COSTA MESA, Calif. (July 11, 2024) – This morning, Vanguard University (VU) was notified by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that its athletics department is approved to advance in the second year of its provisional membership in the NCAA Division II (DII). VU officially began its tenure as a member of the Pacific West Conference (The PacWest) on July 1, 2024, after achieving solid success in 2023-24, advancing six teams and 22 individuals into postseason competition within the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC), evidenced by Women's Beach Volleyball winning its second consecutive national championship, Track and Field winning the 4x400 relay, and the Dance Team being crowned NAIA Pom Champion. Starting now, VU teams that will compete in the NCAA DII include Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, STUNT, Track and Field, Men's and Women's Wrestling and Women's Volleyball. Men's Volleyball will compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. All sports will be eligible for Player of the Week and All-Conference awards. 

"The move to the NCAA DII is a testament to the excellence and progress of Vanguard Athletics, which has grown to more than 450 student-athletes, who represent the values of Christ-centered leadership, competitive excellence, collegiality and teamwork as they balance both sports and academics," said VU President Michael J. Beals, Ph.D. "As we open our state-of-the-art Freed Center for Leadership and Service, our student body, alumni and staff are excited to embark on a new chapter as we advance our athletics program while equipping students for well-rounded success both on and off the field."

Vanguard's transition toward NCAA DII membership parallels the Fall 2024 opening of the Freed Center for Leadership and Service—a dynamic 61,000-sq.-ft. athletics and learning facility. The new headquarters of Vanguard Athletics and the University's Kinesiology academic program, the Freed Center will house a 2,000-seat gymnasium, men's and women's locker rooms, weight and athletic training rooms, VU Athletics offices, as well as laboratories and classrooms.

"Today is another milestone moment in Vanguard University history," said Jeff Bussell, VU director of athletics. "Moving to the NCAA is a shared responsibility, and I am grateful for the tremendous collaboration and hard work of our athletic department staff and coaches, Athletic Advisory Committee, Athletic Compliance Committee, Student-Athlete Leadership Team and university staff and administration. We appreciate the NCAA's assistance and support during this process. We look forward to continuing the journey with an uncommon faith, commitment and attitude."

VU's move to NCAA DII will also reunify them with former rival schools with history in the GSAC. Menlo College and Jessup University are also entering the PacWest Conference this year to compete alongside Academy of Art, Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, Concordia University Irvine, Dominican University of California, Fresno Pacific University, Point Loma Nazarene University and Westmont College, as well as three Hawaii institutions: Chaminade University of Hawaii, University of Hawai'i Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific University. Like VU's previous NAIA status, Division II is a scholarship-granting association where current and future student-athletes will be eligible for athletics-based financial aid.

Vanguard Athletics looks forward to welcoming the community at the first PacWest home game on September 20 as VU Women's Volleyball takes on Azusa Pacific University in the new Freed Center for Leadership and Service. Men's and Women's Soccer starts on the road on September 26 with their first PacWest matches against Fresno Pacific University, followed by their first PacWest home game against Point Loma Nazarene University on October 3. The first opportunity to take part in a PacWest championship is expected to be Cross Country on October 26 at the Great Park in Irvine. The full season schedule will be posted later this summer.

Vanguard Athletics
Vanguard University has a rich tradition of intercollegiate athletics. Totaling more than 450 student-athletes across 19 men's and women's teams, Vanguard Athletics is dedicated to the holistic growth and development of all student-athletes, teaching them to lead Christ-centered lives on and off the field of competition. Then known as Southern California College, VU was one of the founding members of the Golden State Athletic Conference, which started play in the 1986-87 school year. VU has had a rich history during its run in the conference, having won at least one championship in almost every sport sponsored by the conference, totaling 95 team championships, 62 regular season and 33 tournament trophies. There were also stretches of dominance by the Lions, who have had at least nine "dynasties," referring to when a program has won at least three straight GSAC titles in a row. Men's basketball won the first GSAC championship in school history during the founding year of the league and softball capped the GSAC era with a three-game sweep of the 2024 Softball Tournament field to claim the final championship in school history. The athletics program has provided gripping moments in the history of Orange County's first four-year college. Vanguard Athletics has created a commemorative webpage to memorialize the GSAC championships, which can be viewed at https://vanguardlions.com/sports/2023/7/14/gsac-championships.aspx. 

About Vanguard University
Founded in 1920, Vanguard University in Costa Mesa is a private, Christian, comprehensive university of liberal arts, sciences and professional studies that encompasses more than 2,200 students from every region in the country, over 33,000 alumni worldwide, 100 full-time faculty, over 30 undergraduate programs and six graduate degree programs. A hallmark of a Vanguard education is collaborative scholarship in the arts and sciences, which foster the intellectual development, moral maturity and spiritual vitality of its students for the public good. Rooted in a strong academic tradition and commitment to student success, Vanguard University is recognized by the U.S. News & World Report 2023 rankings as a first-tier regional university in the West, a Top Performer on Social Mobility, a Best College in the West for Veterans, a Best Value School and a Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program. Vanguard University represents a diverse student population, with 68 percent students of color, 47 percent Hispanic and nearly half of students the first in their family to attend college. Please visit vanguard.edu.