McNeese head women’s tennis coach Sonia Carlson was named the 2026 Southland Conference Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year on April 17, as announced by the league before the start of the SLC Tennis Championship.
Carlson led McNeese to a historic season, resulting in its first outright regular season title in Southland Conference history and only its second overall. The Cowgirls achieved a 21-1 overall record and went undefeated in conference play at 9-0. The team also set program records for most wins in a season, longest winning streak with sixteen consecutive victories, and an undefeated home record at 8-0.
Carlson became only the third McNeese coach to receive this honor and is the first since Helena Besovic won it in 2018. “Carlson guided the Cowgirls to a historic season that resulted in McNeese’s first Southland Conference outright regular season title and only the second in program history,” according to the announcement.
Several Cowgirls players received recognition on the All-Southland Conference Team. Ana Hollweg earned first team honors at No. 4 singles with an SLC-best record of 15-2 at her position and finished with a team-high twenty wins overall this season. Erica Hagi was selected for No. 5 singles after posting an SLC-best record at her spot and tying for fourth-most wins overall with sixteen victories. Elena Morales went undefeated (8-0) in conference play at No. 6 singles, finishing with nineteen total wins—tying for most singles victories in conference play.
In doubles competition, Salome Fluri and Erica Hagi took first team honors at No. 2 doubles after recording twelve total wins—the most among all teams competing at their position—and six conference victories that tied for best mark this year. Ana Hollweg paired with Naomi Hollweg to earn top honors as well; they were undefeated (9-0) within conference matches as a No.3 duo.
Other individual awards included Estefania Gonzalez from UIW as Player of the Year, Paige Duncan from Southeastern as Newcomer of the Year, and Martina Acebedo Bonocore from Northwestern State as Freshman of the Year.
