ARLINGTON, Texas – Tarleton State’s Maria Castano was selected the 2025-26 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Women’s Tennis Player of the Year, as voted by the league’s head coaches, headlining the three major award winners from the 2025-26 women’s tennis season.
 
Joining Castano as a top award winner from Tarleton State was Aya Ishii, who captured the WAC Freshman of the Year honor, and Elianne Douglas-Miron, who was tabbed as the WAC Coach of the Year after leading the Texans to their first conference title.
 
Castano earned the WAC Player of the Year award just one year after being named the WAC Freshman of the Year. In the 2025-26 season, Castano accumulated a 16-10 singles record and 20-10 doubles record and won the 2025 WAC Women’s Tennis Invitational on Oct. 18 in the singles and doubles draw, winning the doubles draw with Ishii. Castano led Tarleton State to 2026 WAC Women’s Tennis Tournament championship and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
Ishii clinched the match-winning point for Tarleton State in both of its games in the WAC Women’s Tennis Tournament, including the championship-winning point against Abilene Christian in the title match on Apr. 19. Ishii compiled a 25-4 singles record, and 23-9 doubles record this season. Ishii was also named to the WAC Women’s Tennis All-Tournament Team.
 
Douglas-Miron coached Tarleton State to the team’s first-ever conference championship and is leading the Texans to their first appearance in the NCAA DI Women’s Tennis Championship. Douglas-Miron led the Texans to a 17-7 season record and a near-perfect 8-1 record at home. The Texans were 3-0 against conference opponents in 2025-26.
 
Joining Castano and Ishii on the All-WAC Singles First Team from Tarleton State was Marissa Minetti, Ximena Morales and Emma Persson. Abilene Christian’s Masha Vrsalovic was also named to all-conference first team. Singles second team selections consisted of Maria Cascos and Victoria Correa of ACU, UT Arlington’s Natalia Gonzalez, and Utah Tech’s Ana Gutierrez Sampere and Mariana Zurita Berdecio.
 
Tarleton State swept the All-WAC Doubles Teams with Ishii and Minetti being named to the doubles first team while Morales and Persson were selected as doubles second team.
 
2025-26 WAC Women’s Tennis Season Awards
 
WAC Player of the Year
Maria Castano, So., Tarleton State
 
WAC Freshman of the Year
Aya Ishii, Tarleton State
 
WAC Coach of the Year
Elianne Douglas-Miron, Tarleton State
 
All-WAC First Team
Masha Vrsalovic, Sr. Abilene Christian
Maria Castano, So., Tarleton State
Aya Ishii, Fr., Tarleton State
Marissa Minetti, Fr., Tarleton State
Ximena Morales, Sr., Tarleton State
Emma Persson, Sr., Tarleton State
Aya Ishii and Marissa Minetti, Tarleton State (Doubles)
 
All-WAC Second Team
Maria Cascos, Sr., Abilene Christian
Victoria Correa, Fr., Abilene Christian
Alice Klinteby, Sr., Abilene Christian
Natalia Gonzalez, Fr., UT Arlington
Ana Gutierrez Sampere, Jr., Utah Tech
Mariana Zurita Berdecio, Jr., Utah Tech
Ximena Morales and Emma Persson, Tarleton State (Doubles)