Trey Muse Bio
John David Muse III, known professionally as Trey Muse, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers. Born on July 26, 1999, in Louisville, Kentucky, Muse has built his career through the United States youth soccer pipeline, the NCAA, and the United Soccer League before reaching MLS. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall, he has developed a reputation as a confident shot-stopper and a dependable presence between the posts.
After progressing through the Seattle Sounders FC Academy and starring at Indiana University, Muse launched his professional career as a homegrown signing with the Sounders organization. He has since logged stints with several USL Championship clubs, earning individual recognition along the way before earning a transfer to the Portland Timbers in January 2024.
Early Life and Background
Trey Muse was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and raised in a family with a clear connection to the goalkeeper position. He is the son of Dave Muse, a former goalkeeper for the University of Kentucky, and Rachel Hall. Muse grew up alongside two siblings, Houston and Alexis, in a household where the demands and rewards of playing between the posts were part of daily life.
He attended Roosevelt High School, where he balanced academic coursework with travel and academy commitments. His father’s background in college soccer helped shape Muse’s understanding of the position from an early age, and the family’s support laid the groundwork for his rapid rise through the youth ranks.
Path to Soccer
Muse began his youth career with Derby City Rovers, where his size and reflexes quickly marked him as a prospect worth tracking. In 2015, he joined the Seattle Sounders FC Academy while continuing his studies at Roosevelt High School. Over two seasons with the academy, Muse made 32 starts and helped guide the Sounders U-18s to a third-place finish in the 2017 USSDA playoffs, a result that confirmed his status as one of the top young goalkeepers in the country.
During his academy years, Muse was also called into the U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team, an experience that sharpened his game against high-level opposition. After graduating from high school in 2017, he committed to Indiana University, where he would earn some of the most prestigious individual accolades in college soccer.
Trey Muse Career
College Career (2017–2018)
Muse enrolled at Indiana University ahead of the 2017 season and immediately became a starter for the Hoosiers. As a freshman, he was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Freshman Team and served as the goalkeeper for the runner-up team in the NCAA College Cup. That season, he led the nation in goals against average at 0.26, recorded 18 shutouts, and posted a 90.3 percent save rate, numbers that announced him as one of the brightest young keepers in college soccer.
In his sophomore year, Muse was part of the Big Ten Championship team and earned Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year honors. He was also named a MAC Hermann semifinalist, capping a college career that ended after two seasons when he chose to turn professional.
Seattle Sounders FC (2017–2021)
Muse signed the 11th homegrown player contract in Seattle Sounders FC history on January 15, 2019, formally beginning his MLS pathway. He split his developmental years between Seattle Sounders FC 2 and later Tacoma Defiance, gaining valuable first-team minutes in the USL Championship while training with the senior Sounders squad. He also appeared with the first team in limited action during his time with the organization.
On February 2, 2021, Muse joined USL Championship side San Diego Loyal on loan for the 2021 season, an opportunity that allowed him to play regularly at a senior level. Following the 2021 campaign, Seattle declined their contract option on Muse, bringing his time with his boyhood organization to a close.
Loudoun United and Memphis 901 (2022)
On January 28, 2022, Muse signed with USL Championship side Loudoun United, opening a new chapter in his professional career. He was quickly loaned to fellow USL Championship side Memphis 901 on March 11, 2022, where he continued to develop as a starter.
Charleston Battery (2023)
On December 29, 2022, Muse joined USL Championship side Charleston Battery for their 2023 season, reuniting with head coach Ben Pirmann. His first season in Charleston proved to be a stellar one. The shot-stopper notched a career-high 12 clean sheets in the regular season, a mark that tied for the most in the league. He was twice named USL Championship Player of the Week in May and was a three-time Team of the Week selection.
Muse recorded 75 saves, the ninth-most in the league, and started 33 of 34 regular-season matches. He ended the year with 13 clean sheets after adding one more in the playoffs and helped Charleston reach the USL Championship Final. His Battery contract option was exercised in December 2023, paving the way for his next move.
Portland Timbers Era (2024–Present)
On January 5, 2024, Muse was transferred from Charleston to the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer, with the Battery receiving an undisclosed fee. The move represented a return to the top flight and an opportunity to compete for minutes with an established MLS club. Muse arrived in Portland as part of a generation of American goalkeepers reaching the league after extended development in the USL Championship.
His signing also reunited him with a broader network of former USL standouts who had earned their way into MLS rosters, and his performances in Charleston gave Portland a goalkeeper with a proven track record of regular-season durability and postseason reliability.
Driving Style and Strengths
Muse is widely regarded as a technically sound and confident goalkeeper whose strengths include commanding his penalty area, shot-stopping on close-range chances, and organizing a back line in front of him. His height allows him to dominate aerial duels and high crosses, while his college and USL track record point to strong decision-making and consistency across long stretches of a season.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Muse’s career highlights are his NCAA College Cup runner-up finish in 2017, his Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2018, and his record-tying 12 regular-season clean sheets with the Charleston Battery in 2023. He also helped lead the Sounders U-18s to a third-place finish at the 2017 USSDA playoffs and earned selection to the U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team during his youth career.
Trey Muse Career Wins
Trey Muse has built a reputation as a dependable winning goalkeeper at every level of his career, from youth national competition to the USL Championship and Major League Soccer.
USL Championship Highlights
With the Charleston Battery in 2023, Muse posted 12 regular-season clean sheets, a total that tied for the league lead, and added one more in the playoffs to finish with 13 shutouts across all competitions. He started 33 of 34 regular-season matches and helped Charleston reach the USL Championship Final, the deepest postseason run of his career. Earlier USL stops with Seattle Sounders FC 2, Tacoma Defiance, San Diego Loyal, Loudoun United, and Memphis 901 gave him the volume of senior minutes that prepared him for that breakout campaign.
Other Wins & Performances
Muse’s college résumé at Indiana University includes an NCAA College Cup runner-up finish in 2017 and a Big Ten Championship during his sophomore year in 2018. At the youth level, he helped the Seattle Sounders FC Academy U-18s to a third-place finish at the 2017 USSDA playoffs, one of the strongest showings by an academy side that season.
Trey Muse Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Muse is the son of Dave Muse, a former goalkeeper for the University of Kentucky, and Rachel Hall. His father’s college-level experience between the posts helped shape his early understanding of the position and reinforced a family tradition of goalkeeping. He has two siblings, Houston and Alexis, who have been part of his support system throughout his development.
Personal Life
Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Muse has remained closely connected to his family as his career has moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest. His upbringing in a sports-minded household played a central role in his decision to pursue soccer at a high level, and his family has continued to be a steady presence as he has transitioned into professional play with the Portland Timbers.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 MLS season, Trey Muse is positioned as part of the Portland Timbers goalkeeping group as he continues his adaptation to the demands of the top American league. After a full calendar year with the organization following his January 2024 transfer, his 2025 outlook is shaped by the consistency and shot-stopping form that defined his 2023 Charleston Battery campaign.
Muse’s 2023 league-leading clean-sheet totals and his role in Charleston’s run to the USL Championship Final suggest he can be a stabilizing presence for Portland as the club navigates a competitive Western Conference. His combination of size, reflexes, and postseason experience gives the Timbers a reliable option between the posts.
As the season progresses, his minutes and match-by-match consistency will determine whether he cements himself as a long-term starter in Portland or continues to push for additional first-team opportunities within the squad. Either way, 2025 represents a critical year in his transition from a USL standout to an established MLS contributor.