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Utah Valley University - The men’s soccer team takes on Mercer University at Clyde Field on UVU’s Main Campus in Orem, Utah, on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (Isaac Hale, UVU Marketing)
Isaac Hale, UVU Marketing

Men's Soccer

Men's Soccer Adds Ken Bellini for 2024 Season

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots Men's Soccer had added Ken Bellini to the roster for the upcoming Fall 2024 season. Bellini joins as a senior with one year of eligibility remaining.

"Ken comes from the very successful Real Salt Lake academy and has proven himself at the college level both in the ACC and then at Utah Valley as their captain," Portland Head Coach Nick Carlin-Voigt said. "He can play a variety of positions in our system. He's fast and powerful when defending top attackers and has a very good soccer brain, impacting the game in possession. We are excited to welcome him to The Bluff for his last year of college soccer with our Pilot soccer family."

Bellini comes to Portland as a transfer from Utah Valley. Bellini played in 31 games with 30 starts over his two years with the Wolverines, playing as a defender and logging two goals and an assist. Last season, he played all but 12 minutes in WAC play and earned WAC Defensive Player of the Week honors once. He was an All-WAC Second Team selection.

Prior to joining the Wolverines, Bellini spent a season with the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team after adding a goal and two assists in 17 matches (nine starts). Bellini played at Real Salt Lake Academy as well as La Roca FC.

The Pilots are coming off a historic year that saw them rank as high as third in the nation as they went 12-5 overall to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the third season in a row and the fifth time in seven fall seasons. They earned a first-round bye for the first time since 1988 after earning the 11-seed in the tournament and have made it to the second round each of the last three years, being one of just 11 teams in the nation to do so.

Portland has been one of the most exciting programs in the country, leading the nation in combined goals per game over the last two years (2.52). They set a program record with a home unbeaten streak that extended to 28 games (26-0-2) dating back to the 2021 season. The Pilots had three players taken in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, the most in program history, with Kevin Bonilla, Jacob Babalai and Buba Fofanah all being selected. Portland is 10th in the country in NCAA Director Cup points from NCAA Participation the last three years.

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