Hampton University Men's Lacrosse

BIRTHDATE: April 11, 1990 HOMETOWN: Indianapolis, Ind. EDUCATION: B.A., Indiana, 2015 COACHING: Head Coach, Lawrence North High (Ind.), 2016     Associate Head Coach, Xenia (Ohio) High, 2017     Assistant, Wabash, 2017-19     Head Coach, Cairn (Pa,) University, 2019-22     Director of Lacrosse Operations, North Carolina, 2022-23      Vince Culpepper joined the Hampton men's lacrosse staff as an assistant lacrosse coach-offensive coordinator in the fall of 2023. On June 8, 2025, he was promoted to head coach of the program.   A veteran coach in men's lacrosse, Culpepper comes to Hampton after a stint in Chapel Hill as the Director of Lacrosse Operations for the North Carolina’s men’s lacrosse program. At North Carolina, Culpepper oversaw the handling of the day-to-day operations of a top 25 program. Prior to North Carolina, Culpepper was charged with developing and launching the first Division III men's lacrosse program at Cairn University, where he served as the head coach from fall of 2019 through the spring of 2022. Culpepper worked closely with the offense and saw an increase in offensive production with the program. While at the helm, Culpepper doubled the size of the roster and led the Highlanders to program first in home and away victories. In August 2017, Culpepper was hired as the assistant coach and defensive coordinator at Wabash. During his two years at Wabash, Culpepper helped develop and coordinate the program's first prospect day and summer youth camp. This led to the largest recruiting class in program history, as well as the most home wins in program history in the 2018 season.  Culpepper began his coaching career in 2015, being named the head boy’s coach at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. At the helm of the Wildcats, Culpepper led the Wildcats to their first winning season in program history with an impressive 12-2 record and a No. 17 overall rank in Indiana. In addition to their stellar team success, Culpepper was able to send several players onto successful collegiate careers.   A native of Indiana, Culpepper graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in Liberal Studies with a minor in Kinesiology Coaching. He was a second-team all-conference midfielder for the Hoosiers' lacrosse program. Culpepper and his wife, Ariel, reside in Hampton.

Virginia Beach native Chris Burke joined the Hampton staff in August of 2025 returning to the 757 after serving as head coach at Wabash College. Burke comes to Hampton after serving as the head coach at Wabash College for the last four seasons. In his tenure at Wabash, the Little Giants won 27 games and broke school records for goals scored in a season twice and season records for assists once. His last three seasons saw the team amass totals to rank in the all-time top three in goals, assists and individual goals. Not only did the Little Giants make a mark offensively, his teams improved defensively as they dropped their goals against average by over 3.5 goals per game in his last two seasons and allowed a school record low 9.95 per game in 2025. They also finished in the top three defensively in save percentage in a season, caused turnovers in a season and in a game during his tenure. Burke left Wabash as the all-time winningest coach in program history. "I am honored to have the opportunity to help Hampton University Lacrosse take the next steps," Burke said. "I want to thank Coach Culpepper in allowing me to be a part of this program and believing that I can help take it to next level." His 2025 squad matched the school mark of wins going 8-8 scoring 169 goals in 16 matches. Senior Quinn Fitzgerald was named Third Team All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) as he topped the NCAC in assists per game (1.94) and was ninth in goals scored per game (2.31) after recording 37 goals and 31 assists in 16 games. The LIttle Giants won a season-best eight games in 2024, setting a new program mark of 179 goals scored. The 10.95 goals-against average for the season also set a new program-best mark. Fitzgerald earned Third Team All-NCAC honors after leading the Little Giants in scoring with 39 goals. He ranked fifth among NCAC players with an average of 4.07 points per game. Wabash posted seven wins in 2023 with a 7-9 overall record. The Little Giants scored 171 goals and broke the school record for assists with 111. Quinn Fitzgerald tied the NCAA Division III record for goals scored in a game by tallying 13 in a win at Concordia Chicago. Fitzgerald and Artie Rogers became the first Wabash players to earn national honors after being named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association / Dynamic Team of the Week in March 2022. Faceoff specialist Luka DiFilippo broke the Wabash single-game record for faceoff wins with a 25-of-29 effort at the dot against Anderson to earn NCAC Player of the Week honors. Wabash set seven new single-season team records and broke two single-game team marks in 2023.   Wabash finished 4-12 overall in Burke's first season at the helm with a 1-8 record in North Coast Athletic Conference games. Senior Jeremiah Eaton was named to the 2022 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Men's Lacrosse First Team by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine. Fellow senior Evan Schiefelbein earned Honorable Mention All-NCAC honors for the second consecutive season.    Burke came to Wabash from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he served the past four seasons as the first assistant coach, defensive and goalie coach, and recruiting coordinator for the men's lacrosse program. The Saints were ranked as high as 12th nationally in 2021 and ranked sixth among NCAA Division II schools in man-down defense (eight goals against in 44 attempts), 11th in scoring defense (8.46 goals allowed), and 16th in caused turnovers (9.92 per game). The Saints earned berths in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Tournament in three of Burke's four seasons as an assistant. Burke coached the 2019 GLVC Men's Lacrosse Player of the Year and the 2021 GLVC Freshman of the Year. A total of nine Maryville players earned All-GLVC honors for the 2021 campaign. The Saints were ranked 17th in the nation in 2019 and led the nation in caused turnovers.   Burke spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Saint Leo University in Florida before joining the NCAA Division II program as a player. Burke served as team captain as a senior and helped the Lions earn a Sunshine State Conference tournament appearance in 2016. Burke also served as the Student Veterans of America President while at Saint Leo.   A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Burke played in high school with the First Colonial Lacrosse Club. He also served as the program director for True Indiana Lacrosse out of Indianapolis, Indiana.   Burke served as a member of the United States Marine Corps for five years. He rose to the rank of corporal and received a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.  

Rick Matthews returned to the collegiate sidelines in September of 2025 as he joined the Hampton staff. "We are thrilled to welcome Rick to our staff. From our very first conversation, it was clear that Rick is the perfect fit to elevate our offense and culture. He brings a wealth of knowledge, proven experience, and a hard work ethic that aligns perfectly with the vision of Hampton Lacrosse," said Culpepper. "Rick's leadership, creativity, and energy will make an immediate impact on our program. We are excited to have him join the Pirate family and help us Shock the World." Matthews joins the Pirate family after being on the staff at St. Paul's Schools for the last 14 seasons coaching at the varsity, JV and middle school levels for the prep school in Brooklandville, Md. He led skill development and game preparation for the teams and was recognized as the 2023 Phorr Teacher and Coach of the Year. "I am truly honored and thrilled for the opportunity to join Coach Culpepper in building a dynamic and competitive offense. Our focus will be on developing the necessary skills that allow our student-athletes to maximize their talents and athleticism, and to display the true potential of Pirates Lacrosse at the Division I level," Matthews said. Matthews is a 2000 graduate of Limestone College, Gaffney, S.C., where he was a member of an NCAA Division II national championship team while earning first-team All-America honors as a midfielder in his senior season and honorable mention All-America status in his junior season. After graduating from Limestone, Matthews played professionally for the Ottawa Rebels of the National Lacrosse League. Following his playing career, Matthews stayed on as an assistant coach at Limestone, helping to guide the program to a Division II national runner-up finish in 2001, before moving on to Washington & Lee where he was the offensive coordinator for two seasons under Hall of Fame Coach Mike Cerino. His 2002 team at W&L won the ODAC Championship. From Washington & Lee, he moved to becoming a head coach at Seton Hill University where he took charge of both the men's and women's start-up programs for the NCAA Division II school for two seasons. After Seton Hill, he went into the prep school ranks in Maryland coaching at Friends School of Baltimore from 2007-10. In that time he was also head coach and program director of the Rock Lacrosse Club from 2005-18 where he designed progressive curriculum, developed coaches, and trained players for elite-level competition. He also contributed to the development of the US Lacrosse CEP trainer program.