Northwestern University Athletics
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Former Wildcat Georgia Munns Joins Women’s Tennis Coaching Staff
9/6/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Four-time All-American will serve as an assistant coach
EVANSTON, Ill. (September 6, 2023) – Northwestern women's tennis head coach Claire Pollard announced the addition of Wildcats' Athletics Hall of Famer Georgia Munns to her coaching staff on Wednesday. Munns, a four-time All-American during her time with the 'Cats, will serve as an assistant coach after spending the past nine seasons at the University of Washington.
"To have an all-time legend in Georgia (Rose) Munns back in the program is truly unbelievable and so fantastic," Pollard commented. "Georgia was part of some of the best teams ever here at Northwestern and she will be a force in helping us get back to those heights. (Assistant Coach) Ellyse (Hamlin), the team, and I are so excited to have Dylan and Ellie around us all and we know Keith's support of Georgia's career is a huge part of this all. Go Cats!"
"I'm thrilled at the opportunity to come back to my alma mater," Munns said. "I had the greatest experience as a student-athlete, and Northwestern has always held such a special place in my heart. I can't wait to start working with Claire, Ellyse, and the team! Go Cats!
During her time at Washington, Munns, who was elevated to Associate Head Coach prior to the start of the 2019-20 season after previously spending time as both an assistant coach and volunteer assistant coach, helped lead the Huskies to four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. In 2019, the Mettawa, Ill. native was instrumental in one of the top seasons in program history for Washington that saw the Huskies finish 21-5 in dual action en route to making the program's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 10 years.
Munns' work was evident in the development of Vanessa Wong, who racked up a program-record 112 career single victories during her time at Washington, breaking a 20-year-old school record. Wong was one of two Huskies in the past three seasons to be named the Northwest Region Player of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), joining Hikaru Sato, who took home the honor this past season.
Prior to her stop in the Pacific Northwest, Munns spent two seasons as the University of South Carolina, where she was named the ITA Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013. The Gamecocks made their 20th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament that season, while Elixane Lechemia became just the fifth player in program history to secure First Team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) accolades.
Munns cut her teeth in the coaching ranks at another Big Ten Conference institution, joining the University of Illinois as an assistant coach just four months after finishing her collegiate career. In the last of her three years on staff with the Fighting Illini, Munns was tabbed the ITA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year following a season in which Illinois finished 18-8 overall.
During her playing career with the Wildcats, Munns, who was inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022, piled up 125 singles victories and owned a sparkling 29-2 mark in Big Ten Conference play, leading the 'Cats to four straight league titles.
Named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2007, Munns closed both the 2008 and 2009 seasons ranked second nationally. As a senior, she was named the ITA's Midwest Region Senior of the Year. Munns also became just the second player in Wildcat annals to qualify for the NCAA Singles Championships in all four years of her career.
Prior to her arrival in Evanston, Munns climbed as high as No. 84 on the International Tennis Federation circuit, participating in both the U.S. Open Juniors and Australian Open Juniors. She was also tabbed the 2004-05 Care Academy Player of the Year.
Munns and her husband, Keith, are parents to a son, Dylan, and daughter, Ellie. Munns' mother, Barbara Rose, was a member of England's national swim team, while her father, Graham Rose, played semi-professional soccer in England. Her brother, Andrew, plays professional soccer, having most recently spent three seasons (2019-21) with the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer.
"To have an all-time legend in Georgia (Rose) Munns back in the program is truly unbelievable and so fantastic," Pollard commented. "Georgia was part of some of the best teams ever here at Northwestern and she will be a force in helping us get back to those heights. (Assistant Coach) Ellyse (Hamlin), the team, and I are so excited to have Dylan and Ellie around us all and we know Keith's support of Georgia's career is a huge part of this all. Go Cats!"
"I'm thrilled at the opportunity to come back to my alma mater," Munns said. "I had the greatest experience as a student-athlete, and Northwestern has always held such a special place in my heart. I can't wait to start working with Claire, Ellyse, and the team! Go Cats!
During her time at Washington, Munns, who was elevated to Associate Head Coach prior to the start of the 2019-20 season after previously spending time as both an assistant coach and volunteer assistant coach, helped lead the Huskies to four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. In 2019, the Mettawa, Ill. native was instrumental in one of the top seasons in program history for Washington that saw the Huskies finish 21-5 in dual action en route to making the program's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 10 years.
Munns' work was evident in the development of Vanessa Wong, who racked up a program-record 112 career single victories during her time at Washington, breaking a 20-year-old school record. Wong was one of two Huskies in the past three seasons to be named the Northwest Region Player of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), joining Hikaru Sato, who took home the honor this past season.
Prior to her stop in the Pacific Northwest, Munns spent two seasons as the University of South Carolina, where she was named the ITA Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013. The Gamecocks made their 20th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament that season, while Elixane Lechemia became just the fifth player in program history to secure First Team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) accolades.
Munns cut her teeth in the coaching ranks at another Big Ten Conference institution, joining the University of Illinois as an assistant coach just four months after finishing her collegiate career. In the last of her three years on staff with the Fighting Illini, Munns was tabbed the ITA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year following a season in which Illinois finished 18-8 overall.
During her playing career with the Wildcats, Munns, who was inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022, piled up 125 singles victories and owned a sparkling 29-2 mark in Big Ten Conference play, leading the 'Cats to four straight league titles.
Named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2007, Munns closed both the 2008 and 2009 seasons ranked second nationally. As a senior, she was named the ITA's Midwest Region Senior of the Year. Munns also became just the second player in Wildcat annals to qualify for the NCAA Singles Championships in all four years of her career.
Prior to her arrival in Evanston, Munns climbed as high as No. 84 on the International Tennis Federation circuit, participating in both the U.S. Open Juniors and Australian Open Juniors. She was also tabbed the 2004-05 Care Academy Player of the Year.
Munns and her husband, Keith, are parents to a son, Dylan, and daughter, Ellie. Munns' mother, Barbara Rose, was a member of England's national swim team, while her father, Graham Rose, played semi-professional soccer in England. Her brother, Andrew, plays professional soccer, having most recently spent three seasons (2019-21) with the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer.
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