TURLOCK, Calif.--- Stan State women's soccer opens its 2026 regular season this week with a pair of matches at the Humboldt Kickoff Classic in Arcata. The Warriors begin the campaign against RV Concordia University Irvine on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 12:30 p.m. before facing Central Washington on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 2 p.m. Both matches will be played at College Creek Field.

James Begins First Season
Thursday's season opener will mark the first match for Adam James as head coach of the Warriors. James was named the fifth head coach in Stan State women's soccer program history after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Azusa Pacific. During his time with the Cougars, James helped guide APU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2024 and 2025, including the 2025 PacWest Championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II West Regional title match. The Cougars posted consecutive 12-win seasons and reached as high as No. 9 in the national rankings while setting a program record with 10 consecutive shutouts.

James' coaching background also includes stops at Cal State San Bernardino, Benedictine College and William Jewell College. A former collegiate All-American and professional player, James competed professionally in the Major Arena Soccer League with the Kansas City Comets and Empire Strykers.

Veteran Core Joined by Newcomers
Stan State enters the 2026 season with a 30-player roster consisting of eight seniors, 10 juniors, six sophomores and six freshmen. The Warriors return an experienced group that includes Aliah Avila, Olivia Maragos, Zara Mujica, Kayla Umana, Alexi Ochoa, Kayla Perez, Haylee Sousa, Olivia Kamm, Kyndra Obermeyer, Grace Fabionar, Francesca Hahn, Krystal Tovar and Amanda Do.

The returning group is joined by 11 newcomers in Georgina Rojas, Mandy Thao, Alyssa Hernandez, Loreno Moreno, Karissa Franco, Alexys Petrilla, Grace Vojkufka, Adalay Valdivia, Emmah Montes, Savanah Aguilar and Ashley Rients. Stan State's four-player goalkeeper group features Mujica, Rojas, Julia Kraemer and Rients.

Building Off 2025 Success
Stan State enters the 2026 campaign looking to build upon an 11-5-4 season in 2025 in which the Warriors placed third in the CCAA standings and received votes in the final United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll. The Warriors advanced to the CCAA Championship semifinals for the third time in the past four seasons and qualified for the conference tournament for the sixth consecutive year. Stan State will look to extend that streak to seven straight CCAA Championship appearances this fall.

Several of the Warriors' top award winners from last season return in 2026. Aliah Avila earned United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA First Team All-West Region honors, All-CCAA First Team and CCAA All-Tournament Team recognition along with United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honors. Olivia Maragos was named the CCAA Freshman of the Year and earned All-CCAA Second Team honors, while goalkeeper Zara Mujica received All-CCAA Honorable Mention recognition. Maragos was also selected as Stan State's Female Freshman of the Year.

Warrior Record Book
Aliah Avila and Zara Mujica enter the 2026 season already among Stan State's career record holders. Avila is tied for seventh in program history with 17 career assists and tied for seventh with 51 career points. She also is tied for third with 11 career game-winning goals, just one shy of second place and one of only three Warriors in program history to record at least 50 points, 15 assists and 10 game-winning goals.  Mujica enters her senior season eighth in program history with seven career shutouts and 10th with 68 career saves after her first season with the Warriors in 2025.

National Recognition
Stan State enters the 2026 season receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Preseason Poll. The Warriors also received votes in the final national poll of the 2025 season after finishing 11-5-4 overall, placing third in the CCAA and advancing to the CCAA Championship semifinals for the third time in four seasons.

The CCAA has five teams represented in the preseason national poll, led by Cal Poly Pomona at No. 2. Stan State, Cal State Los Angeles, Chico State and Cal State San Marcos are each receiving votes. The Warriors will also face three non-conference opponents receiving votes in the preseason poll, beginning with Concordia University Irvine on Thursday and followed by Point Loma and Dominican in September.

CCAA Preseason Poll
Stan State was picked to finish fourth in the 2026 CCAA Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 141 points. The Warriors were picked behind preseason favorite Cal Poly Pomona, which received 10 first-place votes and 188 points, Cal Poly Humboldt (158 points) and Cal State San Bernardino (151). Stan State finished third in the CCAA standings in 2025 and advanced to the CCAA Tournament semifinals for the third time in four seasons.

Academic Excellence
Stan State continued its longstanding tradition of success in the classroom by earning the 2025-26 United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award. The honor marked the 20th consecutive year the Warriors have received the award, with the program earning the distinction every year since 2006. Programs must post a composite team grade-point average of at least 3.0 to earn the national honor.

The Warriors also collected several individual academic honors during the 2025-26 academic year. Aliah Avila earned United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honors and joined Makeila Yancey on the Scholar All-West Region Team, while Avila, Grace Fabionar, Olivia Kamm, Katherine Smith and Yancey earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recognition. Twenty Warriors were also named to the CCAA All-Academic Team.

Scouting Concordia University Irvine
Concordia University Irvine enters 2026 after finishing last season 10-3-4 overall and 5-2-3 in conference play. CUI scored 25 goals while allowing just seven in 17 matches, holding opponents to 0.41 goals per match and recording 11 team shutouts. The Golden Eagles also went 3-0-1 against CCAA opponents, earning victories over Cal State Dominguez Hills, San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay while playing Cal State San Marcos to a draw.

CUI returns its leading scorer from 2025 in senior Bella Barrett, who finished with eight goals, two assists and 18 points while recording six game-winning goals. Senior Sarah Venegas also returns after scoring four goals in 11 appearances, while Reagan Van Horn contributed two goals and Ashley Grubert recorded one goal and one assist. Other returning contributors include Avery Munoz, Sloane De Torres, Anjelina Nieto, Antonella Russo, Kalli Cho, Ella Cook and Irandy Erazo.

The Golden Eagles will have a new look in goal after the graduation of Riley Urquiza, who posted a 0.42 goals-against average, .887 save percentage and 10 individual shutouts in 2025. CUI's 2026 goalkeeper group consists of senior Bella Miseroy, junior UC Riverside transfer Christina Sidoti and freshman Addison Franko.

Series History: Thursday's match will mark the first-ever meeting between Stan State and Concordia University Irvine.

Scouting Central Washington
Central Washington enters the 2026 season after finishing 4-7-6 overall and 2-7-5 in GNAC play last season. The Wildcats went 2-0-1 in non-conference action, including a 2-1 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay and a 1-1 draw against UC Merced. Central Washington scored 14 goals while allowing 25, averaging 0.82 goals per match and recording five shutouts.

The Wildcats return their leading scorer in sophomore Jaylee Reynolds, who recorded four goals, one assist and nine points in 17 matches last season. Emma Barrett returns after scoring two goals with one assist, while Sadie Schaefer and Cam Sheets each scored twice. Kelsey Fulton, who scored one goal in 2025, also returns.

Central Washington also returns both of its primary goalkeepers from 2025. Senior Danika Galbraith went 4-5-2 with a 1.33 goals-against average, .831 save percentage and five shutouts, while junior Leighton Menge posted a 1.57 goals-against average and .771 save percentage in eight appearances. The Wildcats' goalkeepers combined for a 1.47 goals-against average, .803 save percentage and five shutouts.

Series History: Stan State is 6-1-1 all-time against Central Washington and has won the last four meetings. The Warriors won the most recent matchup 3-1 in Turlock on Sept. 1, 2018. Stan State's only loss in the series came in the first meeting, a 2-0 setback on Sept. 19, 1998, in Arcata. Saturday's match will be the first meeting between the programs since 2018 and the second played in Arcata.

Watch Warrior Athletics on FloCollege
Warrior fans can follow Stan State on FloCollege throughout the season when the Warriors compete at CCAA venues. Both matches at this weekend's Humboldt Kickoff Classic will stream live on FloCollege from Cal Poly Humboldt's College Creek Field. A FloCollege subscription provides access to more than 12,000 events throughout the season and can be streamed through the FloSports app on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and mobile devices. Visit FloCollege.com to subscribe and follow the Warriors when they compete at CCAA venues.

Follow the Warriors Live
Live statistics for both matches at the Humboldt Kickoff Classic will be available through WarriorAthletics.com. Fans can follow live scoring, team and individual statistics, and match updates throughout each contest.

Up Next
Following the Humboldt Kickoff Classic, Stan State travels to San Diego to face RV Point Loma on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 3:45 p.m. at PLNU Soccer Field. The Warriors then return to Turlock for their home opener against RV Dominican on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. at Warrior Stadium. Stan State opens CCAA play on Friday, Sept. 18, hosting Cal State Monterey Bay at 4 p.m. at Warrior Stadium.