Sounders FC Academy alumni have made immediate impacts on their college squads. The young collegiate players are proudly representing the Academy through individual accolades and consistent contributions in team achievements.
On Tuesday the NSCAA ranked the Sounder-heavy University of Washington the No. 1 team in the nation. The UW is currently atop every major poll, including Soccer America and TopDrawerSoccer.com. The 9-1-0 Huskies boast seven Sounders FC Academy alums: Dom Dismuke, Michael Gallagher, Ryan Herman, Darwin Jones, Ian Lange, Jimmy Oganga, and Henry Wingo. Jones leads the team in points with eight goals and four assists on the season.
“I’m pleased with the success of the local college,” said Marc Nicholls, Technical Director of the Sounders Academy. “It gives our current Academy players great exposure to high-level collegiate play.”
It hasn’t taken long for Academy alums to earn individual recognition. Academy graduates account for half of all Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. David Olsen of San Diego State and Seyi Adekoya, who plays for No. 2 UCLA, earned Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks. Jones was the most recent selection, claiming last week’s honors.
In addition to their collegiate achievements, Academy alums are making their mark at the international level. Sean Okoli and Jordan Morris earned invitations to U-23 Men’s National Team camp in Brasilia, where they are currently training for the squad’s October 13th match against Brazil. Okoli and Morris are part of a 21-player roster that is beginning preparation for 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“It’s been exciting to watch the evolution of these players from club to college to country,” Nicholls said. “These players’ individual honors and team contributions prove their quality, comparable to the rest of the nation’s elite competition.”
