A season of change
Hampton University’s football team endured a bruising 2025 campaign, finishing 2-10 overall and going winless in conference play. Six straight losses capped a year that saw the Pirates drop from a once‑proud tradition to the bottom of the Coastal Athletic Association standings.
The new era
In December 2025 the program announced Van Malone as its new head coach. With more than two decades of coaching experience, including a stint at Kansas State where he helped secure five bowl victories, Malone brings a proven track record of turning programs around. He replaces Trent Boykin, who departed after a tenure marked by both promise and inconsistency.
A roster reshaped
Malone inherits a squad that returns seven offensive starters and four defensive starters, but the roster has been bolstered by six new recruits and seven transfers. The coaching staff hopes the blend of experience and fresh talent will translate into more consistent performances on both sides of the ball.
Looking ahead
The Pirates open the 2026 season at home against Virginia University of Lynchburg on August 29, then embark on a CAA schedule that includes matchups with Bryant, Norfolk State, Campbell, Howard, Sacred Heart, Monmouth, Towson, Elon, and North Carolina A&T. Despite being projected last in the preseason poll, the team boasts several preseason All‑CAA selections, including Harold O’Neal III, Will Hicks, Omari Allen, Korede Sogbesan, and Brett Starling. The program’s storied past — 14 CIAA championships and seven Black college national titles — offers a backdrop of ambition, as the team aims to contend for its first conference crown in two decades under Malone’s guidance.