CHARLESTON, S.C. – Ted Bagwell's career as The Citadel cadet-athlete may be complete, but his time with the Bulldogs' tennis program is far from over.

With his senior season officially wrapped up, Bagwell has agreed to remain with the program next year as a graduate assistant coach, stepping into a new role with the team he helped lead over the past four years. For Bagwell, the opportunity is both exciting and meaningful.

"I'm stoked about it honestly," Bagwell said. "I felt like I was playing my best tennis, but I do kind of feel like it's time for me to transition a little bit. I'm really interested in coaching and I'm excited about it." "Ted has been the kind of young man you want representing your program," head coach Chuck Kriese said. "He has grown as a player, as a leader and as a person during his time at The Citadel, and I believe he has a lot to offer our team in this next role. He understands our program, he cares about the players and he knows what it takes to compete as a Bulldog."

Bagwell said he was pleased with how his final season came together. He felt he ended his career playing some of his best tennis and believes the program also laid important groundwork for the future.

"I was really happy with how the season ended and being my senior year I feel like I was able to finish strong," Bagwell said. "I was really happy with how I was playing. I was finally kind of hitting my stride a little bit."

 

That strong finish helped Bagwell close his career on a high note. He was also recognized by the Southern Conference as the recipient of the Don Bunch / Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award, becoming the first Bulldog to earn the honor since John Williams in 2004.

Bagwell said the award meant a great deal because of what it represented, and felt the recognition reflected the way he hoped to carry himself throughout his career at The Citadel, both as a competitor and as a teammate.

 


His final season also gave him clarity about what could come next. The opportunity to stay at The Citadel, work under Kriese and begin his master's degree in project management made the graduate assistant role a natural fit.

"This was a great opportunity to stay connected to the program, continue learning and begin working toward my master's degree," Bagwell said. "It made a lot of sense for me, and I'm excited for what's ahead."

Just as important, Bagwell will have the chance to continue investing in a program and a group of teammates that have meant a great deal to him.

"I'm going to be with a lot of my boys and a lot of the guys that I've played with and had some success with and some tough days with," Bagwell said. "I think I'll be able to add a lot."

That chance to continue leading is one of the biggest reasons Bagwell is looking forward to what comes next. He said this year's team benefited from a senior-led group that helped guide the program through the season, and he believes that experience will carry over into his new role.

"As seniors, we were all leaders of the team," Bagwell said. "I feel like the younger guys already lean on me during tough times when they're going through struggles. I'm excited that role will grow even more next year and that I'll have another opportunity to help."

 

That opportunity to stay with the program is especially meaningful to Bagwell because of the belief he has in where Bulldog tennis can go from here.

"As a team, I felt like we started to figure some things out as the season went on," Bagwell said. "There were a lot of moments this season where we were right there and really close, and I feel like it was a good building year for the guys coming back to take another step forward next year."

Kriese said Bagwell's transition from player to graduate assistant gives the program someone who already understands its culture and daily expectations.

"Ted knows what our players go through because he has lived it," Kriese said. "That experience is valuable. He can help our younger players understand the standards of this program, the demands of being a cadet-athlete and the importance of doing things the right way every day."

For Bagwell, being able to remain part of that process is one of the most rewarding parts of the transition.

"I'm just glad I get to stick around and be a big part of that and try to help them grow and develop so that they can be better than I was and better than my teams were," Bagwell said.

A native of Douglas, Ga., Bagwell's path to The Citadel was shaped by persistence, family support and a willingness to chase opportunities wherever they came.

Growing up in southern Georgia, Bagwell said tennis was not always easy to pursue in an area better known for football. Still, the sport became a central part of his life thanks in large part to his family.

His mother coached high school tennis and played collegiately at Brewton-Parker, while his father also played high school tennis. Bagwell said both were instrumental in helping him develop as a player and navigate the demands of junior tennis.

"My mom has been the main person in my tennis life," Bagwell said. "She hasn't always been my main coach, but she definitely got me started and has always been there helping me get through tough times and helping me try to grow as a player and giving me all these opportunities, along with my dad too."

Because of the limited tennis infrastructure in his hometown, Bagwell often had to travel to find high-level tournaments and training opportunities. He said those experiences helped shape both his development and his perspective.

"It wasn't always easy because of the lack of opportunity there," Bagwell said. "But we had a small group of people that really cared about us."

One of the biggest turning points in his development came after high school, when he spent a summer training in Lexington, S.C.

"That's where I feel like I made my biggest jump," Bagwell said.

Bagwell said his path to The Citadel became clearer after Kriese had the chance to see him compete in person. What had started as a connection through coaches and training opportunities soon turned into a real chance to continue his career at the Division I level.

"That was the first time he saw me play, and after that everything started to come together," Bagwell said.

From there, Bagwell said he felt confident The Citadel gave him the chance to challenge himself, compete against strong opposition and earn a meaningful role within the lineup from the beginning.

What followed was a four-year career in which Bagwell played from the beginning, grew into a leader within the program and embraced the challenge of being a cadet-athlete.

Now, that journey is continuing in a different role.

After four years as a Bulldog student-athlete, Bagwell will remain with the program as he begins the next phase of his development as a coach, mentor and graduate assistant. For Bagwell, the opportunity is a chance to continue giving back to a program that helped shape him while guiding the Bulldogs to take the next step.

"I think Ted will be a great bridge between our players and our staff," Kriese said. "He has earned the respect of the guys in our locker room, and he knows how much this place can impact a young man when he fully invests in it. That is the perspective he can bring to our program every day."

 




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