SportsCenter top 10s, National team call up, and a summer abroad are only the tip of the Iceberg since Jace Donawa graduated from Northwood.
Despite being committed to the University of North Carolina for soccer, Jace Donawa ’25 was at a crossroads with what to do when he graduated from Northwood last spring. “I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do; people were telling me to come back to Northwood for the semester, people were telling me to enjoy my time at home, and pretty much everything else in between.” Donawa committed to UNC Soccer’s class of 2026 and decided to go a semester early, meaning he would arrive in January of 2026. This left him with a semester to burn, which he ultimately spent training with a pro team in England. He spent his days caring for his niece and training with top players. For 6 months, he honed his craft, and it paid off with him earning his first Bermuda Senior Men’s National Team call-up in late November. Despite a tough loss on the night, Donawa was the brightest star on the field, making numerous darting plays down the wing and being a headache for the opposition all night.
Donawa wearing the Bermuda Senior team Jersey for the first time/ Photo Creds: Bermuda News
This was just the beginning of what would be a chaotic couple of months for the former Husky. In early January, he made his entrance to UNC Chapel Hill, which was a change of pace from the Northwood life he was used to. “To be honest, I was amazed. Everything was so much bigger here than at Northwood, and I felt like I was constantly seeing new people, which was a major switch-up coming from Northwood. On top of that, I’ve had 8 months off school, so reintegrating into classes has been a bit of a challenge.” That being said, it wasn’t long before Donawa was back in top form, enjoying team training, social events, classes, and, of course, the heated blue-blood rivalry that is the Tar Heels vs. Duke Blue Devils.
Most recently, Donawa found himself in the national news after his game-tying free kick from miles out vs. Costa Rica landed him at number 6 on the SportsCenter Top 10. He scored two goals and had an amazing campaign with Bermuda’s U-20 team before continuing that form upon his return to UNC. In his first spring game for the Tar Heels, Donawa took his chance and slammed a volley home into the top corner of the net, putting all the ACC on notice that he was here to stay.
Donawa is congratulated by his teammates following his debut goal vs UNC Wilmington/Photo Creds: UNC Men’s Soccer.
This summer, Donawa is signed to Black Rock FC’s USL2 team and looks to be an exciting component of a strong young team. He will look to continue this form into the USL2 season and lead the team to a first-place finish for the first time since 2018. When asked about a potential return to the Wood, Donawa said,” To be honest, I’m hoping to make a return for graduation before the season starts. I miss my friends and just everything about the place.” It’s safe to say everyone at Northwood will keep their eyes peeled for more headlines and hopefully a visit at graduation!
Watch Jace’s SportsCenter Top 10 Goal vs Costa Rica’s U20 team:
