GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg announced it received a Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching grant from the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF®) on Wednesday. Grants were awarded to institutions to support collegiate women coaches on the rise, assisting with living expenses, professional development and mentorship. Gettysburg is one of 11 universities and colleges to receive the grants, which are designated for women coaching fellows in a wide variety of women's sports.

Grace Mork joins the staff as a WSF VanDerveer Fellow, working as a strength and conditioning coach.

A native of Brookings, South Dakota, Mork joins the Gettysburg staff for the 2025-26 academic year.

She comes to Gettysburg with a strong background in strength and conditioning, coaching soccer, and collegiate athletics. A recent graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, she earned her degree in exercise science with honors. A four-year member of the Cobbers women's soccer team, she served as team captain her senior year and continues to bring the same leadership and passion to her coaching career.

Mork is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. While at Concordia, she served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach, working with women's soccer, long-distance runners, volleyball, and basketball. Her coaching philosophy centers on injury prevention, functional movement, and individualized athlete development—particularly in supporting equitable access and opportunity for female sports teams.
In addition to her collegiate experience, Mork has been coaching high school soccer for the past five years at West Fargo High School, working with both the boys' and girls' programs. She has also coached at camps for Concordia College, North Dakota State University (NDSU), and South Dakota State University (SDSU), and has been involved with the Tri-City Soccer Club.

Mork is passionate about building positive, respectful team cultures and believes that strong communication, trust, and individual connection are essential to athletic development. She is committed to continuous learning and is excited to grow as a young professional in the strength and conditioning field.

Since Title IX's passage, the representation of women in collegiate coaching roles has drastically declined. During the 1970-71 academic year, women served as head coaches for 90 percent of women's college teams. Fast forward to the 2023-2024 academic year, women held only 42 percent of head coaching positions in women's NCAA sports. The disparity is even more pronounced among BIPOC women, who made up only seven percent of head coaches in women's NCAA sports. In the same year, only 29 percent of all NCAA assistant coaches were women, with only eight percent of all assistant coaches for men's and women's teams being BIPOC women.

Furthermore, WSF's research report, "Play to Lead: The Generational Impact of Sports on Women's Leadership," revealed that there are still barriers to sport participation, including a lack of women role models and access to quality coaches. The data shows the lack of representation in coaching positions throughout the country is evident, and WSF is taking steps to address it by expanding the pipeline for aspiring women coaches at the collegiate level through the Tara VanDerveer Fund. Throughout the grant year, VanDerveer Fellows receive mentorship opportunities with experienced coaches and leaders in the collegiate sport space, including a conversation with Tara VanDerveer herself. Fellows are also invited to workshops focused on key topics to help women coaches succeed in today's sports environment. 

The Fund has seen success and has made an impact during its short lifespan. Out of the first five classes, 39 WSF VanDerveer Fellows continue to lead in coaching roles, six have stepped into head coaching positions and four have used their fellowship experience to secure jobs in a sports-related field.

"For more than 50 years, the Women's Sports Foundation has championed opportunities for women to lead – on the sidelines and beyond," said WSF CEO Danette Leighton. "Expanding the presence of women in coaching is essential not only to equality in sport, but to inspiring the next generation. When young women see a WSF VanDerveer Fellow coaching, they believe they can lead too – and that is the legacy we are committed to building and sustaining with this Fund."
To learn more about the VanDerveer Fund and meet the 2025 grant recipients, please visit: WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching

About the Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation® (WSF®) exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate, and a catalyst for tomorrow's leaders. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we are one of the first organizations to recognize the powerful connection between sport access, equity, and society. For over 50 years, WSF has been changing the game through its research, advocacy, and community programming, investing over $115 million to help girls and women play, compete, and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers. A leader and champion of the entire women's sports ecosystem, WSF amplifies the vital societal and cultural impact that is made when girls and women play sports. When girls play, they lead, and we all win! To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.