The Austin Aztex will be the lone holdout, team President Phil Rawlins confirmed today, as team owners submit a proposal to reorganize Division 2 pro soccer for next season. Rawlins said the Aztex "will not be participating" in the North American Soccer League proposal, adding that "the bid fails to meet several of the [USSF's mandatory] criteria.”

The Raleigh News & Observer reported Tuesday that the NASL will submit its bid to the U.S. Soccer Federation this week to operate the Division 2 soccer league starting next year. Of the 12 teams in this year’s D-2, nine have joined with the NASL; with the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps moving up to Major League Soccer, that leaves only the Austin Aztex under the United Soccer Leagues banner.

But Aztex Chief Executive Officer Djorn Buchholz says he's happy with the Aztex’s position; Rawlins has kept all the team's options open, and “as we’ve said all along … we’ll be playing second division soccer next year,” wherever that turns out to be.

Rawlins clarified a bit later in a written statement: “Austin Aztex are not an NASL affiliated club and as such will not be participating in their proposal. The NASL bid fails to meet several of the criteria laid down as ‘mandatory’ for sanctioning by the USSF.”

If Rawlins is right, and the USSF does turn down the NASL bid, the feds will likely run the league directly again as the “USSF Division 2.” If they by some chance accept the NASL proposal – and most of its members do meet the USSF’s new viability standards – then I expect the Aztex will join almost immediately, and be warmly welcomed.