KANSAS CITY, Mo.--- Stan State standouts Aliah Avila, Samuel Villanueva, and Makeila Yancey have each been named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region Team, recognizing their excellence on the pitch and in the classroom. The United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Teams will be announced tomorrow, Dec. 18.

United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region honors are awarded based on a combination of academic achievement, athletic impact, and coach nomination. To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a strong cumulative GPA (typically 3.30 or higher), play a significant portion of their team's matches, and be in good academic standing (usually sophomore status or above). Nominees are submitted by their head coach, and top regional honorees advance into consideration for Scholar All-America recognition.

Avila, a junior midfielder and First Team All-CCAA selection, delivered one of the conference's most complete attacking seasons. Both Avila and Yancey were named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region Team after leading Stan State on both sides of the pitch, and both were named to the Academic All-District Team as selected by the Collegiate Sports Communicators. Avila led the Warriors in points (17), assists (seven) and game-winning goals (four), and was also named to the CCAA All-Tournament Team after helping the Warriors reach the conference semifinals. She now ranks seventh in program history with 17 career assists and is tied for third all-time with 11 game-winning goals.

Yancey, a senior defender, team captain, and All-CCAA Honorable Mention selection, anchored a back line that posted eight shutouts and held opponents under one goal per match throughout the season. She started all 20 contests and led a defensive unit that allowed just 19 goals on 206 shots faced, while also earning FloCollege/CCAA Defensive Player of the Week honors. Her leadership and consistency made her one of the conference's premier defenders.

Villanueva's selection adds yet another accolade to his standout 2025 campaign. The senior psychology major emerged as one of the nation's top defenders and playmakers, later earning Academic All-America honors along with All-American, All-Region, and All-CCAA recognition across multiple organizations. He finished second in NCAA Division II with 13 assists, set Stan State's single-season and career assists records, and was named the CCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Offensive Player after leading the Warriors to the conference championship. He also earned a spot on the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region Team for his combined athletic and academic excellence.

Avila, Villanueva, and Yancey were also among a larger group of Warrior student-athletes recognized for academic achievement this year. Stan State's Academic All-District honorees included men's soccer standouts Samuel Villanueva and Adrian Yepez, along with women's soccer representatives Aliah Avila, Grace Fabionar, Olivia Kamm, Katie Smith, and Makeila Yancey.

Avila, Villanueva, and Yancey each played pivotal roles for the Warriors in 2025, helping their respective squads compete among the West Region's best while excelling academically.