There are plenty of familiar faces in this week’s edition of “Sounders on Campus.” From lock-down defenders to match-winning goalkeepers to unstoppable goalscorers, there are plenty of Sounders Academy alumni tearing it up in the NCAA right now. Here’s a quick breakdown of last week’s top performers.
Handwalla Bwana (University of Washington)
It’s difficult to describe just how dominant UW’s sophomore phenom has been this season. At the collegiate level, plenty of promising prospects have seen their development stall after impressive freshman years. But Bwana, who won Pac-12 Freshman of the Year on the back of a four-goal, seven-assist rookie campaign, is on pace to make his award-winning breakout season appear pedestrian. He followed his man-of-the-match performance against Seattle University, in which he registered a goal and an assist, with a pair of match-winning displays last week.
In their first conference game of the 2017 season, the Huskies were down 1-0 to Oregon State in the 46th minute. Bwana pulled UW level just five minutes later, setting up the equalizer with a pinpoint cross for Joey Parish to head home. The Purple and Gold would go on to win 2-1.
A few days later, the Ballard High School alum tallied the game-winning goal against San Diego State in the fifth minute, pacing the Huskies to a commanding 3-0 win. Through nine starts this season, Bwana already has six goals and five assists.
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey (UConn)
A regular in the “Sounders on Campus” series last year, Hauser-Ramsey has picked up where he left off in his second season with the Huskies, anchoring a solid back line with sound defense and detailed passes. Playing on the left side of UConn’s three-man defense, the local product has been dominant. Prior to a loss to college soccer powerhouse Maryland, which UConn narrowly lost 3-2, Hauser-Ramsey spurred a six-match unbeaten streak with his calming influence.
Trey Muse (Indiana University)
The Hoosiers’ freshman goalkeeper has built upon the momentum established during his U-18 season with Sounders Academy, when he won the USSDA Western Conference Player of the Year award, with an eye-popping rookie season for Indiana University. After winning the starting job in preseason, the young shot-stopper has played every minute in goal for the No. 1 ranked Hoosiers, rattling off a 12-match unbeaten streak with 10 wins and two draws. He’s also led IU to six consecutive shutouts.
Muse, who spent two years in the Rave Green youth system, has produced 28 saves for a squad with national championship aspirations. A standout for the Sounders and U.S. youth national teams, Muse leads the nation in shutouts (10), save percentage (93.3 percent) and Goals Against Average (0.16). After guiding the Hoosiers to wins over No. 7 Notre Dame, Santa Clara and Evansville, Muse was named Big 10 Defensive Player of the week.
Nick Hinds (Akron University)
Hinds’ scorching form continued this week with another assist, setting up the overtime, match-winning goal in Akron’s 2-1 win over Saint Mary’s. With the score level in the 104th minute, Hinds drove to the end line and pulled the ball back for his teammate, Faisal Ghaffur, to finish from three yards out. With two goals and two assists, Hinds is second in points (six) on a stacked Akron squad. A former left back, the Florida native has thrived in an attacking midfield role for the Zips, which should leave all Sounders supporters excited about his two-way ability.
