Grand Canyon Antelopes baseball

Dr. Dave Brazell founded Grand Canyon's baseball program and it began play in 1953.{{Cite web |last=Obert |first=Richard |title=Grand Canyon University sports icon Dave Brazell dies |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/2018/10/17/grand-canyon-university-sports-icon-dave-brazell-dies/1676949002/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}} The team lost its first game to Phoenix College on March 23, 1953. The team won its first game against Eastern Arizona College on March 27, 1954.{{Cite web |title=1954 Baseball Schedule |url=https://gculopes.com/sports/baseball/schedule/1954 |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Grand Canyon University Athletics |language=en}}

The Lopes won four NAIA National Championships in the 1980s: 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1986.{{Cite web |title=NAIA |url=https://www.naia.org/sports/bsb/Records/BSB_Championship.pdf |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=NAIA |language=en}}

GCU hired Andy Stankiewicz on April 25, 2011.{{Cite web |date=2011-04-25 |title=Grand Canyon names Andy Stankiewicz as new head baseball coach |url=https://thepacwest.com/news/2011/4/25/4_25_2011_129.aspx |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=thepacwest.com |language=en}}

Stankiewicz led the program in its final two seasons at the Division II level, the duration of the four-year transition period to the Division I level, and to the school's first two NCAA Division I tournament appearances.

In his first season, Stankiewicz inherited a team with a losing record and went 27-23 in his first season. In his second season in 2013, Stankiewicz led the Lopes to the D-II College World Series for the first time.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

The Lopes found immediate success in 2014, their first back at the D-I level. GCU finished second in the WAC standings.{{Cite web |title=2014 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) - Standings - The Baseball Cube |url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/college_summary/2014~WAC/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=TheBaseballCube.com |language=en}}

GCU won its first outright WAC regular-season championship in 2015.{{Cite web |last=Obert |first=Jeff Metcalfe and Richard |title=Grand Canyon baseball wins its first WAC regular season title |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/gcu/2015/05/18/grand-canyon-baseball-wins-first-wac-regular-season-title/27542351/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}} The Lopes won the 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022 WAC regular-season titles under Stankiewicz.{{Cite web |title=WAC Team Champions |url=https://wac.org/awards/champs.php |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=wac.org}}

Stankiewicz led GCU to its first WAC Tournament Championship in 2021 and first trip to the NCAA tournament.{{Cite web |title=Lopes Staying in Arizona for Tucson Regional |url=https://wacsports.com/news/2021/5/31/5_31_2021_1500.aspx |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=wacsports.com |language=en}}

Despite entering the 2022 WAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed, Grand Canyon went 2-2 to get eliminated from the tournament. Carried by a strong regular-season campaign and a No. 50 RPI, the Lopes earned their first at-large selection into the NCAA tournament.{{Cite web |last=Sports |first=Arizona |date=2022-05-30 |title=Arizona, GCU baseball make 2022 NCAA Tournament as at-large bids |url=https://arizonasports.com/story/3160504/arizona-gcu-baseball-make-2022-ncaa-tournament-as-at-large-bids/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Arizona Sports |language=en}}

Stankiewicz was announced as USC's head coach on July 3, 2022, ending an 11-year run leading the program.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-03 |title=USC hires Grand Canyon's Andy Stankiewicz to rebuild Trojans' baseball program |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2022-07-03/andy-stankiewicz-new-usc-baseball-coach |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

A nine-year assistant coach under Stankiewicz, Wallis had departed GCU following the 2022 season to take an assistant coach position on Bill Mosiello's staff at Ohio State.{{Cite web |last=Fulks |first=Sonny |date=2022-07-20 |title=OSU Baseball: Mosiello, And A Process In The Works ...! |url=https://pressprosmagazine.com/2022/07/19/osu-baseball-mosiello-and-a-process-in-the-works/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Press Pros Magazine |language=en-US}} GCU brought Wallis back to be its head coach, making the official announcement on July 8, 2022.{{Cite web |last=sports |first=azcentral |title=Grand Canyon names longtime assistant Gregg Wallis head baseball coach |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/gcu/2022/07/08/grand-canyon-names-longtime-assistant-gregg-wallis-head-baseball-coach/10018915002/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}

Wallis continued GCU's streak of WAC regular-season success by winning championships in 2023 and 2024. GCU did not win the WAC Tournament in either season.

The Lopes advanced to the 2024 NCAA tournament after Tarleton State — ineligible for NCAA postseason as a transitioning school — went on to win the conference tournament.{{Cite web |last=Obert |first=Richard |title=Why Grand Canyon got a second life in NCAA baseball postseason |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/gcu/2024/05/26/gcu-baseball-revived-tarleton-ineligibility-for-ncaa-regional/73862123007/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}} GCU took advantage of its second life, winning its first D-I NCAA tournament game in program history by defeating Arizona 9-4 on May 31 in front of the largest crowd in Hi Corbett Field history.{{Cite web |last=Lev |first=Michael |date=2024-06-01 |title=Arizona falls to GCU in NCAA Tournament opener in front of record crowd at Hi Corbett Field |url=https://tucson.com/sports/college/baseball/wildcats/arizona-wildcats-grand-canyon-2024-ncaa-baseball-tournament-hi-corbett-field/article_4311919c-1fb3-11ef-806d-530db024d9d2.html |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Arizona Daily Star |language=en}} The Lopes took it a step further, recovering from a June 1 loss to West Virginia by defeating Dallas Baptist to advance to the regional final.{{Cite web |title=Grand Canyon 12-10 Dallas Baptist (Jun 2, 2024) Box Score |url=https://www.espn.com/college-baseball/boxscore/_/gameId/401673701 |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=ESPN |language=en}} GCU lost to West Virginia again to end the Lopes' most successful postseason run at the D-I level.{{Cite web |last=Obert |first=Richard |title=Grand Canyon's improbable NCAA baseball tournament run ends with loss to West Virginia |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/gcu/2024/06/02/gcu-pounds-out-19-hits-to-reach-its-first-regional-baseball-final/73948773007/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}

Grand Canyon's baseball program has a unique conference membership history that includes a brief stint from 1991–1998 where the program was Division I in baseball but the rest of the university's athletic department was Division II.

{{notelist|group=cwt}}

Grand Canyon's first athletic affiliation came in 1961 as an associate member of the NAIA. They became full members of the NAIA for the 1968 season, opening postseason participation opportunities.

The school opted to move out of the NAIA and into the NCAA in the late 1980s, primarily due to the cost burden of traveling to postseason competition and increasingly stringent NAIA rules. Most of the school's athletic programs landed at the NCAA Division II level, however, baseball opted to go Division I as an independent. The baseball program played its first four D-I years as an independent.

In June 1994, GCU accepted a baseball-only invite to the Western Athletic Conference in the form of a year-to-year affiliate membership agreement.{{Cite news |date=1994-06-21 |title=Baseball WAC 1994 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-baseball-wac-1994/148110664/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |work=Arizona Republic |pages=35}} The Lopes began play in the conference in 1995 and spent four seasons in the conference. GCU's membership was not renewed following the 1998 season, and the university decided to reclassify the program to D-II.{{Cite news |date=1998-04-15 |title=Baseball transition to D2 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-baseball-transition-to/148111019/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |work=Arizona Republic |pages=20}} Already knowing it would not be a D-I program the following season, the 1998 team won the program's first D-I regular-season conference title by going 16-14 in WAC play to win the North Division.{{Cite web |title=1998 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) - Standings - The Baseball Cube |url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/college_summary/1998~WAC/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=TheBaseballCube.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=1998-05-03 |title=Canyon defeats Air Force, clinches divisional crown |url=https://gculopes.com/news/1998/5/3/baseball-canyon-defeats-air-force-clinches-divisional-crown.aspx |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Grand Canyon University Athletics |language=en}}

When the WAC ended its affiliate membership arrangement, GCU opted to move to D-II rather than remaining a D-I team as an independent. The Lopes spent one year transitioning in 1999, officially classified as a D-I program but largely playing D-II schools. GCU officially joined the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 2000.

GCU announced an intent to return to NAIA in May 2003.{{Cite news |date=2003-05-02 |title=GCU returns to NAIA |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-gcu-returns-to-naia/148112108/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |work=Arizona Republic |pages=114}} This hit a snag in April 2004, after the school's dire financial situation led the institution to turn to a for-profit model. NAIA bylaws did not allow such institutions, and GCU was forced to remain in the NCAA despite already withdrawing from the CCAA.{{Cite news |date=2004-04-09 |title=GCU stays in NCAA |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-gcu-stays-in-ncaa/148112056/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |work=Arizona Republic |pages=150}} The program was forced to be a D-II independent while the university searched for financial stability and a conference home.

GCU's athletic department moved to the Pacific West Conference beginning in the 2006-07 academic year, however the conference did not sponsor baseball as an official sport until 2010.{{Cite news |date=2006-03-31 |title=Pac West membership |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-pac-west-membership/148112512/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |work=Arizona Republic |pages=275}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-04 |title=PacWest History: Rebuilding Mode |url=https://thepacwest.com/news/2022/8/4/general-pacwest-history-rebuilding-mode.aspx |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=thepacwest.com |language=en}}

With exploding enrollment and financial stability, GCU announced an all-sport jump to D-I athletics in November 2012.{{Cite web |last=Marotta |first=Vince |date=2012-11-27 |title=Grand Canyon accepts invitation to Division I WAC |url=https://arizonasports.com/story/48146/grand-canyon-accepts-invitation-to-division-i-wac/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Arizona Sports |language=en}} The baseball team would return to the WAC beginning in the 2014 season.

On May 10, 2024, GCU announced most of its sports would transition to the West Coast Conference in time for the 2026 baseball season.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-10 |title=West Coast Conference Adds Grand Canyon University and Seattle University as Members |url=https://wccsports.com/news/2024/5/10/general-west-coast-conference-adds-grand-canyon-university-and-seattle-university-as-members.aspx |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=wccsports.com |language=en}} On November 1, 2024, GCU announced it had accepted an invite from the Mountain West Conference to join no later than the 2027 baseball season.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-01 |title=Grand Canyon flips from WCC, to join MWC by '26 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/42133262/grand-canyon-officially-joining-mountain-west |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

{{main|Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark}}

Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark is a baseball stadium on the Grand Canyon campus in Phoenix, Arizona that seats 4,000 people. While the field has remained in place since 1962, a new stadium was constructed around the playing surface.{{Cite web |last=Minard |first=Meg |date=2024-04-27 |title=Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark – Grand Canyon Antelopes |url=https://www.stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/brazell-stadium-s2318 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Stadium Journey |language=en}} It was opened on February 16, 2018 with a 2–1 loss to TCU.{{Cite web |title=Baseball vs Grand Canyon on 2/16/2018 - Box Score |url=https://gofrogs.com/sports/baseball/stats/2018/grand-canyon/boxscore/2610 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=TCU Athletics |language=en}} A record attendance of 5,281 was set on February 16, 2024, an opening day win over Georgetown.{{Cite web |title=Baseball vs Georgetown on 2/16/2024 - Box Score |url=https://gculopes.com/sports/baseball/stats/2024/georgetown/boxscore/19645 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Grand Canyon University Athletics |language=en}}

In a program that has existed since 1953, Grand Canyon has had extreme continuity in its head coaching position. David Brazell founded the program and coached it for its first 28 years. Gil Stafford coached for 20 years including the program's first run at the Division I level. Alumnus and former Major leaguer Dave Stapleton coached the team for 10 years. Andy Stankiewicz took over for the 2012 season and led the program through its first nine seasons back at the Division I level beginning in 2014. His longtime assistant, Gregg Wallis, took over for Stankiewicz in the 2023 season.{{Cite web |title=Baseball Head Coaching Records (Year-by-Year) |url=https://gculopes.com/sports/baseball/coaches/year |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Grand Canyon University Athletics |language=en}}

Records taken from the 2020 GCU baseball media guide.{{Cite web |title=GCU Baseball Media Guide |url=https://gculopes.com/documents/2020/2/11/2020_GCU_Baseball_Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=March 2, 2020}}

{{CBB yearly record start

|type = team

|conference =

|postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

|name = Independent

|startyear = 1991

|conference = no

|endyear = 1994

|}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 1991

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 25–39

| conference =

| confstanding =

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 1992

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 25–37

| conference =

| confstanding =

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 1993

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 24–32

| conference =

| confstanding =

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 1994

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 29–33–1

| conference =

| confstanding =

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

|name = Western Athletic Conference

|startyear = 1995

|conference = no

|endyear = 1998

|}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 1995

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 21–41

| conference = 15–15

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 1996

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 23–32

| conference = 10–19

| confstanding = 10th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 1997

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 13–43

| conference = 5–25

| confstanding = 12th

| postseason =

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship = division

| season = 1998

| name = Gil Stafford

| overall = 28–27

| conference = 16–14

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason = WAC Tournament

}}

{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead

|name = Western Athletic Conference

|startyear = 2014

|conference = no

|endyear =

|}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2014

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 30–23

| conference = 19–8

| confstanding = 2nd

| postseason = ineligible

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship = conference

| season = 2015

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 32–22

| conference = 19–7

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = ineligible

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2016

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 25–28–1

| conference = 13–14

| confstanding = 5th

| postseason = ineligible

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship = conference

| season = 2017

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 29–25

| conference = 20–4

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = ineligible

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship = conference

| season = 2018

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 33–24

| conference = 19–5

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = WAC tournament

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2019

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 36–24

| conference = 18–9

| confstanding = T-4th

| postseason = WAC tournament

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship =

| season = 2020

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 9–9

| conference =

| confstanding =

| postseason = Season cancelled on March 18
due to Coronavirus pandemic{{Cite web| url=https://wacsports.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/releases/20200312jc51tz|title=WAC Announces Cancellation of All Sports for Remainder of Academic Year|access-date=March 19, 2020}}

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship = confboth

| season = 2021

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 39–21-1

| conference = 29-7

| confstanding = T-1st

| postseason = NCAA tournament

}}

{{CBB yearly record entry

| championship = division

| season = 2022

| name = Andy Stankiewicz

| overall = 41-21

| conference = 25-5

| confstanding = 1st

| postseason = NCAA tournament

}}{{CBB yearly record entry|championship=conference|season=2023|name=Gregg Wallis|overall=37-21|conference=22-7|confstanding=1st|postseason=WAC tournament}}

{{CBB yearly record entry|championship=conference|season=2024|name=Gregg Wallis|overall=36-25|conference=23-7|confstanding=1st|postseason=NCAA Tournament}}{{CBB yearly record end

| overall = 499–442–3

| conference =

}}

• Over their 11 discontinuous seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, 18 different Lopes have been named to the all-conference first-team.

File:Pierson_Ohl.jpg]]

Taken from the 2020 GCU baseball media guide. Updated March 2, 2020.

As of 2023, Grand Canyon has had 106 of its players selected in the MLB draft. Thirty-one of those selections have occurred since 2015 when the program returned to Division I.{{Cite web |title=Baseball Lopes in the Pros |url=https://gculopes.com/sports/2019/5/21/baseball-lopes-pros.aspx?id=299 |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Grand Canyon University Athletics |language=en}}

On July 9, 2023, Jacob Wilson became the highest drafted player in program history when he went sixth overall to the Oakland Athletics.{{Cite web |title=A's select Jacob Wilson, son of All-Star Jack, at No. 6 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jacob-wilson-drafted-no-6-by-athletics-in-2023-mlb-draft |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}

Taken from the 2024 GCU baseball media guide. Updated May 22, 2024.

• List of NCAA Division I baseball programs

{{reflist}}

{{Western Athletic Conference baseball navbox}}