Hughes, a senior defender from Pickerington, Ohio, has led the Lady Cougars to a 52-26-6 overall record (.655 winning percentage) during her four years at MVNU that includes one NCCAA national championship (2006), one American Mideast Conference South Division title (2006), one AMC Tournament title (2009), and the program’s first-ever berth in the NAIA National Championship (2009).

The former Pickerington North High School standout has played in 77 career matches and posted 12 goals and three assists while anchoring a defense that has registered 33 shutouts during that span. This season, Hughes has started all 17 matches she has played in and scored three goals while helping the team post 10 shutouts.

Hughes has received numerous honors during her career including being a two-time AMC First Team selection as both a junior and a senior. She was the NCCAA East Region Co-Player of the Year as a junior as well as being both an NCCAA First Team All-American and an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American. In the past two years, she has been the AMC Defensive Player of the Week four times.

In addition to her success on the soccer field, Hughes is a standout in the classroom where she has posted a 3.71 grade point average as a Psychology major. She was an NAIA and NCCAA Scholar-Athlete last year and is up for those awards again this season, and she was also selected to the NSCAA College Division Scholar All-America Third Team in 2008 and the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 College Division Third Team in 2009.

Hughes has also been involved in numerous service activities during her time at MVNU. She has made nursing home visits with the soccer team, volunteered as a camp counselor for three years at Camp Nuhop (a camp for kids with behavior disorders), been on missions trips to Table Rock Lake, Missouri and Slidell, Louisiana, coached a JVB high school soccer team, served as an assistant coach on a swim team, worked as a 4-v-4 soccer coach, and led a small group on campus for the past two years. This season, she also spearheaded a fundraising effort that has raised over $6,100 for the Olevolos Project (an organization that helps AIDS orphans in Tanzania, Africa) and a shoe drive for Soles4Souls (an organization that provides shoes around the world to people in need) that has netted in excess of 500 pairs of shoes.

"Mara is a wonderful, Christian young woman who truly puts her beliefs into action,” said MVNU coach Daniel Seiffert. "As Michelle Akers reflected such resilience in overcoming obstacles to lead her teams in the past, so Mara, who has also been an overcomer in life, embodies an unquenchable servant leadership spirit which springs out of her deep care and concern for others. She has had a tremendous impact not only on her teammates, but on her coaches as well. I know that her dynamic influence will be felt for a long time to come after she graduates. Based on her outstanding athletic and academic performance and coupled with her strong Christian character, exceptional service record, and servant leadership skills, she is very deserving of this prestigious award.”

Hughes joins former Lady Cougar grates Cheryl Balogh (2003) and Kristy Brandolini (2007) as the third MVNU women’s soccer player to be recognized with this honor.

Since 1997, the NCCAA has presented the Michelle Akers Award to the women’s soccer student-athlete who best models the values of America’s first female soccer star. Akers played with passion and integrity while excelling in both the technical and tactical aspects of the game. From her days as a four-time NCAA All-American at the University of Central Florida to carrying the U.S. Women’s National Team to World Cup glory, Akers’ faith in Christ was always her first love. The NCCAA is grateful to her for allowing this high honor to bear her name.

The Lady Cougars are currently 11-5-2 overall and will take on No. 2 seed Lee University at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on the Lady Flames’ home field.