TURLOCK, Calif. — Stan State men's soccer added two national honors to its remarkable 2025 season on Tuesday, as senior defender Samuel Villanueva was named to the D2CCA First Team All-America list and senior goalkeeper Angel Ruiz-Hernandez was selected to the Third Team. The awards were voted on by Collegiate Sports Communicators and recognize the top players in NCAA Division II. Their selections mark the program's first All-America honorees since Kyle Cadigan earned NSCAA Honorable Mention recognition in 2011.
Both Warriors collected multiple postseason accolades throughout the year. Villanueva was named to the CCAA First Team, earned CCAA Tournament Most Valuable Offensive Player honors, and was selected to the Academic All-District Team along with teammate Adrian Yepez. Ruiz-Hernandez earned CCAA Goalkeeper of the Year recognition, landed on the CCAA First Team, was selected to the CCAA All-Tournament Team, and received the FloCollege/CCAA Defensive Player of the Week award during the regular season.
Additional postseason honors remain ahead for Stan State. The United Soccer Coaches All-Region Team will be released later Tuesday, while the United Soccer Coaches All-America Team is scheduled to be announced Thursday, Dec. 11. The United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region awards will follow on Dec. 17, and the CSC Academic All-America Team is set to be announced on Dec. 16.
Under the guidance of head coach John Powell, Stan State elevated its level of play to unprecedented heights in 2025, with Villanueva and Ruiz-Hernandez serving as foundational leaders on a team that broke records throughout the fall.
Villanueva delivered one of the most complete and influential seasons by a defender in program history while leaving a lasting impact on the record book. His 13 assists in 2025 set a new single-season school record, and he concluded his career as the Warriors' all-time assists leader with 17. His 29 career points rank ninth all-time and stand as the highest total ever produced by a Stan State defender. This fall he started 19 matches, played 1,620 minutes, totaled 17 points, and anchored a defensive group that allowed just 11 goals across 20 contests while producing a 0.55 goals-against average and 12 shutouts. His poise, distribution, and consistency were central to the Warriors' possession style and overall balance.
Ruiz-Hernandez likewise concluded his Warrior career as one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in Stan State history. His 11.5 shutouts in 2025 set a new single-season program record, and his 0.55 goals-against average and .866 save percentage also stand as the finest single-season marks ever posted by a Warrior. In just two seasons he accumulated 23 victories, the third most in program history, while also recording 17.5 career shutouts to rank second all-time. He closed his career ranked second in save percentage at .806 and sixth in career saves with 129. During the 2025 season he played every minute of all 20 contests, posted a 17–2–1 record, made 71 saves, and held opponents to one goal or fewer in 18 matches.
Together, Villanueva and Ruiz-Hernandez helped lead Stanislaus State to the most accomplished season in program history. The Warriors' 17 victories set a new single-season school record, supported by a 14-match unbeaten streak and a seven-match winning streak that pushed the team into the national spotlight. Stan State reached No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches national poll for two consecutive weeks, marking the first No. 1 ranking in program history, and entered the postseason ranked No. 3 in the nation. The Warriors captured their first CCAA Tournament championship since 2012 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Third Round for the first time ever, marking the deepest postseason run in program history. The team outscored opponents 44–11 and delivered one of the strongest defensive and possession-centered identities in Division II.
The All-America recognition for Villanueva and Ruiz-Hernandez places both seniors among the most decorated players in Stanislaus State history and highlights a 2025 campaign that elevated the Warriors to unprecedented national success.
