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Hampton University made a big move earlier this week, removing the interim title from Trent Boykin and officially naming him the head coach of the football team. The move came as the Pirates prepared to faceoff against fellow CAA HBCU program North Carolina A&T during their homecoming festivities. Hampton ultimately won 59-17.
In a statement released by the athletics department, Boykin said, “It is a tremendous honor to lead the Hampton program into the future. I consider it a privilege to serve as head coach for a great, tradition-rich program. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to continue leading this team.”
Hampton University athletic director Anthony D. Henderson Sr. spoke about the full-time hire of Boykin, saying,
“I have known Trent since we both worked at the University of Akron, and I knew he had the skills, aptitude, and expertise to lead our young men into a new era of success. He was the natural choice to lead this team as we worked through the transition in leadership this spring. Trent has been on our staff since 2020 and has earned the respect and admiration of his players and coaches. After serving as interim head coach for the first half of the season, I've been impressed with his ability to relate to his players and bring out the best in them. His coaching acumen and ability to unify the team are impressive. Therefore, we are officially naming Coach Boykin head coach of the Pirates.”
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Boykin was elevated to the position of interim head coach for the program following the departure of former head coach Robert Prunty. Prunty had been the coach of Hampton since 2018, succeeding Connell Maynor. He led Hampton through their transition from the MEAC to the Big South and then the Coastal Athletic Association. Since their conference realignment, Hampton has shown competitiveness by winning their HBCU matchups and holding their own in Big South and CAA games. However, they have struggled to achieve consistent success.
Boykin served as running back coach and special teams coach under Prunty and had been with the Pirates since 2020. In Boykins's tenure, Hampton developed and maintained a proficient ground attack. In 2023, Hampton averaged a CAA-best 216.4 rushing yards per game. The running back room for the Pirates was also elite. Elijah Burris rushed for 803 yards (114.7 yards per game) with eight touchdowns in seven games, while Darran Burris added 670 yards (74.4 ypg) and four touchdowns.
Following their huge win over North Carolina A&T, Hampton sits at 4-3. They secured victories over Virginia Union, Norfolk State, and Howard and nearly upset #25 ranked Rhode Island in a 46-44 shootout. Now, the Pirates look to build on the success of their early season slate of games and close out strong as they enter CAA conference play.
Hampton will celebrate homecoming as they face Elon on October 26th at 2 PM EST. The game will be streamed on FloSports.
