Timbers Academy goalkeeper Kellen Tamblyn starts in goal for the West team at the 2026 MLS NEXT All-Star Game.
MATTHEWS, N.C. — Portland Timbers Academy goalkeeper Kellen Tamblyn started in goal for the West team in the 2026 MLS NEXT All-Star Game on Monday night at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex.
Tamblyn, a native of Tigard, Ore., earned one of 22 spots on the West roster after a standout 2025/26 MLS NEXT campaign. He started for the West - led by Timbers legend Diego Valeri - and played all 45 minutes of the first half. At the final whistle, the East defeated the West, 6-1.
A member of the Timbers Academy U-16 team, Tamblyn recently finished his third season with the club and featured for Portland’s U-16 side at the 2026 Generation adidas Cup.
The annual MLS NEXT All-Star Game featured 44 of the top players from across the league’s youth development system in an East-versus-West format. Tamblyn became the fifth Timbers Academy player selected to the event, joining August Nystrom (2025), Max Eisenberg (2024), Sawyer Jura (2023) and Ian Shaul (2022).
The appearance marked another milestone in Tamblyn’s development and provided an opportunity to compete alongside many of the nation’s top young prospects on a national stage.
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