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Kevin Bonilla heads it into the goal.

Men's Soccer

Kevin Bonilla Taken 18th Overall by Real Salt Lake in 2024 MLS SuperDraft

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots right back Kevin Bonilla was selected with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake. He is the ninth Pilot to be taken in the SuperDraft since 2000.

Bonilla is the first Pilot to be taken in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft since Collen Warner back in 2010. Since 2000, the Pilots have seen nine players, including Bonilla, selected in the draft, including three since 2018. The last SuperDraft pick for the Pilots was Rey Ortiz, who was taken 29th in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.

Bonilla had an incredible year for Portland, solidifying himself as one of the best outside backs in the country. He played in 17 games this year, tallying one goal and 10 assists. His assist total ranked eighth in the country and first in the WCC, and he was the first Pilot to post at least 10 assists in a season since 2017. The last Pilot to do that was Ortiz.

The Dallas native goes to Salt Lake after an accolade-filled final season. Bonilla was a first team All-American for United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News and was also named to the TopDrawerSoccer Best XI First Team. Along with that, he made the All-West Region First Team and the All-WCC First Team, being named the WCC Defender of the Year. He was the first Pilot to earn that honor since 2011. Finally, he was named a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, becoming the first Pilot since 2002 to earn that distinction.

Since Nick Carlin-Voigt took over as head coach in 2016, Portland has seen seven players including Bonilla earn first team contracts either through the SuperDraft or homegrown signings. Paul Christensen was taken 70th overall in the SuperDraft back in 2018 by Atlanta United while Ortiz was taken by FC Cincinnati in 2020. Benji Michel signed a homegrown contract with Orlando SC and Kris Reaves signed with FC Dallas back in 2018 while Delentz Pierre and Brandon Cambridge signed with Real Salt Lake and Charlotte FC respectively last year.

The Pilots finished off a historic year that saw them go 12-5 and earn a first-round bye for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988. They boasted a home unbeaten streak of 26-0-2 that was a program record and the longest in the nation. They led the WCC in 11 different categories and nationally ranked first in points per game (8.47), second in assists per game (3.18) and scoring offense (2.65), fourth in assists (54), fifth in points (144), sixth in goals (45) and goal differential (30), 12th in shutout percentage (.471), 21st in overall win percentage (.706) and 24th in goals-against average (.882).
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