PORTLAND, Ore. --- Leonard Griffin is the new head coach of the men's soccer program at the University of San Francisco, it was announced on Thursday afternoon. Griffin takes over the Dons after helping guide the Pilots to a West Coast Conference Championship and two NCAA Playoff berths in the past three years.
 
"I'd like to thank Nick Carlin-Voigt, the coaching staff and players for an unforgettable time on the Bluff!" Griffin said. "My experience here has fully prepared me for the next step in my career. I'd also like to thank Scott Leykam, Karen Peters and the rest of the Pilot administration for their unconditional support. I will miss my time here on the Bluff, but I'm extremely excited to use my experience to help the University of San Francisco men's soccer program reach new heights."
 
"I couldn't be more delighted and proud of USF naming Leonard as their new head coach," said Carlin-Voigt, Portland's head coach. "Working with him closely over the past five years, Leonard and I developed a great relationship both on and off the field to build culture and a family environment. Leonard is a trusted colleague, good coach and even better human being. I thank him for believing in our blueprint here at Portland. I also want to wish Paige and his children Ravi and Sienna all the best as they have also been part of our extended family. While we will deeply miss them, we couldn't be more excited for their new journey at USF."

Griffin joined the Portland men's staff as an assistant coach after Carlin-Voigt took over the program in 2016. That first season saw immediate results as the Pilots won their first WCC title since 2002 and reached the postseason for the first time since 2009.
 
The Pilots returned to the playoffs in 2018 after opening the year with record of 10-0-3 to climb to No. 7 in the national rankings. Portland entered the national rankings during the third week of the fall and remained there for the remainder of the year, and by the end of the regular season they had suffered only three losses, which was the fewest since 1995.
 
Portland earned a first-round home match against UCLA, and the game last fall was the first home playoff contest for the Pilots since 2002. The 1-0 win over the Bruins sent Portland to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
 
During his time on The Bluff, Griffin helped assemble the nation's third ranked, fifth ranked, and 17th ranked recruiting classes in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.