Grand Canyon University is one of 361 Division I schools in the NCAA, which considers DI as the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. GCU sponsors 20 NCAA Division I varsity athletic teams and offers a variety of dedicated athletic facilities on its Phoenix campus, including GCU Stadium, Global Credit Union Arena, Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark and the GCU Softball Stadium.(See disclaimer 1)
Whether you’re an athlete, a sports fan or you’re interested in pursuing a sports-related career, GCU athletics offers something for everyone. Along with our DI varsity sports, GCU offers plenty of intramurals to enrich our campus life. Our students can study sports-related topics in a range of academic fields, including business, health science and psychology, and gain first-hand experience working in sports.
What Does DI Mean?
DI (or Division I) is the NCAA's highest level of intercollegiate athletics. According to the NCAA, more than 360 colleges and universities compete in Division I athletics. For prospective students asking, "Is GCU a DI school?," the answer is yes. GCU competes at the NCAA Division I level in Phoenix, Arizona.
Schools that compete at the Division I level must meet specific requirements related to sport sponsorship, financial aid and institutional investment, including:(See disclaimer 2)
When Did GCU Become Division I?
GCU completed the transition to DI athletics in 2017. This was a four-year process after the NCAA invited GCU to move from Division II to Division I in 2012. The first two years were used to develop and implement a plan for our NCAA DI athletic programs, followed by a self-study of our athletics program and then a final review from the NCAA during which they visited GCU to evaluate our athletic programs. During the transitional period, GCU sports teams were not eligible to compete in NCAA championships in either DI or DII, according to The Arizona Republic.(See disclaimer 3 )
GCU’s move to Division I included significant investment in high-level facilities, including the construction of new stadiums for GCU soccer, baseball, softball and beach volleyball.(See disclaimer 4)
What Conference Does GCU Compete In?
According to ESPN, GCU joined the Mountain West Conference on July 8, 2025. The conference also includes the United States Air Force Academy, University of Nevada, Reno, University of New Mexico, San José State University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa and the University of Wyoming. Previously, GCU was part of the Western Athletic Conference.(See disclaimer 5 )
The national exposure of GCU and its athletic teams expands significantly in the Mountain West, as the conference holds media partnerships with FOX Sports, CBS Sports and The CW.(See disclaimer 6)
Viewability on more widely available networks will allow the Antelopes to compete in front of a larger audience and gain more national recognition. GCU men’s basketball has gone from appearing in four nationally televised regular-season games in the 2024-25 season to 13 in 2025-26 and is scheduled for 20 nationally televised games in 2026-27.(See disclaimer 7)
In 2026, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics named GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs NACDA Athletics Director of the Year for Division I-AAA, according to the Mountain West Conference. This award followed GCU’s fifth consecutive win of the WAC Commissioner’s Cup, which came just before GCU athletics moved out of the Western Athletic Conference.(See disclaimer 8)
GCU Division I Sports Programs
The GCU Lopes participate in 20 varsity sports programs, including:
Is GCU DI in Basketball?
Yes, the GCU Lopes men’s and women’s basketball teams are Division I teams that play in the Mountain West Conference. According to Sports Reference, the men’s team has won two regular-season conference championships and four tournament conference championships.(See disclaimer 9)
Sports Reference reports that the Lopes women's basketball team has secured one regular season conference championship and one tournament conference championship as a DI team.(See disclaimer 9)
Does GCU Have Division I Football?
GCU is the only school in the Mountain West Conference without a football team.(See disclaimer 5 )According to an article published in Arizona Sports, GCU President Brian Mueller said that adding a football team would require a significant financial investment, including the construction of a new stadium, which would take resources away from other established athletic programs. For now, GCU remains focused on supporting the healthy dynamic of its existing programs, and the addition of a football team is not on the horizon.(See disclaimer 10 )
What Division I Athletics Means for GCU Students
According to NCSA College Recruiting, DI is the toughest competitive division of college athletics. Because of the competitive atmosphere for DI schools, student athletes have access to a higher level of resources, including scholarship opportunities. Division I offers the most athletic scholarships of any division, including multi-year, cost-of-attendance models.(See disclaimer 11)
The general GCU student body can benefit from attending a DI school thanks to the excitement and energy of every home game. Our student fanbase, the GCU Havocs, has helped create a uniquely energetic game-day atmosphere. According to ABC 15, following Louisville's visit to GCU in 2016, Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino called it "the toughest crowd I've ever faced," adding that “nothing was as tough as that environment tonight," even compared to Duke and Kentucky.(See disclaimer 12)
Can You Earn a Sports-Related Degree at GCU?
GCU offers several degree programs for students interested in the business, psychology, athletic training and performance aspects of the sports industry. Depending on your interests and career goals, consider exploring the following programs:
Join the GCU Sports World
Participate in GCU athletics as a student athlete or fan. Compete at a higher level with GCU.
