Grand Canyon Athletic Director Mike Vaught said the school won’t be leaving the Western Athletic Conference as it becomes eligible in the 2017-18 school year for the post-season as an NCAA Division I member.

GCU spent the past four seasons, playing in the WAC, transitioning from NCAA Division II. Because of the move, it wasn’t eligible for the post-season tournaments for the first four years.

Men’s basketball is the driving force of a remodeled and restructured school (for-profit since 2008), with former Suns All-Star Dan Majerle leading the Antelopes into Division I.

The Detroit News mentioned GCU in a report this week as a school that could possibly receive an invitation to join the Horizon League after Valparaiso left for the Missouri Valley Conference.

It reported that Horizon League Commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone confirmed that the league’s presidents voted to extend an invitation to a school, but wouldn’t say which school it would go out to.

There has also been speculation for a couple of years that GCU might end up in the West Coast Conference, which features Saint Mary’s College and Gonzaga.

Vaught shot down the Horizon League rumor on Thursday before going on vacation.

“GCU is a proud member of the Western Athletic Conference and will continue to be committed to the growth and success of the conference,” Vaught said in a prepared statement. “We are excited for the opportunity to compete for championships this upcoming school year and it’s great that GCU is gaining national recognition.”

Asked in a text about a possible move to the Horizon League, Majerle responded, “Not going to happen from what I hear.”

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