Former Pitt forward Edward Kizza was selected by the New England Revolution in the first round of the 2021 MLS draft on Thursday afternoon.
Kizza was chosen with the 24th overall pick.
As a key player who helped turn a struggling Pitt men’s program around under the direction of Jay Vidovich, Kizza scored 31 goals in 53 appearances over three seasons from 2017-19.
The 5-foot-9 forward led the Panthers in scoring during his sophomore and junior seasons, tallying 15 and 12 goals in 2018 and 2019, respectively. A two-time All-ACC First-Team selection, Kizza was one of four Panthers to appear in all 20 of Pittsburgh’s contests in 2019 as he finished fourth in the ACC in goals (12) and shots on goal (31), as well as fifth in points (28). His five game-winning goals that season also ranked third in the conference. Kizza’s additional accolades include All-ACC Freshman Team recognition in 2017, two All-ACC Academic Team selections, and an All-South Region Second Team nod in 2018.
A goal scorer from Uganda. 🇺🇬
Get to know Edward Kizza // #SuperDraft by @adidassoccer pic.twitter.com/MIHNgQFW0D
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 21, 2021
At the start of his senior year, Kizza did train with the Panthers and appeared in their exhibition match vs Louisville. However, shortly after that, it was announced that Kizza had left the university and would not be part of the team for the Fall 2020 season in which Pitt would ascend to the top spot in the Nation.
Kizza became the first-ever first-round draft pick and just the third Pitt alum to be drafted into the top professional soccer league in the United States.
Prior to Kizza, Pitt placed former Panthers midfielders Pol Planellas and Javi Perez in the league as members of the Los Angeles Football Club.
Milestone for @Pitt_MSOC, as Planellas becomes school's first @MLS pick
Planellas was selected in the second round of the 2018 draft with the 24th overall pick, and Perez was taken in the third round of the 2019 draft with the 64th overall pick. However, Planellas did not make it out of the preseason in Los Angeles, and Perez saw his career derailed by injury issues.