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Portland Hearts of Pine

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Portland Hearts of Pine
Full namePortland Hearts of Pine
Nickname(s)Hearts[1]
Short namePOR
FoundedSeptember 7, 2023; 19 months ago (2023-09-07)
StadiumFitzpatrick Stadium
Portland, Maine
Capacity6,300
Coordinates43°39′29″N 70°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 coachBobby Murphy
LeagueUSL League One
2025Inaugural season
Websiteheartsofpine.com
Current season

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

History

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Founding

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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]

Inaugural season

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The club played its first ever competitive match, a 4–0 victory over CD Faialense of the Bay State Soccer League in the U.S. Open Cup, on March 20, 2025.[8] The club's first ever goal was scored in the 18th minute by Walter Varela.[8] The match was played at Lewiston High School due to ongoing renovations at Fitzpatrick Stadium. A second U.S. Open Cup match was played at Lewiston High School against USL Championship team Hartford Athletic on April 2. After ending the 90 tied 0–0, the Hearts were reduced to ten men after an Azaad Liadi red card in the 96th minute, and went down 1–0 to a 107th minute Hartford goal through Jordan Scarlett. In the 117th minute, Jake Keegan equalized for the Hearts, sending the match to penalties. The Hearts converted all four penalties while Hartford missed two, sending the Hearts through to the third round of the Open Cup in an upset.[9] They were eliminated in the following round after a 2–1 defeat to Rhode Island FC.[10]

The team's first league match was a 0–0 draw on the road against FC Naples on March 29, 2025.[11] After another 0–0 draw at Spokane Velocity, The club's first goal in league play was scored by captain Patrick Langlois in the club's third league match, a 2–1 defeat to Tormenta FC in Statesboro, Georgia.[12]

Club crest and colors

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The club's Hearts of Pine nickname and crest were unveiled on April 27, 2024.[13][14] The crest features a pine tree, waves, and a heart inside of the starburst featured on the Seal of Maine.[15] 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.[16][17]

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.[18][19] 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.[20]

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.[21]

The club released two goalkeeper kits for its inaugural season: a red primary keeper with a brick motif, nicknamed the "Brick Wall Kit", and a blue secondary keeper kit, designed to look like the Welcome to Maine signs at the state's borders, called the "Welcome to Maine Kit."[22]

Sponsorship

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Seasons Shirt manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2025–present[18] Denmark Hummel Front: Maine Office of Tourism
Sleeve: L.L.Bean (home)
The Dempsey Center (away)
Brickyard Hollow (primary keeper)
Trellis Health (secondary keeper)

Current roster

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As of March 18, 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. Nation Player
1 GK United States USA Hunter Morse
2 DF United States USA Jaden Jones-Riley
3 DF England ENG Nathan Messer
4 DF Finland FIN Samuel Mahlamäki Camacho
5 MF United States USA Mikey Lopez
6 MF Australia AUS Patrick Langlois (captain)[23]
7 DF United States USA Sean Vinberg
8 MF Trinidad and Tobago TRI Michel Poon-Angeron
9 FW United States USA Azaad Liadi (on loan from Lexington SC)
10 MF England ENG Ollie Wright
11 FW United States USA Evan Southern
12 FW United States USA Jake Keegan
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 FW United States USA Titus Washington
17 MF United States USA Mickey Reilly
19 DF Costa Rica CRC Shandon Wright
21 DF Puerto Rico PUR Colby Quiñones
22 FW Cape Verde CPV Walter Varela
23 GK United States USA Kashope Oladapo
47 MF Trinidad and Tobago TRI Nathaniel James
66 DF Jamaica JAM Kemali Green
77 MF Japan JPN Masashi Wada
80 MF Sierra Leone SLE Jay Tee Kamara
90 MF United States USA Khalid Hersi

Staff

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

Stadium

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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.[24]

References

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  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. ^ a b "Portland Hearts of Pine: Forward Varela scores team's first ever goal on birthday". newscentermaine.com. 2025-03-20. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
  9. ^ "Portland Hearts of Pine stun USL Championship side Hartford Athletic to advance to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup | Goal.com Singapore". www.goal.com. 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  10. ^ Craig, Steve (2025-04-16). "Rhode Island FC ousts Hearts of Pine in U.S. Open Cup". Press Herald. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  11. ^ "Hearts of Pine Hold League Leaders to Draw on Road in Debut Match". Hearts of Pine. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  12. ^ Macomber, Seth. "Portland Hearts of Pine v. Tormenta: Three Thoughts". www.theblazingmusket.com. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "How do you feel about the name of Maine's new pro soccer team, the Portland Hearts of Pine?". Mainebiz. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  15. ^ Emerson, Anthony (2024-04-28). "Hearts of Pine: Portland's First Pro Soccer Club". Uni Watch. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  16. ^ Ashton, Alex (2024-05-21). "USL League One 2025 Expansion Updates". Beyond The 90'. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  17. ^ Bonifant, Drew (27 April 2024). "Portland men's pro soccer team unveils new name: Hearts of Pine". The Press Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Portland Hearts of Pine Unveil Inaugural Home Jersey at State Theatre". Portland Hearts of Pine. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  19. ^ "Portland Hearts of Pine release first jersey design". newscentermaine.com. 2024-11-21. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  20. ^ ""Keeping It Local" — Portland Hearts of Pine Launch Their First Kit". Uni Watch. 2024-11-22. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  21. ^ "Portland Hearts of Pine Release 'Bandit' Kit". Hearts of Pine. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
  22. ^ "Keeper Kits". Hearts of Pine SC. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  23. ^ Macomber, Seth (March 24, 2025). "Hearts of Pine Notebook: Messer's Free Kick, Captain Pat, And Praise For Fans". Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  24. ^ "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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