PORTLAND, Ore --- Portland men's soccer first-year head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt has been busy since arriving on The Bluff, and he's already pieced together the 17th-ranked recruiting class in the nation, according to Top Drawer Soccer.
 
Carlin-Voigt has already confirmed the official signing of five incoming recruits, with more announcements expected soon.
 
"We are very excited about our 2016 recruiting class, which we have been able to assemble in a very short window," Carlin-Voigt said. "We also have a few more additions we will announce later, and we welcome this exciting and diverse group of players to The Bluff. I know the impact of the class will be felt immediately as many of these student-athletes had several options but selected Soccer City USA as they believed in our vision of character and leadership. All of these new players are incredibly hungry to help the program reestablish itself. They are excited to assimilate with our group of incredibly driven returning players who have been working very hard this spring."
 
Carlin-Voigt took over a UP program rich in tradition as the Pilots claim men's soccer alums Kasey Keller, Steve Cherundolo, Conor Casey, Heath Pearce, and reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Luis Robles. In 1988, legendary coach Clive Charles led Keller and the Pilots to the school's first ever NCAA College Cup. Portland has been to two NCAA College Cups and has made 14 trips to the NCAA Playoffs.
 
A renowned recruiter at both UCLA and George Mason prior to his arrival at UP, Carlin-Voigt's first recruit to Portland was Rey Ortiz. He has since added standout prep players Billy Garton, Gio Magaña-Rivera, Drew Boyd and Benji Michel.
 
"Our recruiting goal as a program is to attract not only the best character and talent across the country, but to also protect our borders and sign the top local players from the Pacific Northwest," added Carlin-Voigt. "We were fortunate to be able to add the Portland Timbers U-18 leading goal scorer and Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year, and it's now up to these new Pilots to continue to work hard and stay humble, while upholding the legacy and traditions of Portland soccer established by the great Clive Charles."
 
The Pilots should feature a veteran squad next fall, despite adding the sizable recruiting class. Portland lost just one senior to graduation last season.
 
"I would like to thank all of our current players for being wonderful ambassadors of the program while hosting these incoming players," Carlin-Voigt said. "They welcomed them with open arms, which speaks to the spirit of community on campus. Special recognition should go to assistant coaches Leonard Griffin and Brandon McNeil for their tireless work in the process. Furthermore this class wouldn't have been possible without the help of our administration and special credit to Ryan McAlvey, Andy Patton, Buzz Stroud, Scott Leykam, Jason McDonald, Bill Reed and Karen Peters for all of their work behind the scenes to assist our recruiting efforts."
 
More Links
- Rey Ortiz Inks NLI to Join the Pilots
- Pilots Land Real Salt Lake Academy Recruit as Billy Garton Signs NLI
- Gio Magaña-Rivera Commits to Pilots, Signs NLI
- Pilots Add Drew Boyd to Growing Recruiting Class
- Montverde Academy's Benji Michel Joins the Incoming Men's Soccer Recruiting Class