Five Pioneers Earn All-America

OLATHE, Kan. - MNU capped a memorable fall season with national recognition across three sports, as five Pioneers earned NAIA All-America honors.

Football set the tone through senior linebacker Jonathon Brown, whose presence anchored the Pioneer defense all season. A 1st team All-America honoree and first-team All-Conference selection, the Garland, Texas native piled up 99 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and five sacks.

On the pitch, women's soccer reached new heights behind a pair of standout performers. Sophomore goalkeeper Fiona Popetschnig etched her name into the record books as the first 1st-team All-America honoree in program history. The Salzburg, Austria native delivered a dominant season between the posts, earning 1st team All-Conference while recording 65 saves, a .823 save percentage, and seven shutouts while guiding MNU to the NAIA Final Site Round of 16.

Joining her was senior midfielder Thayline Teixeira, who earned 2nd-team All-America honors for the second straight season—(last year she was the program's first player to rise beyond honorable mention at the NAIA level). The Porto Alegre, Brazil product tallied 13 goals and 6 assists, controlling the tempo in midfield and providing timely scoring as MNU returned to the national stage. A first-team All-Conference selection, Teixeira closed her career as one of the most accomplished players the program has seen.

Men's soccer matched that national impact with a historic postseason run, powered by two All-American honorees of its own. Senior midfielder Antonio Mugica earned 1st-team All-America recognition after one of the most complete seasons in the NAIA. The Madrid, Spain native recorded 12 goals and 12 assists, claimed Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors, and led the Pioneers to a conference tournament title and a national semifinal appearance.

Alongside him, freshman forward Jeremie Pelade made an immediate splash on the collegiate stage. The Aix-en-Provence, France native scored 14 goals with two assists, earning 2nd-team All-America, first-team All-Conference, and Conference Freshman of the Year honors. His finishing ability helped fuel MNU's deep postseason run and signaled a bright future for the program.