Completed Event: Women's Tennis versus Air Force on March 27, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 4
W Tennis
vs Air Force
L 2-4
Grand Canyon University Athletics
GCU tabs Vorster to lead women’s tennis
6/17/2024 10:30:00 AM | Women's Tennis
With on-court wins, recruiting success, Vorster takes over Lopes program coming off back-to-back WAC titles
Grand Canyon announced the hiring of Dané Vorster as its next women's tennis head coach.
Vorster comes to GCU after two seasons leading the Belmont women's tennis program and three seasons as an assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara.
"I have been blessed with the opportunity to join the GCU community, and I cannot wait to work alongside such an incredible athletic department and leadership team," Vorster said. "Thank you to Jamie Boggs, Anthony Martinez, President Brian Mueller and the rest of the hiring committee for trusting me to lead the esteemed GCU women's tennis program."
A native of Brisbane, Australia, Vorster played her college tennis at Texas A&M and Portland State, where she ranks second in career wins at the No. 1 singles position. An All-Big Sky first-team honoree, Vorster also collected three Academic All-Big Sky honors.
"My goal is to elevate and extend the trajectory and growth of this program to place us among the top in the country. I look forward to creating a positive and impactful culture and rallying the passionate and active student body and community behind Lopes tennis," Vorster said.
GCU's women's tennis program is coming off its most successful season, finishing as a top-60 team in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings. The Lopes have won either the WAC regular-season or tournament championships in five consecutive seasons. GCU has made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.
"We are excited to welcome a rising star in Dané Vorster to lead our women's tennis program," GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said. "She is a strong recruiter with proven ability to develop student-athletes on and off the court. Dané has been a part of programs that have been ranked top five in the country and has the vision and ability to build on the success of our women's tennis program while aligning with the Christian mission of our university."
In Vorster's two seasons leading Belmont, the Bruins finished in the top three of the Missouri Valley Conference standings in both seasons. Vorster successfully recruited the 2024 MVC Freshman of the Year, developed the 2024 MVC Co-Player of the Year and the MVC's winningest player at the No. 3 singles position.
Vorster has coaching experience on the West Coast with a three-year stint at UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos won the Big West regular-season title with undefeated conference marks in 2019 and 2021. UCSB also won the 2021 Big West Tournament without dropping a point.
During her time assisting the program, the Gauchos were ranked as high as No. 48 nationally and had several top-125 ranked singles players. She helped reel in a top-five mid-major recruiting class in 2021, working under Big West Coach of the Year Simon Thibodeau.
Vorster's first college coaching position came at Northwestern, where she assisted the 2018 Big Ten regular-season champions in an undefeated conference season.
The Lopes will compete in the WAC for the 2024-25 academic year before transitioning to the West Coast Conference beginning on July 1, 2025.
She brings passion, respect and professionalism in every aspect of a program from on-court coaching to recruiting and to fundraising, community outreach. I look forward to see how she will grow GCU women's tennis."
- Simon Thibodeau, UC Santa Barbara women's tennis head coach
Vorster comes to GCU after two seasons leading the Belmont women's tennis program and three seasons as an assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara. "I have been blessed with the opportunity to join the GCU community, and I cannot wait to work alongside such an incredible athletic department and leadership team," Vorster said. "Thank you to Jamie Boggs, Anthony Martinez, President Brian Mueller and the rest of the hiring committee for trusting me to lead the esteemed GCU women's tennis program."
A native of Brisbane, Australia, Vorster played her college tennis at Texas A&M and Portland State, where she ranks second in career wins at the No. 1 singles position. An All-Big Sky first-team honoree, Vorster also collected three Academic All-Big Sky honors.
"My goal is to elevate and extend the trajectory and growth of this program to place us among the top in the country. I look forward to creating a positive and impactful culture and rallying the passionate and active student body and community behind Lopes tennis," Vorster said.
GCU's women's tennis program is coming off its most successful season, finishing as a top-60 team in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings. The Lopes have won either the WAC regular-season or tournament championships in five consecutive seasons. GCU has made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances.
"We are excited to welcome a rising star in Dané Vorster to lead our women's tennis program," GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said. "She is a strong recruiter with proven ability to develop student-athletes on and off the court. Dané has been a part of programs that have been ranked top five in the country and has the vision and ability to build on the success of our women's tennis program while aligning with the Christian mission of our university."
In Vorster's two seasons leading Belmont, the Bruins finished in the top three of the Missouri Valley Conference standings in both seasons. Vorster successfully recruited the 2024 MVC Freshman of the Year, developed the 2024 MVC Co-Player of the Year and the MVC's winningest player at the No. 3 singles position.
Vorster has coaching experience on the West Coast with a three-year stint at UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos won the Big West regular-season title with undefeated conference marks in 2019 and 2021. UCSB also won the 2021 Big West Tournament without dropping a point.
During her time assisting the program, the Gauchos were ranked as high as No. 48 nationally and had several top-125 ranked singles players. She helped reel in a top-five mid-major recruiting class in 2021, working under Big West Coach of the Year Simon Thibodeau.
Vorster's first college coaching position came at Northwestern, where she assisted the 2018 Big Ten regular-season champions in an undefeated conference season.
The Lopes will compete in the WAC for the 2024-25 academic year before transitioning to the West Coast Conference beginning on July 1, 2025.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"Grand Canyon made an excellent choice in hiring Dané Vorster to lead its women's tennis program. From Northwestern to UCSB to Belmont, Dané has had great successes and played a role in each program's overall growth.She brings passion, respect and professionalism in every aspect of a program from on-court coaching to recruiting and to fundraising, community outreach. I look forward to see how she will grow GCU women's tennis."
- Simon Thibodeau, UC Santa Barbara women's tennis head coach
Thursday, April 23
Monday, April 21