mission and identity. SB 1146 erodes the religious liberty of all California faith-based universities."
== Rankings ==
In 2019, the school was ranked #43 in U.S. News & World Report's Western Regional Colleges ranking, and was named by The Princeton Review as one of its 124 "Best Western" Colleges.
== Athletics ==
The Vanguard athletic teams are called the Lions. The university is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) for most of its sports starting with the 2024–25 academic year. The university was formerly a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC).
Vanguard competes in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track & field, volleyball and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, dance, golf, soccer, sideline dance, …
