SEPTEMBER 2016
When Jennifer Smestad sings her first single, "It's Only Rain," her voice hints to a backstory that's just as powerful. The 23-year-old GCU alum and former Miss Arizona has overcome Tourette Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes involuntary movements and sounds. In an ironic twist, Tourette has had a key role in her singing career.
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GCU Alumni now has an official identification card! Use your alumni ID to access exclusive alumni events, GCU Lope Shops, golf course discounts, nationwide retail and service company discounts and much more. Print or screenshot your ID card for an official bring-it-with-you record of your alumni status. Save it to your mobile device for an official bring-with-you record of your alumni status. View a how-to guide here.*Note: If you do not have a student portal login, please contact the Alumni Office: alumni@gcu.edu.
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As a GCU alum, you have a unique perspective that serves as an asset to you as you navigate and pursue your desired career path. Your values-based education allows you to strategically align your faith with the pursuit of ideal employment opportunities. Follow these three steps to help you keep and grow your faith as you grow your career.
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FEATURED VIDEO: Lope LegacyThe basketball legacies of Gary Ernst and J.C. Helton aren't just linked by their coaching statistic, but it's a good place to start. Watch the inside story of two GCU alums who came to GCU by accident in the '60s. Ersnt and Helton came to GCU to look for a basketball scholarship and play for the Lopes. They are now the winningest middle and high school basketball coaches in Arizona history.
SEP. 9-11 The Mousetrap
Ethington Theatre SEP. 27
Sadie Robertson
GCU Arena
SEP. 19 Ministry Forum: God's Concern for the Poor
Howerton Hall SEP. 30 Chris Young Tour
GCU Arena
SEP. 23 Casting Crowns
GCU Arena
Grand Canyon Theological Seminary is here! It promises to be a unique experience for students by combining vibrant campus life and the opportunity to work in the community. "In a seminary environment, it's really easy to turn it into a Christian bubble, and we don't really want a Christian bubble here," said Anna Faith Smith, assistant dean of the College of Theology.
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New construction projects as part of Grand Canyon University's $1 billion expansion continue to transform the campus. GCU athletes and visitors alike will benefit from the 10 new state-of-the-art sports facilities scheduled to be completed within the next two years. It is a historic time for GCU Athletics as we enter the final year of our four-year transition period to Division I.
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Two grand new places to grab a beverage or tasty meal opened their doors at Grand Canyon University: The Grand Canyon Beverage Company (GCBC), located in a copious space of the second-floor of the Student Union, and the Canyon 49 Grill, situated in front of the Grand Canyon University Hotel.
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Season
TicketsMen's basketball and men's soccer season tickets still available!
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Athletic FacilitiesGCU to construct 10 athletic facilitiesin two years
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General | 8/16/2016 8:30:00 AM | Charles Hampton
GCU to construct 10 athletic facilities within two years
Photo Gallery II GCU 10 in 2 Facilities II GCU 10 in 2 Video
PHOENIX – As part of its $1 billion campus expansion, Grand Canyon University announced Tuesday it will complete construction of 10 new athletic facilities within the next two years as it continues its transition to NCAA Division I athletics.
The unprecedented "GCU 10 in 2" initiative begins next week with the opening of GCU Stadium and includes nine more on-campus athletic facilities that will be completed by August 2018: baseball and softball stadiums, a basketball practice facility, student-athlete development center, tennis facility, beach volleyball stadium, athletics equipment room, private practice areas at GCU Golf Course and expansions to the Lopes Performance Center.
"This is a historic time for our athletic program as we enter the final year of our four-year transition period to Division I athletics," said Mike Vaught, vice president of athletics for GCU. "We want to be Top 25 in everything that we do and these incredible facilities will help us continue to compete at the highest level and strive for excellence both academically and athletically.
"I can't think of another university in the country that has embarked on such an ambitious construction project in such a short time frame, but that's how we do things at GCU. Things move pretty fast."
Although a newcomer to the Division I ranks, GCU has already won conference championships in the Western Athletic Conference in baseball, softball, men's and women's track, and men's and women's tennis while its men's basketball team made national headlines last season with a 27-7 record.
The university is in the midst of a 10-year, $1 billion investment in technologies and infrastructure that has coincided with an enrollment boom on the ground campus from about 900 students in 2008 to more than 17,000 this fall.
"We have been able to build out our campus using our cash reserves without relying on taxpayer subsidies and without raising tuition, which has been frozen on our ground campus for eight straight years," said Brian Mueller, president of Grand Canyon University. "The additions of new classrooms, laboratories, residence halls, athletic facilities and other student amenities have not only transformed our campus but are also having a significant impact on our community as we continue our efforts to revitalize west Phoenix."
Here's a look at each of the 10 athletic projects:
- GCU Stadium: The state-of-the-art soccer facility will host its first competitive match on Friday, Aug. 26, as the GCU men's team takes on Central Florida in the 2016 season opener. The stadium features seating capacity for more than 6,000 spectators, including 3,000 shaded chairback seats. The all-natural Tifway 49 Bermuda pitch is surrounded by a 10-foot grass berm on three sides with a tailgating area on a 2,100-square-foot raised, concrete platform on the east side of the stadium. Additionally, GCU Stadium has spacious team locker rooms, offices, a satellite training room, and houses the new Student-Athlete Development Center.
- Baseball Stadium: GCU's new baseball stadium will include covered chairback seats wrapping around the infield and behind home plate as well as grass-berm seating down the first-base side. The first level of the stadium will feature bowl seating, an enclosed press box with two broadcast booths, team store and concession space. A second level of seating will be added following the 2017 season and will be ready by 2018.
- Softball Stadium: Located on the west side of campus, this new stadium will include seating for 1,500, including covered chairback seats, an expanded concourse that includes new restrooms and concession stands, and a press box equipped for radio and television broadcasts. Dimensions of the field will remain similar, stretching 204 feet down each line and 220 feet to center and will feature a 12-foot outfield wall in center field. New home and visitor's dugouts are also part of the project, which is scheduled to be completed in advance of the 2018 season.
- Basketball Practice Facility: Adjacent to Grand Canyon University Arena, the practice facility will feature one main practice court with two side practice courts, coaches offices, a player's lounge, meeting spaces, a film room for both men's and women's basketball programs and a museum of artifacts from Phoenix sports icon Jerry Colangelo, who has strong ties to the university. The facility is expected to open in January 2017.
- Student-Athlete Development Center: Located beneath the grandstand of GCU Stadium, the Academic Center houses staff members who assist student-athletes with degree program selection, graduation planning, career development planning, study skills and learning strategies. Additionally, the center includes computer workstations, a study lounge and individual and group tutoring opportunities.
- Tennis Facility: GCU tennis matches will return to campus at the 47,000-square-foot facility on the northeast side of the university. The six hard courts will feature Plexipave IW surfacing which offers all-weather durability along with the playability and shock-absorbing properties of their Plexicusion System. Plexipave is used at the Australian Open and the IW mixture was first featured at the prestigious Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.
- Beach Volleyball Stadium: The new stadium, which will be ready for the Spring 2017 season, will feature three new Division I courts with grandstand and grass-berm seating for 1,500. Intramural courts will also be built at the facility, located right in the heart of GCU campus between Cypress and Canyon Halls and looking out over Little Canyon Park.
- Equipment Room: Construction of this 2,500-square-foot facility, which serves all 21 intercollegiate athletic programs, began last summer and includes customized Spacesaver units, an ACS inventory system and industrial-sized laundry facilities. Nike entered a partnership to be the official apparel provider of GCU athletics in May 2015.
- GCU Golf Course Practice Facility: In 2015, GCU invested $10 million into a complete renovation of the former Maryvale Golf Course, located just a few miles from campus, by extending the course to a challenging 7,269-yard layout and adding a 22,000-square-foot clubhouse that includes a pro shop, restaurant, offices and a team room for the GCU men's and women's golf programs. Upcoming additions to the course include team practice areas featuring a private driving range, two private bunkers and chipping areas.
- Lopes Performance Center: The athletic training center will expand to include more areas for sports medicine that include hydrotherapy, plunge pools and exam rooms; three designated weight room training areas; cardio and rehabilitation areas; and a Gatorade Fueling Station that will assist with student-athletes' pre and post-practice nutritional needs. The expansion is due to be completed in May 2017.
Lopes fans will be able to follow along with the progress of the 10 facilities at GCULopes.com or by using the hashtag #GCU10in2 on Twitter.
Men's Soccer
Men's soccer home-opener shatters attendance record, defeats UCF
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2 UCF (0-1)
4Grand Canyon (1-0)
Score By PeriodsTeam12TotalUCF 1 1 2
Grand Canyon 3 1 4
Game Recap: Men's Soccer | 8/26/2016 8:47:00 PM | Josh Hauser
Men's soccer shatters attendance record, defeats UCF
BOX SCORE (PDF)
PHOTO GALLERY
REWATCH THE STREAM
Next Game: at UC Irvine9/2/2016 - 7:30 p.m.
Preview
Live Stats
FULL SCHEDULE
ROSTER
PHOENIX -- In front of the largest crowd to ever watch a college soccer game in the state of Arizona, the Grand Canyon men's soccer team christened GCU Stadium with a season-opening 4-2 victory over Central Florida on Friday night. Already matching last year's season high of four goals in a game, the Lopes used scores from Khadim Seye (2 goals), Damian German and Niki Jackson to begin the season with a victory in front of 6,402 fans.
"I think it's an amazing feeling," German said, a native of West Phoenix himself. "Walking out of the tunnel has to be one of the greatest feelings I've had. You were inside the tunnel and you could hear the crowd just roaring. I got a little nervous, but once I stepped on the field and saw all the fans were supporting GCU, it was one of the greatest feelings."
Coach Schellas Hyndman echoed German's thoughts about the atmosphere at GCU Stadium.
"Tonight that's what this was: a big game," Hyndman said. "It's a historic game. The first game in this beautiful stadium. I'm really proud of our guys, playing as well as they did and the efforts they gave."
A raucous crowd didn't have to wait long to see the first goal in the new stadium's history. After receiving a pass from a defender and looking to clear the ball, Central Florida goalkeeper Brendan Rennie was greeted by Lopes forward German in his face. Frantically trying to get rid of the ball, Rennie's kick was deflected by German into the Knights' goal at the 3:47 mark to put GCU in front early.
"You couldn't have written a better script," Hyndman said. "It's the first goal scored on this field. By a boy that's right here from this neighborhood. It's a fantastic storyline."
Just over 10 minutes later, GCU struck again. Jordan Slack intercepted a Knights pass and dribbled down the right side of the field, dealing a brilliant cross to Jackson in the middle of the field. Jackson headed the ball past the keeper to the right side of the goal, putting the Lopes in front 2-0 less than 15 minutes into the season.
Central Florida cut the Lopes' lead in half moments later, scoring at the 19:41 mark. Richard Amon weaved around GCU defenders and stuck the ball in the left side of the goal.
The high-scoring action subsided for 20 minutes until a hand ball in the box presented Grand Canyon with a penalty kick opportunity. Seye converted, kicking left past a goalkeeper diving the opposite way and sending the Lopes into the half with a 3-1 lead.
After ending the first half with a Seye goal, the second half began in similar fashion. Off of a free kick, the ball bounced all around the 18-yard box before ending up in Seye's possesion. With three defenders laced all over Seye, the junior dove and fired a strike to the left side of the net to put the Lopes on top 4-1.
GCU looked as if it had scored its fifth goal of the season, but an offsides call from the official negated the score in the 64th minute.
Trailing by three in the final 10 minutes of the contest, Central Florida got one back with an 82nd-minute goal. Amon scored his second goal of the evening on a quick strike from 10-yards out.
Grand Canyon dominated most of the statistical categories, nearly doubling the Knights in shots at 15-8. Central Florida committed 14 fouls compared to Grand Canyon's 10.
The Lopes are back in action next Friday, traveling to UC Irvine to take on the Anteaters. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
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Women's BasketballGalligan named director of women's basketball operations
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Women's Basketball | 9/2/2016 10:13:00 AM | Imani SuberGalligan named director of women's basketball operations
PHOENIX- Grand Canyon women's basketball head coach Trent May has announced the addition of Rachel Galligan to his staff this week. Galligan will serve as the Lopes director of basketball operations.
"We are blessed to welcome Rachel to our staff, " May said. "She has been successful in many areas of basketball and brings a wealth of talents to our program. Each member of the staff is so important and the director of operations is essential. I am thankful to have Rachel on board."
For the past three seasons, Galligan served as an assistant coach at Ball State University. She helped coach the Cardinals to three consecutive winning seasons. Ball State also punched their ticket to the Mid-American Conference tournament championship and appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament in 2013.
"From the moment I stepped on campus, I was blown away," Galligan said. "GCU is an incredible place to work, grow and thrive in faith. I can't thank Coach May and the administration enough for the chance to help build GCU women's basketball."
Prior to Ball State, Galligan spent two seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Eastern Illinois. She had a prolific career at Eastern Illinois, where she was a four-year letter winner and finished as the Panthers all-time leading scorer (1,891), all-time single season scoring leader (582) and all-time shot blocker (185). She was a top-10 finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award and a Women's Basketball Coaches Association Region IV All-American. Galligan also participated on the EIU track and field team and won the 2007 Ohio Valley Conference Championship in the javelin.
In the fall of 2009, Galligan spent a season playing professional basketball for CB Conquero in Huelva, Spain.
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"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."(Psalm 25:4-5)
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Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. (800-621-7440; http://hlcommission.org/).
Grand Canyon University
3300 West Camelback Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85017, United States. 
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