Tour of military academies has men's tennis prepared for NECs

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – When Bryant University men's tennis head coach Ron Gendron began putting together the 2017-18 schedule he knew that it could be a special year.

He knew that he had six All-NEC performers returning, including redshirt junior Matt Kuhar (Smithfield, R.I.), the 2017 Northeast Conference Player of the Year.

Gendron knew, however, that in order to get his team ready to compete for a fifth-straight NEC title, he had to challenge them. It would be nothing new for the five-time NEC Coach of the Year. Gendron has never been one to take it easy when it comes to scheduling.

This year, unlike other years, Gendron was able to accomplish something that not many schools have ever done. He took the Bulldogs to all three major service academies, as well as the Coast Guard Academy.

"Whenever I see these young men I immediately think of their graduation and what they will be asked do afterward for our country," Gendron said. "I thought it would be a great sign of respect to go and visit all of them, give them a home contest and give them an opportunity to face a like team that would like to battle. I thought it would be an honor to do that."

So that's what Gendron and his Bulldogs did this spring. After opening the season with three matches against nationally-ranked opponents and two Ivy League foes, the Bulldogs traveled to Annapolis for three matches. Bryant hung with Navy, eventually falling, 4-3.

Two weekends later, the Bulldogs were back on the road to West Point, New York., to face the Black Knights. Bryant would come out on top, 4-3.

The real treat came a week later as the Black and Gold flew out to Colorado for a weekend of tennis at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Bryant was able to come away with a 4-3 victory over the Falcons.

"I think it really set in for our guys when we went to Air Force and we were surrounded by the beauty of Colorado, that this is a special place," Gendron said. "When we saw the list of airmen that died, I think it sunk in at that moment."

Bryant culminated its tour of the academies with a trip to Coast Guard last week. Located just over an hour south in New London, Conn., the Coast Guard Academy was a late add that Gendron felt was the right fit.

"We were thoroughly impressed with the young men at Coast Guard," Gendron said. "They competed hard, they acted with amazing character and they were gentlemen.

"The other three academies were great experiences, all 4-3 battles. When very like teams get together it's always exciting, and it was very exciting."

Now, the Bulldogs will look to use these experiences in their favor as they begin their quest for a fifth-straight title.

Gendron hopes that his scheduling has put his team in position to accomplish something special this weekend.

Deep down, he knows that his team has already experienced something that they will be able to take with them for the rest of their lives.

"They were great matches to prepare us for the NECs," said Gendron. "More than that, it was a very special treat for them to go and experience the four academies. It's a bucket-list item.

"It was just an amazing season and that was a big piece of it."