Grand Canyon University has officially accepted an invitation to join the Mountain West Conference, with the transition expected to take place no later than 2026, as announced by the institution on Friday.

The Antelopes will become part of a conference that currently comprises six active members: Air Force, New Mexico, Nevada, San Jose State, UNLV, and Wyoming. Additionally, UTEP and Hawaii have also made arrangements to join the Mountain West.

According to the announcement, 17 of Grand Canyon’s 21 sports teams are set to compete in the Mountain West. While the university does not have a football program, it has gained recognition in men’s basketball, having qualified for the NCAA Tournament in three out of the last four seasons.

Jamie Boggs, the athletics director at Grand Canyon, expressed optimism about the move, stating, “GCU is experiencing rapid growth as both an academic institution and an athletic program. Our goal is to position ourselves nationally in a competitive landscape, and we are enthusiastic about the vision of the Mountain West.”

This decision comes on the heels of Grand Canyon’s prior announcement, made less than six months earlier, regarding its intention to join the West Coast Conference, which included strong basketball program Gonzaga. However, Gonzaga recently revealed it will be joining the Pac-12 instead.

The West Coast Conference released a statement expressing regret over Grand Canyon’s decision to withdraw. WCC Commissioner Stu Jackson commented, “We have been informed by Grand Canyon University of its choice to leave the West Coast Conference. We are disappointed that GCU has opted to pursue membership in another conference just months after reaching its membership agreement with us, which would have elevated its national profile. The WCC sees this decision as a lost opportunity for Grand Canyon to be part of one of the leading conferences in men’s basketball.”

With this transition, Grand Canyon aims to establish a more competitive presence in college athletics, positioning itself for future success within the Mountain West Conference.