Two First-Year Teams Soar to Hoops Success at Georgia College

Georgia Gwinnett College's new basketball programs are contending for conference titles and national playoff spots in their inaugural seasons.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Georgia Gwinnett College, a school in Lawrenceville, Georgia, has launched new men's and women's basketball programs that are already finding remarkable success in their first year of existence. Both teams are contending for conference titles and spots in the national playoffs, defying expectations for new programs.

Why it matters

Georgia Gwinnett College's rapid rise in basketball is noteworthy as it bucks the typical trend of new sports programs struggling to get off the ground. The school's commitment to athletics and willingness to hire proven coaches have enabled the teams to hit the ground running and compete at a high level immediately.

The details

The men's team is 20-6 with two games left in the regular season, while the women's team is 18-7 and riding an 11-game win streak with three games remaining. The men's coach, Chase Teichmann, brought in four players he had coached previously to provide a foundation, while the women's coach, Tory Wooley, landed a key transfer in Maddie Presha to build around. Both coaches were drawn to Georgia Gwinnett's impressive new facilities and the school's commitment to athletics.

  • The school approved basketball teams in 2024 and hired the coaches in 2025-26 to start the programs.
  • The men's team won its first three games before losing twice on a road trip to Oklahoma, including to now-No. 5 Oklahoma Wesleyan.
  • The Continental Athletic Conference tournament will be hosted by Georgia Gwinnett from February 26 to March 11, with the winner earning a spot in the NAIA national tournament.

The players

Chase Teichmann

The men's basketball coach, who had a 100-27 record in four years at Florida College and led his teams to two conference titles and three NAIA tournament appearances.

Tory Wooley

The women's basketball coach, a product of Southwest Atlanta Christian and former teammate of Dwight Howard, who went 206-121 as head coach at Point University with five 20-win seasons and an NAIA playoff appearance.

Maddie Presha

A junior transfer from Toccoa Falls College, where she was a starter on the team that finished second in the National Christian College Athletic Association championships, and the first recruit for the women's team.

Devontre Chaney

A transfer from Palm Beach State who had already committed to play for Teichmann, and has emerged as the men's team's best player, leading the team in scoring and rebounding.

Drew Kramer

One of the four players Teichmann brought in from his previous program at Florida College to provide a foundation for the new team.

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What they’re saying

“I think we all clicked as soon as we started practicing together. It really made us know that everybody could play, and that just adds up to what we can do during a game.”

— Jamya Griffin, Sophomore

“The location, the campus, the arena was truly special. And I was excited to come back home and build something really special here. It has been special since the day that I came on campus. This has been a fun ride.”

— Tory Wooley, Women's Basketball Coach

“I brought those four in to give us a good foundation and to see how we operated. Obviously, they were good players, but I didn't want to go from zero to 15 new faces. I wanted to have that core.”

— Chase Teichmann, Men's Basketball Coach

What’s next

The Continental Athletic Conference tournament hosted by Georgia Gwinnett from February 26 to March 11 will determine if the men's and women's teams qualify for the NAIA national tournament.

The takeaway

Georgia Gwinnett College's rapid success with its new basketball programs, defying the typical struggles of first-year teams, showcases the school's commitment to athletics and its ability to attract proven coaches who can quickly build competitive teams. This achievement highlights the potential for small colleges to make an immediate impact in collegiate sports.