By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- He stepped into the Bridgewater State University men's tennis team lineup as a freshman and right away provided positive results.

Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.), slotted at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles in 2023, was so productive that he was selected the Little East Conference Rookie of the Year in addition to making the all-conference first team in singles.

That was only the beginning of what has turned out to be a top-notch four-year career for Beatrice at BSU.

The senior cybersecurity major has made the All-Little East first team in single three times and been on the all-conference first team in doubles twice.

He has been a captain for the Bears three straight seasons and helped BSU reach the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time as a sophomore in 2024.

The career of Beatrice is winding down with the Bears finishing the regular season on Saturday, April 25 and the Little East tournament opening the following week.

The Bears are hoping for a second conference tourney title in three years and a second trip to the NCAAs in Beatrice's finale.

"I've made leaps as a player," said Beatrice of his four years at BSU. "Going to the gym at Bridgewater and getting stronger while practicing every day in the spring and a couple times a week in the fall, it helped so much.

"I would consider myself, in my freshman year, to not be very good compared to where I am at this point now."

Beatrice had been the No. 1 singles player at Rockland High as a junior and senior and put in a lot of work leading up to the spring '23 season.

"I was hoping to be in the lineup," said Beatrice of his rookie year. "I was not expecting to be No. 3 and to make as much of an impact as I did. I was assuming I'd be No. 5 or 6 and have some tough matches along the way."

Beatrice was 8-4 in singles, including 6-0 in the Little East, and was 7-7 and 3-3 in the conference in doubles.

That earned him a spot on the All-Little East first time in singles and the Rookie of the Year honor. Beatrice was the first BSU player to win that award since Matt Mailhot in 2010.

"That was good, definitely one of my better accomplishments," said Beatrice. "That was fun to get.

"Coming in the fall, I was able to play against college-age and level players and practiced with the women's team. I was getting in the reps."

As a sophomore in '24, Beatrice moved into the No. 2 slot behind transfer Robbie Cooney, who was the Little East Rookie of the Year and a first-team selection.

Beatrice was 6-6 overall and 3-2 in the conference in singles and 8-6 and 4-1 at No. 1 doubles when BSU won the Little East regular-season and tournament titles. He was again on the all-conference teams in singles and doubles with Tom Ayson (Plymouth, Mass.).

With Cooney transferring out of BSU, Beatrice took over at No. 1 singles in 2025 and went 3-2 in the Little East and 5-5 overall to pick up he third straight All-Little East First team selection. He was also 7-5 at No. 1 doubles and made the first team with Khiem Nyugen (Burlington, Vt.).

"It was definitely more challenging," said Beatrice of being at No. 1. "It was a good competition level."

This season, with the emergence of freshman Will Horton (Lakeville, Mass.) at No. 1 singles, Beatrice is 3-4 and 1-0 in the Little East and is 4-4 at No. 1 doubles.

"It's great," he said. "From a team standpoint, to be able to have a good enough team with me at 2, that's the best possible thing."

BSU coach David Purpura appreciates the way Beatrice has moved around the top of the lineup all four seasons.

"We're lucky to have him at 2," said Purpura. "There's some players whose egos might get in the way of them being successful. A player like Robbie Cooney or Will Horton comes in and challenges him for that top spot. But Adam has been anything but (having it get in the way).

"Adam has been their closest friend on the team when they joined. He pushes them as hard as he can. He has embraced that challenge every year."

Purpura said that there has been steady improvement in Beatrice's overall game since the time he arrived at BSU from Rockland High.

"He's only gotten better every year he's been at Bridgewater," said Purpura. "Circumstances like Robbie Cooney joining us his sophomore year and leaving his junior year and bringing in a freshman like Will his senior year, those things may have changed his preseason expectations from where he is in the season, but he's improved across the board.

"That's really every single tennis skill you could have, he's improved. He serves better, he's more patient and consistent, he hits bigger, he's definitely more athletic from working in the weight room."

Beatrice made such an impact that freshman season that he was selected as a captain as a sophomore in '24.

The leadership has carried through with Beatrice being chosen in '25 and again this season with fellow senior Ryan Hebert (Taunton, Mass.).

"That's a good acknowledgement from my coaches and teammates," said Beatrice. "I lead by example. I'm not going to yell at anyone, but I'll keep people on track and do what I want others to do as well."

Purpura could see the leadership qualities in Beatrice early in his career.

"I knew right away he was going to be a strong mental player," said Purpura. "One thing you see about Adam is he's just very mature and always in control of his emotions, even when he was a freshman. That's really good in tennis because it allows you to be analytical and that's something Adam was right away.

"I couldn't have asked for more. He's the best leader I could ask for, the best teammate a guy could ask for. He's a really great student. It's going to be tough to replace him."

Beatrice has enjoyed the four-year run filled with accomplishments at BSU.

The career is winding down, and he's hoping to get back to the NCAAs to cap it all off.

"It would be great," said Beatrice. "It would be a great relief to know we were able to build this team back up after winning it, then losing in the championship last year. It would show the work we put in was for good use.

"I couldn't have asked for anything better here. I have a championship, we were in contention last year and we are in contention this year."