DeKALB, Ill. – René Vidal, whose extensive collegiate coaching résumé includes seven conference titles with five different programs, including at his most recent stop at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, has been named head coach of the Northern Illinois University men's tennis program, NIU Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier announced Wednesday.
"We are extremely excited to welcome René Vidal to NIU as head coach of our men's tennis program," Frazier said. "His record of success leading programs at all levels of college tennis, extensive experience as a teacher and leader, and well-rounded background that includes developing individuals outside of competition are all qualities that will benefit our student-athletes."
Vidal has been the head men's and women's tennis coach at McKendree since the fall of 2020. In 2022, he led McKendree's men's team to its first Great Lakes Valley Tennis Championship, a school record 21-3 dual meet record and a No. 22 final ranking by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). The Bearcats advanced to the NCAA Regionals Round of 32 as Vidal earned GLVC Coach of the Year honors.
The McKendree men's team has made three consecutive appearances in the GLVC Championships under Vidal, while the women's team qualified for the conference championship for the first time in 10 years in 2023.
"Thanks to Sean Frazier and [senior associate athletic director] Chris Barker for believing in my leadership ability and vision for NIU men's tennis," Vidal said. "The time to maximize our potential is now. I am looking forward to getting to know each of our student-athletes and developing our team's winning edge.
"I would also like to thank McKendree University President Dan Dobbins and athletic director Anthony Francis for providing the opportunity to serve as head men's and women's tennis coach for the last three and a half years. We've had an incredible run creating history and doing things that have never been done before."
Prior to going to McKendree, Vidal spent two years as men's tennis assistant coach for Washington University in Saint Louis. During that time, he helped lead the Bears to a No. 9 ITA ranking while helping lead the program to its 13th straight NCAA Division III Elite Eight appearance in 2019.
His collegiate coaching experience includes two seasons as women's tennis head coach at Southern Illinois University. He led the Salukis to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament in 2007; he was an assistant coach at Mississippi State in 2005 when the Bulldogs won the school's first SEC Championship in women's tennis.
Vidal's experience in the sport extends beyond the collegiate realm as he has worked with junior tennis players as a coach at tennis academies throughout the country, including Vidal Peak Performance in the greater St. Louis area. From 2002-04, he was camp director and high-performance coach at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Fla., where he helped develop numerous players who went on to achieve ITA rankings and play at Division I institutions.
Vidal was the assistant tennis coach at Colgate in 1996-97, where he helped lead the women's program to its second consecutive Patriot League championship. The following year, he was promoted to head men's and women's tennis coach and promptly led both programs to Patriot League titles.
His first coaching experience came as the graduate assistant for the men's and women's teams at Boise State from 1993-95. During his time in Boise, the men won their third consecutive Big Sky Conference Championship, second consecutive NCAA Regional Championship berth and earned a Top 25 ranking. On the women's side, he helped the squad win its first Big Sky Conference Championship.
From 2010-16, he owned and operated René Vidal Companies, a business specializing in leadership training for elite athletes, teams, and organizations. Vidal is the author of five books on topics dealing with tennis, business and leadership as well as numerous articles on high performance coaching featured in tennis publications. Since 2022, he also has served as host of the Down 40 Love Podcast, which features interviews with leaders across sports and business.
A native of Queens, New York, Vidal is a former nationally ranked junior player; he graduated from Florida International University with a bachelor's degree in public administration in 1993 and in 2004 earned a master's degree in sports administration from Saint Thomas University.
Vidal will begin his duties at NIU on February 12.
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