Head coach with top-20 history to lead GCU

Grand Canyon hired Ross Wilson as its next men's tennis head coach, adding an experienced and proven leader who built a top-20 program as Iowa head coach from 2014 to 2021 before helping recruit three top-20 classes as the Notre Dame associate head coach.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Wilson and his family to GCU," Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said. "Ross is a nationally successful head coach, a proven recruiter and an elite former college and professional athlete. He sees our growth as a university and athletics program and has the vision to know what our men's tennis program can be. His experience at the highest levels of college tennis, and his ability to recruit, develop and mentor top-tier student-athletes will further position our program for championships and national success."

Wilson served the past four seasons as associate head coach at Notre Dame, where he helped guide the Fighting Irish to sustained success at individual and team levels. Under his leadership, Notre Dame produced the 2025 ACC Player of the Year, who was a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American. The Fighting Irish had NCAA singles and doubles qualifiers from 2023 through 2025. He also helped recruit nationally ranked classes, including the No. 10 class in 2022.

mten inset

Before his time at Notre Dame, Wilson spent seven seasons as the head coach at Iowa, where he engineered a dramatic rise in the national rankings — from No. 172 to a program-best No. 20. His impact in Iowa City included mentoring five All-Big Ten honorees and producing a nationally ranked No. 2 doubles team that qualified for the 2021 NCAA Doubles Championships.

"My family and I are thrilled to join the Grand Canyon family," Wilson said. "After visiting campus and meeting with the administration, it's clear they're committed to winning championships across all sports.

"The Grand Canyon men's tennis team will give maximum effort both on and off the court. We'll be positive members of the community and compete fiercely for every point and for each other. Our goal is to recruit talented players who love tennis, want to be part of a strong team, and are seeking a first-class education. I want to extend my sincere thanks to Grand Canyon President Brian Mueller, Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs and Associate Athletic Director Anthony Martinez for this incredible opportunity to be part of such a great university."

Wilson also earned acclaim for his work off the court at Iowa, where he led fundraising efforts that secured a multimillion-dollar coaching endowment — the first in Big Ten men's tennis history — and additional funds for facility improvements and technological upgrades. His teams combined for a 3.88 GPA, the highest among Iowa men's athletic programs, and earned consistent Academic All-Big Ten and ITA Scholar-Athlete honors.

Wilson's coaching résumé also includes assistant coaching stints at San Diego, Kenyon College and Iowa. He was named the 2012 ITA National and Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year while at Kenyon, helping the program reach the NCAA Finals and a No. 2 national ranking in Division III. He parlayed that success to an assistant coach role at San Diego, where the Toreros qualified for the NCAA Tournament and won their first-round match against Alabama.

A standout collegiate player, Wilson competed at Ohio State, where he was a two-time ITA All-American, two-time ITA National Indoor Doubles Champion, ITA All-American Doubles Champion and Big Ten Conference Champion. He served as team captain for the Buckeyes and represented Team USA at the 2005 Collegiate World Games. Wilson ranks fifth in career doubles wins (118) at Ohio State.

Following college, Wilson competed on the ATP Tour from 2007 to 2009, reaching career-high rankings of No. 587 in doubles and No. 1,098 in singles, and winning two International Tennis Federation Futures doubles titles in Mexico.

Beyond the court, Wilson held leadership roles in collegiate tennis governance, including serving as Big Ten Head Coach Liaison and on the ITA Central Regional Committee. He also founded and directed the Wilson Collegiate Tennis Camp, focusing on youth player development.

GCU's hiring of Wilson signals a continued investment in tennis as the university prepares for heightened competition in the Mountain West Conference. Wilson takes over a program that has won five conference championships since 2016 and looks to continue building.

Ross brings his wife, Jaime, and two-year old daughter to Phoenix.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"Ross Wilson is the perfect person to lead Grand Canyon Men's Tennis in the years to come. His ability to recruit and build teams coincides perfectly with their extended commitment to developing a consistent conference championship program at GCU. We will miss Ross a great deal, but I couldn't be more thrilled for him to have this opportunity. He will undoubtedly do amazing things leading the Lopes!"
- Ryan Sachire, Notre Dame Head Coach

"Ross has one of the greatest tennis minds in our sport. Everywhere he has gone he's made the program better. I have no doubt he will do the same at GCU and they will be competing for conference titles and in the NCAA Tournament year after year."
- Brett Masi, USC Head Coach

"Grand Canyon has made a great hire. Ross Wilson was a National Champ as a student athlete and led the University of Iowa men's program to a top 20 national ranking. He has coached and played at a high level and I look forward to seeing Grand Canyon make the jump up the national rankings."
- Ty Tucker, Ohio State Head Coach

"Ross is relentless, enthusiastic, and incredibly sharp. Above all, he genuinely cares about the well-being of his players. He gave me my first big opportunity as his assistant at Iowa, and I learned so much during our time together—lessons I carry with me every day at UCF. He built a top-20 program at Iowa through hard work, deep knowledge of the game and an unwavering commitment to excellence. His presence raised the standard for everyone around him and inspired us to move in the same direction. I have no doubt that under his leadership, GCU will make big strides quickly. I'm excited to see what he does with this next chapter."
- Lloyd Bruce-Burgess, UCF Head Coach

"Ross is as competitive and motivated as they come. He influenced me personally into the person and coach that I am today. This is a home-run hire, and I am super excited for both Grand Canyon and for Ross about this opportunity!"
- Jake Jacoby, Ole Miss Head Coach

"Grand Canyon just demonstrated their commitment to success with the appointment of Ross Wilson as their next men's tennis coach. Undoubtedly, Ross has been a winner at every step of his journey as a player and a coach. His coaching philosophy, leadership and player development model is the perfect match to propel GCU to new heights as they compete for conference championships and national success."
- Billy Pate, Princeton Head Coach

Grand Canyon University Athletics

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Related Videos