CMS Men's Soccer Announces Signings of Matthew Portillo and Joseph Portillo
CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer team added two new members for the 2023 season, as Matthew Portillo and Joseph Portillo signed letters of intent to join the Stags on Saturday afternoon.
Matthew Portillo and Joseph Portillo have previously been members of Team IMPACT, and their presence is expected to provide an immediate boost to CMS and its pursuit of a conference championship. Their contributions will be significant off the field, in particular, where they already impacted the Stags even before their signings.
Tommy Brown, a junior midfielder, was closely involved in the recruiting process as a team host during the Portillos official visit, and he was particularly excited when they made their commitment official on Saturday.
"I think I speak for everybody who has interacted with Matthew and Joseph and their entire family," said Brown at the signing ceremony, "when I say that every time you guys come by and every time we get to see you guys, you put a smile on our faces. We've already built some great memories and I'm looking forward to a lot more together."
Edward Cartee joined the CMS men's soccer program as the new head coach this past offseason, and was able to finalize the commitment from the Portillo Brothers. It was an impressive recruiting win for the rookie head coach, given that the Portillos were highly-sought after recruits, who many teams in Southern California were interested in signing.
"You are very inspiring to us," Cartee told Matthew Portillo and Joseph Portillo at their official signing. "You have a positive attitude, you persevere when you face challenges, and we hope that our team will also be people you remember when you face challenges. We're really, really glad we are friends, and we are now really excited that we get to be teammates as well."
The addition of Matthew Portillo and Joseph Portillo to the CMS roster paid immediate dividends, as two hours after their signing ceremony was completed, they were announced in the starting lineup against Whittier, and the Stags went on to a 7-1 win. It was the most goals for CMS since 2018 against Providence Christian, and the most goals in a SCIAC game since a 7-0 win over Caltech in 2014.
The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer team, including its two newest members, Matthew Portillo and Joseph Portillo, will be back in action on Saturday when they play at Pomona-Pitzer at 4 p.m.
About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program matches children facing serious illness and disability with college athletic teams across the country. Our mission is to guide children and teams alike in a mutually beneficial relationship of belonging, empowerment, and resilience.
Through this program, our vision is to create a world where every child facing serious illness and disability feels supported by something bigger and every team is transformed by a greater purpose. When we're all in together, we all win together.
To learn more about Team IMPACT, visit www.teamimpact.org