School changes to highlight final Vandals season in WAC

Denver University will not be following the University of Idaho to the Big Sky when the Vandals make the move in 2014-15. In their one and only season in the WAC Denver won the conference title this season at 6-0-2 (17-3-4 overall) and reached the Sweet 16 for the first time before bowing out to defending champion Stanford. 

With Denver departing for the Summit League, the WAC invited Grand Canyon University, currently a Division II member that would not be eligible for the postseason for four years as they go through the reclassification process. The school is located in Phoenix. 

The GCU Antelopes, opponents for the Vandals final WAC campaign next year, were 8-4-2 in the Pacific West Conference and 9-7-2 overall, which included a 2-1 loss to MSU-Billings of the GNAC. 

The ‘Lopes men’s soccer team was far more successful at 12-1-1 in conference, 16-3-1 overall and reached the Sweet 16. However, the WAC does not include men’s soccer currently and the team’s future is not addressed either the school or WAC announcements, though the team’s success is noted.  

The school's move, however, elicited a brief supportive comment from US Senator John McCain of Arizona: “I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to the administration, faculty and students of Grand Canyon University on their invitation to join the Western Athletic Conference for collegiate sports. This is a well-deserved recognition of the commitment and vision of University leaders to creating a first-rate private institution of higher education.” 

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