THIBODAUX — After sharing the Southland Conference regular-season women’s tennis championship, Northwestern State begins its bid to reach the NCAA Tournament with a 2 p.m. quarterfinal matchup against sixth-seeded McNeese Wednesday in the SLC Tournament hosted by Nicholls.
A win advances NSU to a Thursday semifinal against either SLC co-champion Stephen F. Austin or No. 7-seed Southeastern. The third SLC co-champion, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, is on the other side of the tournament bracket.
Second-year head coach Marcos Morelli headlined the Northwestern award winners on the All-Southland Conference Team announced Wednesday.
Morelli was chosen Coach of the Year by his peers. NSU players Ayu Ishibashi and Sofi Garcia earned second team All-SLC accolades.
Ishibashi, a senior, earned a second team selection at No. 5 singles, with Garcia following right behind her in the No. 6 spot on the second team.
The pairing also earned a second team selection at the doubles No. 3 spot, with a 4-1 record in SLC matches.
Morelli steered the Lady Demons to an 8-1 conference mark, improving upon the 3-4 record from 2024.
“Receiving this award is truly an honor, especially in a conference with so many strong programs and outstanding coaches,” says Morelli. “That said, our focus is fully on the tournament now.”
This is the fourth time in program history that Northwestern has won the SLC coach of the year award, joining Patric DuBois (1994, 2010) and Jonas Brobeck (2022).
Ishibashi was a force this year, going 7-2 in the conference, going 5-1 in her last six matches for the Lady Demons.
The senior currently ranks in the top 5 at Northwestern in singles win percentage in a career with a .767 and ranks in the top 25 of women’s tennis history in all-time singles victories with 43.
Garcia recorded only one loss this year for the Lady Demons, only falling to a first team all-conference selection. She went on a six match winning streak to start her 2025 season, winning all but one in straight-sets.
At the conclusion of this season, the Argentinian solidified herself in the top 12 in singles win percentage, going 28-12 in her three-year career with one more to go.
“Ayu and Sofi faced a season full of challenges and adversity, and I couldn’t be prouder of how they responded,” says Morelli. “They came back stronger, showing resilience, grit, and an unshakable work ethic. These awards are a testament to their mindset and relentless determination. It’s incredibly rewarding to see them recognized for all they’ve overcome and achieved.”
McNeese’s Salome Fluri won Southland Player of the Year honors and teammate Ana Hollweg took the Newcomer of the Year award, while Fluri also took home the Freshman of the Year award.