The Grand Canyon University (GCU) women’s tennis team kicks off its fall season on Friday in Flagstaff. This marks the beginning of a new chapter under head coach Dané Vorster, who is eager to evaluate her revamped roster.
“I’m excited to see us compete together as a new team in our opening tournament,” Vorster said. “We have built a strong team culture and camaraderie during our preseason training.”
Currently, the team has four players for the fall season, with four more expected to join in the spring. The smaller roster size offers increased playing opportunities for those currently on campus.
Returning players include senior Valentina Del Marco and junior Dania Deaifi. Both have significant experience at GCU, including WAC titles and NCAA tournament appearances. Last season, Deaifi posted an 11-2 record and pushed her NCAA tournament singles match to a third set against USC.
They will compete alongside sophomore transfer Gala Arangio and freshman Angelina Mihajlovic at the Lumberjack Classic this weekend.
Over the next month, the team will participate in qualifiers to secure their positions for the WAC Fall Conference Tournament (October 24-27 in Abilene, Texas) and the ITA Conference Master’s Championship (November 7-10 in San Diego). Success in these tournaments could lead to spots in the NCAA Singles Championship in late November.
“These matches are important for determining doubles pairings and establishing a solid start to the fall individual season,” Vorster added.
GCU aims to build on the strong momentum of its tennis program at the national level.
