In June of 2018, surprising news came out of Hampton, VA. Hampton University will be leaving the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), of which Hampton was a member for 23 years, to join the Big South Conference. While many saw this as a surprise, they saw that this would be a good way for Hampton’s athletics to grow and succeed in bigger stages. There were some that saw it as a betrayal of its roots, with Hampton leaving the company of an all HBCU conference.
HBCU's are an important part of American history and were established during the reconstruction period, after the Civil War. In the 1920s and 1930s, HBCUs were expanding their athletic programs at a very fast rate to recruit more athletes. These schools were able to gain notoriety for their athletic programs and established their own leagues and conferences. The only two conferences established for HBCUs at the NCAA Division I level are the MEAC and the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference). These contain all of the Division 1 level HBCUs at the Division I level except for two programs, Tennessee State University who has been a part of the Ohio Valley Conference since 1986, and now Hampton.
Hampton's move to leave the MEAC is unprecedented. The conference is specifically based in Norfolk, a ten-minute trip across the bridge-tunnel from Hampton. The conference board was not a fan of the Pirates move to the Big South either, and gave Hampton a fine. MEAC programs see themselves as a brotherhood. Since these schools were made especially for African-American’s with the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments of the Constitution, it’s not surprising that these schools feel a sense of camaraderie.
Hampton University is nestled against the inlet of the Hampton River in Hampton, Virginia. The Pirates are one of three members of the Big south from the state of Virginia, the others being Longwood and Radford. Though this is the first school to plant the Big South flag in the 757 area, the Big South is no stranger to visiting the area. With ODU previously being a member of the FCS and a former member of the CAA, many Big South teams have traveled to Tidewater for football, basketball and other sports. Many Virginia Big South teams have also already been competing with Hampton due to its closeness to their campuses. But the biggest boost to come is the new competitive nature of the Big South and how that can be used to boost Hampton’s mark on the athletic map. Hampton’s football and basketball programs will get the biggest boost, but even the Olympic programs benefit from the new conference.
For football, the competition will greatly improve. Hampton has faced only one Big South opponent over the last three years, losing in over-time to Monmouth last year, and losing to Monmouth again earlier this month. After consistently finishing in the middle of the MEAC, Hampton will have a challenge playing in the Big South. Kennesaw State upset Jacksonville State in the first round of the FCS playoffs a year ago. Charleston Southern and Monmouth are consistent bubble teams. Not to mention, FCS and Big South newcomer, North Alabama, is now investing heavily into their football program. All in all, there will be few guarantee wins in the new conference home.
For basketball, Hampton has been known as a strong contender in the MEAC conference. A year ago, Hampton finished near the top of the MEAC in the regular season, and received an invitation to the NIT tournament. The Big South was ranked 25th out of 32 Division 1 conferences in this past basketball season, while the MEAC was ranked 31st, so Big South opponents will be slight step up. Radford, for instance, won their First Four game in the NCAA tournament this past Spring. Hampton played one Big South opponent last year, a loss of 79-80 to Gardner-Webb. Garner-Webb finished in a tie for fifth place in the Big South. So, if that's any indication of the future, these first few years could be rough.
Along with football and basketball, Hampton will bring over another 15 sports to the Big South. Their softball team is very competitive and is already well known around the Big South due to scheduling. There's potential to create rivalries with schools like Longwood and Radford to generate a larger fan-base within the state. The Track & Field and Cross-Country teams have a great history and have participated in many Big South populated events. Just a year ago, Hampton finished fourth in both indoor and outdoor championships.
Lastly, the Big South's connections with ESPN allow for a number of events to receive national recognition. The TV arrangements will be a huge benefit when it comes to recruiting.
Despite the backlash from the MEAC for leaving the conference, Hampton is attempting to create their own path, outside of the HBCU conference. Hampton has put millions of dollars into campus renovations and put even more into the community of the City of Hampton, including a state-of-the-art cancer research program with the revolutionary Proton Therapy Institute. This decision to move into the Big South will spread their brand further, but comes with obstacles. These next several years will test the Pirates, but they are positioned well for long-term success.
