GREENVILLE, S.C. – The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) unveiled its All-Central Region team as six members of the MACU women's soccer program collected All-Region honors.
Senior forward Kadin Stinson, sophomore midfielder Gladis Avalos, junior midfielder Francesca Martella and senior defender Daniela Paez were all selected to the First Team while junior forward Annika Gerdau and sophomore defender Cammy Hargrove were tabbed to the Second Team.
In her third season with the program, Stinson was one of the team's top goal scorers during the 2023 season, netting six goals and dishing out two assists for 14 points. The Emporia, Kansas native had her best game of the season in a 2-1 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God on Oct. 14, netting both of MACU's goals in the victory.
Coming into the program this fall, Avalos was a major impact player for the Evangels as the team's top goal scorer (7) while also dishing out three assists to finish as the team's leader in points (17). The Mazatenango, Venezuela native was the only MACU player to record a hat trick during the 2023 season, netting three goals in MACU's 5-1 win at the University of the Southwest on Sept. 2.
Being named to the First Team for the second straight year, Martella has been a major impact player offensively, defensively and in-possession. The Bergamo, Italy product netted five goals and dished out three assists for 13 points while reliably logging the fourth-most minutes on the team at 1406. Martella recorded a brace in a 2-1 win over Texas Wesleyan on Oct. 7.
Rounding out the First Team honorees, Paez has been one of the centerpieces of a very strong defensive core for MACU that is allowing just 0.84 goals per game and pitched nine shutouts in MACU's 19 games this season. The third-year player from Bogota, Columbia has logged the second-most minutes (1522) while tallying a pair of assists.
Earning Second Team honors for the second consecutive year, Gerdau has been an impact player offensively for the Evangels, especially in the passing game. The Stelle, Germany native leads the team in assists with seven on the year and has also netted four goals for 15 points. Gerdau's biggest goal of the season came in a 1-1 draw at Southwestern Christian when she netted the equalizer with 34 seconds left.
Collecting a second All-Region award in her two-year MACU career, Hargrove has been the heartbeat of MACU's center-back position. Logging a team-high 1606 minutes, the Oklahoma City native is often tasked with shutting down the opposition's best offensive threat while helping lead the team to one its best seasons ever with a 14-3-2 overall record.
Mid-America Christian will continue its championship pursuits at the NCCAA National Championships in Kissimmee, Florida from Nov. 27-Dec. 1 at the Austin-Tindall Soccer Complex. With the program's first ever No. 1 seed, the Evangels will open the event against No. 5 seed Bethel (Ind.) for a noon kickoff (1 p.m. EST).
