Regent University Getting Serious About Sports to ‘Invest in the Next Generation of Leaders’

For nearly 50 years, Regent University, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been committed to training young people to succeed in their professions, ministries, and communities. Now, it seeks to add modern athletic facilities to further enrich their collegiate experience.

Hundreds of people recently gathered at the Founders Inn Hotel next to Regent’s Campus, not only to hear from legendary athlete Tim Tebow but to see the plans to build a $50 million state-of-the-art athletic center on campus to take the Regent Royals athletics program to a whole new level.

Director of Athletics Michael Allen told CBN News it’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of this process. 

“Our founder, Dr. Robertson, was just so intentional on wanting to do this, to see this athletic department grow and have these facilities on campus. So, to be a part of making this come to reality is just a blessing,” Allen said. 

The Regent Royals currently compete in 11 varsity sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, track, volleyball, and soccer.

“Next year, we’re starting beach volleyball for women and baseball in the spring. And then the following year we’re bringing softball, and then two years from now, men’s and women’s tennis. So, we’re growing and just really trying to fulfill that vision,” Allen said.

Regent University Chancellor Gordon Robertson called the new athletic center a “game changer,” not just for Regent but the entire community. 

“It absolutely will be an incredible benefit for every high school and certainly an incredible benefit as we look to grow our undergraduate on-campus university from two thousand to four thousand over the next five years,” Robertson said. 

Those attending this special fundraising event also heard an inspiring message from former professional athlete Tim Tebow. 

“So tonight, hopefully we’re not here because hey, we get to build a stadium for a game. No, it’s we get to create and invest in the next generation of leaders that are going to influence the world, and hopefully it’s not going to end at the world but ripples into eternity into heaven,” Tebow said.

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Olympic hopeful Marelly Balentina, from the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, got her start at Regent in a number of sports, including the javelin. 

“I actually have seven records here on the track and field team at Regent. Yes, that is something that I would love, to compete at the Olympic Games in 2028 for my country specifically. I would definitely need to better my current record and I’m kind of like maybe six to eight meters away from that record,” Balentina said.

And for student athlete Ernest Park from Arkansas, a member of the Regent Royals track team, this expansion means a lot. 

“Seeing all these people who’ve come out to really put Regent on the map, they’re donating, they’re doing all this good stuff for us, and it means a lot,” Park said.

The new athletic center should be completed in about two years.