KWU Athletics
Bryce Ware (FR/Amarillo, Texas) and his teammates on the Kansas Wesleyan tennis team didn't spend much time worrying about expectations this spring – the primary reason being there weren't any.
The Coyotes were 2-11 in 2021, 0-8 in the Kansas Conference, and fielded a lineup in 2022 that's dominated by underclassmen, the vast majority true freshmen who were competing for their high school teams just a year ago.
The abundance of youth and inexperience hasn't hampered them so far, though.
KWU is 6-0 in conference play (7-5 overall) entering a huge match Saturday against No. 24 ranked McPherson.
The Coyotes took a big step forward on Thursday beating Bethel 5-2. It was the first of four regular-season ending contests against the four teams that are atop the KCAC standings with them. After McPherson on Saturday the Coyotes return home to play conference leader Southwestern (6-0) on April 20 and Ottawa (5-2) April 23.
"We could go 4-0 and win a conference championship ring and hang a banner or we could go 0-4," said coach Josh Molino, who's in his fourth season. "But at the end of the day we're still in the conference tournament and that's been our goal since the beginning of the year."
The Coyotes have succeeded with six freshmen comprising their three doubles teams and four freshmen among their six singles entrants.
"We've got our young guns and they're just playing really well right now," Molino said.
Ware is one of them. He took an 8-3 singles record, 8-2 in the KCAC, into the Bethel match. He and his doubles partner Garrison Wright (FR/Maize, Kan.) were also 8-3 and 8-2 heading to North Newton.
Ware said he didn't have to look far to find motivation this spring, he had plenty before leaving Amarillo for Salina.
"I felt that I was overlooked in the recruiting process, not a lot of colleges wanted me," said Ware, who won a Texas Class 4A state title for Canyon High School in 2021. "So, I go out there having a little chip on my shoulder trying to prove them wrong, show them what I'm made of.
"That's been the big thing for me confidence-wise. I've got nothing to lose because these guys didn't expect much from me and I'm going to show you what's up."
Molino concurs.
"He creates his own narrative," he said. "What I mean is he's got some kind of story behind why he's playing that day whether it's somebody overlooked him, somebody passed on him, he lost to that guy before – some story to get himself pumped up. That's during practice, during matches and it's been really successful."
Ware said he and his teammates are close off the court and it has benefitted them on the court.
"I think that camaraderie of us all coming in super young trying figure out college life in general kind of worked out for us," he said. "A lot of the guys hanging out even off the court, on the court working together and helping each other out. It's paid dividends super well in matches especially playing big teams down in Florida (during a spring break trip). Seeing the team come together like that was phenomenal."
Ware has impressed his coach with his worth ethic and coachability.
"He's one of the hardest workers I've seen and I've worked with a lot of talented kids that last 12, 13 years," Molino said. "He's as coachable and hard working as any of them. He's a great teammate and he's becoming a leader. He just does everything right off the court and now it translates to on the court and he's had a great season so far. He's been really good in singles and doubles.
"We're happy he was overlooked."
It hasn't been easy, though, according to Ware. Tennis at the collegiate level is a wholly different beast.
"The level is just insane across the board," he said. "In high school you'd have a couple of good matches and some other players that weren't as great. In college everybody can play. Every day I have to bring my A Game to try and beat good players."
"He's really well-rounded, I think it's his mental toughness," Molino said. "He's gritty, he's physical, he can bomb the forehanded serve, he's rock solid on the back end. He's got an all-court game but if I were to say what he does better than the rest it's his mental fortitude."
Ware also enjoys working with Wright, who was a doubles semifinalist in the Class 5A state tournament for Maize South High School last spring.
"We've played really well together and it's been a lot of fun," he said. "Working together is the biggest part of it. Singles you've got to rely on yourself; doubles you've got to have camaraderie moving together, understanding what each other wants to do, what they like to do and how they play."
Molino said his team has to be ready to play to succeed in each of its last four matches but shouldn't feel any pressure.
"We've got to be juiced up; we've got to be focused," he said. "We've got nothing to lose, that's the beautiful thing with this team now. Two, three years down the road when the target's on our back how are we going to handle that? But right now, we can go be the hunter."