Hampton University has fired head football Coach Trent Boykin after just one full season at the helm. The decision came one day after Boykin's Pirates football team lost to CAA rival Rhode Island, 38-10, a defeat that left Hampton with a final season record of 2-10 and near the bottom of the CAA standings.
University President Anthony Hinton Sr. confirmed the firing, releasing a statement on Sunday.
“It is always difficult to make changes, particularly when it involves dedicated professionals and student-athletes,” Henderson stated. “Our commitment remains unwavering to ensuring Hampton football achieves the highest standards of excellence on and off the field. We want to thank Coach Boykin for his dedication and leadership and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Boykin was originally elevated to the position of interim head coach following the departure of longtime head coach Robert Prunty, who had led the Pirates since 2018. Boykin had his interim tag removed and was officially announced as the full head coach in October 2024, a promotion that followed Hampton’s decisive 59-17 victory over North Carolina A&T during their homecoming game last season.
Prunty, whom Boykin succeeded, led Hampton through their significant transitions from the MEAC to the Big South and then to the CAA during his tenure. However, the program was unable to find sustained success in these new conferences. Although Hampton often performed well against their traditional HBCU rivals, they consistently struggled against non-HBCU conference opponents in the Big South and CAA, which ultimately led to Prunty's firing.
Hampton has now opted to go a separate way, dismissing Boykin after one full season and putting the program in position for another coaching search.
