Part of the coaching staff since 2013, Georgia Gwinnett tennis assistant Courtney Rutherford was appointed to the full-time assistant coach position for the Grizzly men’s and women’s tennis teams in January 2016.
A longtime coach at the junior, collegiate and professional ranks, Rutherford assumed the main assistant role for the standout Grizzly tennis programs.
A native of Atlanta, Rutherford was a key part of the Grizzlies’ last two NAIA national championships on the men’s side, plus the women’s 2014 title. He began a part-time role with the Grizzlies in 2013-14, helping GGC to a 37-2 men’s record during his time, a 29-11 women’s mark, and a number of individual national titles.
Prior to GGC, Rutherford enjoyed a successful coaching career at multiple levels of tennis.
He helped guide WTA player Edina Gallovits-Hall to a No. 54 world ranking, spending 10 years as a personal coach providing on-court instruction, fitness and nutrition programs, and daily schedule planning. Gallovits-Hall has claimed singles victories in all four grand slam tournaments during her career and captured three WTA doubles titles.
Rutherford has held academy director positions for several Gwinnett-area tennis clubs over the last dozen years, most recently at the Hamilton Mill Tennis Center in Dacula. He also worked at Magnolia Tennis Center in Dacula and even spent four years as academy director at the former Collins Hill Athletic Club, which has become the GGC Tennis Facility and the Grizzlies’ current home.
Many of the male and female junior players Rutherford coached went on to earn collegiate scholarships or reach the professional ranks.
Rutherford’s previous collegiate coaching experience came as head coach for two seasons at Piedmont College in Demorest.
As a student-athlete, Rutherford competed four seasons for Coker College in Hartsville, S.C., earning team MVP honors with the Cobras. He earned his degree from Coker in 2002, serving as a student assistant to the Dean and double-majoring in business and psychology.
Rutherford resides in Gwinnett County.
