By Jeannette Cruz
GCU News Bureau
New construction projects in Grand Canyon University's $1 billion expansion continue to transform the campus, and GCU athletes and visitors alike will benefit from the 10 new state-of-the-art sports facilities scheduled to be completed within the next two years.
The “GCU 10 in 2” initiative begins Aug. 26 with the opening of 3,000-seat GCU Stadium, which will host GCU athletics and University events.
“This is a historic time for our athletic program as we enter the final year of our four-year transition period to Division I athletics,” said Mike Vaught, vice president of athletics. “We want to be Top 25 in everything that we do, and these incredible facilities will help us continue to compete at the highest level and strive for excellence both academically and athletically. I can’t think of another university in the country that has embarked on such an ambitious construction project in such a short time frame, but that’s how we do things at GCU.”
Men's soccer coach Schellas Hyndman, who ranks sixth in NCAA history in men's soccer victories, said GCU Stadium will be “one of the best fields in collegiate soccer.” The stadium, which sits on the west end of campus, has natural grass in addition to 10-foot berms on three sides, bringing the capacity to 6,000.
Vaught said GCU is focusing on soccer because "Phoenix is a soccer community and we’ve got all the key ingredients for a national contending men and women’s soccer program — support from President Brian Mueller, the only Division I men’s soccer team in the state of Arizona and a Hall of Fame coach.”
The other construction projects are new baseball and softball stadiums, a basketball practice facility, Student-Athlete Development Center, beach volleyball stadium, tennis facility, an equipment room and additions to the GCU Championship Golf Course and the Lopes Performance Center.
- At the far west side of campus, the baseball stadium will be a two-tier project that will increase seating capacity to 3,000. The first level will feature chair-back seats that wrap around the infield, grass berm seating down the first-base side, a team store and concession space. A second level of seating will be added following the 2017 season and be ready for 2018.
Such improvements drive recruitment and retention and put the University on track with other top schools in the country, Vaught said.
“From President Mueller all the way down there is an expectation for excellence here, and that’s what we’re striving for every day,” Vaught said.
Lopes fans will be able to follow the progress of the 10 facilities at GCULopes.com or by using the hashtag #GCU10in2 on Twitter.
Contact Jeannette Cruz at (602) 639-6631 or [email protected].
