KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Oklahoma City University's Makayla Messaris garnered NAIA dancer of the year. 

Messaris shared the inaugural honor with Nyah Brooks of Viterbo (Wis.). Four Stars made the NAIA competitive dance all-America team. 

Messaris, a freshman pursuing a bachelor of fine arts in acting degree from Spring Hill, Fla., and Payton Wolff from Oklahoma City collected first-team all-American acclaim. Kim Rodriguez, a junior marketing major from Mesquite, Texas, and Stephanie Towle of the Stars snared honorable-mention nods. 

"I'm proud that Makayla and the rest of the Stars were recognized for their talent," OCU coach Tasha Hinex said. 

Wolff, a sophomore from Sugar Land, Texas, working towards a BFA acting degree, hauled in her second all-American honor, while Towle, a junior from Orlando, Fla., studying exercise science, took her second all-American accolade. 

Oklahoma City posted a fourth-place finish with an overall score of 85.67 in the NAIA Championships on March 10-11 in Ypsilanti, Mich. The Stars ranked sixth in the NAIA with an average score of 86.02 this season. 

To earn NAIA all-American status, student-athletes put on an all-American performance. Officials judge the athletes during the routine, and all-Americans are determined by the judges' scores. An athlete must score at least a total of 12 in order to be considered for honorable mention and one must score at least a total of 16 in order to be considered for all-America. The CCD Coaches Association officers then confirm the list of scores and athletes. 

The Stars will compete in the National Dance Alliance Championships on April 5-9 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Oklahoma City owns five national championships – the 2014 NAIA title and four NDA national crowns.