Portland Hearts of Pine

Last updated
Portland Hearts of Pine
Portland Hearts of Pine Logo.png
Full namePortland Hearts of Pine
Nickname(s)Hearts [1]
Short namePOR
FoundedSeptember 7, 2023;17 months ago (2023-09-07)
Stadium Fitzpatrick Stadium
Portland, Maine
Capacity6,000
Coordinates 43°39′29″N70°16′36″W / 43.65802°N 70.27668°W / 43.65802; -70.27668
OwnerGabe Hoffman-Johnson; Jonathan and Catherine Culley; Tom Caron
PresidentKevin Schohl
Head coach Bobby Murphy
League USL League One
2025 Inaugural season
Website heartsofpine.com
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

The Portland Hearts of Pine is an American professional soccer team based in Portland, Maine. First announced in 2023, the team plans to play in USL League One beginning in 2025. Their home field is Fitzpatrick Stadium.

Contents

History

On September 7, 2023, the United Soccer League announced that the city of Portland, Maine, had been awarded a USL League One expansion team which would start play in the 2025 season. Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, a former soccer player at Dartmouth College and a standout at nearby Falmouth High School, was announced as the club founder, with the ownership group including local real-estate developers Jonathan and Catherine Culley and NESN broadcaster Tom Caron, a native of Lewiston, Maine. [2]

On April 22, 2024, Kevin Schohl, a former vice president at DraftKings and former executive with AMB Sports and Entertainment, the owner of Major League Soccer club Atlanta United FC, was hired as president and chief business officer. [3]

On September 19, 2024, the team announced that a League One-record 96% of its season ticket deposits had been purchased. [4]

The club named St. Louis City 2 coach Bobby Murphy the team's inaugural head coach and sporting director on November 14, 2024. [5] The club's first player, Trinidadian midfielder Michel Poon-Angeron, was signed on December 17, 2024. [6] The club signed Maine native and Lewiston High School alumnus Khalid Hersi on January 8, 2025. [7]

Club crest and colors

The club's Hearts of Pine nickname and crest were unveiled on April 27, 2024. [8] [9] The crest features a pine tree, waves, and a heart inside of the starburst featured on the Seal of Maine. [10] The font for "Portland" was inspired by the Portland Company building on Portland's waterfront, and the scroll bearing "Hearts of Pine" is a nod to Maine's literary tradition. [11] [12]

The inaugural home jersey was unveiled on November 21, 2024, during a sold-out event at the State Theatre in Portland attended by Maine Governor Janet Mills. [13] [14] The inaugural home jersey, dubbed the "Woods and Water Kit," features forest green and navy blue hoops with red accents on the collar and sleeve cuffs. [15]

The club's inaugural road jersey, nicknamed the "Bandit Kit," was released on February 11, 2025. The kit is white with red hearts in a polka dot pattern, and has navy blue sleeve and collar cuffs. [16]

Sponsorship

SeasonsShirt manufacturerShirt sponsor
2025–present [13] Flag of Denmark.svg Hummel Front: Maine Office of Tourism
Sleeve: L.L.Bean (home), The Dempsey Center (road)

Current roster

As of February 8, 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
— MF Flag of Jamaica.svg  JAM Kemali Green
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Khalid Hersi
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Jaden Jones-Riley
— MF Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  SLE Jay Tee Kamara
— MF Flag of Australia (converted).svg  AUS Patrick Langlois
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Mikey Lopez
— DF Flag of Finland.svg  FIN Samuel Mahlamäki Camacho
— GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Hunter Morse
— MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Nathan Messer
— GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kashope Oladapo
No.Pos.NationPlayer
— MF Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  TRI Michel Poon-Angeron
— DF Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  PUR Colby Quiñones
— MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Mickey Reilly
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Evan Southern
— MF Flag of Cape Verde.svg  CPV Walter Varela
— DF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Sean Vinberg
— FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Titus Washington
— MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Ollie Wright
— DF Flag of Costa Rica.svg  CRC Shandon Wright

Staff

PositionName
Founder Flag of the United States.svg Gabe Hoffman-Johnson
President Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Schohl
Director of Soccer Operations Flag of the United States.svg James Hilepo
Head coach
Sporting director		 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Murphy
Assistant coach Flag of England.svg Alex Ryan
Goalkeeping coach Flag of the United States.svg Yuta Nomura

Stadium

The team plays on Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, negotiating a five-year lease in 2023. The stadium has 6,300 seats. The team funded the installation of a new artificial turf field, which eliminated the Portland High School Bulldogs logo and the sewn-in lines. The team will pay to have the lines painted and removed as needed by the school sports schedule. [17]

References

  1. ↑ "Maine's first pro soccer team reveals new name, logo". News Center Maine. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Portland, Maine granted USL League One franchise". September 7, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  3. ↑ "USL to Portland names Kevin Schohl president, Governor declares "Maine Day of Soccer"". April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Portland Hearts of Pine Sets USL League One Record with 96% Sold". BVM Sports. 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  5. ↑ "Portland Hearts of Pine Name Bobby Murphy First Coach in Club History". Hearts of Pine. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  6. ↑ "Portland Hearts of Pine ink Michel Poon-Angeron as inaugural signing". USL League One. 2024-12-17. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  7. ↑ "Portland Hearts of Pine: First Mainer signs to team ahead of inaugural season". newscentermaine.com. 2025-01-08. Retrieved 2025-01-09.
  8. ↑ "USL League One unveils brand reveal of Portland Hearts of Pine - and it may well be the best crest in North American soccer | Goal.com US". www.goal.com. 2024-04-27. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  9. ↑ "How do you feel about the name of Maine's new pro soccer team, the Portland Hearts of Pine?". Mainebiz. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  10. ↑ Emerson, Anthony (2024-04-28). "Hearts of Pine: Portland's First Pro Soccer Club". Uni Watch. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  11. ↑ Ashton, Alex (2024-05-21). "USL League One 2025 Expansion Updates". Beyond The 90'. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  12. ↑ Bonifant, Drew (27 April 2024). "Portland men's pro soccer team unveils new name: Hearts of Pine". The Press Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Portland Hearts of Pine Unveil Inaugural Home Jersey at State Theatre". Portland Hearts of Pine. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Portland Hearts of Pine release first jersey design". newscentermaine.com. 2024-11-21. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  15. ↑ ""Keeping It Local" — Portland Hearts of Pine Launch Their First Kit". Uni Watch. 2024-11-22. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  16. ↑ "Portland Hearts of Pine Release 'Bandit' Kit". Hearts of Pine. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
  17. ↑ "After lengthy debate, Portland pro soccer team will replace turf at Fitzpatrick Stadium". Maine Public. 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
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