Hampton 2021

[cuseman4133]

Rashad Devoe's going back to the NESCAC with Amherst. Pirates need a new head coach for the second consecutive year after Lloyd Carter retired after the 2019 season.

Where does this program stand entering Year 6? After all the SportsCenter attention they got before their first ever game, they've been the forgotten Division I team. Zero momentum whatsoever, blown out by every D1 team they've played, and still losing to some D2 and D3 programs. Aris Brown's commitment honestly might have been the biggest piece of news out of the program outside of the SC appearance.

Are they going to play a full D1 schedule now after expecting to under Devoe next year? With Furman's program cut and maybe more changes soon, could they potentially find themselves in the SoCon? The biggest question is if they even have a program for 2021 and even beyond. They're just...there.

[Farfromgeneva]

Now setting aside certain parochial aspects to it, this is a program we should all get behind supporting in lacrosse IMO. Forget these sunbelt or other newer entrants.

[10 10 2]

It kinda stinks that Devoe bailed on Hampton after only one season. I'll be rooting for the Pirates to keep improving.

[SpiritInTheStick]

Not sure if Hampton has a hiring freeze right now, but I hope they can fill the HC position soon. It's going to be a difficult summer to recruit with everything going on, then throw on the time it will take to go through the hiring process once things open up and they may struggle to add to their '21 class and set up their '22 class. Right now according to IL, they have 5 '21 commits (2 of which are Goalies). It does look like they had a solid '20 class built up.

I know it was said that they would be moving to only play D1 teams next year, but after how this season went, any chance they can reconsider and try to get some D2/D3 games on the schedule to try to get some wins?

[old man]

It kinda stinks that Devoe bailed on Hampton after only one season. I'll be rooting for the Pirates to keep improving.

Those around the program know that Devoe didn't bail. Amherst went after him, hard. That man went out over the last year & landed over 20 recruits in the 2020 class to commit. He was engaging anyone he could to help promote the program. Even in the face of Hampton cutting the program budget to <$70,000 for the year, along with <$10,000 to pay an assistant coach, makes it near impossible to effectively execute the job you were sold a year earlier (before any cuts to the program) & an easy decision to move to the NESCAC to support your family.

Unless Hampton finds a duffle bag with at least $150k in it specifically ear marked for the lacrosse program every year going forward-they won't find any real D1 success any time soon. It doesn't matter if they go out to hire Sowell, Harrison, St. Laurent, Myles Jones, Trevor Baptiste, or any other notable African American name in the game-without financial support from the athletic department/school/alumni; it just won't happen.

[FMUBart]

It kinda stinks that Devoe bailed on Hampton after only one season. I'll be rooting for the Pirates to keep improving.

Those around the program know that Devoe didn't bail. Amherst went after him, hard. That man went out over the last year & landed over 20 recruits in the 2020 class to commit. He was engaging anyone he could to help promote the program. Even in the face of Hampton cutting the program budget to <$70,000 for the year, along with <$10,000 to pay an assistant coach, makes it near impossible to effectively execute the job you were sold a year earlier (before any cuts to the program) & an easy decision to move to the NESCAC to support your family.

Unless Hampton finds a duffle bag with at least $150k in it specifically ear marked for the lacrosse program every year going forward-they won't find any real D1 success any time soon. It doesn't matter if they go out to hire Sowell, Harrison, St. Laurent, Myles Jones, Trevor Baptiste, or any other notable African American name in the game-without financial support from the athletic department/school/alumni; it just won't happen.

Don't doubt what you're saying re: lack of a budget/cuts...BUT, to say Amherst went after Devoe "hard" is doubtful. I know of other--more qualified--candidates that politely refused due to the way JT was ousted. Obviously Amherst wanted an African-American given today's PC culture--they also hired a women African-American volleyball coach last month. I'm certain she was qualified, but the optics are pretty clear as to what their MO is/was...