ST. LOUIS – Missouri State men's soccer players Kian Yari and Jack Denton received 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team honors the league announced Wednesday.    

Additionally, Lewis Green and Jon Koka received honorable mention status as a total of 17 student-athletes were recognized on the conference academic list. 

Earlier this week, all four players were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District VI team, making Wednesday's conference honor their second academic recognition this season. 

Yari (Manchester, England), who earns the first-team distinction for the third time, has been a key piece of the team's midfield attack throughout his career. Earlier this season he was a first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection for the third-straight year, as well. The senior midfielder, who is a 2021 United Soccer Coaches All-American and the 2021 MVC Midfielder of the Year, has also started every match this season totaling 1,133 minutes. In 2021 he was named a third team CSC Academic All-American for his efforts in the classroom. This season Yari has scored four goals and is tied for the most assists on the team with five. He currently boasts a 3.81 grade point average in Economics.   

Denton (London, England) earns first team status after being named to the honorable mention team in Spring 2021. This season the senior midfielder is tied for first on the team with five assists. The senior has started all 17 matches on the pitch for the Bears and as the MSU team captain, helps lead from his midfield position. Earlier in the season he was named the league's Midfielder of the Year. He holds a 3.80 GPA in Exercise and Movement Science. 

Koka (Bilboa, Spain) is a first-time member of the MVC Scholar-Athlete team earning honorable mention status for his efforts in the classroom. After leading the team in goals (6) during its 2021 campaign, the junior forward has tallied a balanced attack of three goals and four assists so far this season. He is a six-time MSU Athletic Director's honor roll selection and has earned multiple conference player of the week awards throughout his career as a Bear. Currently, he holds a 3.59 GPA in Cell & Molecular Biology. 

Green (Northampton, England) receives the academic distinction after making his way onto CSC Academic All-District team for the first time in his career as well. The senior defender ranks second on the team in goals with five, scoring four of them over a three-game span. The goal-scoring frenzy earned him back-to-back weekly conference honors. Green is part of a strong backline that currently ranks first in the nation in shutout percentage (.706). He holds a 3.71 GPA in Economics. 

The criteria for the all-MVC honor parallels the CSC (College Sports Communicators) standards for Academic All-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale). Also, students must have participated in at least 75 percent of the regular season matches. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution. 

Missouri State is making its fourth-straight, and seventh overall, trip to the NCAA Tournament beginning on Thursday, Nov. 17. The Bears will play Creighton in a first-round matchup at Morrison Stadium in Omaha, Neb., at 4 p.m. 

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