Grand Canyon University cuts men's volleyball program leaving players unsure of their future
PHOENIX - Grand Canyon University has cut the men’s volleyball program effective immediately.
The nationally-ranked team will no longer be part of the GCU sports program.
It comes as GCU Athletics is set to join the Mountain West Conference in the fall.
Why you should care:
Not only are the current GCU men's volleyball players left with nowhere to go, but so are the recruits.
Seniors in high school, weeks away from graduation, thought they had their future planned but now need to reevaluate.
These GCU men’s volleyball players were looking forward to another successful season, only to learn their entire program had been cut from the university during a 5-minute summer optional meeting on a Monday morning.
"There is no good reason for this"
What they're saying:
"I was the person who raised my hand and asked, ‘out of all the programs that you see, why do you choose the top nationally ranked program? Why? Why us?’ And she literally said, quote, for quote, there is no good reason for this," said Ben Bray, a freshman on GCU men's volleyball team.
High school recruits, like California senior Thetcher Fahlbusch, signed the dotted line and his family says he was ready to pack up his life to play here in the Valley.
"We signed our letter of intent on February 13. We've been all-in since then," said Chad Fahlbusch, Thetcher's father.
The recruits found out through this Instagram post on the university’s men's volleyball page, saying there would no longer be a team at GCU.
It happened just 24 hours before signing day at his Manhattan Beach High School.
"At the high school, you know, photos, balloons. We had GCU stuff delivered," said Fahlbusch.
With only 27 Division I men's volleyball programs across the country, this late in the game, the other schools' rosters are full.
"They chose to wax it when school got out after the end of the season but gave these recruits no heads up," said Fahlbusch. "You know, we're four weeks from graduation with nowhere to go."
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What's next:
The current team is a brotherhood now torn apart.
"We're on the transfer portal, and we're all going our own ways. And, you know, these guys are also hardworking, and they're just great guys. So I'm hoping that everyone can find their own opportunity in their own place," said Bray.
Parents and players, completely in the dark, left wondering when the school knew this was happening.
"The athletic department never contacted my son or the parents… the question would be. In February, did the administration know that they were potentially going to, you know, get rid of the entire men's volleyball department?" said Fahlbusch.
In the statement, GCU said this will now be a club sport and the current and incoming players can keep their scholarships.
In a rapidly evolving college athletics landscape, GCU is constantly evaluating how it can best position itself as a Division I athletic department and a university.
The move will allow GCU to focus on supporting its remaining 20 athletic programs at the highest levels in their respective conferences.
Dig deeper:
There was not much explanation from GCU as to why the decision was made.
Current and prospective players wanted more of a heads-up, or to be told of the decision when the school knew.
Players like Thatcher had other scholarship options months ago, but that’s not the case anymore.