Georgia Gwinnett College Athletics

Courtney Rutherford rejoined the Georgia Gwinnett College tennis coaching staff as an assistant coach for the 2024-25 season after being on staff from 2013-18.

He has helped the Grizzlies win nine NAIA national championships, led by five men's titles from 2014-18.

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’ beginning both programs in 2013. He is a longtime coach at the junior, collegiate, and professional ranks. Rutherford was promoted to the top assistant coach for the 2016 season and held that position for three seasons.

Rutherford returned to GGC after serving as an assistant coach at Reinhardt University (Georgia) in 2024. Prior to that he was the head men's and women's tennis coach at SCAD Atlanta.

Prior to his initial GGC stint, 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, Ga.

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.