HERRIMAN, Utah -- Real Salt Lake signed former Portland Pilots defender Kevin Bonilla to a contract for the 2024 MLS season. The contract also includes club options for the 2025, 2026 and 2027 season.
"I'm excited for this next chapter in my life," Bonilla said. "Having the opportunity to play at a club like RSL is perfect for me and I can't wait to get started. To Portland — I will be forever grateful. Coach Nick and the community took a kid in and supported him when he was at his lowest moment and have given not just me, but also my family the opportunity to live a dream only a few can live. Once a Pilot, always a Pilot."
"I couldn't be more proud of Kevin signing his first MLS contract," Portland Head Coach Nick Carlin-Voigt said. "Kevin was a joy to coach and I know I can speak for all of our supporters and coaches when we say there isn't a more deserving guy to make the jump to MLS. Kevin bought into our program values, became a captain and helped elevate us to be among the nation's elite during his four years on The Bluff. His accomplishments are too many to list and the special thing about Kevin is personal glory never drove him. I don't think we will see another player quite like Kevin as he developed into the best right back in college soccer. Kevin is a better person than player and his egoless team-first personality made him so beloved in our community. I'll certainly miss working with Kevin every day, but couldn't be more proud of his accomplishments and his time at UP. He certainly left our program better than he found it and we thank him for his many contributions both on and off the field."
Bonilla signed with RSL after being selected in the first round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft this past December with the 18th pick, becoming the first Pilot taken in the first round of the draft since 2010. Bonilla was one of three Pilots taken in the SuperDraft, with Jacob Babalai being picked with the 41st pick by Charlotte FC and Buba Fofanah being taken with the 81st pick by the Seattle Sounders.
Bonilla heads to the pros after a stellar year that saw him post a goal and 10 assists in 17 games. He was the first Pilot to post double-digit assists in a season since 2017, leading the WCC in the WCC in the category and also ranking eighth nationally.
The Texas native earned several honors in his final year of college soccer. He was a first team All-American for both United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News and made the TopDrawerSoccer Best XI First Team as well. He was an All-West Region First Team selection, an All-WCC First Team pick, the WCC Defender of the Year -- the first to win that award since 2011 -- and a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, the first Pilot to be a semifinalist since 2002.
Since Nick Carlin-Voigt took over as head coach in 2016, Portland has seen nine players including Bonilla earn a chance at MLS either through the SuperDraft or homegrown signings. Paul Christensen was taken 70
th 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), 12
th in shutout percentage (.471), 21
st in overall win percentage (.706) and 24
th in goals-against average (.882).
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