Vanguard Athletics DII Transition

VU Athletics Gains Full DII Membership

(July 10, 2025) – July 10, 2025, has become a momentous day for Vanguard University and the VU Athletic Department. At 8:00 a.m., the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) called to inform Vanguard that it successfully completed year two of its NCAA Division II (DII) provisional membership before granting the department a waiver that allows Vanguard to skip the third year of provisional membership and immediately become a full member in the association. Entering the 2025-26 school year, Vanguard sports that compete under the NCAA are eligible for conference and national playoffs, national rankings, and NCAA awards. Additionally, the department is now a voting member at the DII level for national legislation and has access to resources provided by the NCAA to its members. Read the full announcement.

Vanguard University Athletics Is Approved To Advance To Second Year Of Provisional Membership In The NCAA Division II

(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. Read the full announcement.

NCAA Year Two Advancement Jeff Bussell Quote

Vanguard University has been accepted into the three-year process toward full membership in the NCAA Division II and will become the newest member of the Pacific West (PacWest) Conference.

(July 13, 2023) – With much success over the past five years, including the launch of eight new sports programs; 20 conference regular season championships; 60 national championship appearances, four team national championships, and four individual national championships just in the past decade, Vanguard Athletics looks to the next phase of its storied history, commitment to the student-athlete and program excellence. Read the full announcement.

Why NCAA Division II?
Realignment with Peer Institutions The PacWest Conference provides the opportunity for VU to realign with local peer Christian institutions, including former rivals—Azusa Pacific, Biola, Concordia Irvine, Point Loma Nazarene, and Westmont. VU will join the 11 current member institutions of the PacWest. As a member, VU will compete at a high level while remaining consistent with its longstanding mission and values.	Enhanced Competition The NCAA is the premier college athletics association in the nation. DII student-athletes participate in highly competitive athletics and boast the best access ratio to NCAA championships of any division—all while earning athletics scholarships. With a strong emphasis on game environment and a positive fan experience, Vanguard Athletics is excited to continue making athletics games and events something special for the student-athletes, the student body, and the community.
Community Engagement A key priority of the NCAA DII is commitment to community engagement. Paralleling VU’s longstanding institutional value of “service”—DII programs are expected to actively engage their communities as a way to serve others while strengthening the bond among teammates and fostering personal growth and transformation.	Commitment to the Student NCAA DII allows students to participate in highly competitive athletics with a strong commitment to balancing academics—allowing students to focus on their sport, studies, and career preparation. Because of their eligibility requirements, Division II student-athletes nationwide graduate at rates higher than non-student-athletes.

The three-year transition toward full NCAA DII membership:
YEAR 1: VU will continue as a full member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) for the upcoming 2023-24 season. COMPLETED
YEAR 2: Beginning in 2024-25, VU will compete as a member of the PacWest Conference. During this time, however, VU will not be eligible to participate in the NCAA DII postseason. COMPLETED
YEAR 3: In 2025-26, VU will compete as a member of the PacWest Conference. During this time, however, VU will not be eligible to participate in the NCAA DII postseason. If Vanguard continues to meet expectations, this will be the final year without any national playoff opportunities. WAIVED
FINAL PHASE: VU has met all the expectations and requirements of the NCAA Membership Committee, and after the waiver granted on July 10, the Lions are full members of the NCAA Division II and the PacWest Conference entering the 2025-26 season. COMPLETED