CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --- The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Coe College senior Tai Lucero (Odessa, Texas/Permian) has been selected Iowa Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year for the 2013 season, while Coe assistant coach Kris Diehl has been selected as the 2013 Iowa Conference Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year.

Lucero posted an 8-1 singles record overall during the fall season with the only blemish coming to Shelby Henderson of St. Thomas (Minn.) in the Round of16 at the USTA/ITA Midwest Region Championship. She went 6-0 at No.1 singles including 5-0 in IIAC play. Lucero also posted a 10-2 mark in doubles (9-1 with Jordan Ferree, 1-1 with Tamara Washington), competing at the No. 1 position. One defeat came at the hands of eventual ITA Midwest Region runners-up Mikayla Becich and Anne Lombardi of Carleton in the quarterfinals of the Midwest Regional championship.

Lucero was denied the chance to defend her individual titles after the 2013 Iowa Conference Individual Tournament in early October was cancelled due to inclement weather. In all, Lucero advanced to five Flight A finals in six opportunities, winning two singles crowns (2010, 2012) and three doubles crowns (2010-11-12).

Lucero is one of three Coe student-athletes to be named Iowa Conference Player of the Year in women’s tennis, joining four-time winner Molly Fiala (2005-06-07-08) and Michelle Schupbach (2011).

Diehl, in her fifth season as an assistant, helped guide Coe to a perfect 10-0 mark during the fall season, including a perfect 7-0 mark in IIAC play to secure the school's sixth Iowa Conference women’s tennis title. The Kohawks will host the Iowa Conference NCAA Automatic Qualifier Tournament next April. This marks the sixth time a Coe coach has been named IIAC Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year. Head coach Eric Rodgers received the previous five honors (2006-07-08-11-12).

The Iowa Conference also announced its 2013 All-Conference Women's Tennis Team. Four Coe players were named overall with Lucero, Ferree and Laura Birky being named in both singles and doubles and Amy Sebastian being named in singles. Four Luther players also received recognition – Maggie Helms in both singles and doubles and Adriana DePaolis, Caroline Treis and Lola White-Baer in singles. Central’s Angie Allgood also received honors in both singles and doubles, while teammate Megan Davis was selected in doubles. Loras’ Elizabeth Dickhut and Wartburg’s Melissa Davis and Katheryn Ross picked up the final three all-conference spots in singles.

 

 

2013 All-Iowa Conference Women's Tennis
Most Valuable Player — Tai Lucero, Coe
Coach of the Year — Kris Diehl, Coe assistant
Singles	School	Year	Hometown/High School
Angie Allgood	CEN	So.	Muscatine, Iowa / Muscatine
Laura Birky	COE	So.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Xavier
Jordan Ferree	COE	Jr.	Pekin, Ill. / Pekin
Tai Lucero	COE	Sr.	Odessa, Texas / Permian
Amy Sebastian	COE	So.	Mundelein, Ill. / Vernon Hills
Elizabeth Dickhut	LOR	Jr.	Appleton, Wis. / Xavier
Adriana DePaolis	LUT	Jr.	Shorewood, Minn. / Minnetonka
Maggie Helms	LUT	So.	Moline, Ill. / Moline
Caroline Treis	LUT	Fr.	Brookfield, Wis. / Brookfield Central
Lola White-Baer	LUT	Jr.	Iowa City, Iowa / West
Melissa Davis	WAR	So.	Lakewood, Colo. / D’Evelyn
Katheryn Ross	WAR	So.	Littleton, Colo. / Chatfield
Doubles	School	Year	Hometown/High School
Angie Allgood	CEN	So.	Muscatine, Iowa / Muscatine
Megan Davis	CEN	So.	Highlands Ranch, Colo. / Valor Christian
Laura Birky	COE	So.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Xavier
Jordan Ferree	COE	Jr.	Pekin, Ill. / Pekin
Tai Lucero	COE	Sr.	Odessa, Texas / Permian
Maggie Helms	LUT	So.	Moline, Ill. / Moline
Honorable Mention	School	Year	Hometown/High School
Elizabeth Hoffmann	COE	Sr.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Xavier
Diannah Watson	COE	So.	Frisco, Texas / Lone Star
Carrie Crabill	LOR	Fr.	Dubuque, Iowa / Hempstead
Caroline Rainey	LOR	Jr.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Prairie
Jenna Myers	LUT	So.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Linn-Mar
Jessie Behrer	WAR	Sr.	Urbandale, Iowa / Urbandale