Grand Canyon University Athletics
Mountain West adds UC Davis
12/10/2024 6:19:00 PM | General
Conference adds 2nd non-football member
Grand Canyon's future conference added a new member on Tuesday as the league expanded to 10 members.
The Mountain West Conference announced the addition of UC Davis beginning on July 1, 2026. GCU will join the Mountain West no later than that date, but possibly as early as the second quarter of 2025 if permitted under the conference's bylaws.Â
UC Davis will join GCU as the only non-football members of the conference. The Aggies football program will remain in the FCS Big Sky Conference as an affiliate member.
"Adding UC Davis further strengthens the trajectory of the Mountain West as it continues to build its brand that has proven to elevate institutions and student-athletes," MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said. "Chancellor Gary S. May and Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca have shared their strategic plan and financial vision for enhancing student-athlete development, welfare, and competitive excellence, and I believe UC Davis brings a wealth of positives in the continuing growth of the Mountain West."
UC Davis brings competitive programs to the conference. Baseball and softball finished the 2024 season ranked 133 and 194, respectively, in the RPI. The Aggies had three fall sports teams end the 2024 campaign as top-100 RPI teams highlighted by an NCAA tournament qualifier in men's soccer (54 RPI), women's volleyball (83) and women's soccer (98). UC Davis' basketball programs are ranked 100 (women's) and 158 (men's) in the latest NET rankings.
The Aggies' primary indoor venue, University Credit Union Center, seats over 6,000 fans. UC Davis enrolls over 40,000 students and sits 20 miles from Sacramento International Airport.
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, the Mountain West will feature the Air Force, UC Davis, GCU, HawaiÊ»i, Nevada, New Mexico, San José State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.
UC Davis will compete in 16 conference-sponsored sports. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, swim and dive, tennis and volleyball. Men's sports include basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, outdoor track and field and tennis.
With the move to Mountain West, UC Davis has committed to continuing to invest in its basketball program, which will parallel its new conference peers.
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The Mountain West Conference announced the addition of UC Davis beginning on July 1, 2026. GCU will join the Mountain West no later than that date, but possibly as early as the second quarter of 2025 if permitted under the conference's bylaws.Â
UC Davis will join GCU as the only non-football members of the conference. The Aggies football program will remain in the FCS Big Sky Conference as an affiliate member.
"Adding UC Davis further strengthens the trajectory of the Mountain West as it continues to build its brand that has proven to elevate institutions and student-athletes," MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said. "Chancellor Gary S. May and Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca have shared their strategic plan and financial vision for enhancing student-athlete development, welfare, and competitive excellence, and I believe UC Davis brings a wealth of positives in the continuing growth of the Mountain West."
UC Davis brings competitive programs to the conference. Baseball and softball finished the 2024 season ranked 133 and 194, respectively, in the RPI. The Aggies had three fall sports teams end the 2024 campaign as top-100 RPI teams highlighted by an NCAA tournament qualifier in men's soccer (54 RPI), women's volleyball (83) and women's soccer (98). UC Davis' basketball programs are ranked 100 (women's) and 158 (men's) in the latest NET rankings.
The Aggies' primary indoor venue, University Credit Union Center, seats over 6,000 fans. UC Davis enrolls over 40,000 students and sits 20 miles from Sacramento International Airport.
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, the Mountain West will feature the Air Force, UC Davis, GCU, HawaiÊ»i, Nevada, New Mexico, San José State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.
UC Davis will compete in 16 conference-sponsored sports. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, swim and dive, tennis and volleyball. Men's sports include basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, outdoor track and field and tennis.
With the move to Mountain West, UC Davis has committed to continuing to invest in its basketball program, which will parallel its new conference peers.
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