Grand Canyon University to Join Mountain West in 2026, Abandoning WCC Move

Nov 1, 2024, 06:04 PM

Grand Canyon University (GCU), based in Phoenix, Arizona, will join the Mountain West Conference (MWC) as a non-football member starting July 1, 2026, possibly as early as the second quarter of 2025 if permitted under conference bylaws, the MWC announced. GCU has declined its previous invitation to join the West Coast Conference (WCC), which was set to begin in July 2025, in favor of joining the MWC. Less than six months ago, GCU paid $16 million to leave the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to join the WCC but will not play a game there before moving to the MWC. The Antelopes' men's basketball team has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four years, enhancing the MWC's basketball competitiveness. GCU has also won the WAC Commissioner's Cup in each of the last five fully completed academic years.