GCU 10 in 2: Sports facilities to get makeovers by 2018

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - As Grand Canyon University continues its transition to NCAA Division I athletics, they're spending a lot of cash, expanding their sports facilities.

GCU is spending $1 billion on the expansion of 10 athletic facilities and they're all expected to be done in the next two years. We went to the campus on Tuesday to check out the progress.

The changes, being dubbed "GCU 10 in 2" are unprecedented for the university and the initiative begins with the opening of the GCU soccer stadium.

"We have 3,000 chair back seats in this new beautiful soccer stadium," said Mike Vaught, Vice President of Athletics at GCU.

Nine more on campus athletic facilities will be completed by August 2018. Among those facilities will be baseball and softball stadiums, along with tennis, beach volleyball and a basketball practice building.

"There's also two classrooms under the stadium for our students to use on a daily basis for classes, so it's truly a multi-use facility," said Vaught.

As a newcomer to the Division I ranks, GCU has already won a few conference championships in the Western Athletic Conference. They've won in baseball, softball, plus both men's and women's track and tennis!

"We've developed a culture here at our university that we all support each other and we're all in and that that's our slogan for this year," said Vaught.

Of the renovations, the state-of-the-art soccer facility will be the first to host in their new stadium as they take on the University of Central Florida next Friday.

GCU fans can actually follow the progress of the 10 facilities at GCULopes.com or by using #GCU10in2.