BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University head women’s soccer coach Travis Connell has announced the addition of University of Minnesota transfer and Seattle native Mia Powers to the program beginning with the upcoming 2018 season.

Powers is an attacking midfielder that starred during her prep career at Seattle’s Holy Names Academy. She will be a redshirt freshman on the field in 2018 after not appearing in a game for the Golden Gophers during the 2017 season.

“Mia is a technical, savvy center midfielder with a very high soccer IQ,” said Connell, who will enter his 16th season leading the women’s program in 2018. “Her ability to connect passes and create scoring chances for herself and her teammates will help her compete right away, and her understanding of the game will make her an impact player throughout her college career.”

Prior to signing to play for the University of Minnesota, Powers was a four-year starter at Holy Names and earned four All-Metro League awards during her prep career, including first-team honors as a junior and senior.

During her redshirt season at Minnesota, Powers was part of a program that went 11-5-3 overall and placed 3rd in the Big Ten Conference with a 7-4-1 league record.

As a club player with Eastside FC, Powers was part of four state title teams, won two regional titles and one national title at the U13-U15 level.

Powers joins midfielder Caylie Etherington out of Oak Harbor High School as the first two program additions for the upcoming 2018 season.

Powers will wear jersey #8 when she reports to the program beginning in the upcoming spring semester.

The Vikings are coming off another strong season in 2017 going 18-2 and playing in the NCAA II West Regional Championship game for the fifth time in the last six seasons. After winning the 2016 NCAA II national championship, the Vikings opened the season 15-0-0 to extend their winning streak to a program-record 39 consecutive games, the 4th-longest winning streak in NCAA II history. Over the last six seasons the WWU program has risen to the elite ranks of collegiate soccer, compiling a 118-11-7 (.893) record, advancing to the NCAA II Championships each season during this stretch dating back to 2012.

WWU is scheduled to open the 2018 season with a road trip to San Diego, facing Point Loma (Aug. 30) and West Region rival UC San Diego (Sept. 1). The Vikings are also scheduled to play three exhibition games vs. Canadian schools, beginning with an Aug. 16 friendly at the University of British Columbia.

The upcoming spring schedule of non-counting games will feature seven games, including home doubleheaders at Harrington Field vs. UBC and Peninsula College on March 11 and Trinity Western and Highlight Community College on April 10. WWU will play three away games vs. top-level Division I programs, including the University of Portland (April 14), Washington State (April 22) and the University of Washington (May 3).