KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Makenna West of Northwest Missouri State University and Claire Mullen of the University of Central Oklahoma were named the Athletic Solutions Co-"A Game" Scholar-Athletes of the 2026 MIAA Women's Soccer Championship.

The top eight teams from the regular season advanced to the Association's 2026 women's season postseason tournament. Among all the NCAA Division II women's soccer players competing in the MIAA championship, Central Oklahoma's Claire Mullen and Northwest Missouri's Makenna West were both selected as the championship's "A Game" Scholar-Athlete for their performances on and off the field this season.

Quarterfinal matches of the 2026 championship are scheduled to begin this Sunday, November 1, on the MIAA campuses of the tournament's four highest seeds. The Bronchos will host Emporia State at 1 p.m. in Edmond, while the Bearcats will travel to Warrensburg, Missouri, to take on the Jennies, also at 1 p.m. The winning teams will advance to the final rounds of the championship, hosted November 6 and 8 at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan.

Established by the MIAA in 2022, the "A Game" Scholar-Athlete Award presented by Athletic Solutions acknowledges the overall excellence of a student-athlete by recognizing one individual who has contributed to their team's success while also achieving the highest academic standard among peers. The student-athlete honored with the "A Game" Scholar-Athlete Award must be an active member of a qualifying team and must have a minimum of two terms completed at the institution.

Mullen is a midfielder from Lawrence, Kansas, on the Bronchos' soccer team. Academically, she's a senior physical education and health major with an impressive 4.0 grade point average. On the field, Mullen's appeared in 15 matches this season with a total of 388 minutes played, helping Central Oklahoma claim the No. 4 seed in the postseason championship.

West is a senior forward from Bondurant, Iowa, on the Bearcats' soccer team. Also a 4.0 GPA student-athlete, West is pursuing a bachelor's degree in applied health with an emphasis in sports medicine. She's started and played in three matches this season, helping Northwest to the No. 7 seed in the 2026 championship.

West is the first-ever Bearcat women's soccer player to be named the championship's "A Game" Scholar-Athlete and the eighth Northwest Missouri student-athlete overall to earn the title. Mullen is the third Broncho soccer player to earn the championship's "A Game" Scholar-Athlete award and the fourth UCO student-athlete to receive the honor.

Northwest's All-Time A-Game Scholars
Makenna West – Soccer (2026)
Jayme Fritts – Baseball (2026)
Riley Witt – Indoor Track & Field (2026)
Jack Ratigan – Men's Basketball (2026)
Molly Hartnett – Women's Basketball (2024)
Blake Morgan – Men's Outdoor Track & Field (2024)
Vera Alenicheva – Women's Tennis (2023)
Dakota Schmidt – Men's Outdoor Track & Field (2023)

To view past "A Game" Scholar-Athlete award winners and find more information about the award, visit theMIAA.com/scholar-athletes. 

To view the official bracket and find more information on the 2026 MIAA Women's Soccer Championship, visit theMIAA.com/soccerchampionship.

ABOUT ATHLETIC SOLUTIONS:
Athletic Solutions is an e-commerce and merchandise company created by former athletes and supporters with the mission of providing better gear and branding opportunities for schools, clubs, and student-athletes. The company specializes in print-on-demand technology, offering custom apparel and accessories for online team stores. One of their key focuses is supporting the growing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) space by helping athletes launch their own online stores and benefit from an industry-leading revenue share.