The winningest coach in Hampton women’s basketball history, David Six enters his 15th season at the helm of the Lady Pirates. He has led his teams to an overall mark of 261-162 (.617). Among his accomplishments:
- Six MEAC Tournament championships (2010-14, 2017)
- Five MEAC regular season titles (2010-11 to 2014-15)
- Six NCAA Tournament appearances (2010-14, 2017)
- One NIT appearance (2015)
- Five 20+ win seasons (2009-10 to 2013-14)
- Three-time MEAC Coach of the Year (2010-11, 2012-13, 2013-14)
- Six-time MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Coach (2010-14, 2017)
- Earned the program’s first Division I post-season win (2015 WNIT)
- Hampton earned a No. 12-seed at the 2014 NCAA Tournament (best for a MEAC team in 64-team format)
- The Lady Pirates earned a No. 13-seed in the 2011 NCAA Tournament
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Six arrived in Hampton Roads in November 1985 after being stationed at Hampton’s Langley Air Force Base. While at Langley, Six played basketball and was selected All-Uni-Com for six consecutive years. He served in the Gulf War.
After leaving the military in 1991, Six served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Hampton High School varsity team. He later turned down a coaching position with the girls’ team. He was asked again and accepted the position in an interim role. Between 1993-95, his team went 49-28 and reached the VHSL AAA championships game.
From 1995-97, Six coached the boys’ team at Gloucester (Va.) High. He twice led the team to the Peninsula District Tournament. He is the only boys’ varsity coach to qualify for the district tournament at Gloucester. He returned to Hampton High in 1998 and remained until 2008 as head girls’ coach.
He was a two-time Virginia High School League Coaches Association (VHSCA) Coach of the Year and was named Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2007. In 14 seasons, Six’s teams won 331 games and won state titles in 2001 and 2007. His teams won one regional title, made 10 regional appearances, made five state Final Four appearances, won nine district titles, and won nine district tournament titles while 30 of his players earned basketball scholarships.
Six spent a year as the Director of Intramurals at Hampton University before being named interim head coach in 2009. Relying on his dedication, work ethic and strong leadership skills, he immediately turned around the program. In his first season, Hampton posted a 20-12 record including a 12-4 mark in MEAC play. In addition, the Lady Pirates won the MEAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The “interim” tag was quickly removed and Six was signed to a multiyear contract.
In his first five years, the Lady Pirates averaged nearly 26 wins including a 74-6 mark in MEAC play. Hampton won four MEAC regular season crowns, five tournament championships, and earned five NCAA Tournament bids.
After the successes in the MEAC, Hampton transitioned to the Big South Conference. In their first season in the Big South in 2018-19, the Lady Pirates finished 16-14 and 12-6 in conference play. In three-plus seasons in the Big South, the Lady Pirates posted an overall record of 51-52 including a 4-11 record in the Covid shortened 2020-21 season. Hampton was 38-30 record in Big South play.
Hampton moved to the highly-competitive Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in 2022. After a 3-8 start against a break-neck schedule, the Lady Pirates ended the season on a winning note and defeated Delaware in the opening round of the CAA Tournament before falling to Towson. Hampton finished a competitive 12-18 overall with an 8-10 mark in CAA play.
In June 2018, Six suffered a stroke. He went through rigorous physical therapy and suffering a frozen shoulder. He was awarded the Kay Yow Award in 2014 and was one of the USBWA Most Courageous Award in 2019.
In 2021, he was selected as one of the Legends of Coaching for the 50th year of the MEAC.
