10-Year Celebration: UMAC Women's Tennis All-Decade honors
ST. PAUL, Minn.---As part of its 2018-19 "10-Year Celebration," the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) named six individual athletes to the UMAC Women's Tennis All-Decade Team and selected a Coach of the Decade and the Women's Tennis Team of the Decade, the conference announced Thursday.
The six individuals named to the All-Decade Team include Hillary Bungarden (College of St. Scholastica, 2010-13), Anna Hemmelman (Martin Luther College, 2017-Present*), Megan Johnson (University of Northwestern, 2012-15), Karen Moe (Northwestern, 2014-17), Katie Motley (St. Scholastica, 2009-10*) and Ploy Suthijindawong (St. Scholastica, 2009). The UMAC also recognized St. Scholastica head coach Wells Patten as the Coach of the Decade and the 2009 St. Scholastica team as the Women's Tennis Team of the Decade.
All-Decade Team
Hillary Bungarden, College of St. Scholastica (2010-2013)
Bungarden led the Saints to four-straight UMAC regular season and tournament championships while setting program records in the process. She was a three-time All-UMAC First Team selection and was picked as the 2012 UMAC Player of the Year. Bungarden currently owns the Saints' record for career singles wins at the No. 1 flight and set a CSS record for singles win percentage in a season (.952).
Anna Hemmelman, Martin Luther College (2017-Present*)
During her first two seasons with the Knights, Hemmelman has reached incredible personal feats while leading her squad to two-straight postseason tournaments. Hemmelman is a two-time All-UMAC First Team performer and was named 2018 Player of the Year after a perfect 7-0 conference slate at No. 1 singles – a first for any MLC player. She finished 2018 with a 13-3 record and 12-consecutive singles wins.
Megan Johnson, University of Northwestern (2012-2015)
Johnson set the tone for Northwestern's recent success in women's tennis when she led her squad to back-to-back regular season and tournament championships in 2014 and 2015. During her four years, Johnson was four times selected All-UMAC First Team and was three-time UMAC Player of the Year (2013-15). Johnson is currently second all-time at Northwestern in career singles wins (69) and total wins (140).
Karen Moe, University of Northwestern (2014-2017)
Moe led Northwestern to three regular season championships and three-straight tournament titles (2014-16). She was a four-time All-UMAC First Team honoree and back-to-back pick for UMAC Player of the Year to end her impressive career. In 2017, Moe was ranked in the ITA Central Region top 20 as an individual and finished the year 29-0 at No. 1 singles. She led the Eagles to two-straight NCAA tournament selections and finished her career No. 1 all-time at Northwestern in singles wins (103), doubles wins (90) and total wins (193).
Katie Motley, College of St. Scholastica (2009-2010*)
During her time at St. Scholastica, Motley helped the Saints to four UMAC regular season and tournament titles. She was a First Team All-UMAC performer twice during the NCAA era (four times overall) and was named the 2010 UMAC Player of the Year. Motley owns program records for career doubles wins (68) and total wins (125). Of her career total wins, 92 came at either the No. 1 or 2 flights.
Ploy Suthijindawong, College of St. Scholastica (2009)
Suthijindawong played just one season at St. Scholastica, but it was a memorable one. As a rookie, she was a First Team All-UMAC pick and the 2009 Player of the Year. Her accolades continued with ITA All-America status after she finished as the runner-up at the NCAA Division III Individual Tournament. Suthijindawong set a St. Scholastica record for singles wins in a season with 27.
Coach of The Decade
Wells Patten, College of St. Scholastica
Patten has served as the Saints' head coach since 1997. He led the Saints to 21 regular season UMAC titles including a share of nine in the last 10 years, as well as seven UMAC tournament titles in the NCAA era. He has been named the UMAC Coach of the Year and led his program to seven NCAA tournament appearances including 2018 after capturing the first UMAC automatic qualifier for women's tennis.
Team of The Decade
College of St. Scholastica, 2009
The 2009 St. Scholastica women's tennis team won both the regular and tournament UMAC championships after going 8-0 in conference play. The Saints finished 18-10 overall and had four individuals who were either past, current or future UMAC Players of the Year. Additionally, the Saints captured the conference's only victory for women's tennis in the NCAA tournament with a first round win over Luther College. The team members were Brooke Aho, Paula Beckermann, Ali Bernst, Megan Carlson, Callee Conda, Liz Coyne, Katie Marcella, Katie Motley, Kelly Ross, Angela Shields, Danni Sonnenfeld, Ploy Suthijindawong, Natalie Urick and Lynnae Wilke. Head coach was Wells Patten.
*Only seasons a student-athlete competed during the 10-Year timeframe (2009-2018 for women's tennis) in the UMAC are listed.
Throughout 2018-19, the UMAC will recognize individual athletes and one coach for each conference sport on All-Decade Teams and name one team as Team of the Decade. Individuals and teams were nominated by UMAC full and associate member institutions and the teams were selected by a committee of administrators and coaches from the UMAC. The All-Decade recognition is part of the UMAC "10-Year Celebration" commemorating the first 10 years of NCAA Division III membership for the UMAC.
All-Decade Team Archives
"10-Year Celebration" Page