Program core returns to keep GCU goals high

A year ago, Grand Canyon women's tennis was rolling three January arrivals right into season play under a new head coach.

This January, the Lopes just want to keep rolling. Five GCU lineup returnees start the season Saturday with three newcomers with head coach Dané Vorster's culture and system already ingrained with success.

The Lopes reached the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season, and that goal does not waver as they step up to their first Mountain West season. The path begins with a 10 a.m. Saturday dual against UC San Diego at GCU Tennis Facility before GCU crosses town for a 4 p.m. dual at Arizona State, which was ranked No. 35 nationally when it also reached the NCAA Tournament last season.

GCU enters the spring campaign buoyed by fall victories against Big Ten, Big 12, ACC and other ranked opponemts.

We're a very good team, and we just need to keep believing, Vorster said. We're doing all the right things daily. We had a lot of success against ranked opponents. We just need to keep believing and keep measuring up. That confidence from the fall really is going to make an impact or help us approach this season with a ton of confidence and having the championship under our belt with a young team. We saw a lot of the Mountain West teams as well and did well against them, so it's been really good leading into the season with a lot of belief.

The lineup that did not lose a match on its way to a WAC Tournament championship (I've never seen a team lock in for a championship like that, Vorstser said) returns five of six players, including three sophomores.

As a freshman, German standout Karina Hofbauer went 9-5 at No. 1 singles to be named to the all-conference first team. Her improvement showed when she was invited to ITA All-American Championships and beat a Washington player before losing to the 13th-ranked player from Iowa State in three sets.

Lopes junior Gala Arangio of Argentina went 9-7 for Court 2 singles last season and was leading her NCAA Tournament match at Texas when the Longhorns cinched the dual.

Last season, sophomore Bella Crossman of Australia and senior Dania Deaifi split Court 3 singles time with each going 7-1 there. Crossman built on that by winning offseason tournaments, and Deaifi is locked in as the only player to compete on the Lopes' last two NCAA Tournament qualifiers.

Danny came back really fired up for her senior season, Vorster said. She's fit and more determined than I've ever seen her and really stepping up as a leader as the only senior on the team and just hungry to finish her career really strong.

Crossman's fellow Aussie, sophomore Peyton Duckett also returns after getting extensive Court 6 experience last season and is part of the returning crew who is helping instill program values and ways on three newcomers – the contrasting styles of an energetic freshmen duo in Hams Metwally of Egypt and Amália Suciu of Portugal, as well as junior Sydney Schnell of Phoenix.

It's a special group for sure to be able to come in and make an impact straight away and be good leaders, Vorster said. They learned quickly and now I think that's trickled down to our freshmen, like 'We won a championship in our freshman year. You can as well.' It's a very hard-working, motivated group.

Schnell, a former No. 1 player at Weber State, was enrolled this fall at GCU as a non-athlete but getting connected with Vorster led to the Desert Vista High School graduate joining the eight-player team this month.

When we met Sydney, I was like, 'Awesome,' because it just really was meant to be, Vorster said. God really wanted us to meet and help her finish. She didn't have the best experience, and so we really want to give that for her last year and a half, and she loves GCU.

The Mountain West will be a steeper challenge for GCU, which already tested itself against several top-20 programs last season. Boise State, the defending champion, and San Diego State will be conference favorites, but GCU unabashedly will pursue a conference title as its goal for the first MW season.

It's that belief that we can compete against anyone in the country, Vorster said. We've put in the hard work and that's where the confidence comes from. We've proven it in the postseason last year to win that championship convincingly. I'm really excited to see what we will achieve this season.

GCU will open the spring season with a trio of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend duals before hitting the road for five consecutive duals and a two-day tournament. The Lopes return home Feb. 28 against Saint Mary's before starting Mountain West play.

That's maybe where you get tough and you get stronger because you're bonding with your team more, Vorster said. To win a championship, you need to win on the road. Good teams can find a way on any tennis court. Being on the road challenges you in different ways and makes you a stronger cohesive team.

This season's team will be seen more with the addition of home duals' matches being streamed on all courts.

It's a really great addition to our facility and will have a good impact on our program, Vorster said. We're looking to do more things like that to keep enhancing our student-athlete experience and get the Phoenix tennis community behind us.

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Players Mentioned

Gala Arangio

Bella Crossman

Dania Deaifi

Peyton Duckett

Karina Hofbauer

Hams Metwally

Sydney Schnell

Amália Suciu

Grand Canyon University Athletics