Kenney wins Player of the Year, again

North Conway's Sean Kenney, a junior at Assumption College, has been named the Northeast-10 Conference Tennis Player of the Year for the third consecutive year while the men's tennis team has etched itself into the history books as the most successful team in Northeast-10 Conference history. The Hounds rolled past Saint Michael's, Bentley and Bryant last week all by the same now all-too-familiar sore of 5-0 to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive conference post-season tournament. They have also won a conference record four consecutive regular-season championships as well. The team has won its last 19 matches, including all 17 on its Northern schedule, and owns an impressive 48-match unbeaten streak against Northeast-10 opposition. The Hounds so dominated the conference this season they won 75 of 76 singles matches and 44 of 45 doubles matches.The N.C.A.A. Division II Northeast Regional is scheduled for May 3-5 at a site still to be determined. The Hounds will surely be among the contenders to host the event for the first time in its history. A regional bid, certain at this point, would be the Hounds third straight!Seven different Greyhounds received recognition from the Northeast-10 Conference coaches in a vote for conference all-stars. Kenney, who plays No. 1 singles and is just 11 victories away from being the school's career leader in wins was named the conference's Player of the Year for the third successive year and was joined on the first singles team by senior No. 2 Ryan Richert (Phoenix, AZ/Greenway), sophomore No. 3 Alex Madrigal (San Jose, Costa Rica/American School) and junior No. 4 Jason Spiers (Rochester, NY/Harley-Allendale). The Hounds have had the last four conference Players-of-the-Year with Richert copping the honor in 1999.Kenney and Richert were named the first-team No. 1 doubles tandem, while Speirs and Madrigal were the first-team No. 2 tandem and junior David Jervasi (Colchester, CT/Bacon Academy) and senior captain Keegan Holt (Lyndeborough, NH/Wilton-Lyndeborough). Kenney is eight doubles victories away from becoming becoming the career leader in this category as well.Kenney finished 11-0 in the conference at No. 1 singles to improve his career conference mark to 32-1. Kenney, of course, won the ITA Rolex Eastern region singles title in the fall and finished seventh in the national finals in Plano, Texas. In doubles he and Richert are now 30-4 overall, including tournaments, and finished 14-0 in the conference . Both are 36-0 with all partners in their careers.