Over the past few months, Tacoma Defiance has been rising the ranks in MLS NEXT Pro, winning seven of their last 10 matches after having a slow start to their 2026 season.
It's been a collective effort from the overall squad, building chemistry as the year goes on, but one player in particular has been a force in the attack, pushing the team to thrilling wins over top teams like Houston Dynamo who currently sit in the No. 2 spot in Group C.
2025 USL League One Young Player of the Year and former Omaha Union striker Mark Bronnik is that guy.
“It obviously feels great to score, and it's just that mindset, just to keep going,” said Bronnik. “Like I know I have the ability to score and help the team as much as I can and when I'm in that form I just love it. And the confidence just keeps going, and it means a lot that the team is doing well as well.”
Since May 17, the 19-year-old has made 10 goal contributions for the Defiance side, including two game winners. With seven goals and three assists — in addition to his first Defiance goal in his debut back in March, Bronnik has been unstoppable, and he isn’t finished yet.
“I always set myself goals for the season. This year I told myself I need 15 goal contributions,” said Bronnik. “Wrote it down on a piece of paper, and I'm almost there. And I don't want to stop now.”
Tacoma Defiance Head Coach Paulo Nagamura credits Bronnik’s work ethic and his mentality to come and get better everyday for his recent success.
“Mark is a very hardworking kid that comes every day, very professional manner. He cares. He's doing a lot of work off the field as well in terms of video,” said Nagmura. “He's been working a lot on his movement of the ball, his combination play. Of course, he's [scoring] goals, but all these little things that, as a forward, he needs to be on top to be a First Team player.”
Joining the team in February, Bronnik’s spot in the Starting XI was not guaranteed despite having a successful stint with Omaha. The Brooklyn, New York native fluctuated in minutes early in the season, flip flopping between starting and coming on as a substitute. While not an ideal scenario to be in, Bronnik had been there before with Omaha, before having a breakout latter half of the year.
“I wasn't getting the minutes that I wanted [at Union], and you know, doubt can come so easy, and it's important just to keep your head down and stay positive. It's easy to say, but it's even easier to doubt yourself, and you can go into this hole that is hard to come out of,” said Bronnik. “So I just think, as long as I keep going, and knowing the ability that I have, the results will come, and the support that I've had, like people know what I can do. Around the same time [last] summer, it just clicked.”
His patience and on-and-off the field efforts have paid dividends once again, and the forward is showing what he’s truly made of with Tacoma. Whether he’s scoring or supporting his teammates in front of goal with assists or off-the-ball movement, it is safe to say he’s found his footing in the Defiance attack.
“I'm always trying to be that outlet for the team. If the guys can play me the ball as much as possible, I'll do my best to reward them,” said Bronnik. “If not with goals or assists, just trying to create better attacking chances for us to win the game. It might be hard sometimes to not get the ball, but if I can run in behind or move some defenders around, that is what my game is.”
