Reginald Mitchell is entering his eighth year as head golf coach, on top of his duties as an assistant professor at Hampton University. This is Mitchell’s first collegiate coaching position, and he is the second head coach in the history of the school’s golf program.
The Pirates came in fifth in the first-ever MEAC Championships in 2013-14, with freshman T.J. O’Neal coming in the top 20 of the individual standings with a 13-over 229. It was the best tournament finish of the season for the Pirates.
The Lady Pirates, meanwhile, racked up a pair of second-place efforts in 2013-14 – finishing in the runner-up spot in both the Bethune-Cookman Invitational and the Florida A&M Invitational. The Lady Pirates also finished third in the MEAC Showcase, the Delaware State Invitational, and the Savannah State Fall Tiger Invitational.
The Lady Pirates’ best finish of the 2012-13 campaign came at the Savannah State Fall Tiger Invitational, where they came in second. They also finished third in both the Florida A&M Invitational and the MEAC Showcase that season.
The Pirates finished fifth in the MEAC Showcase in 2012-13.
The Lady Pirates recorded a pair of second-place finishes in 2011-12 under Mitchell, to go along with a pair of third-place efforts – including at the PGA Minority Collegiate Championship. Kayla Williams won the individual title at the Savannah State Fall Invitational, while Nicole West shot the second-lowest round of the PGA Minority with a 1-under 71 in the final round.
The Pirates’ best finish of the 2011-12 season came at the MEAC Round-Up, where they finished sixth.
The Lady Pirates won three tournaments under Mitchell’s guidance in 2010-11, including the MEAC Golf Showcase in Savannah, Ga. on April 11-13. Hampton’s women also picked up victories in the Savannah State Fall Invitational and the Alabama A&M Invitational – marking the second straight year in which the Lady Pirates have won that event.
The Lady Pirates broke 80 26 times throughout 2010-11, and sophomore Kayla Williams broke 80 on the season with an average of 79.1 strokes per round. Williams and Nicole West tied for the overall individual lead at the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship, advancing to a playoff in that event, and Williams recorded three other individual top-three finishes.
Under Mitchell, the Lady Pirates golf team won a pair of tournaments in the 2008-09 season – the South Carolina State Triangular and the Women’s Collegiate Championship – while also finishing second in the Savannah State Tiger Fall Invitational.
The Lady Pirates also won the Savannah State Tiger Fall Invitational to close out the fall 2009 season, before also winning the Winston-Salem State Spring Challenge and the Alabama A&M Golf Classic to open the spring 2010 season. The Lady Pirates then finished tied for third in the Hartford Invitational before winning the Women’s Collegiate Championship.
The Lady Pirates also finished third in the season-ending PGA Minority Collegiate Championship, with freshman Nicole West finishing in a tie for seventh in the tournament’s individual competition. West was also co-champ of the Women’s Collegiate Championship, and sophomore Iman Ellis won two tournaments in 2009-10: the Winston-Salem State Spring Challenge and the Alabama A&M Golf Classic.
The Lady Pirates combined for 37 rounds in the 70s on the season, including a 1-under par 71 from Ellis at the Alabama A&M Golf Classic. Ellis also won two tournaments during the 2008-09 season, in which the Lady Pirates recorded nine rounds in the 70s.
Though the Pirates have yet to win a tournament under Mitchell’s tenure, they broke 80 12 times in 2010-11, and Curtis Fearrington turned in the best individual performance for the men this past season by finishing tied for sixth in the Alabama A&M Golf Classic, while Geoffrey Napper came in 12th in the individual standings at the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.
The Pirates also came in fifth in the MEAC Golf Showcase.
The Pirates shot a combined eight rounds in the 70s during the 2009-10 season. Napper turned in the Pirates’ best performance at the Savannah State Fall Invitational, finishing 16th with a 15-over 157 (78-79).
The Pirates had 24 rounds in the 70s during the 2008-09 season, with former Pirate Arturo Saro shooting a 1-under 71 at the Sea Trail Intercollegiate.
Mitchell graduated from Clark College in 1974 after running track for four years. He was named team captain as a junior and senior, winning four city championships. On top of earning All-Conference honors in 1973 and 1974, Mitchell was named Team MVP both seasons.
He is a member of the United States Golf Association, United Golf Coaches Association, National Association of Black Journalists, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Mitchell, a native of Atlanta, Ga., is married to Cheryl McAfee-Mitchell. Together, they have three children: Krishna Mitchell-Lyons, Reggie “Moses” Mitchell Jr. and Jessi Mitchell, a former member of the Lady Pirates golf team. Mitchell enjoys playing golf, practicing martial arts and playing chess in his spare time.
