BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Following a stellar 24-year head coaching career, Gardner-Webb men's tennis coach Mike Griffith is set to retire following the conclusion of the 2026 spring campaign.
"I would like to congratulate Coach Griffith on an unbelievable career," said VP and Director of Athletics Brendan Fahey. "We are incredibly thankful for Mike's leadership and lasting impact on our student-athletes and athletic department. He is a remarkable coach who has provided stability while building a championship culture. We wish him all the best in his next chapter."
Griffith, a four-time winner of Big South Coach of the Year (2019, 2023, 2024, 2025), leaves as one of the most decorated coaches in Runnin' Bulldogs history after guiding Gardner-Webb to back-to-back 20-win seasons as well as three consecutive Big South Conference Regular Season Titles. The 2025 team went to unprecedented marks, winning the program's first-ever Big South Tournament championship while earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
During the 2023 season, Griffith guided Gardner-Webb to a program record for single season wins with 16 as he was named big South Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. He led the team to their first-ever appearance in the Big South Tournament Finals as well, finishing as the runner-ups at the event.
The Runnin' Bulldogs claimed a share of the Regular Season title and the #1 seed for the Tournament for the second time in school history as they went 4-1 against league opponents. Griffith also helped Victor Putter to become the first GWU player to earn Scholar-Athlete of the Year status.
Griffith helped keep the momentum going heading into the 2024 campaign, rewriting the record books with a program-best 20 wins, including a perfect 4-0 mark in Big South Conference play while bringing home the team's second consecutive conference regular season championship.
In that same year, Griffith helped guide standout Eduardo Dias to Big South Player of the Year honors as well as six other members being named to the Big South All-Conference Team.
The 2025 team went to where no other men's tennis team has before, capturing the program's first-ever Big South Tournament Championship after dominating conference play throughout the season, capped by a 4-0 win over No. 2 seed UNC Asheville in the tournament finals.
Griffith led his team to its second 20-win season in a row while being named Big South Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. During the course of the year, Gardner-Webb took home the inaugural Big South Individual Fall Championships in sweeping fashion as Eduardo Dias won singles before teaming up with Numa Lemieux-Monette to capture the doubles crown.
In total, GWU placed a record-setting eight members on the All-Conference Team while Dias was selected as Big South Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. Griffith also helped guide newcomer Alexandre Bergeron to Big South Freshman of the Year. Gardner-Webb also set a new program record with numerous players of the week. The Runnin' Bulldogs finished the year with a national ranking of 75 while moving as high as No. 70 in the country.
The Runnin' Bulldogs have amassed an overall record of 27-6 in conference play over the past six seasons while winning the regular season conference championship four out of five years with the 2020 campaign cancelled due to Covid. Over that time, Gardner-Webb dominated its home venue, compiling a 50-11 record at the Webb Tennis Complex, including 18 consecutive wins dating back to 2023-24.
Griffith was instrumental in guiding three players to Freshman of the Year as Max Scholl won the award in 2016, Millen Hurrion in 2018, and Alexandre Bergeron in 2025. Evgeny Slesarev took home Player of the Year honors in 2010, joing Dias as the only players for GWU to do so.
"I will miss the guys and the road trips and the overall grind of the season," added Griffith. "We have one more year to do special things and I am focused on those tasks and to help the guys reach their individual goals. If we do that, we will reach our team goal. Coaching young people is the best job a person can ever have, and I've been very blessed."
