In five years, he’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Today, he’s Pipe Dream’s Male Athlete of the Year.
Graham Munro accomplished so many wonderful things during his senior season, it’s tough to figure out where to begin.
The captain of the men’s soccer team was named Third-Team All-America, First-Team All-New York Region and America East Defender of the Year. He was later drafted by the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and replaced Thomas Jefferson on Mount Rushmore.
But Munro’s extensive list of awards and honors doesn’t even begin to do him justice.
Along with being one of the most physically gifted BU athletes of all time, Munro was the most consistent defender the soccer team ever recruited.
He never lost a 50-50 ball with his magical bald head, he was always assigned to shadow the opposing team’s most dangerous scoring threat and he drew double coverage off corner kicks on both sides of the field.
Munro was the anchor of the seventh-ranked defense in the nation (with a 0.63 goals against average) and was the vocal leader on and off the field for one of the most talented teams in school history — even if his Scottish accent was hard to understand at times. The center back also led the Bearcats to a national ranking for four straight weeks (as high as 19th) and finished second on the team in goals with five.
The one knock on Munro was that his team failed to win the America East championship for the second straight year — his ultimate goal heading into the season. Despite dominating most of the conference title game at Stony Brook, his team couldn’t seal the deal.
BU clung to a one-goal lead with 3:15 remaining in regulation, when Stony Brook took advantage of a free kick that bounced off several players. After the Seawolves converted on the equalizer, they defeated the Bearcats in the ensuing penalty-kick shootout.
As it turns out, Stony Brook’s demoralizing tying goal put an end to Munro’s collegiate career, as the Bearcats weren’t given an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. But that one moment — that one defensive lapse — shouldn’t define Munro’s career.
The Baltimore Blast certainly overlooked it.
The Blast made Munro the third overall defender selected in the MISL amateur draft and first Bearcat to play for the top indoor league. Munro will report to training camp in late September, with the season beginning a few weeks later.
While he hopes to dominate the MISL like he did the America East, it’s almost unfair to think Munro could ever have a more successful single season. After all, there’s no more prestigious honor than being named Pipe Dream’s Male Athlete of the Year (even though having his mug on Mount Rushmore is really cool).
Congrats, Dowser.
Complete List of Award Winners
Coach of the Year
2005-06: Glenn Kiriyama
Female Rookie
2004-05: Jacki Kane, Volleyball
2005-06: Katie Radzik, Cross Country
Male Rookie
2004-05: Kaan Tayla, Swimming
2005-06: Chris Mulheron, Lacrosse
Female Athlete
2004-05: Zeynep Altinay, Tennis
2005-06: Katie Brody, Volleyball
Male Athlete
2004-05: Dan Hanegby, Tennis
2005-06: Graham Munro, Soccer
Top Moment
2004-05: Men’s Basketball, Senior Day
2005-06: Check out Monday’s Pipe Dream