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Andy Mathis, Olivia Sayer
Georgia Ike Cousins head baseball coach Wes Johnson walks to the dugout before the first game of the NCAA Athens Regional between Army and Georgia at Foley Field in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, May 31, 2024. Georgia won 8-7. (Photo/Mady Mertens; MadyMertensPhotography)
Wes Johnson
Wes Johnson is entering his second season as Georgia baseball’s head coach. The Bulldogs flourished in Johnson’s first year at the helm, finishing with their most accomplished season in 16 years. Johnson’s efforts earned him a contract extension through 2030.
“This past season is one we will always remember,” Georgia director of athletics Josh Brooks said. “It is a testament to the tremendous work that Coach Johnson and his staff did, and continue to do, in developing our student-athletes both on and off the field.”
Johnson constructed a Georgia team that included 18 transfers while bringing in 10 freshmen. Despite the lack of experience playing together, the group bonded quickly and played with a confident but focused mindset that carried them throughout the season.
“It’s an amazing group,” Charlie Condon, Georgia baseball player and Golden Spikes award winner, said during the season. “This team just gels so well. Whether we’re on the field practicing or playing games or hanging out in the locker room, everybody is always in good spirits. We really enjoy our time with each other.”
Team camaraderie was a focal point for Johnson, who said in his introductory press conference that Georgia was going to “high-five more than anybody.”
The results showed on the field, as the Bulldogs finished with their best record since 2019 and first Super Regional appearance since 2008.
Georgia also set multiple program records, with a number of players earning personal achievements throughout the year.
The Bulldogs ended their season one win shy of a trip to the College World Series. However, with Johnson, who has already been active in the transfer portal, as its leader, Georgia has a solid chance to earn its first trip to Omaha in 16 years next season.
Drake Bernstein
Drake Bernstein is entering his second season as the head coach of the Georgia women’s tennis team. Taking over for six-time national champion coach Jeff Wallace, Bernstein led the Bulldogs profoundly. This year, the four-year letterman coached his alma mater to the national championship, where the Bulldogs lost to Texas A&M by a score of 4-1.
While competing at Georgia, Bernstein compiled a 112-44 singles record and was a member of the Bulldogs’ 2008 national championship team. After returning to Georgia as a coach, Bernstein helped lead the Bulldogs to 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament bids. He served as the lead recruiter under Wallace and assisted with the development of two SEC Players of the Year.
In Bernstein’s first season as head man, Georgia won its first doubles title in program history with Aysegul Mert and Dasha Vidmanova knocking off Pepperdine’s No. 1 ranked duo. Bernstein also coached Anastasiia Lopata, who was initially the ninth alternate, to the singles finals. The accolades do not stop there, as after sharing the SEC regular-season title with Texas A&M, the Bulldogs beat the Aggies 4-1 to capture the SEC Tournament title.
“I’d be just as proud of this team had we lost earlier in the NCAA tournament,” Bernstein said. “They did the right things over and over. I’m really happy for them and the program and for UGA that we had the results that we did, but it was more of an everyday type thing that really made me proud.”
Georgia’s performance earned Bernstein the 2024 Wilson ITA Southeast Regional Coach of the Year and the SEC Coach of the Year. With a year of head coaching under his belt, Bernstein looks to carry the Bulldogs’ success into next season.
Neil Versfeld
Neil Versfeld, a former Georgia national champion and South African record-holding swimmer, is entering his second season as head coach of the Georgia men’s swimming and diving team.
Previously, he served three seasons as associate head coach, focusing on breaststroke and distance swimmers. In his debut season, he led Georgia to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships and fifth place at SECs, earning 18 All-America citations.
Versfeld’s tenure has seen notable successes, including Ian Grum’s school records and Bradley Dunham’s SEC title.
Versfeld’s coaching career began as an assistant coach for the Seals Swimming Club in South Africa, followed by stints at both Swim Atlanta and Georgia Tech.
Now, Versfeld is preparing for the upcoming season and looking to preserve a historic Bulldog swim and dive program that’s under new management.
Jamie Hunt
Jamie Hunt, a former All-American and National Champion, has been named the next head coach of the Georgia men’s tennis program, beginning during the 2024-25 season.
Hunt, in his seventh year on Georgia’s staff, has twice been named ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year. He led Georgia to the 2023 SEC Championship and played a key role in developing NCAA singles champion Ethan Quinn. Since 2017, Hunt has recruited top talent, including the top-ranked class in 2023.
“Jamie Hunt is the perfect choice to continue the great tradition of Georgia tennis,” former head coach Manny Diaz said in February. “He was an elite player, he is an excellent coach, and, most of all, he is an exemplary person.”
Hunt’s coaching career includes seven years at Vanderbilt, where he helped the team achieve national success and develop top players.
As a player, Hunt won the U.S. Open Junior Doubles Championship and was a four-time All-SEC selection at Georgia.
Hunt now assumes control of a storied program and will look to continue Georgia’s domination on the court for years to come.