Drake Bernstein, Associate Head Coach

The 2021 campaign marked the 10th season as a coach for Drake Bernstein including his ninth with the highly successful Georgia women’s tennis program. In this span, the Bulldogs have seen continued success, ranking in the top 10 nationally each year including in the top five at season’s end a total of five times. Also, the Bulldogs have captured a USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championship (2019), three SEC Championships (2013, 2019, 2021) and two SEC Tournament titles (2014, 2021) . Bernstein has been integral in the development of numerous All-Americans, a National Player of the Year, and countless All-SEC Honorees.

Bernstein joined the Bulldog staff in 2012 and was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2015. He has been named an ITA Regional Assistant Coach of the Year four times (2014, 2015, 2018, 2021).

In 2021, Georgia tallied a 23-2 final record and No. 4 final ITA ranking. The Bulldogs advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships after dominating Southeastern Conference competition. Georgia went 13-0 in league play to claim the regular season crown and then swept three more matches, all shutouts, to win the SEC Tournament title. A trio of players earned a total of four All-America honors including senior Katarina Jokic who was a finalist for the Honda Award. Additionally, the team finished with the highest Grade Point Average of any Georgia women’s sport for the spring semester of 2021 with a 3.57 mark.

In 2020, before the cancelation of the spring season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Georgia was on their way to another successful season being ranked in the top-10, reaching as high as No. 2 in the ITA Rankings. Georgia qualified for the ITA National Indoor Tournament once again in Chicago, Ill. and began conference play undefeated.

The 2019 season saw a Bulldog team that enjoyed tremendous success. Georgia captured its sixth indoor National Championship defeating defending champions North Carolina and later earned a SEC Regular Season Championship. The team fell just short of the NCAA Championship in May as Stanford edged Georgia in the national title match as the Bulldogs finished the season with a No. 2 overall ranking.

When not on the court, Bernstein takes point on recruiting for the Bulldogs. He has traveled across across globe for individual recruits and attended various Grand Slam tournaments.

A native of Winder, Ga., Bernstein returned to Georgia prior to the 2012-13 campaign after spending one season as an assistant coach for the University of Alabama women’s tennis team. The Crimson Tide finished the season No. 11 -- their highest final ranking in program history. Alabama posted an 18-5 record, claimed the SEC Western Division with a 10-1 league mark and played host to an NCAA Regional for the first time in school history.

Bernstein graduated from the University of Georgia in May 2011 with a degree in sport management. He compiled a career record of 112-44 in singles and 84-56 in doubles and is one of only 14 players in Bulldog history to win over 100 career singles matches. As a senior, he earned All-SEC Second Team honors and was the recipient of the Dick Copas Leadership Award while serving as a team captain. Following graduation, Bernstein spent time playing professional tennis. He reached the doubles quarterfinals of the BB&T Atlanta Open ATP 250 event including a win over the top seed and No. 12 ranked duo in the world in Rajeev Ram and Scott Lipsky.

The Georgia men’s tennis team reached the NCAA semifinals in three of Bernstein’s four seasons in Athens including the national championship run in 2008, his freshman year. Bernstein enjoyed a stellar prep career at Winder-Barrow High School, registering an 82-1 record that included 79 consecutive victories. He was named the 2007 Athens Banner-Herald Boys Tennis Player of the Year and was a three-time Athens Banner-Herald All-Northeast Georgia selection. He helped Winder-Barrow to its first state tournament appearance in 2006 and again in 2007.

Bernstein is married to the former Cassidy McComb of Henderson, Nev. She was a four-time All-American and member of Georgia’s 2008 and 2009 national championship gymnastics teams. A 2011 UGA graduate, McComb was named the 2008 SEC Freshman of the Year and the 2011 SEC All-Around champion. They have two children, Brody and Cashton.