COSTA MESA -- Vanguard University Athletics is honored to announce that the men's volleyball program has been admitted to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) for the 2025 men's volleyball season. As Vanguard transitions into the NCAA DII and the Pacific West Conference, the men's volleyball program needed a home, as the PacWest does not sponsor the sport at this time.
"Vanguard University is blessed to become a member of one of the most successful men's volleyball conferences in the country," said Athletic Director Jeff Bussell. "These institutions are committed to academic and athletic excellence. Competing in the MPSF will enhance the student-athlete experience as we continue to raise the profile of our program and University. Our student-athletes will compete at the highest level in some of the best game environments in the country."
The Lions will join some big hitters in the MPSF, which currently contains six NCAA DI programs. Reigning National Champions UCLA will be the biggest test ever in VU history, along with BYU, who finished second last campaign in the MPSF. Pepperdine is another MPSF program that the Lions have never seen, though VU has already faced Stanford, Grand Canyon University, USC, and Concordia Irvine over the past four years of competition. All but two teams in the group finished over .500 this past year and Grand Canyon joined UCLA at the National Tournament in 2023. VU will also see a familiar face join the MPSF, as Menlo was also introduced as a new member for the 2025 season in today's announcement, bringing the total number of teams in the MPSF up to nine.
"To become a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the most storied conference in the history of men's collegiate volleyball, is a special moment for the Vanguard University men's volleyball program," said Head Coach Brian Rofer. "Without the support of our University President Dr. Michael J. Beals, the vision of our Athletic Director Jeff Bussell, and the hard work and dedication of his staff, our volleyball program would have never been blessed with such an incredible opportunity. This is so exciting for our athletes and for the growth of NCAA men's volleyball."
The MPSF was established in 1992-1993 for schools mainly in the Western half of the United States to have a conference structure for sports that were not supported by other conferences, with an emphasis on Olympic sports. There are currently 11 Intercollegiate Olympic sports sponsored by the Federation and there have now been over 100 National Championships won by member institutions. Vanguard and Menlo are the 38th and 39th members to join the MPSF and the 70th and 71st teams across the entire Federation. The title won by UCLA this year is the 17th NCAA Championship in men's volleyball for the MPSF.
