VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (WTKR)- Hampton Roads boasts a handful of strong college athletic programs. Regent wants to get its name out there and be mentioned in the conversation.
Michael Allen took over as the Royals' Director of Athletics on July 1 and immediately got to work. He's been working to build relationships in the community and has put a strategic plan in place with his staff to work towards future growth of the department. Getting the Regent name out there has also been one of his major focuses.
"Regent University has intercollegiate athletics," Allen said of getting the school some more visibility. "We're in year seven right now this fall and just a lot of excitement, a lot of growth opportunity here and that was the main reason why I was attracted to come here at Regent."
The Royals offer eleven varsity sports: men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and outdoor track. With the programs off and running, Allen now looks to grow the Regent brand.
"Just growing Royal Nation," said Allen of his vision. "Just making it well-known to, not just locally, but regionally and nationally that Regent University is an up and coming athletic department. We're serious about it, we're going to embrace our core values of excellence, innovation and integrity and we're just excited to see what God going to bring to us here in the next five to ten years."
When Allen arrived at Regent, he noticed how teams didn't have a true home field or court. He and the Royals developed partnerships with a local church, rec center and high school to give the student-athletes some consistency, but that's only step one.
"Step two is we need to get some facilities here on campus," the athletic director noted. "We're having those discussions at the high level of how can we do that, how can we do that quickly and affordably so we're moving. It's not quite as fast as I would like, but at the end of the day, people are listening and they are willing to have those discussions of how we can move the needle."
Allen hails from Terre Haute, Indiana, where he grew up in an athletic family. A graduate of Chowan, he spent six years coaching at the college ranks before moving to Norfolk. He would serve as Norfolk Christian's athletic director for 15 years, double up as boys basketball coach for 12 of those years. His resume also includes five years as the athletic director at The Apprentice School.
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