Karina LeBlanc to transition out of Thorns General Manager role
RAJ Sports announced that Karina LeBlanc will transition out of her role as Thorns General Manager following the 2024 NWSL season. They will begin the search for a replacement immediately.
Today, the Portland Thorns announced they would be making a transition at General Manager. Karina LeBlanc will join RAJ Sports at the conclusion of NWSL Season, and her new role will encompass both the Portland Thorns and Portland WNBA.
“I’m incredibly honored and empowered to represent RAJ Sports through the unique and passionate lens of Portland,” said LeBlanc. “Having played here and now living and raising my daughter in Portland, I have firsthand experience of how deeply rooted this community is in the success of women’s sports. I truly believe Portland can become the epicenter of women’s sports, and I’m excited to be part of the team driving that vision forward.”
LeBlanc won an NWSL Championship as a player in 2013 and as a GM in 2022. She was named GM for the Portland Thorns in one of the darkest times in the club’s history. Now she will move into a role where it is best suited to her strengths. ‘KK’, as she is often referred as, has been heavily involved in the community and city. This is surely a perfect fit for her and family as she has always been an incredible steward of the club and city, making a massive impact off the pitch as well as on it.
"We'd like to thank Karina for everything she has done for the Portland Thorns since she joined the club in 2021," said Lisa Bhathal Merage. "Karina provided stability for the Thorns during a very tumultuous time, contributed to a NWSL Championship in 2022, and has been an integral part of this club's work in the community. We believe now is a good time to make a change and set the club, and Karina, up for future success. Karina will remain with RAJ Sports in a role that will allow her to thrive and drive impact in our community as we build Portland into the global epicenter for women's sports. We will begin our search for a new General Manager immediately."
The change comes in one of the toughest season for the Portland Thorns, where they are in a fight to make one of the final NWSL playoff places. They are in a stretch of just one regular season win in their last eight matches, and have plummeted down the table.
In order to ensure that this trend does not continue this season or beyond, the team will now begin a search for a new general manager.
You can read the team’s full press release here.
I have a piece coming out tomorrow.
I'd like to thank Phouc and the rest of the STF team for sticking their necks out and being willing to be critical of the organization. I honestly don't think this would have happened at least before the end of the season without the local media's willingness to be brave.