Game Changers
Your support is transforming Regent’s athletic future.
Seven years ago, Regent University entered the arena of intercollegiate sports competition with men’s and women’s track & field. Since 2017, the number of Royals teams has expanded to also include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s volleyball.
In March, Regent’s athletics program took a giant leap forward when the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved the university’s application for an exploratory year of membership in Division III. The initial phase of participation began on September 1 and lasts throughout the 2024–2025 academic year.
Through the generous support of Regent donors, the university plans to add six more sports programs over the next few years. In October, Regent announced the addition of men’s baseball beginning in the 2025–26 season. Future student-athletes will soon compete in softball, golf and tennis, as well.
Michael W. Allen Director of Athletics
“We know there’s much work to be done. However, we’re excited to walk down this God-ordained path,” says the university’s Director of Athletics, Michael Allen. “Together, we’ll continue moving the needle for God’s glory.”
If all goes well during the exploratory year, Regent can apply for a three-year provisional membership. If the university meets crucial educational and operational benchmarks that align with Division III philosophy during those 36 months, the Royals will become full members of the NCAA.
“The competition a student-athlete faces at the collegiate level is intense,” Allen explains. “It not only requires commitment from every team member, but also from the entire university.”
He believes the keys to the university’s current and future athletic success are hard work and dedication, support from administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, and the generosity of faithful university donors. As part of “The Royal Way,” Allen urges every team member to seek Regent’s core values: excellence, innovation, and integrity.
“We have embraced those principles and established ourselves as a world-renowned university in all areas except one—our athletic and fitness facilities,” Allen says. “We believe it’s time to invest in this part of Regent’s future. Your donations will help set the trajectory of this university. Not only do they help our current students–your support impacts people in our entire community and around the world.”
TOGETHER, WE RISE
Regent announces a historic campus expansion to usher in an exciting new era of growth.
On Friday, September 20th, hundreds of Regent University students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends gathered on campus for the school’s first annual RoyalsFest. This inaugural fall festival not only celebrated Regent student-athletes and their ten intercollegiate sports teams, but the exciting event also served as the launch pad to announce one of the most ambitious and inspiring campaigns in Regent’s history.
After a welcome message from Executive Vice President for Advancement & Enrollment Claire Foster and an opening prayer by Executive Vice President for Student Life Joseph Umidi, Regent University Chancellor Gordon Robertson stepped to the podium for the first “big reveal” of the evening.
for a new Athletic & Fitness Center … and we need to have a capital campaign to raise $50 million.’” He continued, “Today, I'm pleased to say we have $43 million now.”
“When you build a university for God’s glory, you must have athletic facilities. So, let’s be fully persuaded that He who has promised is able (Romans 4:21). Let’s move forward. Let’s keep driving down the field.”
Chancellor Gordon Robertson
“When I became chancellor a little more than a year ago,” Robertson began, “the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Phil Walker, and I had a wonderful phone call. He said, ‘Gordon, we have plans
Robertson is confident that with the help of generous friends like you, the university can hit that $50-million mark by the close of Regent’s fiscal year in June. He went on to proclaim, “All praise and glory and honor to God! … What an amazing facility it will be. The plan is to break ground in June, and I've been told it's roughly 18 months to completion.”
As part of this strategic campus expansion, 31 acres of land will be cleared and graded to prepare facilities for baseball, softball, tennis, soccer, outdoor track & field, and build a state-of-the-art NCAA arena for basketball, volleyball, and indoor recreation. The Athletic & Fitness Center is intended for use by all students as a place to gather, enhance school spirit, and pursue fitness goals.
But the new sports complex will do more than just support and elevate the Regent Royals athletics program. The impact of the new facilities will extend to the entire Regent community by serving local area schools, churches, and organizations, introducing thousands of new people to the university every year.
After Robertson finished his announcement with prayer, a special video from NBA player Jonathan Isaac unveiled a unique partnership between Regent and his Christian, sports-apparel brand UNITUS. Isaac, known across the sports world for his bold, unapologetic faith in Jesus Christ, shared how honored and excited he was to stand with Regent.
“Thank you guys so much for being a part of this. I’m so excited and have big dreams about where this can possibly go,” he told the crowd. “The whole idea is encouraging believers to stand up for what we believe in and be proud and confident about who we are in Christ.”
The third big announcement of the event, made by Regent’s Director of Athletics Michael Allen, introduced the Regent Royals’ new mascot. Months of discussion, design, and even focus-group testing all led up to this highly anticipated moment at RoyalsFest.
“Rex the Royal,” a white horse with a silver mane, wearing a #77 Regent jersey, made his dramatic and historic entrance to blasts of confetti cannons, music, dancing, and thunderous applause from the enthusiastic crowd gathered on the Communication’s Plaza. The university’s first-ever official mascot is the embodiment of the spirit of Regent Athletics and a catalyst for engaging members of the local community.
Following these exciting announcements, “Regent Royals” fans and their families enjoyed a delightful evening of activities that included a chili cook-off, inter-squad soccer scrimmage, food trucks, music, inflatables, giveaways, a special UnChapel, and more. Alumni also attended an exclusive reception on the patio of the Dede Robertson Student Center, where they learned further details on the expansion and had the opportunity to take photos with Rex.
Many of the students attending RoyalsFest will witness the construction of the Athletic & Fitness Center while at Regent. They recognize the significance of the announcement and the “Royals Rise” campaign.
“Things seem to be moving quickly,” noted Jonah Harvey (CAS ’25). “To hear how far along we are in the fundraising for the facilities–it really boosted the morale amongst the studentathletes to see how far we've come in such a short time. The vibe on campus is very positive and the reveal of ‘Rex the Royal’ was an extra bonus.”
campaign reflects the spirit, mission, and legacy of university’s founder, Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson.
“To hear how far along we are in the fundraising for the facilities–it really boosted the morale amongst the student-athletes to see how far we’ve come in such a short time.”
Harvey (CAS ’25)
After the fun and festivities of RoyalsFest ended, the “buzz” created by the revelation of a new Regent Athletic & Fitness Center was still resonating across campus. Many in attendance expressed their excitement and support for the unprecedented, campus-construction effort.
The 2023 Alumnus of the Year, George Thomas (SCA ’93), who attended RoyalsFest with his son and fellow Regent alum Gabriel (CAS ’23), believes that Regent’s “Royal Rise”
“This sports complex will undoubtedly elevate Regent University, as it seeks to advance its mission and vision through the athletics programs,” he told IMPACT. “I eagerly await the groundbreaking of this new venture and congratulate Regent on launching this exciting campaign. Go, Royals!”
Tanya White (CAS ’11), the Hampton Roads Alumni Chapter Leader, agrees that now is the right time to build. She encourages everyone associated with Regent University to support the capital campaign.
“It will ensure students have the necessary facilities, equipment, and knowledge to become world changers who serve God and His people everywhere,” White says. “We must all feel good about giving our time, talents, and resources to enrich the lives of others. That should be our purpose; that should be our mission.”
Jonah
Athletic & Fitness Center, Front Elevation
Building the new sports complex will require a significant investment from friends inside and outside Regent. The goal of “Royals Rise: The Campaign for Regent” is to raise the funds needed to write the next chapter of the university’s future.
“God has a plan, doesn’t He? And when He says, ‘Build a school from My glory,’ He means it,” Robertson insists. “At Regent, sports and faith are well-connected by a pursuit of excellence. Soon, our campus will be home to a state-of-the-art athletic arena roaring with the thrill of competition and victory.”
Regent University’s Athletic & Fitness Center will become a reality only with the support of faithful and generous donors, like you. When completed, the new facilities will not only benefit current students, but they’re also expected to have a significant impact on enrollment growth.
“A lot of students are highly interested in athletics, and we’re losing them to other colleges,” Robertson admits. “It’s part of the university experience. So with the athletic center, that reason not to come to Regent is gone.”
Michael Allen considers the “Royals Rise” campaign a literal “game-changer” for the university. He says this capital campaign is crucial to the future of Regent Athletics:
“We’re being led into a new season. Adding these on-campus facilities is a necessary and critical step for Regent’s athletic program to grow and thrive. … If someone believes in this vision and is willing to invest in it by putting their hard-earned money towards what the university is doing, we don’t take that lightly.”
“Let’s build this. Let’s do it,” Robertson insists. “When you build a university for God’s glory, you must have athletic facilities. So, let’s be fully persuaded that He who has promised is able (Romans 4:21). Let’s move forward. Let’s keep driving down the field.”
Soccer Stadium and Bleachers
Athletic Plaza
Baseball and Softball Fields
Overhead View
THE ROYAL WAY
How
your support helps fuel the leadership and character growth of Regent Royals student-athletes.
Regent’s athletics program is one of the many things that sets the university apart from other institutions of higher learning. The university’s transformational approach to athletic competition equips student-athletes to be winners, first and foremost, in Christian character.
“The Royal Way” is a motto that reflects a deep commitment to embracing the university’s core values of excellence, innovation, and integrity in everything Regent does. Royals lead by example, inspire through action, and uphold their values with conviction.
To help cultivate these core values in the hearts and lives of students, every athlete receives a copy of “The Royal Way: Cultivating Leadership and Character Growth in Student Athletes.” This valuable handbook outlines a 34-week curriculum on how Regent Royals are called
to impact culture, on campus and in the community, for God’s glory.
The handbook teaches student-athletes that being a Regent Royal is about much more than achieving success in competition and in the classroom; it’s about setting a standard for others to follow. “The Royal Way” is also about showing their classmates, their communities, and future generations what it means to live with purpose and passion.
When you support Regent athletics with your prayers and financial gifts, you play a powerful role in advancing “The Royal Way.” Your tax-deductible donation today can help prepare students to lead and inspire others to change the world for God’s glory. Thank you!
We’re Rising to New Heights!
THE CAMPAIGN FOR REGENT
“Royals Rise” is the most exciting and aspirational capital campaign in the university’s history. That’s why we need your help. Your faithful prayers and generous financial support are crucial to writing the next chapter of Regent’s God-ordained story.
Together, we can rise to new heights for God’s glory! Visit regent.edu/supportroyalsrise to make your best tax-deductible gift today.
TRAINING TOMORROW’S LEADERS TODAY
Discover how your generosity is transforming the lives of student-athletes to build leaders for God’s glory.
As Regent Royals competing on one of ten intercollegiate sports teams, student-athletes can grow athletically, academically, spiritually and socially. But the ultimate goal for every Regent Royal is to win “a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:25, NIV), while fulfilling the university’s mission to train Christian leaders to change the world.
The new Athletic & Fitness Center is expected to have next-level impact on the university’s sports program. Through your financial support and advocacy for this unprecedented project, student-athletes will soon have direct access to NCAA-certified fields, courts, and a fitness center that will empower them to train and compete at a much higher level than ever before.
IMPACT recently interviewed three current Regent Royals to find out what the sports complex will mean to them and their teammates.
A senior on the women’s soccer team, Oghosasse Osadiaye is a Law & National Security major who plans to pursue a career in law enforcement. Originally from Michigan, she says being a student-athlete at Regent has helped her become a better Christian leader.
Oghosasse Osadiaye (CAS ’25)
“With your donations, you create a sense of community and bonding that allows students to come together. This school is the place for students to become the best Christian leaders in the world.”
“It puts me in situations where I am tested,” Oghosasse says. “After a tough game, it reminds me to keep Christ first and that we are there for Him—no matter the outcome.”
She admits the lack of an on-campus training center and limited field space is challenging for her and her teammates. As a transfer student who competed for one
year at her previous school, Oghosasse understands the importance of having on-site facilities.
“Since there’s only one field on Regent’s campus, it only allows a brief period for practice because other teams need to use it as well,” she explains. “Some days, I must drive 20 minutes each way so we can practice on turf. It cuts into my time when I could be studying and doing homework.”
Merit-based scholarships, funded by friends like you, reduce the financial stress that Oghosasse and her family face to pay for college. Your generous support helps alleviate the burden of student debt for Oghosasse and other deserving Regent students. Oghosasse is grateful to the donors who are making her education and the new Athletic & Fitness Center possible.
“I would like to say thank you,” she adds. “With your donations, you create a sense of community and bonding that allows students to come together. This school is the place for students to become the best Christian leaders in the world.”
A six-foot, three-inch guard from Rochester, New York, Joshua Vogt is entering his junior season as a Regent Royal. Josh had two priorities coming out of high school: He wanted to find a university that put God first, and he had a desire to play basketball at the collegiate level.
“My prayer was to find a college where I could pursue both academics and athletics, while making certain to keep God at the center,” he recalls. “Regent answered my prayer!”
Josh is majoring in accounting; however he’s not yet sure if he’ll pursue a career in corporate finance or
Joshua Vogt (CAS ’26)
“Your support is answering so many prayers by our athletes, coaches, students, faculty, and community. Thank you so much for your generosity!”
professional basketball. But as a Regent Royal, Josh fully understands that his role and responsibilities extend far beyond the basketball court.
“I’m called to be a leader on my team and to help the team change and grow to be successful,” he explains. “In the same way, in the world, I’m called to be a leader on God’s team… to go into the world, be a voice, and create change that God wants to see.”
Josh admits that lack of adequate on-campus facilities for training and practice is a “major struggle.” He says the weight room in student housing isn’t big enough to accommodate the entire team, so he often drives to a nearby “Y” to work out and to a local gym for team practice.
“With on-campus facilities, the program will take a massive leap forward in every aspect,” Josh insists. “Your support is answering so many prayers by our athletes, coaches, students, faculty, and community. Thank you so much for your generosity!”
Eliana Winn started playing volleyball in the sixth grade and continued through high school. She wasn’t sure about competing in college, until a surprise tryout at a Regent Preview Weekend in the Spring of her senior year.
“I met the volleyball coach and told her I’d love to play at some point,” Eliana recalls. “She said, ‘We’re having a tryout tomorrow. You're welcome to come.’ So, I borrowed some spandex shorts and knee pads. … I did really well for not having touched a volleyball in a while.”
Eliana Winn (CAS ’26)
“Donors, like you, who give to this historic capital campaign will help build a legacy to bless the entire Regent community.”
Today, the five-foot, ten-inch junior plays “middle” for the Regent Royals women’s volleyball team. But like most of her fellow student-athletes, she makes big sacrifices to play an intercollegiate sport.
“We practice at a local Christian school most of the time, and it takes us about 30 minutes both ways, depending on traffic,” Eliana explains. “So altogether, it’s like four to
five hours of practice and commuting time, which takes up a lot of our day. That’s difficult as far as homework and having good nutritional habits.”
She thinks building the Athletic & Fitness Center is vital to the university’s long-term growth and success. Eliana adds that donors, like you, who give to this historic capital campaign will help build a legacy to bless the entire Regent community.
“They’re expanding a program that is nourishing every student’s whole person: their body, mind, and spirit. Donors are sending Christian athletes out into the world who understand how servant leadership works. By giving to the Athletic & Fitness Center, they’re building leaders to change the world.”
Your faithful prayers and sacrificial giving make a life-changing impact—not just on Royals student-athletes, but the entire Regent community. Thank you for being the answer to the university’s prayers for provision and support.
Entrance Lobby
Fulfilling a Vision
A faithful, longtime Regent friend and donor shares why now is the time to build.
As a brilliant and successful businessman, Danny Sellers knows a lot about making wise, timely decisions. That’s why he believes the time to build Regent University’s new Athletic & Fitness Center is now.
“This sports facility was the idea of the school’s visionary founder, Dr. M.G. ‘Pat’ Robertson,” Sellers explains. “We talked about it for a few years before his passing, and I think it’s time to complete his vision.”
As the chairman of the fundraising committee, Sellers has been tasked with leading the charge to raise the $50 million needed for the university’s historic “Royals Rise” capital campaign. He’s confident that through prayer, trusting God, and the help of generous donors, Regent will reach its goal.
Regent’s motto, “Christian Leadership to Change the World,” is not just a slogan to Sellers. He believes it’s a calling that he’s committed to help fulfill, while inspiring others to do the same.
“People should take great pride in the fact that the university is expanding,” Sellers insists. “If I were a student at Regent right now, I would look very favorably on the fact that the university is taking steps to build—not just athletically, but academically, too.”
Sellers Regent University Board of Trustees
“I think we can get there. I feel really good about it,” Sellers says. “With this center, we have an opportunity to enhance and grow our undergraduate program substantially by bringing in more students. To me, this kind of facility is a key ingredient of the college experience.”
Sellers has been a generous and faithful Regent benefactor for more than 25 years. He’s a current member of the university’s Board of Trustees and served as chairman from 2011 to 2015. In 2016, Regent recognized Sellers’ humility, charity, and service by honoring him as an inaugural member of the university’s prestigious “Society of the Crown and Shield.”
“I think the timing is impeccable to support this project,” Sellers adds. “I hope we raise more than what’s needed and have enough to finance other construction projects. I'm going to watch God do something miraculous. It’s His university. I'm excited to see how it unfolds.”
Danny
Regent University Founder Dr. M.G. “Pat” Roberston
We Are A Royal Priesthood
Chancellor Gordon Robertson explains what it means to be a Regent Royal.
The decision to brand our university’s athletics program as the “Regent Royals” was made with great intention and purpose. The name is rooted in 1 Peter 2:9, “(Y)ou are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (NKJV).
Whether or not a student competes in an intercollegiate sport, he or she is a Regent Royal. Every believer should consider themselves part of His priesthood. It was infused into our spiritual DNA the moment we accepted Christ.
As His children, we're called to holiness and need to be mindful of our conduct. Peter writes about the need for our words and deeds to be honorable among the nations (v. 12). Everything we do must be done for the glory of the Lord.
“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)
We must never forget that Jesus paid for us with His precious blood. The cross purchased us and transformed us into a holy nation. We’re no longer strangers. Each one of us who calls Him savior has been ransomed into the royal family of God. We are “His own special people.”
Because he has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light, we need to shine as the chosen generation He proclaims us to be. What better way to express that than to say, “We’re Regent Royals”?
The concept that believers are God’s “royalty” is front and center in the mission of Regent University. As Christian servant-leaders equipped to change the world, our students and alumni are called to make an eternal impact by carrying the light of Jesus to the darkest places on Earth.
Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are a royal priesthood unto Him. So, let us “proclaim the praises of Him” and give God glory in everything we do.
THANK YOU!
The Thanksgiving season reminds us of God’s abundant blessings. Regent University’s biggest blessing is friends like YOU! Your generosity makes it possible to continue training Christian leaders to change the world for His glory.
In 1 Thessalonians 3:9 (NIV), the apostle Paul wrote, “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have ... because of you?” We are truly grateful for your friendship and support.