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Sounders Academy alums rake in postseason honors

Handwalla Bwana named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Kyle Bjornethun named WAC Defender of the Year. Paul Christensen named WCC Goalkeeper of Year.

The Pac-12 Conference announced the men’s soccer All-Pac-12 Conference honors for the 2016 season. Sounders Academy Handwalla Bwana (University of Washington), was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and was also named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team. Bwana, the leading goal scorer for the Huskies (four goals), recorded an impressive seven assists during the season. Bwana now holds the Conference’s second-best assists per game (0.39) and aided Washington to earn the No. 11 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Two other Academy alums also earned All Conference Honors; Seyi Adekoya (UCLA), and Henry Wingo (University of Washington) were each selected as part of the All-Pac-12 Second Team. Players were selected by a polling of the Conference coaches.

Another Sounders Academy alum, Kyle Bjornethun, was named the Western Athletic Conference’s Defender of the Year. Bjornethum led a Seattle U defense that allowed just six goals in WAC play. He was also Defender of the Year in 2015.

Paul Christensen, also a Sounders Academy product, was named the West Coast Conference’s Goalkeeper of the Year after allowing less than a goal per game for the University of Portland.

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