Georgia Gwinnett College men's tennis sets record for consecutive wins

Georgia Gwinnett College, the top-ranked men's outfit and reigning national champions in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), made history on Monday by winning their 138th consecutive team match.

A 5-0 victory over NAIA No. 14 Cumberlands gave the Grizzlies sole possession of the all-time record for consecutive wins in college sports history, breaking a mark that has stood since the University of Miami (Florida) men's team won 137 in a row from 1957-64. GCC's win streak has included six NAIA national championships. The program, which only started in 2013, has a 180-3 all-time record, including wins against top NAIA and NCAA Division I, II and III opponents.

Chase Hodges, the first head tennis coach in the school's history, leads both the men's and women's programs at GCC. In 2017 and in the shortened 2020 season, he led both programs to undefeated records. In eight years at the helm, he has captured 11 national championships and been named national coach of the year 11 times by the NAIA, and on seven occasions by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). 

"We have been chasing the record-setting 138th straight victory since we got to win number 100," he told the school's athletics website, with additional coverage in the Gwinnett Daily Post.  "There were times when I didn't know if we would get to this day. Winning 138 straight matches is almost a surreal achievement. This is something that the players—current and past—can take great pride in accomplishing. We have now climbed to the top of the mountain."