PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots men's soccer buoyed their midfield group by bringing in Justin Nelson. Nelson will join the Pilots for the 2026 fall season.
"Justin is a player we're very excited about because of the flexibility and attacking quality he provides," Carlin-Voigt said. "His background at Rollins and their run to the national championship shows the type of high-level environment he's been a part of and we have a good track record of other players making the jump from D-2 to Portland like Nick Denley and Anton Hjalmarsson. Justin is comfortable in multiple attacking roles, has excellent technical ability with his left foot, and we believe he'll add depth and competitiveness to our program."
Nelson scored 10 goals and notched five assists for Rollins College while leading the Tars to the Division II NCAA Tournament Final. His 25 points led Rollins as well and ranked fifth. The Portmore, Jamaica, native led Rollins in goals and points and played a key role in the Tars second National title appearance. Rollins was voted to the All-SSC second team while finishing fourth in the conference in goals, fifth in points and seventh in assists. Her CSC Academic All-District honors as well.
"I chose Portland for its professional culture as well as my desire of stepping out of my comfort zone," Nelson said. "I've made it to where I am today by putting myself in competitive and demanding environments and University of Portland ticked both of those boxes. Portland is an elite soccer program and when paired with a strong community and fan base I couldn't think of a better place to be at. I look forward to playing as Pilot in this upcoming fall on the beautiful Merlo Field."
Momentum is strong for Portland, who put together one of the best seasons in program history this past season. Their 14-2-4 record gave them their best winning percentage since 1988 (.800) and helped them earn the 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament. It was the third time in program history the Pilots have earned the first-round bye and the second time under Carlin-Voigt. They advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time under Carlin-Voigt and third time since 1995, becoming one of just four programs to reach the Elite Eight twice in the last four years. It was the first time they've ever hosted the Elite Eight as well.
The Pilots were ranked in the top 10 nationally from Sept. 9 onward, including ranking as high as first in the nation. It was the first time in program history the Pilots have ranked first overall in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Along with the team success, the Pilots have had eight players selected to the MLS SuperDraft the last three seasons and three players earn invites to U.S. Men's National Team camps. Three of the Pilots' most recent MLS SuperDraft selections – Efetobo Aror (12
th overall in 2025), Joe Highfield (11
th overall in 2026) and Nikos Clarke-Tosczak (19
th overall in 2026) – have all elected to return for the 2026 season as well, and the Pilots added another MLS SuperDraft pick in Isaac Emojong earlier this season.
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