Eagles Athletics Celebrates 50 years of TBC

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Trinity Baptist College (1974-2024), I reflect with gratitude on how TBC Eagles Athletics has enriched the college’s legacy and mission.

Founded as a ministry of Trinity Baptist Church, TBC has always been committed to training future pastors, missionaries, and educators. In recent years, academics have expanded to include a variety of programs of study. In similar fashion, TBC Athletics have expanded over the past five decades to provide various competitive opportunities for student athletes to develop their skills.

In 1980, then-President Dr. Charles Davis, fondly known as the “Father of TBC Athletics,” introduced the college’s first athletic program. Since then, sports have become an essential part of our students’ experience, fostering community, growth, and excellence.

The journey began with Men’s Basketball.

The program thrived under the leadership of Coach Tom Messer (now Chancellor of TBC). At that time, he was a young assistant pastor with a vision for TBC. Coach Messer’s commitment to his players and his winning record (119-114 .541) set a standard of excellence and paved the way for future growth. Under his leadership, TBC Basketball experienced numerous successful seasons and championships, establishing the Eagles as a competitive and respected program.

The 1995 arrival of Coach Patrick J. Milligan marked the next major chapter.

For more than two decades, he not only led the basketball program but expanded TBC’s athletic offerings. He launched new sports programs, and founded the Bible College National Invitational Basketball Tournament. TBC Eagles athletes went on to win this tournament seven times, a testament to our teams’ dedication and skill. For his leadership and impact, Milligan was honored as the first inductee into the newly established TBC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. To date, the TBC Eagles Hall of Fame includes 17 individuals and 5 teams.

In 2011, under President Mac Heavener’s leadership, Eagles Athletics entered a new era as part of the NCCAA.

It was at this point in time when I was hired as TBC’s new AD to lead the transition. Since then, we’ve expanded to seven sports programs which include women’s basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball, and men’s basketball, soccer, and baseball. The TBC Eagles have celebrated 7 regional titles as well as an NCCAA national championship in Men’s Soccer in 2015. This fall, a total of 165 student athletes are enrolled at Trinity Baptist College.

Throughout the decades, the core TBC Eagles Athletics mission has remained constant: that students will grow in faith, academics, and self-discovery, while they learn to experience God in the competition. Win or lose, our post-game prayer is centered on our athletic motto ‘Non Nobis Domine’ which is based on Ps. 115 – “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name be the glory.”   

Today, TBC Athletic Alumni are serving Christ around the world as pastors, missionaries, teachers, coaches, business leaders and more, just as our founders envisioned. With gratitude in our hearts, we humbly celebrate 50 years of faith, athletic achievement, and kingdom impact. Go Eagles! Non Nobis Domine.