DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) has announced dual staffing promotions within the men's and women's tennis programs in a groundbreaking move focused on continuing UNG's elevation in the collegiate tennis landscape. Kent Norsworthy has been promoted to the Director of Tennis and will continue as the head coach of the women's tennis program while Justin Miles has been promoted to the head men's tennis coach.
 
"Kent has built two outstanding programs that have firmly placed North Georgia on the national tennis map, constantly reaching historic milestones with both our men's and women's teams," noted Athletic Director Mary Rob Plunkett. "This next step allows us to provide even more focused leadership and dedicated support for each program as we continue to chase conference titles and national success. I'm thrilled to name Kent as our Director of Tennis, where he will continue to guide our women's program, and equally excited to elevate Justin to Head Men's Tennis Coach. He has been a tremendous addition to our staff and I'm confident in his ability to lead our men's team forward. The future is bright for North Georgia Tennis."
 
Norsworthy has spent the last 20 seasons as head coach of the both the Nighthawk men's and women's tennis teams, captaining both programs since their inception at the NCAA Division II level in 2006.
 
Under his leadership, UNG has become one of the premier destinations for collegiate tennis in the nation. The two-decade leader of the program has led both teams to appearances at their respective NCAA Championship sites.
 
On the women's side, the Nighthawks made history in 2024 with a staggering 25-2 record, Peach Belt Conference Regular-season and Tournament titles and the first ever National Semifinalist finish in program history.
 
In 2025 Norsworthy ushered in a new era of UNG men's tennis, guiding the team to their first ever appearance at the NCAA Championship site with a Round of 16 finish after defeating seven ranked opponents during the season.
 
Norsworthy has compiled 465 wins (men - 211, women - 254) during his tenure. He holds a cumulative .563 career winning percentage. During North Georgia's ascension to the highest level of the sport in the last 10 seasons, Norsworthy has won over 70 percent of contests amidst the rise.
 
"I am extremely grateful for the long-range vision that has been set for both tennis programs," said Norsworthy. "I know that the men's program is in good hands with Justin taking over the helm and I am excited about the opportunity to work with the women's program moving forward. With the support of the athletic department, I know both programs are primed and supported to take the next step. 
 
With Norsworthy's promotion, Miles takes over as the head coach of the UNG men's tennis program and one of the fastest rising squads in the nation.
 
After spending over a combined decade on the court as the head coach of NCAA Division I members Georgia Southern and Jacksonville, Miles is once again the leader of a collegiate tennis program.
 
He takes over the Nighthawk men's team after being named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Assistant Coach of the Year a season ago in 2024.
 
In just three seasons in Dahlonega, Miles quickly earned recognition as one of the best assistant coaches in the country. He was also named the ITA Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2024, as the Nighthawk staff swept the coaching honors with Norsworthy being named Southeast Region Coach of the Year.
 
Miles has worked very closely with both men's and women's tennis programs at UNG and is an integral part of their record-breaking success. The Nighthawks are a combined 99-41 (.707 winning percentage) in the last three years with Miles on the coaching staff.
 
"I am very grateful for the amazing opportunity to become the head men's tennis coach here at the University of North Georgia," stated Miles. "I want to thank the administration for trusting in me to take the lead of the men's tennis program at this time. I have been amazingly lucky working alongside Kent, learning from him firsthand what it means to run a respected and successful tennis program on and off the court. I look forward to working with the amazing student-athletes we have and advancing this program forward every day."
 
With this cutting-edge move, UNG becomes one of only a handful of Division II schools in the country with a Director of Tennis and two head coaches within the department.