HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) – Hampton University named one of its former football players and someone with experience at other schools in Hampton Roads as its new athletics director.
Anthony Henderson, who played on Hampton’s football team and worked previously at Old Dominion and William & Mary, among other schools, will take over as athletics director after Eugene Marshall stepped down to take the same position at Binghamton University.
His appointment is effective Feb. 27 and he will oversee 17 Division I varsity programs.
“We are very pleased that Anthony is joining our team,” said Hampton University President Darrell Williams in a statement. “He brings significant broad experience in critical areas necessary to elevate Hampton’s championship excellence. His reputation with the broader athletics community is second to none. We cannot wait to experience the impact of Anthony’s leadership within higher education athletics.”
Henderson previously served as deputy director of athletics at Yale University, and before that was the senior associate athletics director of athletics advancement at William & Mary, and was the sports administrator for its football program. He also served as the associate athletics director at the University of Akron.
At Yale, he led its revenue generation and extending its brand and messaging through private philanthropy, corporate support, ticket sales, marketing efforts, community engagement, strategic communications and diversity, equity and inclusion.
At William & Mary, Henderson led efforts in athletics philanthropic strategies and helping to ensure financial stability for the school’s athletic program. At Akron, he was responsible for the athletics department’s fundraising arm and each of its 20 sports, including fundraising for capital projects, scholarships and major gifts.
Henderson served as assistant director of athletic development at Old Dominion and managed donor relationships, helping grow the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation’s endowment to more than $16 million and increased the overall donor membership to 52% while he was there.
“We are very pleased that Anthony is joining our team,” Williams said. “He brings significant broad experience in critical areas necessary to elevate Hampton’s championship excellence. His reputation with the broader athletics community is second to none. We cannot wait to experience the impact of Anthony’s leadership within higher education athletics.”
Said Henderson: I am extremely excited about being named Hampton University’s director of athletics,” Henderson said. “Hampton is home for me. I was a student –athlete who played football here, and I am a proud Hampton graduate. To return as the leader of this department is surreal and an auspicious honor. I look forward to continuing the legacy of producing championships and creating transformational opportunities for our student –athletes, inside and outside of the classroom.”
Henderson also worked at other organizations, including The Event Authority in Charlotte, N.C., the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in Virginia Beach, Disney Sports Attractions in Orlando, Fla. and the then-Richmond Braves baseball team.
He took part in the 2018 NCAA Pathway Program, designed to elevate people in senior-level athletics administration positions to being athletic directors.
Henderson has a bachelor of science degree in marketing and played defensive back for a Pirates program that, during his playing days, won two MEAC regular season titles and reached the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in those seasons. He also holds a master of science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
