Orange County’s Vanguard University Bound for NCAA Division II

An artist's rendering of the Freed Center, which is under construction at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif. Courtesy of Vanguard University

Word that Vanguard University has received approval to begin the process of becoming a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division II member has created a good deal of excitement on the school’s Costa Mesa, California, campus.

Long a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) member, Vanguard has enjoyed plenty of athletic success, particularly in recent years. The move to NCAA Division II is expected to be complete come the 2026–27 academic year.