Grand Canyon University will officially join the Mountain West Conference by July 1, 2026, setting the stage for a budding rivalry with UNLV as the league undergoes major realignment.

Grand Canyon will be one of 14 schools competing in the conference next season. The accelerated transition comes after five Mountain West schools announced they intend to depart the conference and join the Pac-12 in 2026. Those schools are Utah State, Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State.

Grand Canyon University has officially joined the Mountain West a year early. On Tuesday, the conference announced that GCU has joined the league as a member for the 2025-2026 season. The Lopes are eligible to compete for Mountain West conference championships and NCAA postseasons immediately.