Bates College Men's Tennis

Bates College graduate Paul Gastonguay '89 is among the most respected coaches in college tennis, and the leader of men's and women's programs that perennially rank among the best in Division III. An All-America player himself at Bates, Gastonguay has coached a litany of All-Americans at his alma mater. Most recently, in 2018 Ben Rosen and Jacob Kauppila advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division III men's doubles championship, earning Rosen his fourth All-America honor and Kauppila his first. Bobcats Timmy Berg and Pierre Planche advanced to the 2014 NCAA Division III Men's Doubles Championship Finals. Gastonguay coached Ben Stein and Amrit Rupasinghe to the 2009 NCAA men’s doubles national title, and Stein to the finals in the 2009 NCAA singles championship. And drawing the NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Championships for the second time in five years in 2008 illustrates the activism and dedication regularly shown by Gastonguay to his program and alma mater. Gastonguay became the head tennis coach of the Bates women’s program in 2001, and he was named NESCAC Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year in 2003. In 2010 he helped lead the Bates women’s tennis team to a 10-6 record in dual play, the team’s first double-digit wins season since 1987. In 2012, Bates' doubles team of Meg Anderson and Elena Mandzhukova played in the NCAA Division III Women's Doubles Championship, becoming the first Bobcat women to play at the NCAA Championship level. In 2002, 2012, and 2023, he was selected as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III Northeast Region Men’s Coach of the Year. Gastonguay was inducted into the Lewiston-Auburn Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.  In July 2025, Paul was named as the NESCAC representative for men's tennis as a part of the conference's inaugural Coaches Connect program. Twice honored as the NESCAC Coach of the Year, Gastonguay has led the men’s team to one of the longest periods of sustained excellence of any sport in school history. The Bobcats qualified for the NCAA Championships for seven straight years beginning in 2000. In 2006 Gastonguay’s top singles player to date, Will Boe-Wiegaard ’06, won the NCAA Division III Men’s Singles Championship despite being unseeded. A Lewiston native, Gastonguay graduated from Bates in 1989 as the winningest tennis player in Bates College history, amassing a combined record of 149-41 in his four-year playing career. He set three of the top four single-season marks in school history and became the Bobcats’ second-ever All-American in tennis in his senior season, during which he was a finalist for the NCAA Arthur Ashe Award. Gastonguay competed professionally in International Tennis Federation Satellite, Challenger and ATP Tour events, where he achieved world rankings in singles and doubles. He served as a practice partner for former ATP Tour top ranked player Ivan Lendl during the last four years of his career.

Chris Nordenson joined the Bates College coaching staff in September 2024 as assistant men's and women's tennis coach. Nordenson brings over two decades of extensive playing experience to the court. From his early days competing in tournaments and travel teams as a junior to his current participation in USTA Leagues, USTA Tournaments, and UTR tournaments, his passion for the game remains unwavering. "I'm excited to add Chris to our staff," said head men's coach, Paul Gastonguay. "His passion for the game, and vast knowledge of video analysis and on-court match coaching, will be a great addition to our program." As a USPTA Elite Pro, Nordenson boasts over a decade of experience as a private coach for players of all levels, from beginners to elite college athletes. His coaching journey has also seen him serve as Head Girls Coach at Freeport (Maine) High School and the Men’s and Women’s Assistant Coach at Earlham College (Ind.). Beyond his coaching commitments, Nordenson is a college scout for colleges all over the country, as well as a Partner at New England Racket Services, offering a range of services including analytics, video analysis, and stringing. He was named USPTA Maine State President in September 2024. He previously served as a USTA official, USTA & UTR tournament director, and volunteered with organizations such as the Maine Tennis Association and USTA New England.