Nathan Messer will not be racing up and down the left side of the field at Fitzpatrick Stadium in 2026.

The Portland Hearts of Pine fan favorite and all-USL League One first-team selection has been acquired by the Charleston Battery of USL Championship. Charleston triggered Messer’s release clause, via transfer, for an undisclosed fee.

“This is a big opportunity for me to step up to the Championship,” Messer said in a Hearts of Pine press release. “I’m grateful to the club, my teammates, and the fans for believing in me and pushing me every day. This past year meant a lot to me, and I’ll always treasure these memories.”

Messer becomes the first Hearts of Pine to leave via soccer’s transfer procedure, where the buying club pays a fee to the selling club to release the player from his contract.

“We’re happy to have played a part in his career, and he’ll always be welcome back at the club,” said Bobby Murphy, Portland’s coach and technical director. “He’s proof of concept that promising young players can come to this club and take meaningful steps forward in their careers. That philosophy is a big part of what we’re building.”

Messer was a consistent offensive threat and especially dynamic when working with Portland’s leading scorer, midfielder Ollie Wright. With his relative youth, extremely high work rate and heavy left-footed shot, Messer showed throughout 2025 that he had the tools to move up the soccer pyramid. The former William & Mary and Providence College player spent his rookie 2024 season with USL Championship team Rhode Island FC but rarely played.

In a story on the USL website announcing the transfer, Messer said, “I’ve been looking forward to having a chance to compete at this level again, and I’m very hungry to make an impact.”

The Hearts of Pine are training in Bermuda through Feb. 9, with another training trip planned for mid-February in South Carolina. They open their 2026 league season on March 14 at the New York Cosmos, an expansion team.