Portland Timbers 2 (or T2) opens its second USL season on Saturday as the team travels to the Midwest to face Swope Park Rangers, a USL expansion team affiliated with Sporting Kansas City of MLS.
T2 then returns home Saturday, April 2, to play host to Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 in its home opener at Merlo Field at 7 p.m.; tickets are available.
With the 2016 season on the horizon, here's a quick primer on what's new in 2016.
New Coach
Former USL Timbers player and Portland native Andrew Gregor was appointed the team's new head coach in January. Gregor previously served as an assistant coach for T2 during their inaugural 2015 season and also guided the Portland Timbers Academy U-16 and U-18 sides in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy for parts of the past two seasons.
There are several new players on the roster this season. To learn more about each player on the squad, click here.
Merlo Field
In 2016, T2 will play the majority of its home matches at historic Merlo Field at the University of Portland. In May, however, T2 will play three home matches (on May 7, 21 and 26) at Providence Park. On June 4, the team will play a special out-of-market match against Swope Park Rangers at Rocky Mountain High School in Meridian, Idaho, located just outside of Boise.
How to Follow T2
T2 plays a 30-game, regular-season schedule in 2016, and there are several ways to follow the club all season long. Every match - home and away - will be available to watch via a live stream at www.timbers.com/t2-live. You can also check in with the team throughout the week on social media via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Where Can I Get T2 Tickets?
Single-game tickets for T2 matches - at Merlo Field or Providence Park - start at $8, and you can purchase tickets anytime online. There are some unique group ticket opportunities for T2, including the chance to talk out onto the field with the Starting XI; click here to learn more.
New Teams in USL
The USL expanded from 24 to 29 teams for 2016. The new teams include: Swope Park Rangers, Orlando City B, Rio Grande Valley FC, FC Cincinnati, Bethlehem Steel FC, San Antonio FC. The Austin Aztex organization, a part of the league in 2015, has gone on hiatus for the 2016 season.
About USL
The United Soccer League is the officially sanctioned third division of professional soccer in the United States. Since 2014, the USL has more than doubled in size and formed an exclusive partnership with Major League Soccer. T2 plays in USL's Western Conference, which in 2016 includes 15 teams.
