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By ZACH ALVIRA
Cronkite News
PHOENIX — When Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals entered GCU Arena in early December, they heard what the Grand Canyon University students and fan base had to offer.
A student section known as the Havocs on one side of the arena and behind both baskets provided an intimate setting, with fans just steps away from the court. The energy and the noise the Havocs brought that night was something Pitino said hadn’t been a part of in his long career as a college coach.
“I don’t know a whole lot about Grand Canyon but you’ve got something special here,” Pitino said. “Whether we go to Duke, Kentucky, nothing was as tough as that environment tonight.”
Although the Cardinals walked away with a nine-point victory, the Antelopes led at halftime. Pitino’s comment showed Havocs president Steve Hunsaker that he and his cohorts made a difference in the game.
“That was great,” said Hunsaker, a GCU senior. “That did more for our brand as a school and as students than he probably realized.”
Following the Havocs impressive showing, comparisons were made by NCAA.com to the famous Cameron Crazies of Duke University. It’s compliment to what they have accomplished in little time.
In 2011, GCU Arena opened with a seating capacity of 5,000. It was expanded to 7,000 in 2014.
The night the Cardinals visited, a new attendance record was set: a standing-room only crowd of 7,493. Of those fans in attendance, 3,000 were students.
The growth of GCU athletics started in 2012 when it moved up from Division II to Division I, joining the Western Athletic Conference. That was the year that assistant coach T.J. Benson joined the GCU coaching staff. He’s seen the Havoc populace take over more and more of the arena.
“It’s amazing to see it grow from a couple hundred to a few thousand,” Benson said. “To know we have that environment backing us is a huge advantage every night.”
The Antelopes are 10-2 at home this season (but 2-6 away). Heading into tonight’s home game against Bethesda, they are 28-4 at home since the start of last season. The din of the home fans might bring back some memories for head coach Dan Majerle — in his early days with the Suns, the team played at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, “The Madhouse on McDowell.”
GCU finished second in the Western Athletic Conference last season. Under NCAA rules for moving to Division I, the Antelopes aren’t eligible for the NCAA Tournament until next year. But the success on the court and support from students has boosted recruiting.
“Players want to play in front of fans,” Benson said. “Knowing we are going to have that in our arena every night, that is what you want.”
The support from the Havocs doesn’t go unnoticed by players. Just ask redshirt junior Joshua Braun.
“The Havocs are awesome, they love coming out and supporting us and we love them,” Braun said. “It is cool to be a part of a school where the student section backs you as much as they do and you get to know each one of them.”
Braun describes home games like a “big party” thanks to the Havocs, whose deafening screams echo throughout the arena, creating a hostile environment.
The experience Louisville encountered at GCU Arena is not reserved only for marquee visitors. The Havocs expect consistency of all students, regardless of the opponent.
“Our expectation is for everyone to have a good time and be involved in the game,” said one of the Havocs’ leaders, sophomore Jake Bradshaw. “The more involved, the more fun it is.”
The Havocs meet weekly with organizations around campus to plan for games. With participation from the cheer squad, band members, dance team, athletes and administration, the Havocs take pride in the involvement and believe it to be one of the biggest strengths of their organization.
“The collaboration is amazing, we are all on the same page every single day and every game,” said senior Jami Cox, a GCU cheerleader. “We look for them to spread our cheers across the entire arena and make sure the whole crowd is participating.”
Now, even as they gain national attention for the raucous environment they present, the Havocs choose not to think of other Arizona universities as rivals for having the best student section.
“We try to be the best that we can be,” Hunsaker said. “We love what other schools are doing and think it is good for Arizona sports in general.”
