They say all good things must end, but it is still hard to make that last goodbye.  VU Athletics has to say such a goodbye, but hopefully not a final one, to Associate Head Cross Country/Track and Field Coach Johnny Deryeghiayan, who resigned from his position this month.  Deryeghiayan has left an enduring mark on the track and field program, and VU Athletics wants to thank him for seven years of success both on the track and off it. 
 
"After much prayer, I am resigning from my position as Associate Cross Country/Track and Field Head Coach at Vanguard University.  With both excitement and a sense of deep responsibility, I have accepted the call to serve as Lead Pastor at Glendora Community Church," relayed Deryeghiayan.  "This is not a decision I make lightly.   Serving the Vanguard University community has been an incredible blessing. Vanguard has been so much more than a job - it has been a place of spiritual growth, a community of faith, purpose, and lifelong relationships."

"It's been an honor to walk alongside our student-athletes and journey with them through the highs and lows of life while seeking God's Kingdom together," he continued.  "Just as meaningful have been the relationships with my colleagues —brothers and sisters in Christ who have encouraged me, prayed with me, and laughed with me.  The friendships I have made here will stay with me forever. It's rare to find a team of coaches so deeply committed not only to competitive excellence, but to Christ-centered transformation. While I'm excited for what lies ahead, leaving Vanguard is genuinely bittersweet.  I will continue to pray for the Vanguard community and the lives being shaped here for God's glory."
 
The success on the track in seven years has been amazing, but is just a part of what Deryeghiayan has meant to staff and student-athletes during his stint at VU.  Announced as the Associate Head Coach on November 21, 2018, Deryeghiayan soon had the sprint teams moving up the charts in the Golden State Athletic Conference.  Eventually, 36 individuals or sprint-distance relays won a GSAC crown, and many more finished on the podium at the conference meet.  Over the final three years of competition in the GSAC, Coach Deryeghiayan helped the women's team win three GSAC Championships in a row, with the 2022 win being the first VU team track championship in program history.  The sprinting empire was at the peak of its power during those final three years, as the women won almost every sprint event they entered, while the men captured 10 first-place finishes. In what would be his final championship event, Deryeghiayan had a hand in helping Blake Rodriguez reach the podium at the first Pacific West Championships in VU history in the decathlon.  Entering the 2025-26 school year, 19 school records for both indoor and outdoor distances in the sprint category were set under Deryeghiayan's watch, with many more times in the top 10 leaderboard.
 
At the national level, 122 athletes represented VU at the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, with 35 of those competing as an individual or a part of a relay team in a sprint distance.  There have been 25 NAIA All-Americans across multiple distances, with eight of those being in the sprint realm.  To top it off, the women's outdoor 4x400m relay team of Jordyn Burke, Eryn Burke, Elizabeth Betten, and Brooke Dalgity won the outdoor NAIA title in 2024 to end the NAIA era for Vanguard and give Deryeghiayan and company one last NAIA trophy. 
 
For solo accolades, Deryeghiayan won four awards at the national level with the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association as the Assistant Coach of the Year, almost sweeping the West Region in 2023 with wins for the men's indoor season, men's outdoor season, and the women's outdoor season.  He then repeated in the women's category during the 2024 outdoor season
 
There is little doubt that Coach Deryeghiayan molded many Lions to be the best that they could be athletically and academically, as there have been over 100 GSAC and NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 13 CSC Academic All-District honorees, and one NAIA Scholar-Team award during his tenure.  But beyond the track and even beyond the classroom, Deryeghiayan has made an impact on people that can not be quantified with stats.
 
"Words can't describe the amazing gift Johnny has been to our program these past seven seasons," relayed Head Coach Bryan Wilkins.  "Johnny exceeded all expectations with his leadership, coaching expertise, recruiting prowess, passion, integrity, and the many ways he helped us build our strong, Christ-centered team culture. I am forever grateful for everything Johnny has done for our program and the strong bond we have held as fellow coaches aligned with the same values. Johnny has also had a significant impact on the greater Vanguard community with his influence and the broad range of relationships he developed. Johnny will certainly be missed, but I'm excited to see how God continues to use him in this next season of ministry."
 
Before coming to Vanguard, he was the sprint coach at Bonita High School, where he got seven boys and 30 girls to the CIF Finals, with three girls winning a State Championship during his time as coach.  Before he started coaching in 2012, Deryeghiayan competed as a student-athlete at PLNU and eventually qualified for the NAIA Championships in the 100m spring and the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.  He won two Gold Medals at the Pan-Armenian Olympic Games in the 100m and 200m and was named the Fastest Armenian in the World in 2007. He was a part of "The World Team" in the 4x400m during "USA vs the World" in 2008. From 2010-11, he competed under Double Pillar Athletics Track Club coached by Larry Wade. 
 
As accomplished as Deryeghiayan is on the track and as a coach, he is equally as gifted in ministry. He holds two master's degrees in Theology and Christian Ministry as well as Theology and Biblical Studies, and a Doctorate of Ministry Degree from Fuller Seminary. He has been an ordained minister since 2008 and has also served as a Youth and Associate Pastor, NMI Los Angeles District Board Member, and NYI District President.  VU Athletics prays that he guides Glendora Community Church as successfully as he coached the Vanguard sprinters the past seven years.

The new Associate Head Coach will be announced next week.