffering just 2 losses, and finishing with a +35 goal difference.

Cape Cod Crusaders striker Joseph Ngwenya and Vermont Voltage forward Bo Vuckovic were the league's top scorers, each knocking in 17 goals. Des Moines Menace midfielders Tomas Boltnar and Joseph Kabwe and Nashville Metros Ben Buerger led the league with 10 assists each, while Indiana Invaders keeper Christopher Sawyer enjoyed the best goalkeeping statistics, with a goals-against average of 0.287 per game, and Richmond Kickers Future keeper kept 7 clean sheets and had a GAA average of 0.568 in his 12 games.

New franchises

 * Thirteen teams joined the league this year, including twelve brand new franchises:

Folding

 * Ten teams left the league prior to the beginning of the season:
 * Central Coast Roadrunners - San Luis Obispo, California
 * Chicago Eagles Select - Chicago, Illinois
 * Chico Rooks - Chico, California (left to join the newly formed National Premier Soccer League)
 * Dayton Gemini - Dayton, Ohio
 * Denver Cougars - Commerce City, Colorado
 * Los Angeles Heroes - Los Angeles, California
 * Santa Barbara Sharks - Santa Barbara, California (folded during the 2002 season)
 * Seattle Sounders Select - Seattle, Washington (folded during the 2002 season)
 * Tampa Bay Hawks - Tampa, Florida
 * West Michigan Edge - Grand Rapids, Michigan (spending season on hiatus)