OVERLAND, Kan. – Portland Pilots men's soccer goalkeeper George Tasouris and women's soccer forward Taryn Ries have been named two of 60 candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award for soccer. They are the first Pilot student-athletes to earn nominations for the award since 2015, when Portland men's basketball's Thomas van der Mars was named a candidate.

The Senior CLASS Award – CLASS standing for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School –  celebrates student-athletes who have used all their athletic eligibility to the fullest extent and have excelled both on and off the field. In order to qualify for the award, a student-athlete must be a senior or graduate-student who thrives in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition.

Tasouris joined the Pilots this season after spending the past three at Grand Canyon University. With the Antelopes, The Cyprus native won WAC Defensive Player of the Year in the 2020-21 season, earned All-WAC honors three times and was named the WAC Tournament MVP in 2018. Earlier this year, Tasouris was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the Hermann Trophy being the most prestigious individual award a player can earn in their collegiate career. Tasouris was also named to the 2020-21 All-WAC Academic Team.

Ries, meanwhile, has been with the Pilots since her freshman year and has put together an impressive career. She has earned the All-WCC First Team honors the past three seasons and has earned United Soccer Coaches All-West Region honors twice, making the second team in 2018 and the third team in 2019. She was also named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-West Region Second Team in 2019 and has earned WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention three times.

For the full list of candidates, click on the link below.

SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATES