GCU announces 2021-22 schedule

Grand Canyon swimming and diving head coach Steve Schaffer announced the 2021-22 schedule on Tuesday.

"We have a bit of a different schedule this year, but a fun one," Schaffer said in his 14th season as GCU head coach. "We are starting out with a new team that we will compete against. That will be a tough meet for our swimmers and a really great test to see where they are at."

The Lopes will travel to the Bayou on Saturday, Oct. 9, to open up their season against LSU.

On Oct. 15-16, the divers will break away and head to Riverside, California, for the California Baptist Diving Invitational.

"We have a nice mix of teams that we usually compete against in conference, and teams we compete with year-to-year, along with several new additions," Schaffer said. "We added NAU back to the meet schedule. We host them in a home meet and that will be a great one."

The teams will travel to Los Angeles on Oct. 22-23 for a matchup against conference opponent Seattle U. The women's team also will compete against Loyola Marymount.

The Lopes will kick off November with a trip to Air Force Academy on Nov. 5-6 near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"We have been able to add Pac-12 team Washington State, which is a really great test for our women's team," said Schaffer, whose women's team will head to Pullman, Washington, on Nov. 11 to face the Cougars.

The women will have a quick turnaround as they travel to Moscow, Idaho, for another conference matchup on Nov. 13 against Idaho.

After the holiday break, the swimming teams will compete against Miami (Ohio), Youngstown State, and Ashland in the Miami University Invitational on Dec. 2-4.

"This will be good competition in a great facility," Schaffer said. "It will be a good midseason test for us in a quality facility."

GCU's home debut will be Dec. 11 against in-state programs Ottawa and Arizona Christian with the women also competing against NAU.

The women's team opens the new year with competition against New Mexico State and Ottawa on Jan. 8 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The men's team will also travel to Las Cruces to compete against Ottawa.

The Lopes' diving team will head to Los Angeles for the UCLA Diving Invitational from Jan. 14-16. The swimmers will stay home and compete against Concordia in their first ever matchup on Jan. 15.

To conclude the regular season, GCU will travel to California Baptist on Jan. 22. The Lopes will return home to challenge UNLV and honor the graduating seniors.

GCU will head to the Lone Star State to compete in the WAC Championships in Houston.

At the conclusion of the WAC Championships, there are three postseason competitions that the Lopes could qualify for competition. The NCAA Zone E Diving Championships take place in Federal Way, Washington, from March 6-10. The College Swimming Coaches Association of America will hold its annual National Invitational from March 10-12 in Elkhart, Indiana. This event is held for athletes who do not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

The NCAA Championships will be held in Atlanta with the women on March 16-19 and the men on March 23-26.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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