JONESBORO, Ark. (4/28/26) – Arkansas State freshman
Meghna Arun Kumar was named the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Player to Watch after Wednesday's announcement of the league's annual awards.
Arun Kumar becomes the first A-State player to earn the honor, which is given to an up-and-coming league player who has not, to this point, won a major conference award. The freshman from Argyle, Texas, played No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles for the Red Wolves. She tallied a 19-8 overall record, 14-5 in duals. Arun Kumar had a six-match win streak, including four conference opponents, and 17 of her wins were in straight sets.
This season, A-State advanced to the semifinals of the SBC Championship and entered as the No. 4 seed, its highest seeding since 1999. The Red Wolves had a 13-9 overall record, a second consecutive season with 13 wins and first time with back-to-back double-digit win seasons since 2008-09. A-State earned a 4-0 sweep of Texas State in the SBC Championship quarterfinal, the first sweep for A-State at a conference championship since 2011. The Red Wolves also earned the first ranked win in program history sweeping No. 74 South Alabama 4-0.
2026 Sun Belt Women's Tennis Awards:
Women's Tennis Player of the Year: Savannah Dada-Mascoll, App State
Women's Tennis Newcomer of the Year: Diana Zuba, Coastal Carolina
Women's Tennis Freshman of the Year: Polina Gumeniuk, Marshall
Women's Tennis Player to Watch: Meghna Arun Kumar, Arkansas State
Women's Tennis Coach of the Year: Dominic Manilla, Old Dominion
Women's Tennis Elite Award Winner: Victoria Matasova, Old Dominion
Singles First Team All-Conference
Savannah Dada-Mascoll, App State
Evelyn Warkentin, Georgia Southern
Angelique Berrat, Louisiana
Johanna Strom, Marshall
Kira Matushkina, Old Dominion
Maria Guirguis, Troy
Singles Second Team All-Conference
Brunelle Kouam, Coastal Carolina
Diana Zuba, Coastal Carolina
Daria Munteanu, James Madison
Polina Gumeniuk, Marshall
Ulyana Romanova, Old Dominion
Ireland Simme, Texas State
Doubles First Team All-Conference
Brooklyn Hoffmann / Sophie Williams, James Madison
Kira Matushkina / Victoria Matasova, Old Dominion
Lidiia Rasskouskaia / Ulyana Romanova, Old Dominion
Doubles Second Team All-Conference
Savannah Dada-Mascoll / Ruby Broadbent, App State
Johanna Strom / Alina Mokrynska, Marshall
Maria Guirguis / Valeria Avdeeva, Troy
