After a two year hiatus as the head men’s basketball coach, Darren Vorderbruegge is back at the helm of Sea Warrior Basketball. Originally arriving at HPU as the head coach for the men’s basketball program in June of 2006, “Vord” was soon named interim Director of Athletics and eventually granted the position outright. Stepping aside from his coaching duties to focus on administration for a couple of years, Coach “V” felt the opportunity was right to get back into the game for the 2010 season.
“The timing simply seemed right “ Vord stated “Our Athletic Department is growing with many strong team members, and I still have a burning desire to coach basketball.” Case in point, Vord has guided the HPU Athletic Program through what is arguably the most successful year in the history of the University. 2009-10 was highlighted with three PacWest Conference Championships, as well as four PacWest “Coach of the Year” honors. Eleven of the twelve programs offered at HPU finished third or higher in the nine team PacWest Conference. The HPU Softball team won 50 games and garnered the first softball national championship in school history. All this success culminated in Hawaii Pacific University being awarded the Pacific West Commissioners Cup, an honor bestowed to the most successful, complete athletic program in the league.
But a return to getting on the basketball court is what has driven Vord to take on the dual roles of Athletic Director and Men’s Basketball Coach. “The past five years living in Hawaii, coupled with my previous head coaching experience at HPU has prepared me for the challenge of building the Sea Warriors into a championship team.” That challenge comes in the form of a program that has had one 20 win season during its twelve years as an NCAA Division II institution. That 22 win season was in 1998. Also that year, HPU made it’s only ever appearance in the NCAA national tournament and lost their first game. “We have a proud sports tradition at HPU. Several of our teams have competed at the NCAA national level. Our men’s basketball program had tremendous success at the NAIA level. Our immediate goal is to establish HPU as prominent program in the NCAA DII West Region.”
Prior to joining HPU, Vord served as the Associate Head Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northwest Missouri State University, located in Maryville, Missouri. During his tenure there, the Bearcats averaged 25 wins a season and twice reached both the Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Vorderbruegge has coached for over 23 years in both the high school and collegiate ranks. At the high school level, Vord coached football, basketball, track and field, cross country, and volleyball. At the collegiate level, he has coached basketball, golf and taught tennis in the physical education department.
Before his stint at Northwest Missouri, Vord coached basketball at three different high schools in Kansas. In 2000, he led Wichita Northwest High School to the first conference championship in school history and a fourth place finish in the state championship tournament. He was named the Greater Wichita Athletic League Coach of the Year. Prior to his time at Northwest High, he was the head coach at Hoisington High School and an assistant coach at West Elk High School.
Coach V has long been known for his experience and energy in teaching basketball to kids. While in Kansas, Coach V founded a successful youth basketball camp series named Crossroads Basketball Camps. Several hundred young people attended the camps each summer under his direction. Eventually, the camp merged with Westlink Christian Church to provide a unique opportunity for teaching basketball in a positive Christian environment. Vord has also attended camps at the University of Arkansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, the University of Illinois, Barton County Community College, and in Goodland, Kansas. While at Northwest Missouri State, Coach V was the camp director of the Bearcat Basketball Camps which mentored several thousand student athletes during his tenure.
Vorderbruegge received his undergraduate degree in social science secondary education from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. While attending Bethany he earned honors as an All-America and Academic All-America performer in track and field. Later, he received his master’s degree in secondary educational administration from Wichita State University.
Coach V has been married to his wife Amy for 23 years. She is an administrator at Voyager Charter Elementary School located in downtown Honolulu. They have three children. Dawson is a student-athlete at California State University Stanislaus where he competes on the track and cross country teams. Cordray is currently a student at Northern Colorado University. Daryn Leigh is a senior at Kaiser High School in Honolulu and participates in basketball, and competition cheerleading.
Vord and his wife Amy are very involved in community affairs. They have volunteered at Camp Hope, a camp for children who have been afflicted by cancer, where Vord was the Camp Director. They have served as mentors in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. They are currently involved with Kaiser High School Project Graduation and active members in Hawaii Kai Church.
