HAMPTON, VA (WTKR)- Hampton University Athletics is making progress as it works to correct eligibility issues that kept some fall student-athletes off the field or court at times during the fall.
In a phone conversation with News 3, Pirates' Director of Athletics Anthony Henderson said that all fall student-athletes impacted by the concerns have returned to competition and the program is now working to ensure the same compliance complications do not impact those participating in winter sports.
"It's largely processes and we're correcting those internally," Henderson said Wednesday afternoon. "There are no fingers to point when it comes to this. It's more about making sure we're doing everything from a process standpoint to catch these things moving forward."
Last month, Henderson said student-athletes taking part in football, cross country, volleyball and women's soccer were impacted by eligibility issues having largely to do with meeting progress towards degree requirements, noting transfers were the most affected. He released a letter to the Hampton University community on September 15 assuring that he and his office were on top of the situation and working in the best interests of the student-athletes.
Henderson pointed to a lack of compliance staff as large part of the problem, noting that the athletic department was hit hard by the school's 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He hopes to be fully staffed by the end of the current semester.
"A lot of people left and they just never got back to full staffing," he pointed out. "I'm in a great position now that I have the support of the president to rebuild the athletic department so that's what we're doing. We're putting people in place, adding positions that we didn't have previously."
A university spokesperson confirmed to News 3 on Tuesday that one compliance officer, Alexis Avery, is no longer employed by the university. Henderson acknowledged that, but also pointed out that it's unfair to attach her departure to the eligibility issues. He wouldn't comment on the details of her situation, but credited her with bringing some of the concerns to light.
"She was actually the person who came in and uncovered a lot of the things that we're dealing with right now."
On the job since February, Henderson has had a busy first year in the athletic director's chair. As Hampton continues to move forward, he's warmed up to leading at his alma mater and says the support of the administration has a lot to do with that.
"I can't ask to be in a better place to have that support from the president and the board of trustees," he said. "Now we've just got to do what we need to do to be successful."
The Pirates football team will take the field Saturday for its homecoming showdown with North Carolina A&T. Winter sports are just around the corner, with the men's basketball squad tipping off its season November 6 at Howard and the women opening November 7 at Providence. Indoor track and field begins its campaign December 3 at VMI.
