The Vision & Value of Regent Royals

In a recent interview, Dr. Samuel Botta, athletic director for Regent University’s Athletic Department, shared the value of the Athletics Program and where it’s heading. Botta has served in his role since 2018. Before Regent, he was heavily involved with athletics at several East Coast schools, including Greenbrier Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Virginia, wherein he guided his teams to the Virginia State Tournament for the first time in school history, then to the state semifinal in his second year.  

Athletic Department History & Advancements  

In 2016, Regent introduced the Athletic Department and welcomed its first athletic director and competitive track and field team. Since then, basketball, volleyball, soccer and cross country have been added to the department.  

Over the past six years, Regent’s athletic department has experienced many advancements, including improved structure, coaching and professional relationships. Regent Royals Athletics joined the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) in 2019, which has led to building sports relationships with other universities. Expectations for the Regent Royals have also grown as teams continue to progress and play more challenging opponents. Botta believes the key is going “slow and steady.” He wants to continually pursue excellence in the Athletic Program for the glory of God.   

Athletic Department Vision   

Eventually, Botta says he would love Regent’s Athletic Program to compete at the highest championship level. In the meantime, he and his coaches and staff are working to instill in student-athletes strong leadership skills and a passion for serving with godly character.  

Botta is cultivating leadership skills in his athletes that can be applied to every area of their life through practices, weekly devotionals and games. 

He is famously known for his motto, “Winning with Character,” which pushes all athletes to play hard while reflecting Christian morals.   

Another dream Botta has for Regent athletics is building a sports complex. The goal for the facility is to create a space for Regent sports teams and students to work out, practice and compete. An architectural rendering for the building has been developed as leadership prayerfully builds a vision and seeks God’s timing to begin the structure.   

To help further these goals, Regent’s Athletic Department recently hired Patrick Dillon as the sports information director. He serves as Botta’s right hand, taking extra tasks off his plate, like submitting statistics to the NCCAA. Botta noted that Dillon has already helped the department advance in several areas, including its online and social media presence: “His efforts have put Regent on the map and in communication with other schools in their conference.”  

Athletic Department Value   

Botta stated that the games provide great opportunities for students to gather and cheer each other on. The programs also encourage students to pursue athletic accomplishment alongside academic excellence. The athletes love it when students come to games or share their highlights on social media, so make sure to support our Regent Royals athletes!   

Thank you to Dr. Botta and Patrick Dillon for working diligently to improve the Regent Royals Program! You can find more information at regentroyals.com and @regentroyals.