Banner images courtesy of Rebekah Dunfee
Patrick Henry College hosted the Virginia Valley Vipers, a professional basketball team. The Vipers are Virginia's first and only team in The Basketball League (TBL). During the twenty-four-game season, PHC hosted the Vipers for their twelve home games, which ended this past May.
Rebekah Dunfee is an Economics & Business Analytics sophomore. This semester, she worked for the Vipers as a marketing intern. As part of her internship, Dunfee gets to do a mixture of communications, media, and events work for the team. "Tina's a rockstar," said Dunfee as she stuck some floor graphics on the court for an upcoming game. Tina Culbreath is one of the Vipers' three owners, along with her husband, Rodney Culbreath, and son, Rze Culbreath. Tina Culbreath is encouraging, respectful, and very hardworking, says Dunfee. She's a great role model. .jpg?width=275&height=392&name=7N6A8775%20(1).jpg)
Dunfee was impressed by how well the Vipers' marketing team set up each game. "We have chapel here every single week," she said, talking about the gym. "I was like, 'There's no way they're going to make it feel like a professional gymnasium, right?' But they did!" Dunfee says that interning with the Vipers was a valuable opportunity for her to practice her skills.
The Vipers were previously based in Winchester, Virginia, at Shenandoah University's athletic center. In 2025, they moved to PHC's Barbara Hodel Center gymnasium in Purcellville.
As a Christian college best known for its success in speech and debate, PHC provided a unique atmosphere for basketball fans. A review of the Vipers at Stadium Journey noted: "The Patrick Henry moot court college championship banners hanging in the rafters are unique enough to earn an extra star here." The review also mentioned how the Vipers' mascot, Venom, would interact with fans before the games.
The Vipers team and staff seek to make a positive impact on the local Purcellville community. "They partner with an organization that seeks to pair young men with
responsible mentors," said rising senior Isaac Bedrosian. "They really promote that organization, and they have also partnered with youth sports programs and the Loudoun Special Olympics."
Photos are credited to Cassandra Lynn Photography.
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Patrick Henry College challenges the unacceptable status quo in higher education by combining the academic strength and commitment to biblical principles that elite institutions have lost; a commitment to high academic rigor, fidelity to the spirit of the American founding, and an unwavering biblical worldview.
