No. 16 Matt Kuhar earns ITA regional ranking

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Northeast Conference Player of the Year and Bryant rising junior Matt Kuhar (Smithfield, R.I.) has been ranked the No. 16 player in the Northeast Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

The recognition marks the second ITA regional ranking for any Bulldog in the program's Division I history and first since Dana Parziale ('14) received a No. 20 ranking in January 2014.

Kuhar's honor comes on the back of one of the greatest seasons ever played in Smithfield. The first Bulldog to earn NEC Player of the Year honors, Kuhar returned from injury in 2016-17 to dominate the field, capping off a historic campaign with a 6-0 first-set win over No. 32 Andrew Harris (No. 14 Oklahoma) in the NCAA tournament.

While the flight went unfinished, Kuhar's opening-frame victory in NCAA play was the first for the program in the Division I era and a fitting end to a season that boasted 19 victories in singles play and a perfect run through NEC action.

"This is such a well-deserved recognition for Matt," said Bryant head coach Ron Gendron. "To come off a redshirt year, still not back at 100 percent, and find this kind of success is an incredible testament to his skill and grit."

The All-NEC First Teamer at No. 1 singles, Kuhar went 12-3 on the year at the top flight. Among his victories was a win over Princeton's Alexander Day, who finishes the season ranked No. 11 in the regional list. Kuhar was the sole Bulldog to reach the ITA round of 32 in the fall and entered NCAA tournament play on a six-match winning streak.

"I'm very excited to have a player reach a regional ranking," said Gendron. "Our next goal is to hopefully achieve a team ranking, and we will have Matt back next year to lead that charge."

Kuhar becomes one of just a handful of Northeast Conference players to ever receive a regional top-20 ranking and is the first to do so since FDU's Arvis Berzins was ranked No. 19 in June 2015. The rising junior is one of just two players to appear in the final regional ranking from outside the Ivy League.