Written by Stephanie Gordon
Having never set foot on American soil before coming to Hillsdale College, Ané Dannhauser, ’27, of Johannesburg, South Africa, took a serious leap of faith and traveled approximately 8,500 miles to become a Charger student-athlete. There was no campus visit before the life-changing commitment. There was just faith that the Lord was leading Ané down the right path to pursue her love for academics and tennis.
Calling herself “super competitive,” Ané started playing tennis for fun with her father around age eight. “I tried a lot of sports growing up—netball, track and field, and hockey, to name a few,” she recalled. “I was always playing more than one sport up until ninth grade. I really loved tennis, so I decided to just focus on that.”
And that she did. According to the Athletic Department, Ané was a strong junior tennis competitor in her home country. She was just one of eight players to qualify for the Juniors Masters Tournament, a nationwide event in South Africa. There, she reached the finals and ranked as high as fifth in the nation in her age group in singles and doubles, with several titles and runner-up finishes in Tennis South Africa events. She was a dominant player for her high school, going a perfect 29-0 as a junior and senior. From 2017-2022, she helped her province win four team tennis championships and played with the South Africa National Schools’ tennis team, traveling to London, England.
Sights Set on the USA
As Ané prepared to explore collegiate tennis opportunities in the United States, she said she was looking for a college that focused on academics, was located in a big city, and had a warm climate. Hillsdale didn’t quite fit the bill.
During the fall of her senior year of high school, the college recruitment process began. “Hillsdale’s former women’s head tennis coach, Liam Fraboulet, reached out to me,” said Ané. “He told me about Hillsdale, but I did my own research as well. I talked with alumni and reached out to Dr. Charles Steele of the Economics, Business, and Accounting Department, because I knew I wanted to study accounting. Everything about Hillsdale felt right, but it was completely different from what I was looking for. I also wanted a school where I could grow in my faith. I knew in my heart that Hillsdale was the school for me.”
Ané had serious conversations with her parents prior to the commitment, and they supported her decision to attend Hillsdale. “I kept an open mind, especially about the climate,” said Ané, who has enjoyed sunshine and warmer temperatures her entire life. “It’s been a bit of a shock, but I’m very glad this opportunity worked out. I look back and think, ‘wow, I was insane,’ but it was a leap of faith.”
Ané left her home in South Africa and arrived on campus in the fall of 2023. “When I first came to campus, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” she recalled, “but when I walked across the quad, I fell in love with the campus and the architecture and how close and convenient everything was.”
Competitive by Nature
According to Ané, she’s always been competitive. “It could be a board game, running, or walking… there’s this switch in my mind to win,” she said. “I’ve had a competitive nature from the start. My brother will bring up a tennis match we played in the sixth grade. He managed to beat me, and we haven’t played since.”
Ané channeled that competitive energy into collegiate tennis, making a tremendous impact on the Chargers women’s tennis team. She plays both singles and doubles for the Chargers. “Head Coach Melanie Zampardo is such a calm presence and very hardworking and likes to switch it up to keep us on our toes. We have high energy and good follies. I play against other competitive people, which makes me a better athlete.”
In addition to Coach Zampardo, Ané praised Senior Associate Athletic Director and former women’s tennis coach Nikki Walbright for making such a big impact on her, calling her one of the best people she’s met on campus. “I think the reason Coach Nikki and I get along so well is because of our competitive spirits,” said Ané. “We both love to compete and win, but she has truly helped me through some of the hardest matches and moments during my time at Hillsdale because she sees me and understands me for who I am. She works so hard for everything and everyone she loves.”
In 2024, Ané was named G-MAC Freshman of the Year. She’s also earned first-team All-G-MAC honors all three seasons. “When I get these awards, they help put things into perspective to put less pressure on myself,” she said. “This year, I made it to the semifinal round of the top draw of the ITA Midwest Regional.”
According to the Athletic Department, Ané became the first Chargers women’s tennis player in program history to reach the semifinal round in 2026. She spent the 2025-2026 season nationally ranked in singles, with an impressive 21-7 record, and was also part of a nationally ranked doubles team with Briana Rees, ’28, going 19-8.
For Ané, being a Chargers athlete has made her realize she’s playing for something bigger than herself. “It’s not like you’re just competing for yourself to win,” she explained. “Your win contributes to the team. Even if you’re having an off day, it doesn’t mean that your team is going to have a bad day. Off court, you can always cheer someone on, and there’s always someone to cheer you on. Seeing the team do well has been a very good thing for me. I like having something bigger to play for. It makes you want to dive for that extra ball and run a little faster to get there because someone else is relying on you.”
That dedication and drive helped Ané reach a major milestone in the spring of 2026—her 100th career win. “I was in shock,” Ané said. “It was such a good surprise. Only two other Chargers athletes have accomplished this. I didn’t know I had played that many matches. It’s great motivation to keep going because I still have my senior year.”
Love for the Future
“At the moment, I cannot wrap my head around the fact that my time is almost done here at Hillsdale,” she smiled. “I would love to make it to Regionals with my team. I will fight for every ball for my team; that’s what it’s all about.”
The accounting major is considering a master’s degree in accounting after graduation. Being a graduate assistant for tennis isn’t out of the question either. “I don’t want an abrupt exit from sports,” she added.
Outside of the classroom and off the tennis court, Ané is involved with Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG) and the Accounting Club. She has “met some of her closest friends through KKG,” and calls it one of her biggest blessings. Ané loves spending time with her family and dogs, going on walks and runs, and reading a good book she’s not required to read.
The 8,500-mile leap of faith led Ané right where she’s supposed to be. With it being her last year as a Charger, she plans to make every second count. “I just want to have fun and enjoy every moment like it’s my last,” she said of her last collegiate tennis season. “Of course, I want to beat the girl who’s beaten me three times, but really, it’s not that deep. Tennis will always have an impact on my life. But now it’s time for me to figure out what’s next.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children: Eloise, Flora, and Jack. She enjoys baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, Detroit Lions football, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Reposted from the fall 2026 issue of Arete.
