PHOENIX - Grand Canyon University announced its official transition to a Division I athletics program Wednesday.
The school has been working on becoming a D-I school for a few years now.
Former Phoenix Sun's legend Dan Majerle is the current head coach of the Antelopes men's basketball team. The team played a D-I schedule in the Western Athletic Conference last season, but were not eligible for the NCAA tournament.
Wednesday's announcement makes the Lopes eligible for March Madness.
It's official! GCU is NCAA Championship ready. Thank you Lopes family for making our four-year Division I transition a success. #LopesRising pic.twitter.com/3zrNQqO9Lr
— GCU Lopes (@GCU_Lopes) August 23, 2017
The nearly 20,000-student private Christian university located in Phoenix has a notable student section. Several sports blogs have called the Havocs-- the school's nickname for the student section-- the best student section in country.
According to GCU's website, GCU will compete in 21 D-I men's and women's sports, including tennis, golf, track and field, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, swimming and diving, cross country and soccer.
The school was on a four-year probationary transition to a D-I from a Division II athletics program.
