Tennis | 5/13/2025 10:00:00 AM
BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has unveiled the annual all-conference teams and awards for women's tennis. Minnesota State Moorhead graduate
Shaelyn Johnson and junior
Luzmary Diaz Castillo were each named All-NSIC First Team Singles while also earning All-NSIC First Team Doubles as a pair. Head coach
Alexis Konecne was named the conference's Coach of the Year.
Konecne earns the honor after guiding the Dragons to five NSIC duals wins in 2024-25 and 12 wins overall during the year. The third-year head coach is the first NSIC Coach of the Year for the program since Gary Harris in 2007. MSUM tallied 73 singles and 37 doubles wins across the campaign with both totals being the highest since 2019. The Dragons had four singles players with 10 or more wins while two doubles teams reached that marker as well.
With her help, the team of Johnson and Diaz Castillo would register a new single-season school record with 16 doubles wins in 2024-25. Additionally,
Tiannah Gu would match the single-season school record for singles wins with 16. Prior to this season, that record was solely held by Konecne herself.
Johnson enjoyed a phenomenal graduate campaign with the Dragons, earning a 14-11 overall record during the season. The Grand Forks, N.D., native was exceptional in league play, working towards a 7-2 record, primarily at the number one position. Johnson was twice named NSIC Player of the Week during the regular season as well. It is the third All-NSIC singles honor of Johnson's career.
Diaz Castillo was equally as impressive in her junior season, earning a 15-7 singles record. Playing at the number two position, Diaz Castillo would go 5-2 in NSIC matches during the season. Both Johnson and Diaz Castillo would make history in the fall, earning the program's first ITA wins as part of the ITA Central Region Fall Championships in Edmond, Okla. The honor is Diaz Castillo's first All-NSIC singles nod.
As a pairing, Johnson and Diaz Castillo were nothing short of extraordinary, earning a single-season record 16 wins to just seven losses on the year. The squad held a 5-4 overall record in NSIC doubles play this season and concluded the year winning their last two matches. Overall, Diaz Castillo and Johnson won seven of their last 10 matches in 2024-25. The tandem was named All-NSIC Second Team Doubles in 2023-24 as well.
