Grand Canyon, suffering through an 8-18 baseball season, has let go of head coach Gregg Wallis and will begin a national search.
The announcement was made Friday as the Lopes start a weekend series at home against San Diego State.
GCU has lost its past five games, is 6-6 at home, 2-10 on the road and 0-2 at neutral sites.
The Arizona Republic sent a message to Wallis, who didn't immediately return it.
In a statement to the media, GCU athletic director Jamie Boggs said: "Following a comprehensive evaluation, we have determined a change in leadership is necessary to reestablish and sustain GCU as a nationally competitive baseball program.
GCU Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis yells out to his team as they play the Tarleton State Texans during their WAC tournament game in Mesa, May 23, 2024.
"We are grateful to Coach Wallis for his 13 years of service as both an assistant and then head coach. We thank him for his dedication and contributions to our student-athletes and the program throughout his time here."
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Boggs said that pitching coach Nathan Bannister will serve as interim coach, as the Lopes search for a new permanent head coach.
GCU, playing in the Mountain West Conference for the first time, has won nine conference championships and was a top-25 program at its peak, getting to an NCAA Regional three times.
"Our goal is clear: a rapid return to a top-25 program that delivers consistent conference championships and ultimately competes in Omaha," Boggs said in the statement.
This was Wallis' fourth year leading the Lopes, following Andy Stankiewicz.
Wallis won 112 games, and two years ago, he took the Lopes to the Tucson Regional final before losing to West Virginia as the No. 4 seed. They upset then-No. 13-ranked Arizona in the first round.
This year, the Lopes have split two games vs. Arizona, defeating the Wildcats in their first meeting of the season on March 3, 7-5, and falling on Tuesday, March 24, 5-4. The two teams are slated to face off again April 28.
