Grand Canyon University Baseball

Caleb Dupre came to GCU as a Sports Performance Coach for the Baseball, Women's Golf, and Cross Country programs in the summer of 2023. Previously, Dupre was at Nicholls State University where he was directly responsible for the Baseball, Softball, and Women's Soccer programs, while also assisting with the Football program. Before this opportunity, Dupre spent time at Webber International University and Athlete Training + Health. Finally, he had previous intern experiences at Nicholls State University and Revive Performance Training. Dupre, a native of Houma, Louisiana, graduated with his Masters of Educational Leadership in 2023 from Nicholls State University and his Bachelors of Exercise Science – Fitness Studies in 2019 from the University of Louisiana – Lafayette.

Path to GCU 2008-11 Gilbert HS Student-athlete 2012-14 Arizona State Student-athlete 2014-15 Colorado Rockies organization Minor leaguer 2018-21 New Mexico Volunteer assistant 2022 Pima CC Assistant coach / recruiting coord. 2023 New Mexico Assistant coach / recruiting coord. 2024- Grand Canyon Assistant coach / recruiting coord. Nate Causey is in his third season serving as Grand Canyon's recruiting coordinator and assistant coach in 2025 after joining the program in July of 2023. Noted as an effective hitting coach, Causey left his imprint on the Lopes program immediately. In his first season, GCU posted a .313 team batting average that ranked 14th nationally and was a noticeable improvement from the team's .296 batting average the year before his arrival. Causey and GCU's staff helped lead the Lopes to a 2024 WAC Regular-Season Championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament. GCU did some damage in the Tucson Regional, defeating the host Wildcats and a top-25 Dallas Baptist team to reach the program's first regional championship. A former professional baseball player in the Colorado Rockies system, the Gilbert native makes the move to GCU after most recently holding the position of assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at New Mexico. "It's an opportunity of a lifetime to get to work with off-the-charts coaches and people like Coach Wallis and his staff," Causey said at the time of his hiring. "I grew up in Phoenix, so this is home for me. This is the type of elite prog

Path to GCU 2009-12 Liberty HS (Peoria, Ariz.) Student-athlete 2013-16 Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.) Student-athlete 2016-18 Seattle Mariners organization Minor leaguer 2019-22 Seattle Mariners organization Pitching coach 2022- Grand Canyon Pitching coach Nathan Bannister is in his fourth season as Grand Canyon's pitching coach in 2026 after joining the program in July 2022. He began serving as the program's interim head coach on March 27, 2026. In Bannister's first two seasons on staff, the Lopes won both WAC Regular-Season Championships. In 2024, GCU claimed its first ever NCAA tournament victory at the D-I level, defeating Bannister's alma mater (No. 15 Arizona 9-4) and also beating No. 25 Dallas Baptist 12-10 to advance to a regional championship. In his first season, a late-season tear by the Lopes coincided with an impressive run from GCU's pitching staff, posting a 2.84 earned-run average in the final 12 games of the regular season — all wins. Bannister coached All-WAC pitchers Daniel Avitia (first team) and Zach Thornton and Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis (second team). Two pitchers gained professional opportunities from Bannister's first year on staff in 2023. Thornton was a fifth-round pick of the New York Mets and righty reliever Cody Tucker signed a free agent deal with the San Francisco Giants. Bannister joined GCU from the Seattle Mariners organization, where he was most recently serving as a pitching coach for the Modesto Nuts. A Phoenix native, Bannister pitched for the U

Path to GCU 2009-12 Liberty HS (Peoria, Ariz.) Student-athlete 2013-16 Grand Canyon Student-athlete 2016-18 Washington Nationals Minor leaguer 2019-21 Grand Canyon Assistant coach 2022 Prep Baseball Report Arizona scouting director 2023- Grand Canyon Assistant coach After a four-year playing career at Grand Canyon, Paul Panaccione is in his seventh season as an assistant coach for the Lopes program in 2026. Panaccione was an assistant coach for the 2019 through 2021 seasons before departing for a scouting role with Prep Baseball Report in Arizona. Panaccione returned to the coaching staff for the 2023 season under first-year head coach Gregg Wallis. In his first year back on staff, Panaccione helped lead the Lopes to the 2023 WAC Regular-Season Championship. GCU won its final 13 WAC games to claim the title on the regular season's final day. In 2024, Panaccione and GCU's staff helped lead the Lopes to a 2024 WAC Regular-Season Championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament. GCU did some damage in the Tucson Regional, defeating the host Wildcats and a top-25 Dallas Baptist team to reach the program's first regional championship. Panaccione was also a member of GCU's coaching staff in 2021 that helped lead the program to its first NCAA tournament. Panaccione was an infielder in the Lopes program from 2013 to 2016 and was one of its leaders during the transition to Division I. He appeared in 198 games during his four-year career finishing with a career batting average of .309 an

Ryan Hansen is a student manager for the GCU baseball program and, for the 2026 season, is in his fourth season with the team. In his role, he helps manage the day-to-day operations of GCU baseball including assisting with practices, equipment and other tasks. Hansen is a senior pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Sports and Entertainment Management. A native of Vacaville, California, Hansen has worked in professional baseball for the Sacramento Rivercats and Athletics with the grounds crew at Sutter Health Park.