PHOENIX – Late on a recent Friday night, Grand Canyon University’s Global Credit Union Arena transformed into a scene straight out of a movie for the school’s annual “Midnight Madness,” a celebration marking the start of each basketball season.

This year’s theme was all things Disney – a big idea for an even bigger party and fitting for GCU’s move into the Mountain West Conference this season.

The Lopes joined the Western Athletic Conference when they moved into NCAA Division I 12 years ago, and the basketball programs have served as the centerpiece of the school’s athletic department.

Last season, the men’s and women’s programs finished a combined 58-11. Both won the WAC tournament and advanced to their respective NCAA tournaments. Coach Bryce Drew’s men’s team has reached March Madness in four of the last five seasons and recorded the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 2024, beating St. Mary’s.

The night marked the Lopes first Midnight Madness since joining the new conference and the first for women’s basketball coach Winston Gandy, who is in his first season after replacing Molly Miller, who departed to accept the head coaching job at Arizona State after guiding the Lopes to a 32-2 record in 2024-25.

Drew and Gandy made their entrance when a curtain dropped, revealing a bright red Lightning McQueen-themed sports car carrying the coaches, who wore matching racing jackets and sunglasses.

“You know, I had a lot of people trying to tell me what it was going to be like tonight – how many of you were going to show up, even showed me some pictures,” Gandy told the crowd. “I even walked the concourse trying to envision what it was going to be like.
“This is special.”

He noted that he isn’t the only one making a fresh start this season.

“This year, it’s a lot of new,” he said. “New team. New staff. New season. New conference. Quite frankly, a new level – a new standard we’re going to try to achieve here. My hope is that when opponents come to the Valley this season, they get a little taste of this.”

Drew is well acquainted with the raucous atmosphere at GCU Arena and the “Havocs,” GCU’s nationally recognized student section, which brings its “A” game to Midnight Madness.

Still, Drew is facing a new challenge, too, as the Lopes face a step up in competition after dominating in the WAC during much of his tenure.

“We’ve had to climb mountains as a university to get here,” Drew told the crowd. “And there’s another one ahead – the Mountain West. People on that mountain think we won’t be at the top, but we’re going to prove them wrong. We are the biggest party in college basketball, and tonight we’re also the biggest show.”

Students packed the arena long before midnight, many dressed as their favorite Disney characters ranging from Ratatouille to Chewbacca. The Havocs filled the lower bowl in minutes as the GCU band, DJ and drumline transformed the arena into a party house.

As the clock struck midnight, the lighting changed and a black curtain fell across the south end of the arena. Disney movie scenes were projected onto the curtain, setting up the excitement for the GCU cheer team and dancers that performed a “Toy Story”-themed routine.

Then the drumline dressed as soldiers stormed in through smoke and flashing lights, pounding out their beats. The Havocs were on their feet the entire time.

Even Thunder, GCU’s mascot, got in on the fun with multiple costume changes – appearing as Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Captain America and Darth Vader.

Once the performances wrapped, the spotlight turned to the players. The women’s team was introduced first followed by the men’s team, each player walking down from the concourse and through the fans, both teams receiving a deafening roar. It was the first public look at both squads since GCU’s move to the new conference.

Players joined a couple of Havocs in games and competitions, from dodgeball to relay races to a “musical shot” contest. Freshman center Dennis Evans earned his first chants from the crowd, while Makaih Williams, Julianna LaMendola and Sidney Anderson threw on Havoc shirts to hype up the fans.

The celebration wrapped around 1 a.m. and graduate forward Nana Owusu-Anane closed the night with a promise to the fans:

“We got the best student section in the country,” he shouted. “We’re looking forward to a season full of blessings and a lot of wins. Hopefully we can bring another banner home.”

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