Vidal took over the Huskies in the middle of the 2024 season and the team immediately won five straight duals.His first win was on Feb. 16 against Youngstown State. Vidal won 11 of his first 12 duals and the Huskies went 12-3 overall under Vidal.
NIU earned a second place finish in the regular season MAC standings and qualified for the MAC Tournament. Three Huskies earned MAC honors after the season as Saul Berdullas was named the MAC freshman of the year. Cheng En Tsai and Mikael Vollbach also were named to the All-MAC first team.
René Vidal, who has helped lead four NCAA tennis programs to seven conference championships, was named head coach of the Northern Illinois University men’s tennis program on February 7, 2024.
“We are extremely excited to welcome René Vidal to NIU as head coach of our men’s tennis program,” said Sean T. Frazier, NIU Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation. “His track 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.”
Prior to NIU, Vidal served as head men’s and women’s tennis coach at McKendree University beginning in the fall of 2020. In 2022, he led the McKendree men’s team to its first Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Championship, a school best 21-3 dual meet record, and a program best Top 25 (No.22) final ranking by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). The Bearcats advanced to the NCAA Regionals Round of 32 for the first time as Vidal earned GLVC Coach of the Year honors.
Under Vidal’s leadership, the McKendree team made three consecutive appearances (2021, 2022, 2023) in the GLVC Championships, while the women’s team qualified for the conference championship for the first time in 10 years in 2023.
Prior to leading the McKendree programs, Vidal spent two years as assistant men’s tennis coach at Washington University in St. Louis. During that time, he helped guide the Bears to a No. 9 ITA final ranking and its 13
th straight NCAA Division III Elite Eight appearance.
Coach Vidal’s Winning Track Record and Profile
- Seven-time conference championship coach (3 Big Sky, 2 Patriot League, 1 SEC, 1 GLVC)
- 2022 GLVC Coach of the Year (2022 GLVC Men’s Champions, McKendree)
- Author and Leadership Speaker
- Host, Down 40 Love Podcast
- Founder & CEO at Down40Love.com
- Mentor, Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA)
- Owner & Operator, René Vidal Companies (Leadership Training)
- Director, Vidal Peak Performance (Junior & Adult Tennis Player Development)
- Head Coach: Southern Illinois University (SIU) and Colgate University
- Led SIU women’s team to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament in 2007
- High Performance Coach at Evert Tennis Academy (coached Jesse Levine, University of Florida All-American, ATP #69 Singles Ranking)
- Led Colgate women’s team to its third consecutive Patriot League Championship
- Earned Patriot League Women's Tennis Coach of the Year Honors in 1998
- Published articles in USPTA Addvantage Magazine and Florida Tennis Magazine
- Assistant coach at Boise State, The College of William & Mary, Colgate and Mississippi State
- Helped guide the Boise State men’s team to its second consecutive Big Sky Conference Championship, a second consecutive NCAA Regional berth, and Top 25 ITA national ranking
- Helped guide the Boise State women’s team to its first Big Sky Conference Championship
- On staff of summer camps at Stanford, Wisconsin and Lawrence University
A native of New York City, 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 earned a master’s degree in sports administration from St. Thomas University (Miami, Fla.) in 2004.
Vidal has three sons, Angelo (Kenyon College ’22) and Manny (Goucher College ’25), tennis student-athletes at their respective schools, and 2024 high school senior Alex.
Vidal resides in Geneva, Illinois.
What Leaders Say About René Vidal
“René Vidal is a guy who has been in the trenches and has much to pass on.”
—Bobby Bayliss, University of Notre Dame Men’s Tennis
“René Vidal is the consummate professional.”
—Andy Brandi, University of Florida 3-time national championship women’s coach
“René is a straight-shooter…an excellent communicator.”
—Tim Cass, General Manager at USTA National Campus
“René Vidal is one of America’s top coaches…a winner in every way.”
—Dick Gould, Stanford University 17-time national championship men’s coach
“René helped my game grow mentally and physically.”
—Jesse Levine, ATP Singles Career High #69
“René’s ability to instill discipline, work ethic, and a winning mentality in his athletes is truly commendable.”
—Greg Patton, Boise State Men’s Tennis
“Everyone needs a coach like René Vidal.”
—Radha Vishnubhotla, Washington University in St. Louis, ’19 tennis student-athlete
