Grand Canyon University to Join Mountain West as Non-Football Ninth Member in 2026

Nov 1, 2024, 06:11 PM

Grand Canyon University (GCU) is set to join the Mountain West Conference (MWC) as a non-football member starting July 1, 2026. The Phoenix-based university, which has a strong men's basketball program that has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four years, will become the ninth member of the MWC and will compete in 17 sports. GCU had previously been set to join the West Coast Conference (WCC) in 2025 but has now declined that invitation. Less than six months ago, GCU paid $16 million to leave the WAC and join the WCC. The addition of GCU is expected to bolster the MWC's basketball and Olympic sports programs. GCU has also won the WAC Commissioner's Cup in each of the last five fully completed academic years.