The decorated head coach at Georgia Gwinnett College will lead College, High School, and more at Universal Tennis
Palo Alto, CA - Today, Universal Tennis is announcing that Chase Hodges, former head coach at Georgia Gwinnett College and owner of Gwinnett Tennis, has joined the company as Vice President.
Hodges led the men’s and women’s teams to 15 NAIA national titles and has been named the national coach of the year 22 times. In his new leadership role, Hodges will drive growth in the college and high school markets and roll out new adult product offerings.
“It's really about making an impact in tennis. I'm super excited about the potential in all three of these important areas,” Hodges said. “There's no telling what we can do with the right game plan. It's going to be about honing in on specific initiatives and making sure that they come to life.”
Hodges is exceptionally familiar with Universal Tennis, having worked closely with team members while using the software to run events as one of the most well-known and respected long-time providers. At the Gwinnett Tennis Facility just outside of Atlanta, he has hosted everything from junior tournaments and adult leagues to UTR Pro Tennis Tour events.
“Chase's reputation as a leader is stellar and his relationships throughout the community in Atlanta and nationwide speak for themselves,” said Universal Tennis President Kelly Forese. “The strength of his character, his commitment to excellence, and his grounded personality perfectly fit our company culture.”
Hodges started the tennis program at Georgia Gwinnett in 2013 and delivered the school its first-ever national titles in any sport in 2014. Last month, the men’s team won its eighth straight NAIA title, and the women’s team picked up its sixth NAIA national crown in a row. Hodges leaves the program riding two win streaks: 168 straight wins for the men and 59 for the women. Now he will bring that same winning energy to Universal Tennis.
“Universal Tennis is the best platform for connecting players globally,” Hodges said. “Being an extremely competitive individual, I'm looking forward to having a part in seeing this company go to the next level. I will bring the same work ethic that I brought to coaching, giving 110% every day.”
Hodges has over 23 years of college coaching experience and is the only head coach in history to lead seven different programs to an ITA national ranking. Before Georgia Gwinnett, he coached at UNC Wilmington (his alma mater), Longwood College, UNC Asheville, Drake, and Georgia State.
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About Universal Tennis
The mission of Universal Tennis is to connect and grow the sport with innovative events and a global digital marketplace centered around level-based play. The Universal Tennis Engagement Platform is anchored by the UTR Rating, the world’s most accurate singles and doubles tennis rating system. Universal Tennis provides the tools and solutions to make the UTR Rating relevant and valuable to players, coaches, and organizers in their local tennis communities. Universal Tennis is creating opportunities and pathways for players from all over the world, in all stages of life, to find better matches and unlock a more fun and flexible tennis experience. Go to UniversalTennis.com to sign up, activate your player profile and join the global tennis community. Watch our video and connect on social @UniversalTennis to learn more.
Media Contacts:
Ben Makarenko: bmakarenko@universaltennis.com