MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its all-conference team and major award winners for the 2024 women's tennis season.
Edgewood College junior
Evelyn Taylor was named NACC Player of the Year, while
Martyna Kalinowska of Illinois Institute of Technology was named NACC Freshman of the Year. Additionally, Edgewood College received NACC Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
NACC Player of the Year --- Evelyn Taylor, Edgewood College
Taylor, a junior from Aurora, Illinois, posted a 21-6 record this fall, including a perfect 16-0 mark against NACC competition. She was 11-3 in singles play with a 9-2 mark at the No. 1 position for the NACC champion Eagles. Taylor also posted a pair of victories at the ITA Midwest Regional.
She posted a 10-3 mark in doubles play, primarily at the No. 1 spot. Taylor paired primarily with Marissa Light, posting a 6-2 mark in duals, but also spent time paired with Madelyn Connaughty (3-0) and Sarah Emory (1-0) when Light was sidelined with an injury.
Taylor is the fifth Edgewood student-athlete to be named NACC Women's Tennis Player of the Year, joining
Morgan Wilson (2014),
Anna Miles (2015),
Sydney Verbauwhede (Spring 2021), and
Cecile Fuchs (Fall 2021).
NACC Freshman of the Year --- Martyna Kalinowska, Illinois Institute of Technology
Kalinowska, a freshman from Homer Glen, Illinois, posted a 13-7 mark while playing at No. 1 for the Scarlet Hawks in both singles and doubles.
She was 8-2 in singles play, including 7-1 against NACC competition. Her only loss was a three-set result against Taylor. Kalinowska paired with Hannah Markiewicz to post a 5-5 mark in doubles play, going 5-3 against the NACC.
Kalinowska is the first Illinois Tech student-athlete to be named NACC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Year.
NACC Coaching Staff of the Year --- Edgewood College (Kevin Friend, head coach)
Edgewood, under the direction of third-year head coach
Kevin Friend, captured its 12th NACC title with a perfect 9-0 mark in NACC play. The title is the Eagles' first since Fall 2021.
Edgewood dropped just five matches in league play (67-5) and posted an 11-1 mark overall with the only blemish coming against regional stalwart UW-Whitewater.
Friend is assisted by 2021 NACC Player of the Year
Cecile Fuchs.
This is the first time a Kevin Friend-led Edgewood staff has been recognized. Edgewood coaches have been honored on eight previous occasions, however.
All-Conference Team Announced
Fifteen singles players and six doubles tandems have been selected to receive all-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference honors by a vote of the league's head coaches with 20 individuals in total receiving mention. Seven student-athletes - Concordia Wisconsin's
Peyton Morgan, Edgewood's
Evelyn Taylor,
Marissa Light, Madelyn Connaughty, and
Hattie Plenty, and St. Norbert's
Jordan Domnick and
Allison Unverzagt - received recognition for both singles and doubles play.
League champion Edgewood led all NACC programs with six singles players and two doubles tandems selected, while St. Norbert is represented by two singles players and two doubles tandems. Concordia Wisconsin is the only other program to make both the singles and doubles lists with one selection each. Illinois Tech and Wisconsin Lutheran both had two all-NACC singles picks, while Alverno and Concordia Chicago had one apiece. MSOE had the sixth and final all-NACC doubles tandem.
| 2024 All-NACC Women's Tennis Team |
| Player of the Year - Evelyn Taylor, Edgewood |
| Freshman of the Year - Martyna Kalinowska, Illinois Tech |
| Coaching Staff of the Year - Edgewood (Kevin Friend, head coach) |
|
|
|
|
| Singles |
Yr. |
School |
Hometown |
| Riley Spencer |
Jr. |
Alverno |
Salem, Wis. |
| Jessica Parker |
Gr. |
Concordia Chicago |
Lake in the Hills, Ill. |
| Peyton Morgan |
Sr. |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Arlington Heights, Ill. |
| Evelyn Taylor |
Jr. |
Edgewood |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Cassie Henderson |
Gr. |
Edgewood |
Heber City, Utah |
| Marissa Light |
Fr. |
Edgewood |
Cottage Grove, Wis. |
| Christina Ekkela |
Jr. |
Edgewood |
Salem, Wis. |
| Madelyn Connaughty |
Sr. |
Edgewood |
Beaver Dam, Wis. |
| Hattie Plenty |
Fr. |
Edgewood |
Janesville, Wis. |
| Martyna Kalinowska |
Fr. |
Illinois Tech |
Homer Glen, Ill. |
| Ashley Dame |
Sr. |
Illinois Tech |
Attleboro, Mass. |
| Allison Unverzagt |
Fr. |
St. Norbert |
Pine City, Minn. |
| Jordan Domnick |
Fr. |
St. Norbert |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Ali Schmidt |
Sr. |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Germantown, Wis. |
| Joelle Smith |
Fr. |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Doubles |
Yr. |
School |
Hometown |
| Peyton Morgan |
Sr. |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Arlington Heights, Ill. |
| Ruth Dolde |
Fr. |
Fort Wayne, Ind. |
| Evelyn Taylor |
Jr. |
Edgewood |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Marissa Light |
Fr. |
Cottage Grove, Wis. |
| Madelyn Connaughty |
Sr. |
Edgewood |
Beaver Dam, Wis. |
| Hattie Plenty |
Fr. |
Janesville, Wis. |
| Karley Way |
Sr. |
MSOE |
Kalamazoo, Mich. |
| Gabrielle Haensgen |
Sr. |
Germantown, Wis. |
| Allison Unverzagt |
Fr. |
St. Norbert |
Pine City, Minn. |
| Grace Peters |
Sr. |
Hubertus, Wis. |
| Jordan Domnick |
Fr. |
St. Norbert |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Alyssa Tegen |
Jr. |
Elkhart Lake, Wis. |