Thorns to Honor Champions Saturday

The 2013 NWSL Champion Portland Thorns will be honored during their home opener this Saturday against FC Kansas City.

Bringing home Portland's first professional sports championship since the Portland Trail Blazers' NBA title in 1977, the Thorns defeated FC Kansas City 3-2 in overtime of the semifinal and cruised to a 2-0 victory over Western New York, despite playing down a player the majority of the match, as Christine Sinclair sealed the deal with a second half stoppage time goal.

8 players remain from last season's squad and will receive their championship rings: Sinclair, Tobin Heath, Angie Kerr, Allie Long, Nikki Marshall, Alex Morgan, Mana Shim, and Rachel Van Hollebeke.

The Thorns championship banner will hang above the Rose City Riveters and Timbers Army next to the Timbers' Ring of Honor.

Photo Credit: Jason Dormeyer/Concordia University

Additionally, the Thorns will honor 2013 NAIA Women's Soccer Champions Concordia University Cavaliers at halftime.  Concordia, located in NE Portland, defeated Westmont University 1-0 last December to cap a 21-1-1 season.

The Cavaliers have been an NAIA power for several years in both men's and women's soccer, with conference titles in 17 of their last 18 seasons on the women's side, including reaching at least the semifinal in 8 season and finishing as the runner up 3 times before their first championship last fall.

Concordia currently competes in the NAIA's Cascade Collegiate Conference and have applied to transition into NCAA Division 2 in 2015.