Darren Vorderbruegge is in his fourth year as the Director of Athletics at Hawaii Pacific University. He also serves as the head coach for the men’s golf program at HPU. A native of the Midwest, Coach V has adapted to life in Hawai'i.
Originally arriving at HPU as the head coach for the men’s basketball program in June of 2006, it didn’t take long for “Vord” to make his mark. He was named interim Director of Athletics in November 2006 and granted the position outright in May 2007. With an extensive coaching background and limited athletic administrative experience, overseeing all operations of the Athletics Department was expected to be a challenging transition. Vord made the transition look easy. Providing leadership for all 12 sport programs offered at HPU came natural to a man whose personal and professional pursuits have been intertwined with athletics.
At the high school level, Vorderbruegge has coached football, basketball, track and field, cross country, and volleyball. At the collegiate level, he has coached basketball, golf and taught several years of tennis in the physical education department.
Since taking over the AD position, he has directed searches for head coaches for men’s and women’s soccer as well as women’s basketball. He has initiated the creation of a new HPU Athletics logo, as well as the formation of an HPU Athletics Hall of Fame. He has been named to the NCAA Division II West Region Men’s Basketball Ranking Committee.
Coach V is guided by the belief that intercollegiate athletics is an integral part of the university experience and mission as a whole. He is a believer that learning takes place both in and out of the classroom. He promotes the concept that Sea Warrior Athletics develop young people as athletes, students and citizens.
He began his tenure at HPU as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach. Prior to joining HPU, Vorderbruegge coached for over 20 years in both the high school and collegiate ranks. He served as the Associate Head Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northwest Missouri State University. During his tenure there, the Bearcats averaged 25 wins a season and twice reached the Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
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.
Vorderbruegge received his undergraduate degree in social science secondary education from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. While attending Bethany he earned honors as 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 22 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 junior at Kaiser and participates in volleyball, 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.
