Former Kansas Wesleyan Men's Tennis student-athlete Bryce Ware established himself as one of, if not the best tennis players in Kansas Wesleyan's history. He earned NAIA All-America honors and established himself on the national stage in UTSA and ITA competition. He was an outstanding student as well.
Ware, though, has moved on and the Coyotes enter the 2025 season without him and Alex Sherer, Ware's doubles partner, a highly successful athlete in his own right and now a KWU assistant coach.
Wesleyan was 13-8 overall, 7-4 in the Kansas Conference last season.
Coach Brian Vancuren is taking a pragmatic approach with the first match of the spring season at Baker approaching Sunday.
"We're honestly just trying to tell the men's team just in general it's going to take everybody to do their part," he said. "Just trying to get the guys to really buy in and really make sure we're locked in for the season. Some guys have got to step up to the plate and pick up the challenge."
The proverbial cupboard is not bare. Four of KWU's top single players return - seniors Raul Davalos-Gavino and Luke Craft and juniors Adam Hanson and Jacob Phelps. Junior Andrew Wise also has experience. Davalos-Gavino will move into the No. 1 singles slot.
"We're excited to see what Raul can do for us this year," Vancuren said. "We're expecting some big things from the others who are having to play a little higher up this year."
Vancuren, who is in his second season as men's head coach, is counting on juniors Jack Hansen and Gavin Chavez, sophomore William McMurray and freshman Paul Jittawait to contribute as well.
"There's a lot of guys out there that we feel like that could really make it and help us out at the bottom," Vancuren said. "It's just what they're doing in their off time and if they're putting the work in. We've done some challenge matches here lately but I think they're really itching to get back into playing against actual opponents, not their own teammates."
Mother Nature has not cooperated this winter, but the Coyotes have been able to do some work inside at The Pines Tennis Club.
"It's been tough with having two courts indoors but at the same time we're actually very fortunate to still have indoors where a lot of teams haven't had a chance to practice," Vancuren said.
WOMEN'S OUTLOOK
Five Coyotes with experience return. Like the men's team Vancuren must replace last year's No. 1 singles entry Michaela Crowe.
"We basically have five of our six back," Vancuren said. "We brought in a freshman (Hayden Bellamy from Colby) that's going to be a very key asset for us moving forward and will be playing our one spot. She had a nice fall for us and showed up in some big matches that we weren't expecting her to be as competitive, but she did a really good job of being very competitive."
The returning players are seniors Eliza Camp and Kristi Henderson and sophomores McKinnley Evans, Alivia Sherer and Danielle Slack.
"I think a lot of it is maturity," Vancuren said. "It's going to definitely help with them having a year under their belts where they're going to feel a lot more comfortable and know what they're getting ourselves into."
Vancuren has been impressed with the way the women's team has performed in the preseason.
"We've been really working hard with them, and they honestly have bought in really well, this semester especially," he said. "They've been going out there on their own, practicing on their own, doubling up on practice. They're really excited."
KCAC OUTLOOK
Vancuren said it will be business as usual in the conference for the most part.
"McPherson is the preseason favorite for both sides, but Bethel is not too far away from them on both sides," he said. "We actually like our matchups with a lot of the teams, especially on the women's side and even on the men's side where we feel like we could actually make a few upsets as well.
"This is probably the deepest on both sides the conference has ever been, which is a good thing. It's very competitive but it's also very scary where there are no guarantees that you're going to win some of these matches either."