Report: Portland Hearts of Pine to Potentially Field Women's Team
The women’s team is targeted to be in the pre-professional USL W League, with 2027 the earliest it would likely see the field.
With the news of Vermont Green FC launching a women’s team contingent on the Northeast division of the USL W League having five teams, the Portland Hearts of Pine could soon follow.
According to Steve Craig of the Portland Press Herald, the USL League One is exploring potentially adding a women’s squad. 2027 would be the potential target launch date.
“If we were to launch in 2027, what would be our third men’s season, that would be a pretty fast follow,” Hearts President Kevin Schohl told the Press Herald. “Certainly we would want to make sure some (organizational) positions are solely focused on making sure the women’s team is successful. A head coach would be one, obviously. There would be other roles, too, but we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.”
The feelings are mutual as the USL W League told the Press Herald that the league would be interested in Portland joining the pre-professional league.
“When a club has become a beacon for a passionate community that represents an entire state, you can’t help but have excitement,” USL senior vice president of youth and pre-professional properties Joel Nash said in an email to the Press Herald. “The opportunity for a W League team to inspire and educate young women to pursue their dreams and turn them into reality is completely in line with how the club has grown in a short time.”
Portland actually already has one pre-professional women’s soccer team. Maine Footy recently completed its third season this past summer. The club played a six-game schedule in the United Women’s Soccer League.
But based on the success of Hearts, adding a women’s side makes a lot of sense considering the passionate support it receives at Fitzpatrick Stadium.