SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Bryant University Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Bill Smith announced that Ron Gendron will be the next head coach of the Bryant Men's Tennis program, returning to Smithfield after spending the last three seasons as the head coach men's and women's tennis coach at Nichols College.

Gendron, the most successful coach in men's tennis program history and one of the most successful in Bryant Athletics history, posted a 200-163 record in 16 seasons as head coach of the Bulldogs from 2007-2022. 

"It's not often you get to hire a Hall of Fame coach and it's even more exciting to bring in someone who is a familiar face to our University and our alumni," Smith said. "Coach Gendron's track record of producing championship programs and high-caliber student-athletes speaks for itself and we're so excited to welcome Ron back to Smithfield."

Gendron's ability to produce successful programs continued at Nichols as he led the men's and women's programs to a combined four NCAA Tournaments and was named conference coach of the year three times. In 2024-25, he led both programs to the NCAA Tournament and was named the Conference of New England Coach of the Year in both sports. The Bison women won an NCAA Tournament match in 2022-23, while Gendron led the men to an NCAA Tournament victory in 2023-24.

At Bryant, Gendron enjoyed one of the greatest coaching careers in school history and is one of five coaches that will be inducted into the Bryant Athletics Hall of Fame on October 4. He guided the Bulldogs to a 170-151 record at the Division I level, was named Northeast Conference Coach of the Year a league-record seven times and led the Black and Gold to six-straight NEC Championships (2014-2019). 

"I really thought my coaching career had come to an end and I was prepared to begin a new path," Gendron said. "But after a nice meeting with Bill Smith and the possibility of a new set of challenges, I had a change of heart. There's some unfinished business for me at Bryant and some new challenges that have me energized. I'm excited about the future of Bryant Tennis and the new opportunities in the Big South. Vamos Perros!"

The Bulldogs were a remarkable 47-4 against NEC foes and Gendron's 2019 team featured the only singles player and doubles team to earn a national ranking in program history. Matt Kuhar was ranked in the top 80 nationally for singles play, while the doubles team of Kuhar and Wilson Dong were ranked in the top 40 nationally and became the first doubles team in NEC history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. In total, Gendron coached 61 All-NEC selections and four members of the Bryant Hall of Fame.

The Ron Gendron File

• Joined the program for the first time in 2003 and was named head coach in 2006
• 200-163 career record and 170-151 record at the Division I level at Bryant.
• Won a DI program-record 20 matches in 2019
• Winningest coach in program history
• 47-4 record against NEC opponents
• 7-time Northeast Conference Coach of the Year
• Led the Bulldogs to six NEC Championships and six NCAA Tournaments
• Matt Kuhar named NEC Player of the Year three-straight years (2017-2019) and first player in program history to be ranked nationally (2019)
• Kuhar and Wilson Dong became first doubles team in program and NEC history to be nationally ranked and to play in the NCAA Doubles Championships (2019)
• Coached 61 All-NEC selections at the DI level
• Coached four Bryant Hall of Fame inductees
• CCC and Conference of New England Coach of the Year three times at Nichols.
• Led the men and the women to a combined four NCAA Tournaments at Nichols.