Complete Release (pdf)

WEEK 1: PORTLAND PILOTS (0-0-0, 0-0-0 WCC)
at OREGON STATE BEAVERS (0-0-0, 0-0-0 PAC-12) 

ABOUT THE PILOTS
• The Pilots went 9-4-6 last season and finished third in the West Coast Conference with a 6-3-3 league mark.
• The Pilots matched the 1993 squad for posting the most ties during a season in program history.
• Portland returns 18 letterwinners and eight starters this season, including All-WCC Preseason selections Ryan Kawulok and Steven Evans; Evans is UP’s top returning scorer after registering four goals and four assists last season; Kawulok has started at center back all 62 games during his three-year career.
• Eight newcomers join the Pilots this fall.
• The Pilots were picked to finish fourth in the WCC this season, receiving 21 points in the conference preseason poll among head coaches.
• Director of Soccer and men’s head coach Bill Irwin is in his ninth year at the helm of the soccer program and in his 25th year overall on the UP staff.
• Key losses from last season include Jarad vanSchaik, who is currently playing for the Puerto Rico Islanders of the NASL; vanSchaik had eight goals and three assists as a senior last year; also gone is Ryan Luke, Portland’s second top scorer last year with six goals, and four-year starting goalkeeper Austin Guerrero.
• Portland has reached two College Cups (1988, 1995), while making 14 overall postseason appearances, most recently in 2009. 

FOR STARTERS
• The Pilots are 20-8-6 all-time in season openers.
• The majority of UP’s season openers have come at home, with the Pilots posting a 16-7-5 record when opening the season in Portland.
• The Pilots are 4-1-1 in season openers played on the road.
• The last time UP began a season on the road was 2000 when the Pilots defeated Indiana 3-0 in Bloomington.
• Portland is 2-4-4 in its last 10 season openers and is seeking its first W on opening day since 2004.
• UP and Oregon State have faced each other in a season opener once before, with the Pilots defeating the Beavers 5-0 in Portland in 1989. 

THE IRON HORSE
• Senior defender Ryan Kawulok has not only appeared in every game during his three-year career on The Bluff, but he’s also been a starter in all 62 games.
• He’s earned all-conference recognition all three years, including landing on the All-WCC First Team as a junior, and he was voted Preseason All-WCC this fall.
• Kawulok has eight career goals and he helped the Pilots post six shutouts last season.
• He played with the Portland Timbers U-23 team during the past two summers, landing on the Premier Development League’s 2011 All-Western Conference Team. 

BACK FOR AN ENCORE
• Last season, midfielder Steven Evans became the first Pilot to be named the WCC’s Freshman of the Year since Michael Gavin in 2004.
• Evans was also named to the all-conference second team and the all-freshman team, while landing on the College Soccer News All-Freshman Third Team in 2010.
• Evans is Portland’s top returning scorer after notching four goals and four assists (12 points) last season.
• He was voted to the All-WCC Preseason Team this fall. 

IN GOOD HANDS
• Four-year starting goalkeeper Austin Guerrero may be gone, but redshirt-sophomore Justin Baarts is more than ready to step in to fill the void.
• Baarts is no rookie after answering the call when needed during the 2009 NCAA postseason.
• As a freshman, Baarts was called on during overtime of an NCAA First Round game at New Mexico on Nov. 19; he helped the Pilots win that game against the Lobos before starting and playing every minute during a 2-1 win at NC State in the NCAA Third Round.
• He has three career saves and a 0.95 goals against average in 94:58 minutes played after utilizing his redshirt season last fall.
• Justin is one of three Baarts in the UP program, as cousin Tyler is a sophomore defender and uncle Rob is an assistant coach. 

HOME SWEET MERLO
• The Pilots have ranked in the top 15 in home attendance nationally in 13 of the past 16 years, including the nation’s top attendance in 1996.
• Last season, Portland was 17th in the country with total attendance of 13,849 and a per game average of 1,539.
• The Pilots have posted an all-time record of 124-44-17 (.716) at the friendly confines. 

LIVE ON THE AM DIAL
• KPDQ 800 AM will once again be the Pilots’ home on the radio as the True Talk Station and UP enter another year as broadcast partners.
• KPDQ will broadcast Portland’s home game against San Diego on Oct. 7 and the Pilots’ home match against Santa Clara on Nov. 13. 

NATIONAL EXPOSURE
• Portland will also be featured on national television this season as the home tilt against San Diego on Oct. 7 will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel.

A NEW LOOK
• For the first time in more than 30 years, the West Coast Conference has a new member as Brigham Young University formally joined the WCC last summer.
• The Cougars, who do not feature a men’s soccer program, will field a team in 11 of the Conference’s 13 sponsored sports.
• With the change in membership, the WCC launched its new brand identity with a new logo (which can be seen in the far right column).
• It’s the WCC’s first visual change since 1995. 

THEY DON’T CALL IT ‘GAMECENTRAL’ FOR NOTHING
• UP is entering its second year of providing fans with ‘GameCentral’, which is a free portal via PortlandPilots.com that offers live video, live audio and live stats all on the same page.
• ‘GameCentral’ is available for every home game that is not scheduled for a national television broadcast.
• The internet broadcast will feature a three-to-four camera production this season, instant replays, in-game live and taped interviews and on-screen graphics. 

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