Women's Tennis 1/22/2025 1:40:00 PM Grant Cohen

Tarleton State Tennis begins 2025 spring campaign against New Mexico St. Thursday

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Tennis starts the spring portion of its 2025 season on Thursday at the Tarleton Tennis Facility at 1 p.m. against New Mexico State.

The two-time WAC Championship finalists under head coach Elianne Douglas-Miron had a historic 2024 fall campaign. The fall portion of the season was capped off with Noelia Lorca winning the inaugural WAC Tennis Invitational singles title en route to qualifying for the ITA Conference Masters Championship.

Under Douglas-Miron in four years at the Division I level, Tarleton State has won the WAC Coach of the Year award, the WAC Player of the Year award, the WAC Freshman of the Year award, and 14 All-Conference honors (seven Singles All-WAC First Team, one Doubles All-WAC First Team, five Singles All-WAC Second Team, one Doubles All-WAC Second Team). The Texans have also earned 35 midseason monthly or weekly awards (four Singles Player of the Month, one Doubles Team of the Month, 15 Singles Player of the Week, and 15 Doubles Team of the Week).

This year's team consists of six returning letterwinners and two freshmen, led by seniors Lorca and Maretha Burger.

Lorca, a 2024 WAC All-Conference Second Team honoree, captured the first-ever WAC Tennis Invitational singles championship by defeating UT Arlington's Ana Paula Jimenez in three sets. The October WAC Women's Tennis Singles Player of the Week finished the 2024 spring season with an 18-2 singles record, including a 6-1 mark in WAC play. The Spainaird capped off her junior season by being named to the 2024 WAC All-Tournament Team.

Burger finished the 2024 season with a 15-6 doubles record and played the No. 1 doubles position in all 21 matches. The Ashton, South Africa, native was named WAC Doubles Player of the Week twice to go with a 6-3 singles record. Burger was also named Academic All-WAC during the 2023-24 season.

Junior Emma Persson finished the fall campaign by clinching the consolation doubles final with Lorca at 2024 ITA Texas Regional Championships, defeating teammates Ximena Morales and Maria Castano. Persson, the 2023 WAC Player and Freshman of the Year, was also named to the singles All-WAC First Team and WAC All-Tournament Doubles Team as a freshman. She finished with a 15-4 record in doubles in 2024.

Morales was a doubles finalist in the consolation bracket at the 2024 ITA Texas Regional Championships this fall. She finished with a 9-3 record in doubles in 2024, all at the No. 2 position. Morales also had a 5-2 record in conference play in doubles.

After finishing September with an 8-1 singles record, junior Adeliya Mukhutdinova was named September WAC Singles Player of the Month. Mukhutdinova came up with five singles wins during the 2023-24 season and played a key role in the Texans becoming WAC Championship finalists for the second consecutive year. She was also named Academic All-WAC during the 2023-24 season.

Junior Clara Sobius went 11-4 in singles last season, including a perfect 3-0 mark in WAC play. The Canadian was also one of two Texans to be named to the WAC All-Tournament Team last season. As a freshman in 2022-23, Sobius was on the WAC All-Tournament Doubles Team.

The Texans' pair of freshmen in Castano and Duru Kuscu look to give Tarleton State added depth in both singles and doubles. Kuscu won both her matches in qualifying to punch her ticket into the singles main draw of the 2024 ITA Texas Regional Championships. Castano was a doubles finalist of the consolation bracket at the ITA Texas Regional Championships this past fall.

New Mexico State seeks its first win of the season after falling to UTSA at home 6-1 on Saturday. Freshman Montana Parkinson-Lubold delivered the Aggies' lone victory of the day with a straight sets victory 7-5, 7-5.

Thursday's match will be streamed on WAC International and live stats will be available through iOnCourt.

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Players Mentioned

Maretha Burger: Senior

Noelia Lorca: Senior

Ximena Morales: Junior

Adeliya Mukhutdinova: Junior

Emma Persson: Junior

Clara Sobius: Junior

Maria Castano: Freshman

Duru Kuscu: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Maretha Burger
: Senior

Noelia Lorca
: Senior

Ximena Morales
: Junior

Adeliya Mukhutdinova
: Junior

Emma Persson
: Junior

Clara Sobius
: Junior

Maria Castano
: Freshman

Duru Kuscu
: Freshman