MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg University women's soccer forward
Jayla Ponce (SR, Kuna, Idaho/Kuna HS) was named to the 2025 College Sports Communicators Division III Academic All-America Team, it was announced on Wednesday.
A master's of business administration graduate student with a 4.00 grade-point average, Ponce was named to the Academic All-America first team for Division III women's soccer. Three teams, totalling 33 players, were named to the CSC Academic All-America Division III women's soccer squad -- 12 to the first team, 10 to the second team and 11 to the third team.
She was also named to the CSC Academic All-District squad for the third straight in November, and will earn her third Academic All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honor this season.
Across all sports, Augsburg student-athletes have now been honored 60 times with College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America honors since 1981, including 48 honors since 2000 and at least one every year since 2011. Augsburg has now had three CSC Academic All-America honorees in women's soccer in program history; Ashley St. Aubin received Academic All-America second-team honors in both 2018 and 2019.
The honor is the latest for Ponce, who became the
third Augsburg women's soccer player in program history to earn United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) All-Region honors three or more times in their career. Ponce earned fourth-team honors last year and second-team honors in 2023.
This year's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Ponce became the third Auggie in program history to earn All-MIAC honors four times -- one of 22 MIAC women's soccer players ever to achieve the feat. Ponce again shined as a forward for the Auggies, leading the team with 16 goals and five assists for 37 points -- tied for the MIAC's goal-scoring and points lead, while tied for 11th in assists. Among NCAA Division III players nationally, Ponce finished tied for 24th in total goals and tied for 31st in total points. Starting all 19 games and playing 1,464 minutes (77.1 minutes per-game), Ponce had a goal or assist in 11 games, with five multi-goal games, including a four-goal, 10-point effort in Augsburg's 10-0 win over Bethany Lutheran on Sept. 6.
Playing in four seasons as an Auggie after spending her first season at Division II Fort Lewis State (Colo.), Ponce recorded four hat tricks and 12 multi-goal games in her career. In 74 Augsburg career games (5,918 minutes, 80.0 minutes per-game) and 80 overall career games (6,181 minutes, 77.3 minutes per-game), Ponce finished her career with 45 goals and 29 assists for 119 points on 158 shots on-goal, with 19 career game-winning goals and seven penalty kick goals. She finished her career in third place in school history in goals, tied for third in assists and tied for second in total points.
Under third-year head coach
Clara Webby, Augsburg finished 10-8-1 overall, 6-4-1 in MIAC play in 2025. Augsburg made its 15th appearance in the MIAC postseason playoffs since 2004, and 11th playoff appearance in the last 13 full seasons.
In the
CSC Academic All-America program, top student-athletes are originally nominated for inclusion on Academic All-District teams by college and university sports information directors. Student-athletes must have a grade-point average above 3.50 (4.0 scale) and have outstanding athletic credentials. Sports information directors in each division vote to select Academic All-America honorees and the Academic All-America of the Year in each category.
The Division III Academic All-America program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure, to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the Division III Academic All-America teams program.
Augsburg's All-Time CSC (Formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-Americans:
Jayla Ponce, women's soccer, 2025 (first team)
Carver Tierney, men's soccer, 2025 (first team)
Mitchel Munzing, men's soccer, 2025 (third team)
Nora Stepan, women's hockey (women's at-large), 2025 (second team)
Elizabeth Fagerlind, women's hockey/women's golf (women's at-large), 2025 (third team)
Charlie Stuhl, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2024 (first team)
Tyler Kim, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2024 (second team)
Payton Allen, women's hockey (women's at-large), 2023 (first team)
Tyler Shilson, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2023 (first team, Academic All-America of the Year)
Charlie Stuhl, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2023 (first team)
Tyler Shilson, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2022 (second team)
Daniil Gerasimov, men's ice hockey (men's at-large), 2021 (third team)
David Flynn, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2020 (first team)
Victor Gliva, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2020 (first team)
Brett Buckingham, men's golf (men's at-large), 2020 (second team)
Booker Coplin, men's basketball, 2020 (first team)
Ashley St. Aubin, women's soccer, 2019 (second team)
Booker Coplin, men's basketball, 2019 (second team)
Christopher Lemke, football, 2018 (first team)
Ashley St. Aubin, women's soccer, 2018 (second team)
Nate Flynn, men's ice hockey (men's at-large), 2018 (first team)
Victor Gliva, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2018 (first team)
Sam Bennyhoff, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2018 (second team)
Christopher Lemke, football, 2017 (first team)
Nate Flynn, men's ice hockey (men's at-large), 2017 (second team)
Mary Cornelius, women's track and field/cross country, 2016 (third team)
Erika Allen, women's ice hockey (women's at-large), 2016 (second team)
Zach Swingen, football, 2015 (first team)
Chris DeVet, football, 2014 (first team)
Zach Swingen, football, 2014 (second team)
Lauren Rice, women's track and field/cross country, 2014 (first team)
Elianna Bier, women's swimming and diving (women's at-large), 2014 (second team)
Chad Thompson, football, 2013 (second team)
Chris DeVet, football, 2013 (second team)
Bri Dorale, softball, 2013 (first team)
Chad Thompson, football, 2012 (first team)
Tony Valek, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2012 (first team)
Tony Valek, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2011 (first team)
Alex Hildebrandt, men's soccer, 2009 (second team)
Alex Hildebrandt, men's soccer, 2008 (third team)
Nick Manders, men's soccer, 2007 (second team)
Andrew Neumann, football, 2006 (second team)
Ryan Valek, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2006 (first team)
Riley Conway, men's track and field/cross country, 2005 (second team)
Mark Matzek, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2005 (first team)
Ryan Valek, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2005 (third team)
Darren Ginther, baseball, 2005 (first team)
Brent Peroutka, football, 2001 (second team)
Josh Cagle, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2000 (first team)
Brian Jones, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 2000 (second team)
Josh Cagle, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 1999 (second team)
Jim Peterson, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 1999 (second team)
Scott Hvistendahl, football, 1998 (second team)
Ted Schultz, football, 1997 (first team)
Scott Hvistendahl, football, 1997 (second team)
Dan Lewandowski, men's wrestling (men's at-large), 1997 (second team)
Andrea Haight, softball, 1991 (second team)
Karen Sterner, track and field (women's at-large), 1987 (second team)
Karen Sterner, track and field (women's at-large), 1986 (first team)
Paul Elliot, football, 1981 (only one team selected)
(NOTE: Story includes information taken from CoSIDA Academic All-America release and Augsburg United Soccer Coaches All-American release.)
