Bowling Green, KY – Following an undefeated 10-0 MSC regular season run and a trip to the MSC Tournament finals, multiple Patriots were able to snag all-conference accolades, including a Coach of the Year win for Chin Tan.
At the top of the list was Tomomi Nagao, who was able to notch her first MSC Player of the Year award and a spot on the first team all-conference. Nagao had an incredible season for UC as she went 17-2 in the #1 singles spot for Cumberlands, which also featured a three-set win over #31 Alexandra Parra of Lindsey Wilson and a two-set win against #32 Ainhoa Garijo Garrido of Cumberland University. This is now the third time that Nagao has been named to the first team all-conference squad, and is the first Patriot to grab the honor since 2017. Nagao is also the 6th Patriot to win the award in the last 21 seasons.
Laura Marie was also able to grab the MSC Freshman of the Year award, and a spot on the first team all-conference. Marie had a standout freshman campaign in the #3 singles spot as well as the #2 and #3 doubles spots with fellow teammate Tessa Gray and Johanna Beckmann. Over the course of the season, Marie posted an impressive record of 20-2 in the #3 singles spot, while going 9-1 in #2 doubles and a perfect 11-0 in #3 doubles play with Gray and Beckman by her side.
Continuing the success for UC was Coach Tan, who has now won his fourth all-time MSC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year award. Coach Tan took home the honor for Cumberlands as his team went 19-3 overall and 10-0 in MSC play. This past season, Coach Tan was able to break a 20 match losing streak to Lindsey Wilson College as the Patriots took down the Blue Raiders with a 5-2 win during conference play. Coach Tan also went on to lead UC to 11 shutouts throughout the year.
With her first appearance on the first team all-conference list, Mikaela Fros earned her spot. This season, Fros was able to put up a 13-8 #2 singles record and a 14-6 record in #1 doubles when paired with Nagao. In #2 singles play, Fros tallied thirteen match wins where she took down her competition in just two sets, and with the NAIA tournament on the horizon she will play a big part in Cumberlands run at a national championship.
Adding on to an already impressive accumulation of conference honors was Beckmann and Satsuki Mitani, who were both named to the second team all-conference. In the #5 singles spot, Beckmann went 18-4 overall with a total of 16 two-set victories and five shutouts versus her opponents. In equally impressive fashion, Mitani was able to go 19-3 overall in the #6 singles spot for the Patriots. When paired together in doubles play, Beckmann and Mitani seemed to control any match they were in as they went 2-0 in the #1 spot, 9-1 in the #2 spot, and 4-2 in the #3 spot.
Full MSC Release
Cumberlands will now wait for their at-large bid for the NAIA Championships that will be hosted in Mobile, Alabama on May 18-22.
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