Upcoming Event: Baseball versus MLB Desert Invitational on February 13, 2026
Baseball
vs MLB Desert Invitational
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: Jack Gilday
Full slate unveiled for 1st MW season
11/17/2025 5:10:00 PM | Baseball
GCU's signature challenging nonconference slate returns with added excitement of new-look conference schedule
A familiarly challenging nonconference schedule is paired with an exciting new conference slate for Grand Canyon's first season in the Mountain West.
The 2026 schedule, released Monday, features the Lopes' fourth consecutive appearance in the MLB Desert Invitational, a mix of top-50 opponents with a home weekend against Oklahoma State and a competitive Mountain West schedule.
"The 2026 schedule features exciting matchups for our fans and players," GCU fourth-year head coach Gregg Wallis said. "We want to compete against great programs, and this schedule meets that desire. Every weekend will be a challenge and mid-weeks will be as tough it gets, which is important for RPI opportunities but also overall program development. This schedule provides great tests and tremendous opportunities for the 2026 team."
The Lopes open the season Feb. 13-16 with four games in the MLB Desert Invitational, which again includes a combination of contests at GCU Ballpark and Phoenix-area spring training facilities. Matchups and sites will be finalized by MLB. GCU's last three home openers in the MLB Desert Invitational averaged above-capacity crowds of 5,010 fans.
Of the Lopes' 28 nonconference games that have been announced, 18 will come against teams that finished in the top 100 of the RPI rankings last season. GCU will play 17 games against teams that made trips to last season's NCAA Tournament, including matchups with Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, UC Irvine, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Saint Mary's.
After the MLB Desert Invitational action wraps, other nonconference weekends include home series against Oklahoma State and Pacific and a three-team weekend with Rice and Saint Mary's. The Lopes will also have the unique opportunity to be the first opponent in Utah's new on-campus home — Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark.
"Nonconference matchups will help prepare us for the Mountain West," Wallis said. "We've challenged ourselves with four-game weekends followed by double midweeks or Big 12 midweeks to test our depth and help develop our roster. We wanted the team to face great competition and be exposed to fun experiences."
In welcoming the Cowboys to GCU Ballpark on Feb. 19-22, GCU and Oklahoma State renew a series that has been frequently contested with 17 matchups from 2015 through the upcoming 2026 series. Oklahoma State opened GCU's home schedule in 2017 and 2020, with the Lopes earning series victories in both instances. The Lopes and Cowboys played in Stillwater in 2015 and 2021. The two programs most recently met in the Tucson Regional during the 2021 NCAA Tournament, and GCU played in the 2022 Stillwater Regional but did not face the Cowboys. Oklahoma State has qualified for the last 12 NCAA Tournaments.
Pacific will visit Phoenix as February turns to March. The programs have only met once previously for a 2021 series in Phoenix with GCU winning two of three. The Tigers are under the direction of first-year head coach Reed Peters, who had a successful 17-year stint in Stockton, California, at San Joaquin Delta Community College.
Rice and Saint Mary's will come to GCU Ballpark on March 13-15. The Lopes and Owls have not met since 1997. Rice will be under the direction of first-year head coach David Pierce, who was Texas' head coach from 2017 to 2024. Saint Mary's returns off an NCAA Tournament season, when the Gaels won a regional game for the first time in program history by upsetting host Oregon State. GCU and Saint Mary's most recently met in weekend series in Moraga, California, in 2017 and 2024.
"Our fans will get to see some great baseball at Brazell," Wallis said. "I'm very happy about the caliber of teams we are bringing in to play at home."
Midweek play is centered around in-state matchups that include three games each against Arizona and Arizona State. The Lopes will head to Tucson twice, while the Wildcats return the favor once on April 28. Conversely, GCU will host Arizona State twice on April 7 and May 12 and visit ASU at Phoenix Municipal Stadium once.
GCU has won five of its last six games against Arizona, including the Lopes' first NCAA Division I Tournament victory in 2024. GCU and ASU have played twice each season for five years with the teams splitting the matchups in four of those seasons.
Other home midweek dates include Big 12 foes Kansas State and BYU.
On the road, GCU will visit a pair of 2025 NCAA Tournament teams for two-game midweek sets at UC Irvine and Oregon.
"The series in Utah should provide a memorable experience getting to take part in the grand opening of America First Ballpark," Wallis said. "Double midweeks at UC Irvine and Oregon will test us and provide a platform for the team to come together on the road against great programs."
The Lopes will play their debut season in the Mountain West. While that means a lot of new for GCU, the Lopes will renew longstanding series with a familiar lineup of opponents. Of the eight opposing MW teams, the Lopes have played seven of them since returning to the Division I level in 2014.
GCU will look to continue a long track record of conference success compiled in the WAC. The Lopes claimed seven regular-season championships in 11 opportunities while in the WAC, including four of the last five. GCU qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2021, 2022 and 2024 and advanced to a regional championship in 2024.
The Lopes' first MW series will come in Pullman, Washington, at affiliate member Washington State on March 20-22. Former Lopes pitching coach Nathan Choate (2012-16) is in his second season leading the Cougars, looking to bounce back from a last-place finish in their first of two seasons in the conference.
GCU's first home MW series comes on March 27-29 against San Diego State. The Lopes will also host UNLV, Air Force and New Mexico, while traveling to reigning tournament champion Fresno State, San José State and reigning regular-season champion Nevada.
"Joining the MW is a great thing for our program," Wallis said. "We're looking forward to developing new rivalries with regional opponents and experiencing new cities and venues. We are ready for the challenge and positioned to compete immediately in MW play."
The MW Championship will return to Mesa's Sloan Park for the second straight season on May 20-23 with the top six teams qualifying.
College baseball's opening day is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13. To view GCU's full schedule, click here.
For all-time series history on all of the Lopes' 2026 opponents, click here.
The 2026 schedule, released Monday, features the Lopes' fourth consecutive appearance in the MLB Desert Invitational, a mix of top-50 opponents with a home weekend against Oklahoma State and a competitive Mountain West schedule.
"The 2026 schedule features exciting matchups for our fans and players," GCU fourth-year head coach Gregg Wallis said. "We want to compete against great programs, and this schedule meets that desire. Every weekend will be a challenge and mid-weeks will be as tough it gets, which is important for RPI opportunities but also overall program development. This schedule provides great tests and tremendous opportunities for the 2026 team."
The Lopes open the season Feb. 13-16 with four games in the MLB Desert Invitational, which again includes a combination of contests at GCU Ballpark and Phoenix-area spring training facilities. Matchups and sites will be finalized by MLB. GCU's last three home openers in the MLB Desert Invitational averaged above-capacity crowds of 5,010 fans.
TOP-100 RPI
|
|||
| Opponent | 2025 RPI | Location | |
 Oregon |
19 | Away | |
 Arizona |
24 | Both | |
 UC Irvine |
25 | Away | |
 Kansas State |
40 | Home | |
 Oklahoma State |
45 | Home | |
 Arizona State |
49 | Both | |
 BYU |
62 | Home | |
 Saint Mary's |
87 | Home | |
After the MLB Desert Invitational action wraps, other nonconference weekends include home series against Oklahoma State and Pacific and a three-team weekend with Rice and Saint Mary's. The Lopes will also have the unique opportunity to be the first opponent in Utah's new on-campus home — Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark.
"Nonconference matchups will help prepare us for the Mountain West," Wallis said. "We've challenged ourselves with four-game weekends followed by double midweeks or Big 12 midweeks to test our depth and help develop our roster. We wanted the team to face great competition and be exposed to fun experiences."
In welcoming the Cowboys to GCU Ballpark on Feb. 19-22, GCU and Oklahoma State renew a series that has been frequently contested with 17 matchups from 2015 through the upcoming 2026 series. Oklahoma State opened GCU's home schedule in 2017 and 2020, with the Lopes earning series victories in both instances. The Lopes and Cowboys played in Stillwater in 2015 and 2021. The two programs most recently met in the Tucson Regional during the 2021 NCAA Tournament, and GCU played in the 2022 Stillwater Regional but did not face the Cowboys. Oklahoma State has qualified for the last 12 NCAA Tournaments.
Pacific will visit Phoenix as February turns to March. The programs have only met once previously for a 2021 series in Phoenix with GCU winning two of three. The Tigers are under the direction of first-year head coach Reed Peters, who had a successful 17-year stint in Stockton, California, at San Joaquin Delta Community College.
Rice and Saint Mary's will come to GCU Ballpark on March 13-15. The Lopes and Owls have not met since 1997. Rice will be under the direction of first-year head coach David Pierce, who was Texas' head coach from 2017 to 2024. Saint Mary's returns off an NCAA Tournament season, when the Gaels won a regional game for the first time in program history by upsetting host Oregon State. GCU and Saint Mary's most recently met in weekend series in Moraga, California, in 2017 and 2024.
"Our fans will get to see some great baseball at Brazell," Wallis said. "I'm very happy about the caliber of teams we are bringing in to play at home."
MIDWEEK SNAPSHOT |
||
| Home opponents | Away opponents | |
| Arizona State |
UC Irvine |
|
| Kansas State |
Arizona |
|
| BYU |
Arizona State |
|
| Arizona |
Oregon |
|
GCU has won five of its last six games against Arizona, including the Lopes' first NCAA Division I Tournament victory in 2024. GCU and ASU have played twice each season for five years with the teams splitting the matchups in four of those seasons.
Other home midweek dates include Big 12 foes Kansas State and BYU.
On the road, GCU will visit a pair of 2025 NCAA Tournament teams for two-game midweek sets at UC Irvine and Oregon.
"The series in Utah should provide a memorable experience getting to take part in the grand opening of America First Ballpark," Wallis said. "Double midweeks at UC Irvine and Oregon will test us and provide a platform for the team to come together on the road against great programs."
CONFERENCE SNAPSHOT |
||
| Home opponents | Away opponents | |
 San Diego State |
 Washington State |
|
 UNLV |
 Fresno State |
|
 Air Force |
 San José State |
|
 New Mexico |
 Nevada |
|
GCU will look to continue a long track record of conference success compiled in the WAC. The Lopes claimed seven regular-season championships in 11 opportunities while in the WAC, including four of the last five. GCU qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2021, 2022 and 2024 and advanced to a regional championship in 2024.
The Lopes' first MW series will come in Pullman, Washington, at affiliate member Washington State on March 20-22. Former Lopes pitching coach Nathan Choate (2012-16) is in his second season leading the Cougars, looking to bounce back from a last-place finish in their first of two seasons in the conference.
GCU's first home MW series comes on March 27-29 against San Diego State. The Lopes will also host UNLV, Air Force and New Mexico, while traveling to reigning tournament champion Fresno State, San José State and reigning regular-season champion Nevada.
"Joining the MW is a great thing for our program," Wallis said. "We're looking forward to developing new rivalries with regional opponents and experiencing new cities and venues. We are ready for the challenge and positioned to compete immediately in MW play."
The MW Championship will return to Mesa's Sloan Park for the second straight season on May 20-23 with the top six teams qualifying.
College baseball's opening day is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13. To view GCU's full schedule, click here.
For all-time series history on all of the Lopes' 2026 opponents, click here.
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