By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
The USPHL and the Columbia Infantry are proud to announce that the Infantry will be moving to the Southeast Division in each of the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite Conferences for the 2023-24 season.
The move came about as the Nashville Spartans have recently moved from the Southeast to the Great Lakes Division, and the Florida Division added the expansion Bold City Battalion, based in Jacksonville, Fla. With this move, and the additional move of the Buffalo Stampede to the Great Lakes Division, each of these three Premier divisions will number six teams in 2023-24.
“I am very excited for our organization to join the Southeast Division next season,” said Jacob Smulevitch, Head Coach and Assistant General Manager for the Infantry, who play out of Flight Adventure Park in Columbia, S.C. “It is full of championship culture with multiple National Championships won by Charlotte, Carolina, Richmond, and Hampton Roads. In addition, Potomac is now a powerhouse as well. Each and every weekend feels like a playoff series.
“Widely considered the best division in the USPHL, I think that playing in the Southeast will provide our players with even more looks at the Tier 2 and collegiate levels,” Smulevitch added. “As our goal is player development and advancement, I think this move will help us even further with that.”
Smulevitch has history within the division as he is a past coach in the Charlotte Rush organization, helming their USPHL Elite team in 2021-22 as Head Coach, and helping to run the Premier bench as an Assistant Coach the same season.
Similarly, the Infantry are no strangers to the Southeast Division – they played two home-and-home series against each of the Charlotte Rush and Carolina Jr. Hurricanes at each of the Premier and Elite levels last year. They also played all other Southeast teams either once or twice in showcase games.
“We know moving to this Division will be no easy task but we are excited for the challenge and look forward to hopefully making our first playoff appearance in franchise history in the gauntlet of the Southeast this year,” he added.
The USPHL wishes the Columbia Infantry the best of luck in the Southeast Division in 2023-24.
