With college soccer just around the corner, a number of former Sounders Academy players will be suiting up for top Division 1 programs. From this past year's U18 squad alone, 15 players are making the jump to elite collegiate programs.
With the exception of Victor Mansaray, every single one of the Rave Green's Homegrown players continued their development in the college game before signing with their hometown club. Here are seven Sounders Academy products to watch on campus as the season gets underway.
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey (Defender, UConn)
The former Kings High School standout joins the Huskies for his sophomore season after an imperious freshman campaign at Tyler Junior College, where he led his team to an appearance in the National Championship game. An imposing 6-foot-3 center back, Hauser-Ramsey played for the Washington Olympic Development Program squad and Regional team as both a striker and a midfielder. As a result, the physically imposing defender possesses the ability to catch they eye both on and off the ball, similar to S2 standout Tony Alfaro.
Seyi Adekoya (Forward, UCLA)
After scoring 31 goals and recording 11 assists in three seasons for Lakeside High School, the Sounders Academy striker joined perennial Pac-12 powerhouse UCLA. Arguably the most promising of the bunch, Adekoya has already had his breakthrough season at the college level after scoring an astounding 12 goals in just 13 starts and 20 appearances last year for the Bruins. His astounding numbers in front of goal earned him a first team All-Pac-12 selection. Adekoya possesses all of the attributes one looks for in a top-class forward: speed, strength, creativity and a Chris Wondolowski-esque nose for poaching goals.
Henry Wingo (Midfielder, Washington)
One of the most exciting midfielders to come out of Sounders Academy, Wingo returns to the University of Washington for his junior year. After making just four starts in his freshman campaign, Wingo became a midfield mainstay for the Huskies in his sophomore season, starting 17 of 19 matches. A true box-to-box dynamo, it’s tough to point out any weaknesses in his game. With his dribbling, incisive passing and fantastic long-range shooting ability, as well as his affinity for crunching tackles, Wingo could be one of the top midfielders in the country this year. Just check out his highlights for Sounders Academy, as well as some clips from his time with the Huskies, to see how exciting of a prospect he truly is.
Satoshi “Yoshi” Chaffin (Forward, Santa Clara)
The diminutive winger from Puyallup appears poised for a breakout junior season for the Broncos. A fleet-footed forward who can play out wide or just off the primary striker, Chaffin possesses the speed and composure on the ball to ghost past defenders at will. Chaffin finished his sophomore season with the fourth-most assists on the squad. After breaking into the squad as regular start last year, Yoshi will lead a relatively young attacking core this season as one of the most experienced forwards on the roster.
David Olsen (Forward, Seattle University)
In his first season for Pete Fewing's Redhawks, Olsen led the nation in scoring with 16 goals. Olsen's proficiency in front goal landed him as one of the semifinalists for the Mac Hermann trophy, which eventually went to Sounders Homegrown striker Jordan Morris. Olsen appears to be one of the favorites for the award this year, as he was named alongside teammate Kyle Bjornethun to the preseason watch list for the accolade. A proven goal scorer at every level, Olsen led his Sounders Academy side to league titles in both 2013 and 2014, as well as a first-round NCAA win over UCLA and Seyi Adekoya in 2015.
Kyle Bjornethun (Defender, Seattle University)
The WAC Defensive Player of the Year returns to Championship Field for his senior year this fall. Dominant on the defensive side of the ball, the center back from Snohomish also poses a serious aerial threat on set-pieces, as he has scored ten goals and registered three assists in three years as a starter. His commanding displays in the heart of the Redhawks' backline earned him NSCAA First Team All-West Region honors. A former Academy teammate of Jordan Morris, Bjornethun will look to improve upon last season's NCAA Third Round appearance this year.
Tobi Jnohope (Defender, Denver)
A truly modern day defender who can build attacks out of the back, Jnohope has an opportunity to compete for time straightaway at the University of Denver. The U18 Sounders Academy standout follows in the footsteps of former Rave Green youth team players Jordan Schweitzer, Ryan Schaeffer and Tosh Samkange in playing for the Pioneers. Jnohope should adjust well to the speed and physicality of the college game after starting five matches for S2 in the USL this season.
