Four Georgia Head Coaches Receive Contract Extensions
September 26, 2025 | Equestrian, Men's Basketball, Women's Tennis, Track & Field
ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia Athletic Association has agreed to contract extensions for head coach Mike White (men's basketball) and national champions Drake Bernstein (women's tennis), Meghan Boenig (equestrian) and Caryl Smith Gilbert (track and field), J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks announced Friday.
White, Bernstein and Smith Gilbert's contracts have all been extended to 2031. Boenig received a four-year addition to 2029. Earlier this year, Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson received an extension to 2031.
Last season, Georgia's athletic programs earned four team national championships, tying the previous school record set in 1999. The Bulldogs captured national titles in tennis (indoor and outdoor), equestrian and women's outdoor track and field. On the court, White led Georgia men's basketball to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 10 years with 20-plus wins for the second-straight season.
"These coaches were part of an outstanding year for Georgia Athletics and continue to build their programs for future success," Brooks said. "They each represent our department in a first-class manner and serve as exceptional role models for our current and future student-athletes. We look forward to many great days ahead."
Mike White
Georgia Basketball has seen consistent and impressive improvement throughout White's three years in Athens. During his tenure, Georgia has ascended an average of 181.2 positions among six of the most popular college basketball metrics. In White's first season, the Bulldogs upped their win total from 2021-22 by double digits, the second-largest regular-season increase among all Power conference programs. In 2023-24, Georgia earned its first postseason bid since 2017 and, while advancing to the NIT semifinals, reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 2016. Last winter culminated with the Bulldogs' first NCAA Tournament bid since 2015 as UGA notched back-to-back 20-win efforts for just the fifth time in school history.
Drake Bernstein
Bernstein led Georgia to a 29-3 overall record with a No. 1 ranking after capping off the year with a trio of titles, winning the 2025 NCAA Championship, the 2025 ITA National Team Indoor title and a third-consecutive SEC tournament title. Bernstein's successful season earned him top coaching honors, winning both 2025 ITA National and Regional Coach of the Year awards as well as 2025 SEC Coach of the Year honors. Additionally, Bernstein became the fastest Georgia men's or women's tennis head coach to win an NCAA, ITA, SEC regular season and SEC tournament title (62 matches coached through two seasons).
Meghan Boenig
Boenig came to Georgia in October of 2001 as the first head coach of the Georgia equestrian program. During her time with the Bulldogs, Boenig has led the program to unprecedented heights, including eight national titles, six Southern Equestrian Championships, seven reserve championships, three Southeastern Conference titles and an 92-19 dual-meet regular season record at home. Boenig also helped lead the charge of restructuring Varsity Equestrian to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association in the fall of 2011 and has served in NCEA leadership roles, including president. The Bulldogs collected their eighth program national championship crown to conclude the 2024-25 season.
Caryl Smith Gilbert
Since Smith Gilbert's arrival prior to the 2021-22 academic year, the Bulldogs have experienced immense success both indoors and outdoors. The men and women have combined for six top 10 team finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championships, including a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2025 indoor Nationals. The program has also notched a half dozen top 10 finishes at the NCAA Outdoor Championships since 2022. Last year, the Georgia women complemented the program's first Southeastern Conference outdoor team title since 2006 by winning their first NCAA outdoor crown.
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White, Bernstein and Smith Gilbert's contracts have all been extended to 2031. Boenig received a four-year addition to 2029. Earlier this year, Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson received an extension to 2031.
Last season, Georgia's athletic programs earned four team national championships, tying the previous school record set in 1999. The Bulldogs captured national titles in tennis (indoor and outdoor), equestrian and women's outdoor track and field. On the court, White led Georgia men's basketball to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 10 years with 20-plus wins for the second-straight season.
"These coaches were part of an outstanding year for Georgia Athletics and continue to build their programs for future success," Brooks said. "They each represent our department in a first-class manner and serve as exceptional role models for our current and future student-athletes. We look forward to many great days ahead."
Mike White
Georgia Basketball has seen consistent and impressive improvement throughout White's three years in Athens. During his tenure, Georgia has ascended an average of 181.2 positions among six of the most popular college basketball metrics. In White's first season, the Bulldogs upped their win total from 2021-22 by double digits, the second-largest regular-season increase among all Power conference programs. In 2023-24, Georgia earned its first postseason bid since 2017 and, while advancing to the NIT semifinals, reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 2016. Last winter culminated with the Bulldogs' first NCAA Tournament bid since 2015 as UGA notched back-to-back 20-win efforts for just the fifth time in school history.
Drake Bernstein
Bernstein led Georgia to a 29-3 overall record with a No. 1 ranking after capping off the year with a trio of titles, winning the 2025 NCAA Championship, the 2025 ITA National Team Indoor title and a third-consecutive SEC tournament title. Bernstein's successful season earned him top coaching honors, winning both 2025 ITA National and Regional Coach of the Year awards as well as 2025 SEC Coach of the Year honors. Additionally, Bernstein became the fastest Georgia men's or women's tennis head coach to win an NCAA, ITA, SEC regular season and SEC tournament title (62 matches coached through two seasons).
Meghan Boenig
Boenig came to Georgia in October of 2001 as the first head coach of the Georgia equestrian program. During her time with the Bulldogs, Boenig has led the program to unprecedented heights, including eight national titles, six Southern Equestrian Championships, seven reserve championships, three Southeastern Conference titles and an 92-19 dual-meet regular season record at home. Boenig also helped lead the charge of restructuring Varsity Equestrian to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association in the fall of 2011 and has served in NCEA leadership roles, including president. The Bulldogs collected their eighth program national championship crown to conclude the 2024-25 season.
Caryl Smith Gilbert
Since Smith Gilbert's arrival prior to the 2021-22 academic year, the Bulldogs have experienced immense success both indoors and outdoors. The men and women have combined for six top 10 team finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championships, including a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2025 indoor Nationals. The program has also notched a half dozen top 10 finishes at the NCAA Outdoor Championships since 2022. Last year, the Georgia women complemented the program's first Southeastern Conference outdoor team title since 2006 by winning their first NCAA outdoor crown.
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