PORTLAND, Ore. – University of Portland women's soccer head coach Michelle French announced that Molly Dwyer has joined the staff as the new director of operations.

"With Molly's career as a player, her relevant experience in the director of operations position and her proven drive and desire to continue to grow and educate herself, she is a fantastic hire for our program," French said. "She is detail-oriented and shares a passion for the game which will no doubt bring another level of organization and excitement to the program!"

Dwyer joins the program after most recently serving as the assistant director of operations intern and as a training player for NWSL club Racing Louisville FC. Prior to her time with Racing, Dwyer served as an assistant coach as well as the director of operations for the University of North Carolina Asheville for two years.

Dwyer played college soccer at Furman University, graduating from Furman in 2018 with a degree in business administration with a focus on communication studies. She also received a master's degree in business with marketing management at Northumbria University in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England.

The Pilots return all but two players from last year's squad while adding eight newcomers. They will play an exhibition match against Bellevue College on Aug. 13 before starting their regular season on the road against the Utah Utes. That game is set for Thursday, Aug. 19 with kickoff at 6 p.m.