LEXINGTON, Va. -- Washington and Lee Michael F. Walsh Director of Athletics Jan Hathorn has announced that
Michael Connolly has resigned as Assistant Women's Tennis Coach to become the Director of Men's Tennis Operations at the University of Georgia. His duties at UGA begin on July 15.
During his three seasons in Lexington, the Generals achieved a 56-16 overall record, won three ODAC championships, and made three NCAA Tournament appearances. Connolly's contributions helped the team excel nationally and in the conference. The team's academic commitment was recognized as a 2022 and 2023 ITA All-Academic Team, with 22 ITA Scholar-Athletes across both years.
Three ITA All-Americans in singles, Taylor Garcia '22, Gabi Moss '24, and Lauren Long '26, exemplify the program's individual success. Garcia and Long advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Singles Tournaments in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Connolly's recruiting efforts contributed to the program's 14th- and 19th-ranked recruiting classes in Division III for 2022 and 2023, continuing the recruiting success established by Head Coach Erin Ness.
The Generals maintained their dominance in the ODAC during Connolly's tenure, extending their conference winning streak to 333 consecutive matches and 34 straight seasons without a conference loss. W&L players earned 14 All-ODAC citations and five conference major awards, including ODAC Player of the Year honors for Moss in 2022 and Long in 2023 and 2024.
After the 2023-24 season, when the Generals finished 21-2 and reached the NCAA Tournament Round of 16, Connolly was named the ITA Atlantic Region's Assistant Coach of the Year.
A national search for a new assistant women's tennis coach will begin immediately.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
