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 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.

Grand Canyon has finalized a deal allowing it to join the Mountain West Conference in time to participate in the 2025-26 athletic calendar, sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander. Grand Canyon was originally set to join the Mountain West no later than July 1, 2026 but it will now start competing as a member in the fall.