PUC Honors Their Athletic Programs’ Successful Season

On May 24, Pacific Union College honored 120 of its student-athletes at the Athletic Awards Banquet, with 38 receiving CAL-Pac awards and 29 receiving PUC Team awards. Held in the Fireside Room, this year’s banquet was extra special as CAL-PAC Commissioner Dr. Don Ott joined the event for the first time to present two Conference Awards: the Dr. Jim Davies Scholar Athlete of the Year Award and the Sportsmanship Award.

For the first time in PUC history, cross-country senior biology student Andrea Maidan was the first female athlete to win the Dr. Jim Davies Scholar Athlete of the Year Award for standing out within the CAL-PAC for her exceptional contributions in academics, athletics, and the community. She was part of PUC’s Cross Country team that sent two female athletes to Nationals this school year, with Maidan placing first in the CAL-PAC Championships. She was also named All-Conference First Team and CAL-PAC Runner of the Year, all while keeping a 3.9 GPA, which also awarded her this year’s CAL-PAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year and team Most Valuable Player.

“Receiving these awards is an incredibly rewarding achievement,” said Maidan. “To me, these awards demonstrate my work ethic and grit, which I take with me in academics and through life. I hope this award not only brings light to the PUC XC team but to the entirety of PUC as an outstanding athletic and academic university. However, no award is more meaningful than the incredible friendships and memories made this year. I have found the relationships to be so much more rewarding than any other award, and for that, I am truly blessed.”

This was Maidan’s only year as a student-athlete at PUC, and what a success it has been for her, both academically and athletically. As she graduated this year, she shared that she will miss the community and team experiences. “Yes, practice was difficult, but my teammates, coaches, and peers made it all worthwhile,” shared Maidan. “The positive impact the XC team has made my senior year unforgettable, and I will miss them dearly. But I know the best is yet to come for PUC, and I know God will guide them through it all!”

The final award Dr. Ott presented was the Sportsmanship Award, which is voted on by coaches from every sport. This award marks the eighth time that PUC has won and ranks second of all time within the conference for total sportsmanship awards. “It was the goal of our athletics department this year to win this award back home, as we believe sportsmanship should be one of our core values as we represent PUC,” said PUC Sports Information Director Kenneth Perez.

Throughout the school year, each team had remarkable and memorable highlights. Running alongside Maidan’s season highlights was her women’s cross-country teammate Manami Uyeyama, who also had a spectacular year, in which she finished in second place in the CAL-PAC Individual Championship, with both her and Maidan competing at Nationals afterward. Also at Nationals, Andrew Baluyot represented PUC’s men’s cross-country team for the first time since 2019, finishing in the top seven.

For the men’s volleyball team, first-year head coach and PUC alum Louis Ramirez led his team to the program's most wins in NAIA history, with their team to their second straight playoff season and also having the team's third straight season with one player making All-Conference First Team, with sophomore middle blocker Nate Tejada making the list in back-to-back seasons. For PUC’s women’s volleyball team, junior nursing student Malia DeCelle earned First Team Honors–the first women’s volleyball player to receive this recognition since 2017–and freshman student Sydney Munoz won the first-ever CAL-PAC Individual Award for PUC’s women’s volleyball team, being named Freshman of the Year.

After 20 years, the women’s basketball team reached six wins this year, earning them a playoff berth. It also marked their highest win, which is their second most in the last 20 years. Freshman forward Victoria Fowler also became the first AdventistHoops All-American to receive CAL-PAC’s All-Conference Honors. For PUC’s men’s basketball team, Head Coach Landon Banks sent him and his players to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. In PUC’s NAIA history, Banks and Hernan Granados, PUC’s soccer head coach, became the first two coaches to take their teams into the playoffs in the same year.

With 17 players in the club during their sixth season, the women’s soccer team made the playoffs for the second time. Freshman goalkeeper Avery Alves won the First Individual Award and Freshman of the Year for her team, as three of her teammates also made the Conference First Team. On the other side of the pitch, PUC’s men’s soccer team witnessed a stunner bicycle kick goal by senior forward Edwin Zabala, tying the game with 30 seconds left. For the first time in the team’s NAIA history, they also made the playoffs this year.

From all the wins and success each season, other major accomplishments were gained. Of the eight teams at PUC, seven reached the playoffs, while the entirety of the programs had at least one student-athlete earn First Team All-Conference honors for the first time in PUC’s history, with four graduating seniors and three freshmen named First Team. All these achievements showcase the dedication and hard work of these players and coaches in championing each other through every practice and play.

While playing highly competitively, this year’s Pioneers also carried the weight of representing PUC positively on and off the court, which Perez is most proud of. First and foremost, the college and coaches ensure their athletes are being students first. Some student-athletes also held leadership roles this past year, while maintaining a good academic standing. While being team captain, senior soccer player Kaylin MinceyNeal served as social vice president for PUC’s Student Association, while senior soccer player Anthony Arochi was the financial vice president.

“Serving as social vice president and as a team captain was one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career,” said MinceyNeal. “Being in both leadership positions taught me the importance of accountability, teamwork, and serving others. One of the biggest challenges I faced this year was balancing the responsibilities of leading my team, planning events, keeping up with academics, and managing my personal life. At times it felt overwhelming, but those experiences taught me how to adapt, stay organized, and persevere. Looking back, I am proud of the growth I experienced throughout the year. Most importantly, I am proud that I pushed through challenges and continued to give my best to both my teammates and the campus community. Through these experiences, I learned more about myself and the kind of leader I hope to continue becoming.”

Compared to other colleges and universities, PUC’s athletic program stands out not only for its department opportunities but also for the diverse academic majors available to students, as well as its campus life and location. Having an excellent academic program also really motivates them to stay at PUC,” said Perez. “We also have a fun environment at the games themselves; our students have done a great job at supporting the teams, and I think we stand out from other NAIA schools in that area.” He shared that next season, PUC’s athletic program will be the only NAIA institution anywhere near the Bay Area and will allow freshmen and transfer student-athletes to play.

Perez aims to continue the importance of connecting athletics and the rest of the campus to strengthen the program. “We have amazing student-athletes and great stories across every team, and the more we can celebrate and support them as a campus community, the stronger our program will become,” he said. “At the same time, I'd love to hear more from the community about what they would like to see from us. Athletics should be a part of campus life, and finding new ways to connect with and serve the broader PUC community is something I'd always like us to continue improving.”

During the banquet, the athletics department honored Dr. Tammy McGuire, Professor of Communication, who is retiring after this school year. McGuire has been a tremendous support to student-athletes, from encouraging them throughout their academic studies to taking the time to attend games and cheer for these Pioneers.

To support PUC’s athletic department, Perez shared the biggest way the community can is by continuing to show up and engage with the student-athletes. “Our athletes work incredibly hard to represent the college, and having students, faculty, staff, and community members supporting them at games makes a huge difference,” he said. Perez would also like to see more engagement with the athletics social platforms by following, sharing, and interacting with their content to help increase PUC’s team's awareness, allowing a wider audience to join them in celebrating the department's accomplishments.

While the athletic awards banquet celebrates these student-athletes, Perez hopes they feel a sense of community and belonging. Being surrounded by other athletes, the room also shows how sports bring people together from different majors and backgrounds, uniting them in their shared interests and experiences of working hard and being part of a team. “I also hope students see that athletics is more than wins and losses. At its best, sports help build character and provide experience that lasts long after the season ends.”

PUC’s 2025-2026 Athletic Recipients:

CAL-PAC Individual Awards:

• Andrea Maidan – Dr. Jim Davies Female Scholar Athlete of the Year
• Andrea Maidan – Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year
• Avery Alves – Women's Soccer Freshman of the year
• Sydney Munoz – Women's Volleyball Freshman of the Year

All-Conference First Team: 

• Andrew Baluyot (MXC)
• Andrea Maidan (WXC)
• Manami Uyeyama (WXC)
• Malia DeCelle (WVB)
• Avery Alves (WSOC)
• Ryann Van Horn (WSOC)
• Taylor Delgado (WSOC)
• Edwin Zabala (MSOC)
• Jake Boyd (MSOC)
• Yatyn Anderson (MBB)
• Krystal Pineda (WBB)
• MaTaya Amen-Sherman (WBB)
• Nathaniel Tejada (MVB)

All-Conference Second Team: 

• James Park (MXC)
• Joaquin Verduzco (MXC)
• Marc Tarango (MXC)
• Betsabe Carmona (WXC)
• Rose Portillo (WSOC)
• Leylah Echeverria (WSOC)
• Anthony Arochi (MSOC)
• Noa Svedsen (MVB)

All-Conference Honorable Mention: 

• Arianna Mathern (WVB)
• Sydney Munoz (WVB)
• Jasmine Zapien (WSOC)
• Abraham Najem (MSOC)
• Dominic Cavin (MSOC)
• Narek Tovmasyan (MSOC)
• Hayden Creswell (MBB)
• Isaiah Harper (MBB)
• Ramone Bailey (MBB)
• Raven James (WBB)
• Stephanie Zuniga (WBB)
• Victoria Fowler (WBB)
• Jacob Lopez (MVB)
• JV Cruzado (MVB)
• TJ Letuligasenoa (MVB)

All-Academic: 

• Andrew Baluyot (MXC)
• Mia Bayarena (WXC)
• Adrian Denoncourt (MSOC)
• Raven James (WBB)
• Reese Rogers (WVB)
• Ryann Van Horn (WSOC)

Champions of Character: 

• Andrew Baluyot (MXC)
• Andrea Maidan (WXC)
• Jasmine Zapien (WSOC)
• Adrian Denoncourt (MSOC)
• Lheanne Collantes (WVB)
• John Hemsley (MBB)
• Ronna-lee Henry (WBB)
• Julian Clarke (MVB)

PUC Team Awards

Women's Volleyball: 

• MVP – Malia DeCelle
• Offensive Player of the Year – Malia DeCelle
• Defensive Player of the Year – Sydney Munoz
• Newcomer of the Year – Paige Marsh

Men’s Volleyball: 

• MVP – Tristen Miller
• Offensive Player of the Year – Nate Tejada
• Defensive Player of the Year – Joseph Cardona
• Newcomer of the Year – Andrew Saunders

Women’s Soccer: 

• MVP – Avery Alves
• Offensive Player of the Year – Leylah Echeverria
• Defensive Player of the Year – Ryann Van Horn
• Newcomer of the Year – Kyleigh Melconian

Men’s Soccer: 

• MVP – Edwin Zabala
• Offensive Player of the Year – Edwin Zabala
• Defensive Player of the Year – Ezequiel Gomez
• Newcomer of the Year – Jake Boyd

Women’s Cross Country: 

• MVP - Andrea Maidan
• Newcomer of the Year – Manami Uyeyama
• Men’s Cross Country:
• MVP – Andrew Baluyot
• Newcomer of the Year – Alex Fordham

Women’s Basketball: 

• MVP – MaTaya Amen-Sherman
• Offensive Player of the Year – Krystal Pineda
• Defensive Player of the Year – Raven James
• Newcomer of the Year – Stephanie Zuniga

Men’s Basketball: 

• MVP – Yatyn Anderson
• Offensive Player of the Year – Ramon Bailey
• Defensive Player of the Year – Lorenzo Lentini
• Newcomer of the Year – Isaiah Harper