CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati have signed midfielder and former Portland men's soccer standout Rey Ortiz to a contract, the club announced on Friday. The Orange and Blue previously chose the midfielder with the No. 29 overall selection in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.
 
Ortiz, 23, will occupy an international roster spot on FC Cincinnati's 2020 roster.
 
"We feel Rey has earned a contract with what he has shown throughout preseason," FC Cincinnati General Manager Gerard Nijkamp said. "He had an opportunity to showcase his ability and we believe he has adapted well to the professional environment, both on and off the pitch."
 
"I am incredibly proud and delighted to see Rey reach his goals and dreams and sign his first MLS professional contract," said Portland head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt. "It's one thing to be drafted by a MLS team and a completely different accomplishment to actually sign a first team contract as we know most draft picks rarely reach this milestone. Rey becomes our fourth University of Portland player to sign a MLS contract since 2018 and joins an exclusive group of UP Men's soccer alums to move into the professional ranks.
 
"However, what I'm most proud of is the type of person Rey developed into here at UP and the fact he graduated early in 3 and-a-half years. Rey has earned this incredible opportunity in front of him and everyone here is pulling for him in his rookie year!" 
 
Ortiz, a midfielder, led the Pilots with 13 points last fall, which came on three goals and seven assists. He ended his career No. 7 all-time in program history with 24 overall assists, and his 13 assists as a sophomore in 2017 missed matching a program single-season record by one and ranked No. 3 in the nation.
 
Ortiz earned All-American honors in 2017, and he was selected to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch list twice. In 2017 and 2018 Ortiz was named to the all-west region first team, and he earned all-west region second ream recognition this fall. Ortiz was also voted to the All-WCC First Team in 2017 and 2019, and he was voted to the all-conference second team as a junior