Castano, Ishii ready to represent Tarleton State Tennis at ITA Conference Masters Championship

SAN DIEGO - Tarleton State Tennis is set to compete on one of collegiate tennis' biggest fall stages this weekend as the Texans travel to the Barnes Tennis Center for the 2025 ITA Conference Masters Championship from Nov. 6-9.

The event brings together the top singles players and doubles teams from Division I conferences across the nation. Representing Tarleton State will be sophomore Maria Castano (singles and doubles) and freshman Aya Ishii (doubles). Both earned the automatic qualification after capturing titles at the WAC Fall Tennis Invitational in October.

Castano claimed the WAC Fall Invitational singles title in Utah while the pairing of Castano and Ishii went undefeated to take home the doubles crown. This will be the first time the Texans have representation in singles and doubles at the ITA Conference Masters Championship. Noelia Lorca competed in singles at the event in 2024.

The tournament holds major postseason implications. The top four singles finishers and top three doubles teams will qualify for the NCAA Championships next spring. For Tarleton State, that means Castano and the Castano/Ishii duo will have an opportunity to make program history by advancing to the big dance.

For the second straight month, Tarleton State Tennis swept the monthly awards from the Western Athletics Conference.

Castano was named the WAC Singles Player of the Month for October, with Castano and Ishii being named Doubles Players of the Month for October.

Castano enters the event in top form following her standout fall season and has established herself as one of the WAC's premier players. The sophomore's consistency and confidence has anchored the Texans' lineup, and she will look to continue her winning momentum against some of the nation's top competition in San Diego.

Her first match takes place on Thursday at 11 a.m. CT against University of Denver's Marley Lambert.

In doubles, Ishii has made an immediate impact in her first semester in Stephenville. The freshman from Japan has shown strong composure and chemistry alongside Castano, as the two have yet to drop a set together this fall. Their success has given the Texans a formidable presence in doubles play heading into one of the top fall events at the collegiate level.

Ishii and Castano will play their first doubles match of the event against Richmond's Lara Bakhaya and Sofia Maria Barbulescu on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Under head coach Elianne Douglas-Miron, Tarleton State continues to establish itself as one of the WAC's top programs and a growing force in Division I tennis. The opportunity to compete in a national championship event highlights the team's upward trajectory and provides valuable experience as the Texans prepare for the spring dual-match season.

The field at the ITA Conference Masters features elite players from across the country, ensuring a challenging draw for every competitor. The ITA Conference Masters Championship runs Thursday through Sunday in San Diego. Fans can follow live scoring through Score Buzzer. The Barnes Tennis Center will provide a live video stream for fans.

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Players Mentioned

Noelia Lorca: Senior

Maria Castano: Sophomore

Aya Ishii: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Noelia Lorca
: Senior

Maria Castano
: Sophomore

Aya Ishii
: Freshman