HAMPTON, Va. -- Hampton University head lacrosse coach Lloyd Carter, the first coach of the Pirates program, has announced that he will be retiring as coach on June 30. Carter

Carter served as head coach of the men's lacrosse program after co-founding and coaching the university's club lacrosse team since 2013. A native of Baltimore, Md., Carter lettered in the sport in both high school and college – playing for Morgan State until the program was discontinued in 1981.

"I want to thank coach Carter and express my appreciation for his years of service with our lacrosse program," said Hampton President Dr. William Harvey. "His guidance and leadership as we transitioned from a club program to varsity status helped to lay the groundwork for the upcoming coach to take this team to the next level."

Carter joined the Hampton family after a phone call in January of 2011 from Mrs. Verina Crawford after her son Michael, who attempted to start a club team on campus, passed away. For the first two years, Carter commuted from Baltimore to help establish and coach the team.

He retired from the Baltimore City Fire Department in 2013 and moved to the Peninsula as a professor at Thomas Nelson Community College. From there he was asked to continue coaching the club program.

Hampton was the 70th NCAA Div. I school to field a men's lacrosse program, and the first-ever HBCU to field a Div. I program in 2016. Hampton is the first HBCU to play men's lacrosse overall since Morgan State in 1981. Carter was a member of that Bears team, a Div. II power that defeated the likes of Villanova, Michigan State, Georgetown, and Notre Dame.

Carter's coaching experience began in Baltimore's Northwestern High School in 1999. During his tenure that stretched more than a decade, Carter was a four-time Baltimore City Lacrosse Coach of the Year, and he served as president of the Baltimore City Lacrosse Coaches Association. Under his leadership, Northwestern won two regional, two city, and six divisional championships.

He summarized his career with the Pirates as a consummate coach would. "I have met and worked with some of the most wonderful people here at Hampton and have seen several of my players and staff graduate from this prestigious institution and go on to become successful leaders in society. I am truly blessed and will continue to support the program in any way that I can," he added.

The cupboard will not bare for the next coach of the Pirates in 2020 as the top five goal scorers return with four of them being either a freshman or a sophomore. All three goalies return as the Pirates only lose six seniors from the 2019 squad that finished with a school best six wins going 6-5. That marked the third year in a row they increased their wins from the year before.

~HamptonPirates.com