COSTA MESA -- Vanguard University Athletics has partnered with Athletes Thread, a leading provider of officially licensed Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) merchandise and trading cards, giving VU student-athletes a new way to represent their name and their university at the same time.
 
Through the partnership, Vanguard student-athletes can offer officially licensed apparel, jerseys, and trading cards featuring their own name alongside Vanguard branding — products that let fans support a specific athlete, not just the team. Whether it's a jersey with a favorite player's name on the back or a trading card commemorating a standout season, every purchase directly benefits the athlete featured.  Check the link to the store in this article, as student-athletes will be adding their customizable items over the coming weeks.
 
"We believe every one of our student-athletes has been given unique gifts, and part of our calling as a university is to help them steward those gifts well on and off the field," said VU Athletics Director Jeff Bussell.  "We are excited to partner with Athletes Thread to create a meaningful opportunity for our student-athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness while proudly representing Vanguard University. Our Lions have worked incredibly hard to represent the Lord and the Vanguard Athletics brand, and this partnership gives them another way to share their journey directly with the people who support them. We love that fans can now celebrate their favorite Lions with officially licensed apparel and trading cards while directly supporting the student-athletes they cheer for. This partnership allows our student-athletes to benefit from their name and their story while representing this university with the character and purpose we hope will define them long after they have worn the Lions' uniform."

Athletes Thread works with more than 415 colleges and universities nationwide, supporting over 50,000 student-athletes with custom apparel, jerseys, trading cards, and personalized designs — all officially licensed and athlete-approved.

"What we love about working with schools like Vanguard is how direct the model is," said Karthik Shanadi, CEO of Athletes Thread. "An athlete's storefront goes live, their supporters buy the products, and the athlete earns from it. We're glad to bring that to Costa Mesa and put Lions gear in fans' hands."
The trading card component gives Vanguard supporters something to hold onto — a collectible record of Lions athletes and teams that fans can build on season after season.
 
The partnership adds to Vanguard Athletics' ongoing work to create tangible, lasting benefits for its student-athletes throughout their careers as Lions.