Ross Wilson - Head Coach - Staff Directory - Grand Canyon University Athletics

Staff Directory

Ross Wilson

Title:
Head Coach
Years at GCU:
1st
Email:
Alma Mater:
Ohio State

Ross WIlson is in his first year as the Grand Canyon men’s tennis coach for the 2025-26 season. He was appointed June 2, 2025, as the sixth head coach in GCU men’s tennis history.

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. 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.

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.

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.

As a 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.

Ross brings his wife, Jaime, and 2-year old daughter to Phoenix.

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT WILSON

"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 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 cead 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