This Week in Warrior Sports
Jan. 5-11, 2026

Stan State Athletics closed out the calendar year with momentum across multiple programs, highlighted by strong home basketball performances, major academic recognition through a United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honor, and national recognition for men's soccer with All-America and Academic All-America selections. Men's and women's basketball opened CCAA play at The Fitz, while indoor track & field earned an early NCAA provisional mark. The closing stretch of the year also included Hall of Fame announcements, season-opening previews for baseball and softball, and the annual Warrior Athletics Crab Feed set for Saturday, February 28, as the Warriors transition into the heart of the 2025–26 campaign.

Men's Basketball Update
Stan State men's basketball opened the 2026 calendar year with a pair of home victories, defeating Cal State Monterey Bay 79–77 on Friday before completing the sweep with a 72–68 win over Cal State San Marcos on Sunday. The Warriors improved to 7–5 overall and 3–3 in CCAA play, extending their home winning streak to two games. Donjae Lindsey leads Stan State in scoring at 13.2 points per game, with Malachi Johnson (11.3 ppg) and Daniel Ameyaw (9.7 ppg) anchoring a balanced attack. Ameyaw also provides a strong presence on the glass, averaging 5.9 rebounds per game on the season. Mark Jones III sparked the Warriors over the weekend, averaging 13.5 points per game, shooting 61.5 percent from the field (8-for-13), and totaling eight assists across the two wins. Perimeter shooting continues to be a strength, led by Jason Zimmer, who has knocked down 23 three-pointers while shooting 44.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Women's Basketball Update
Stan State women's basketball returned to The Fitz to begin the new year, opening CCAA play against Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State San Marcos. The Warriors pushed Monterey Bay to overtime in a 78–72 setback on Friday before closing the weekend on Sunday. Stan State is 1–8 overall and 0–6 in CCAA play as the team continues to navigate a challenging early conference schedule. MilaSarai Tau leads the Warriors in scoring at 10.9 points per game, with Eryn Gardner (9.3 ppg) and Alyssa Premo (7.9 ppg) providing additional offensive production. Gardner has also led the way as the primary distributor with 17 assists, while Quinn Garrett has added a team-high 15 assists. Premo delivered a strong weekend, averaging 15.0 points per game and posting a career-high 20 points against Monterey Bay, while adding 10 points and three assists versus San Marcos.

Nino Ranks 16th Nationally in Shot Put
Alexis Nino provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships with a school-record throw of 45 feet, 7 inches (13.89m) in the shot put at the Silver State Invitational & Combined Events on December 4, 2025. The junior's mark currently ranks 16th nationally in Division II, placing her among the early contenders for a spot at the national meet as the indoor season gets underway. The Warriors return to competition at the Nevada Invitational on Friday, Jan. 16, and Saturday, Jan. 17.

Warriors' Aliah Avila Named United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Second Team
Before the holiday break, Stan State women's soccer standout Aliah Avila was named to the 2025 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Women's Scholar All-America Second Team, becoming just the second Warrior in program history to earn the prestigious academic honor. A First Team All-CCAA and CCAA All-Tournament selection, Avila led the Warriors in points, assists, and game-winning goals during a standout junior season while playing a key role in Stan State's continued postseason success.

Five Honorees Selected to 2026 Stanislaus State Athletics Hall of Fame Class
Stanislaus State Athletics announced its 2026 Hall of Fame Class, which will be celebrated at the Hall of Fame Brunch Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the Stanislaus State Event Center. This year's class includes Blue Chip Broadcasting (Eric Davis and Bryan Nelson), former multi-sport standout Katie Busi, former Director of Athletics Milt Richards, Major League Baseball All-Star and former Warrior Joe Ryan, and the historic 2014 Women's Soccer Team, which captured the NCAA West Region Championship and advanced to the national quarterfinals.

Baseball Season Opens January 31
Stan State baseball opens the 2026 season by hosting Central Washington in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at noon on Friday, January 31, at Warrior Field. The Warriors will follow with another doubleheader against Central Washington at noon on Saturday, February 1. Stan State will open CCAA play March 6–8, hosting Cal State East Bay in a four-game conference series.

Softball Opens Season February 6; Stan State Invitational Feb. 12–15
Stan State softball opens the 2026 season on Friday, February 6, at the D2 West Coast Challenge in Lake Elsinore, Calif. The Warriors will then host the six-team Stan State Invitational from February 12–15, beginning with a 2 p.m. matchup against Dominican on Thursday, February 12. Stan State will open CCAA play on the road March 6–7 at Cal State San Marcos.

Keep Up with All Warrior Action on FloCollege!
FloCollege is your home for live and on-demand coverage of college sports all season long. All Warrior CCAA games, home and away, will be streamed, along with home non-conference and CCAA-hosted tournament games. Fans can also listen to Bryan Nelson call all Stan State men's basketball games and Levi Flores call all Stan State women's basketball games. Nelson will also call home baseball games and the UC Merced women's and men's basketball doubleheader on January 22, while Flores will call Stan State home softball games during CCAA play.

Crab Feed Set for February 28, 2026
Save the date for the annual Warrior Athletics Crab Feed on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Proceeds benefit Warrior Athletics scholarships.

Donna Pierce Warriors of the Week
Stan State honors two standout performers this week, men's basketball guard Mark Jones III and women's basketball guard Alyssa Premo, following strong performances in conference play.

Mark Jones III – Men's Basketball
Mark Jones III capped a standout weekend by recording a season high in points with 15 and a season-high six assists in Saturday's 72–68 comeback win, finishing 4-for-7 from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line while making key decisions late to close out the game. Combined with his 12-point, second-half effort in Friday's 79–77 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay, Jones averaged 13.5 points per game, shot an efficient 61.5 percent from the field (8-for-13), and totaled eight assists over the two games.



Alyssa Premo – Women's Basketball
Premo averaged 15.0 points per game over the weekend, highlighted by a career-high 20 points in Thursday's 78–72 overtime loss to Cal State Monterey Bay. She went 6-for-9 from the field and 8-for-9 at the free-throw line in the game. Premo added 10 points and three assists against Cal State San Marcos, finishing the two-game stretch with 30 total points while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 10-for-12 (.833) from the line.




Upcoming Events
Thu., Jan. 8
Women's Basketball at Cal State Los Angeles – 5:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball at Cal State Los Angeles – 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 10
Women's Basketball at Cal State Dominguez Hills – 1 p.m.
Men's Basketball at Cal State Dominguez Hills – 3 p.m.