Grand Canyon University announced on Friday the school has accepted an invitation to the Mountain West Conference.
GCU, which is leaving the Western Athletic Conference, will join the Mountain West no later than July 1, 2026, and as early as the second quarter of 2025.
Grand Canyon becomes the ninth member of the conference, joining Air Force, Hawaiʻi, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.
The Phoenix-based university accepted an invitation to the West Coast Conference earlier this year, with membership set to begin on July 1, 2025. Basketball powerhouse Gonzaga announced last month it would leave the WCC for the rebuilding Pac-12, which has poached Boise State, San Diego State Fresno State, Utah State and Colorado State from the Mountain West.
GCU follows Gonzaga out for a new opportunity.
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦, 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/yizIooGOaF
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) November 1, 2024
“We are incredibly appreciative of the Mountain West Conference’s interest in GCU and their recognition of the value we bring to its membership,” GCU president Brian Mueller said in a press release.
“Lope Nation has grown first and foremost because of the innovative strategies and creative delivery models that enable us to provide cutting-edge academic programs both on our campus and across the country. That has created a tremendous amount of momentum that benefits our athletic programs.”
Grand Canyon does not field a football team, and that is not changing with this announcement.
The Mountain West announced GCU will compete in women’s basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, swim and dive, tennis and volleyball, along with men’s basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track and field and tennis.
GCU’s softball, baseball, men’s basketball and men’s volleyball teams all earned wins during NCAA tournament games in the past year.
The men’s basketball team under head coach Bryce Drew won the program’s first NCAA tournament game, defeating Saint Mary’s to advance to the Round of 32. They previously won the WAC’s regular season and tournament championships. Defending WAC Player of the Year Tyon Grant-Foster is back, as well.
The baseball and softball teams each won two games at their respective regionals.
GCU is the first Arizona school to join the Mountain West.
“Grand Canyon is a tremendous addition to the Mountain West. We are excited to expand our footprint into the city of Phoenix and the state of Arizona,” conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in the release.
“Grand Canyon has been on an upward trajectory both academically and athletically for the past decade, and its addition to the league will enhance the competition across the Mountain West as we strive to earn NCAA postseason bids and compete for national championships.”
The WCC released a statement saying it has been notified of GCU’s withdrawal.