Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Trio Of MSU Women’s Tennis Players Earn All-B1G Recognition
4/23/2025 11:08:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Vehviläinen tabbed to Second Team leads the way in collecting MSU’s first All-B1G accolades since 2021.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State women's tennis earned three Big Ten Postseason Awards, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday, prior to the start of the 2025 B1G Tournament.
Senior Liisa Vehviläinen earned Second Team All-B1G honors, while freshman Amara Brahmbhatt was named to the All-Freshman Team, and junior Matilde Morais earned the Sportsmanship Award.
These are MSU's first All-B1G awards since 2021 when Mary Lewis, current Spartan assistant coach, was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree. Vehviläinen is the first MSU women's tennis player to earn Second Team accolades since 1989, while Brahmbhatt is the Spartans' first All-Freshman Team honoree.
Vehviläinen completes her final season as a Spartan earning herself a slot on the All-Big Ten Second Team, for her first career B1G Postseason award and second career overall B1G honor, collecting B1G Preseason Player to Watch recognition before the season started.
A native of Turku, Finland, Vehviläinen posted seven singles wins at No. 1 singles throughout the season, the second highest for the team.
Also honored was freshman Amara Brahmbhatt, earning the All-Freshman Team honor.
The Cleveland, Ohio native slated nine singles wins throughout the dual match season, showing up at both No. 2 and No. 3 singles for the Green & White.
Brahmbhatt wrapped up her regular season with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Oregon's Tilde Jagare in MSU's final home match of the season.
The last Spartan to be honored was junior Matilde Morais, a veteran of the MSU women's tennis program, earning the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
The award is given to student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior, while also excelling in their academics and displaying good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
Morais has displayed her genuine character on and off the court, continuously showing up and supporting her teammates and others.
The Spartan women's tennis team is the No. 11 seed in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament at Liberty Park in Ojai, California, and the Spartans will take on No. 6 seeded USC in the first-round match-up on Wednesday, April 23 at 9 p.m. EST/ 6 p.m. PST.
Fans can follow the action live from Ojai, Calif., with "Watch Live" and "Live Results" links at MSUSpartans.com.
The complete list of 2024-25 Big Ten women's honors is as follows:
Player of the Year: Julia Fliegner, Sr., Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Emily Sartz-Lunde, Michigan
Coach of the Year: Ronni Bernstein, Michigan
All-Big Ten First Team
Daianne Hayashida, Iowa
Kallista Liu, Maryland
Piper Charney, Michigan
JULIA FLIEGNER, Michigan
TEAH CHAVEZ, Ohio State
LUCIANA PERRY, Ohio State
Carmen Gallardo Guevara, Purdue
Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer, UCLA
Emma Charney, USC
Grace Piper, USC
Reece Carter, Washington
Maria Sholokhova, Wisconsin
All-Big Ten Second Team
Megan Heuser, Illinois
McKenna Schaefbauer, Illinois
Tereza Dejnozkova, Iowa
Lara Schneider, Indiana
Lily Jones, Michigan
Liisa Vehviläinen, Michigan State
Ana Zamburek, Nebraska
Olivia Dorner, Penn State
Kate Fakih, UCLA
Kimmi Hance, UCLA
Erika Matsuda, Washington
Taylor Cataldi, Wisconsin
All-Freshman Team
Ariel Madatali, Illinois
Jessica Bernales, Michigan
Emily Sartz-Lunde, Michigan
Amara Brahmbhatt, Michigan State
Erica Jessel, Northwestern
Nao Nishino, Ohio State
Patricia Grigoras, Penn State
KATE FAKIH, UCLA
Carina Syrtveit, Washington
Ekaterina Ivanova, Wisconsin
Sportsmanship Honorees
Kasia Treiber, Illinois
Li Hsin Lin, Indiana
Marisa Schmidt, Iowa
Danielle Hack, Maryland
Lily Jones, Michigan
Matilde Morais, Michigan State
Aiva Schmitz, Minnesota
Lucy Loy , Nebraska
Britany Lau, Northwestern
Alessia Cau, Ohio State
Tilde Jagare, Oregon
Maria Daciana Ciubotaru, Penn State
Ashlie Wilson, Purdue
Minchae Kim, Rutgers
Kimmi Hance, UCLA
Sloane Morra , USC
Erika Matsuda, Washington
Ellison Reynoldson, Wisconsin
ALL CAPS denotes unanimous selection
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Senior Liisa Vehviläinen earned Second Team All-B1G honors, while freshman Amara Brahmbhatt was named to the All-Freshman Team, and junior Matilde Morais earned the Sportsmanship Award.
These are MSU's first All-B1G awards since 2021 when Mary Lewis, current Spartan assistant coach, was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree. Vehviläinen is the first MSU women's tennis player to earn Second Team accolades since 1989, while Brahmbhatt is the Spartans' first All-Freshman Team honoree.
LIISA VEHVILAINEN 🗣️
— Michigan State Women's Tennis (@MSU_WTennis) April 23, 2025
Our lone senior earned herself a spot on the All B1G Second Team 💪 again- SO PROUD 🥹#GoGreen #SpartanExcellence pic.twitter.com/2ToqPz9wg7
Vehviläinen completes her final season as a Spartan earning herself a slot on the All-Big Ten Second Team, for her first career B1G Postseason award and second career overall B1G honor, collecting B1G Preseason Player to Watch recognition before the season started.
A native of Turku, Finland, Vehviläinen posted seven singles wins at No. 1 singles throughout the season, the second highest for the team.
AMARA BRAHMBHATT 🗣️
— Michigan State Women's Tennis (@MSU_WTennis) April 23, 2025
Selected as for the All-Freshman Team by the Big Ten- we're SO PROUD. 🥹#GoGreen #SpartanExcellence pic.twitter.com/BAgzc2ZDq0
Also honored was freshman Amara Brahmbhatt, earning the All-Freshman Team honor.
The Cleveland, Ohio native slated nine singles wins throughout the dual match season, showing up at both No. 2 and No. 3 singles for the Green & White.
Brahmbhatt wrapped up her regular season with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Oregon's Tilde Jagare in MSU's final home match of the season.
Last but certainly NEVER least…
— Michigan State Women's Tennis (@MSU_WTennis) April 23, 2025
MATILDE MORAIS 🗣️
The junior earned herself the Sportsmanship Award for her character on AND off the courts ✨ #GoGreen #SpartanExcellence pic.twitter.com/oOkBf259lf
The last Spartan to be honored was junior Matilde Morais, a veteran of the MSU women's tennis program, earning the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
The award is given to student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior, while also excelling in their academics and displaying good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
Morais has displayed her genuine character on and off the court, continuously showing up and supporting her teammates and others.
The Spartan women's tennis team is the No. 11 seed in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament at Liberty Park in Ojai, California, and the Spartans will take on No. 6 seeded USC in the first-round match-up on Wednesday, April 23 at 9 p.m. EST/ 6 p.m. PST.
Fans can follow the action live from Ojai, Calif., with "Watch Live" and "Live Results" links at MSUSpartans.com.
The complete list of 2024-25 Big Ten women's honors is as follows:
Player of the Year: Julia Fliegner, Sr., Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Emily Sartz-Lunde, Michigan
Coach of the Year: Ronni Bernstein, Michigan
All-Big Ten First Team
Daianne Hayashida, Iowa
Kallista Liu, Maryland
Piper Charney, Michigan
JULIA FLIEGNER, Michigan
TEAH CHAVEZ, Ohio State
LUCIANA PERRY, Ohio State
Carmen Gallardo Guevara, Purdue
Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer, UCLA
Emma Charney, USC
Grace Piper, USC
Reece Carter, Washington
Maria Sholokhova, Wisconsin
All-Big Ten Second Team
Megan Heuser, Illinois
McKenna Schaefbauer, Illinois
Tereza Dejnozkova, Iowa
Lara Schneider, Indiana
Lily Jones, Michigan
Liisa Vehviläinen, Michigan State
Ana Zamburek, Nebraska
Olivia Dorner, Penn State
Kate Fakih, UCLA
Kimmi Hance, UCLA
Erika Matsuda, Washington
Taylor Cataldi, Wisconsin
All-Freshman Team
Ariel Madatali, Illinois
Jessica Bernales, Michigan
Emily Sartz-Lunde, Michigan
Amara Brahmbhatt, Michigan State
Erica Jessel, Northwestern
Nao Nishino, Ohio State
Patricia Grigoras, Penn State
KATE FAKIH, UCLA
Carina Syrtveit, Washington
Ekaterina Ivanova, Wisconsin
Sportsmanship Honorees
Kasia Treiber, Illinois
Li Hsin Lin, Indiana
Marisa Schmidt, Iowa
Danielle Hack, Maryland
Lily Jones, Michigan
Matilde Morais, Michigan State
Aiva Schmitz, Minnesota
Lucy Loy , Nebraska
Britany Lau, Northwestern
Alessia Cau, Ohio State
Tilde Jagare, Oregon
Maria Daciana Ciubotaru, Penn State
Ashlie Wilson, Purdue
Minchae Kim, Rutgers
Kimmi Hance, UCLA
Sloane Morra , USC
Erika Matsuda, Washington
Ellison Reynoldson, Wisconsin
ALL CAPS denotes unanimous selection
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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