Portland Hearts of Pine appoints Ray Saari as sporting director

The Portland Hearts of Pine have appointed Ray Saari as the franchise’s new sporting director. Saari will oversee roster construction for the men’s professional team and the women’s pre-professional squad, which is slated to begin play in 2027.

Saari joins the organization from El Paso Locomotive, where he served as technical director. His new role involves scouting, roster building, and player acquisitions. With this appointment, Bobby Murphy will transition from his dual role to focus solely on serving as the team’s head coach.

Saari cited the development of the women’s team and the club’s plans for a soccer-specific stadium as primary motivators for his move. The franchise recently reported high interest in its women’s team, selling 5,000 season-ticket deposits within one hour earlier this summer.