HAMPTON, Va. (August 5, 2025) … First-year head coach Van Malone greeted 101 players as Hampton University began held its first fall football practice at Hampton's Gosnold's Hope Park.
 
Malone enter his first season as head coach of the Pirates after serving as assistant head coach at Kansas State for the past seven years. Hired on Dec. 12, 2025, Malone has been a flurry of activity since accepting the coaching reins. He has revamped the roster and overhauled both the offense and defense.
 
After stretching and conditioning, the offense and defense ran through their drills and received instruction from the coaching staff. The kickers and snappers worked out on another field under the watchful eye of coaches. The highly-organized practice provided the coaching staff their first glimpse of the full 2026 squad. A number of key players missed the spring drills due to injury but are back at full strength.
 
Hampton senior offensive lineman Omari Allen, senior defensive lineman Korede Sogbesan and junior punter Brett Starling were named to the first-team preseason team by the league's coaches, the most Pirate players honored since Hampton joined the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) four seasons ago. The trio was also named first team All-CAA by highly-respected Phil Steele. In addition, Allen was named to the 20-player Stats Perform HBCU National Player of the Year Watch List.
 
The Pirates open the 2026 campaign on Aug. 29 when Hampton hosts Virginia University-Lynchburg at Hampton's Darling Stadium. Hampton's first two home games will be played at Darling Stadium while the turf and track at Armstrong Stadium are being replaced and upgraded.


Hampton's 2026 Football Schedule
8/29- VIRGINIA UNIV.-LYNCHBURG
9/5 - at Maryland
9/12 - BRYANT
9/19 - at Norfolk State
9/26 - CAMPBELL
10/3 - Howard (D.C.)
10/17 - at Sacred Heart
10/24 - MONMOUTH (Homecoming)
10/31 - at Towson
11/7 - at Elon
11/14 - NORTH CAROLINA A&T
11/21 - at Stony Brook