BROOKLYN, N.Y. – One of LIU Brooklyn men's soccer's most distinguished alumni, and both an LIU and Northeast Conference Hall of Famer, former Blackbird Giovanni Savarese was named the head coach of Major League Soccer's Portland Timbers, the club announced Monday.

Savarese, the third head coach in the club's MLS history, brings over 25 years of professional experience as a player and coach to the Timbers organization, most recently serving as the head coach and sporting director of the New York Cosmos where he led the club to three Soccer Bowl championships in five seasons in the North American Soccer League (NASL).
 
Savarese, 46, will be formally introduced as the Timbers new head coach during a press conference in early January.
 
Savarese earned numerous honors while playing for the Blackbirds in downtown Brooklyn; the 1992 NEC Player of the Year, he was also a three-time All-NEC honoree, a First Team NSCAA All-American, and a two-time All-New York Region first team selection.
 
As a junior, he ranked fifth in the nation with 21 goals. Savarese finished his career with 50 goals and 23 assists in 71 games. He ranks sixth on LIU's career goal scoring list and was elected to the LIU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. He was also entered into the NEC's Hall of Fame as a member of the 2015-16 class.
 
A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Savarese joins the Timbers after spending the past five seasons as the head coach and sporting director of the New York Cosmos, where he developed one of the most successful clubs in the NASL, compiling a 65-26-44 record in 135 regular-season games, including a career-best 20-7-5 record in 2016 and an undefeated NASL Spring Season in 2015.
 
Savarese enjoyed an 18-year professional playing career, including five seasons in Major League Soccer, scoring 159 goals in 322 games played in various leagues in the United States, Venezuela, Italy and England. At the international level, Savarese earned 30 caps for the Venezuela National Team from 1989-2001, scoring 10 goals, including a notable finish against South American rival Argentina in 1996.
 
"I am both excited and proud to become the head coach of the Portland Timbers, and this is an ideal fit and outstanding opportunity for me as I take the next step in my coaching career," Savarese said. "The passion, ambition and support surrounding this club is truly inspiring, and I am sincerely honored and grateful for this opportunity to lead it on the pitch and to build on the club's history of success for the community and the incredible supporters of the Portland Timbers."
 
For Portland's complete release, click here.