Women's Tennis 4/29/2026 1:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

Mei Hasegawa Named MIAA Player of the Year

Joe Vann Earns MIAA Coach of the Year Honor, Six Players Earn All-MIAA Honors

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Central Oklahoma sophomore Mei Hasegawa was named MIAA Women's Tennis Player of the Year and head coach Joe Vann the MIAA Coach of the Year as the league announced its annual postseason awards.

Central Oklahoma went 16-3 this season with an 8-1 record in the MIAA to win a share of its third regular season league title. The Bronchos are the No. 1 seed in this weekend's MIAA Women's Tennis Championship in Springfield, Missouri.

Hasegawa, who transferred to UCO at the semester, burst onto the scene to lead the Bronchos to a title. From Nagoya, Japan, Hasegawa went 16-1 in singles matches this season, reaching as high as a No. 20 ranking in the country. She also posted a 16-2 doubles record and is part of the No. 6-ranked duo in the country.

Hasegawa earned First Team All-MIAA Singles and along with Pete Komada, First Team All-MIAA Doubles as well. Komada was named Second Team All-MIAA Singles. Anika Ouwejan and Ayaka Koga were named Second Team All-MIAA Doubles.

Ouwejan and Karyna Yurchenko were both named Singles Honorable Mention and Yurchenko with Hui Soo was on the Doubles Honorable Mention list.

Central Oklahoma made history this season in doubles play. The Bronchos went a combined 27-0 in MIAA doubles matches, reaching a perfect undefeated mark in league play for the first time since joining the league in 2012.

Overall, Hasegawa and Komada went 16-2, Ouwejan and Koga were 16-1, and Yurchenko and Soo were 11-2 this season.

Hasegawa paced the team with a 16-1 singles record. Komada went 16-3, Ouwejan was 11-6, and Yurchenko went 13-2.

Vann earned co-MIAA Coach of the Year in 2022, his first season leading the Bronchos. This year is the second time he's been honored as the top coach in the MIAA. In his fifth season at Central, Vann has a 71-33 record, two regular season MIAA titles, and two MIAA postseason tournament titles.

Hasegawa is the third Broncho to earn MIAA Women's Tennis Player of the Year. Adel-Byanu Abidullina was a two-time selection (2019, 2021) and Mae Canete (2022) also earned the honor.

Central Oklahoma is the No. 1 seed in this weekend's MIAA Women's Tennis Championship in Springfield, Missouri. The Bronchos received a first-round bye and await the winner of No. 4 Missouri Western and No. 5 Northeastern State in the semifinals. UCO will play that winner Saturday at 10 a.m. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Players Mentioned

Ayaka Koga: 5' 3"; Junior

Pete Komada: 5' 5"; Senior

Anika Ouwejan: 5' 7"; Junior

Hui Soo: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Karyna Yurchenko: 5' 6"; Senior

Mei Hasegawa: 5' 4"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Ayaka Koga
: 5' 3"; Junior

Pete Komada
: 5' 5"; Senior

Anika Ouwejan
: 5' 7"; Junior

Hui Soo
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Karyna Yurchenko
: 5' 6"; Senior

Mei Hasegawa
: 5' 4"; Sophomore