Black Athletes in the Spotlight: HBCU Sports & Local Highlights
- Joseph Hampton signed a professional contract with the Nebraska Siege of The Arena League ahead of the 2026 season.
- The Siege will play in Grand Island, Nebraska, a city with over 53,000 residents.
- At Savannah State, Hampton compiled 2,357 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns over four seasons.
- In 2025, Hampton rushed 408 yards with six touchdowns, caught 15 passes for 142 yards, and averaged 23.8 yards on kick returns.
Football
Walter Moore
SAVANNAH, Ga.-During his senior year at Evans High School, Joseph Hampton had a goal of playing at the next level.
Playing running back, he averaged nine yards per carry while rushing for 1,425 yards and 19 touchdowns in 12 games as he helped lead his team to the Georgia High School Association Class AAAAAA Sweet 16. He earned all-area honors, including being named Region 3-AAAAAA Player of the Year.
Hampton achieved that goal when he signed an athletic scholarship to play football at Savannah State University, in February 2022.
Fast forward to 2025 when he entered his senior season at Savannah State and he had the same goal in mind of playing in the professional ranks.
Hampton recently accomplished that bucket list item, after signing a professional contract to play for the Nebraska Siege of The Arena League, ahead of the 2026 season.
The team is located in Grand Island, Nebraska, which has a population of over 53,000 residents.
During his four years at Savannah State, Hampton had 2,357 all-purpose yards with nine touchdowns.
The Augusta, Georgia native had a productive senior season in 2025, rushing for 408 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 4.9 yards a carry. He also caught 15 passes for 142 yards, averaging 9.5 yards per catch. On special teams, Hampton averaged 23.8 yards on kick returns.
Standing at 6-foot and 190-pounds, Hampton ran for a career-high 107 yards and scored twice against Allen University. One of his touchdowns was a 75-yard run. He added four receptions for 66 yards against Kentucky State University and in a game against Edward Waters University, Hampton returned eight kickoffs for 230 yards, including a long of 63 yards.
Hampton ended his career at SSU playing in 38 games. He ran the ball 200 times for 911 yards and scored nine touchdowns. Hampton caught 22 passes for 184 yards, returned 63 kickoffs for 1,247 yards and had one punt return for 15 yards.
The Seige, joins the Memphis Hound Dogs and Monroe Greenheads as one of three new franchises set to play their inaugural season in The Arena League which will now have eight teams.
The Arena League started with three teams in 2024 and added two more teams in 2025.
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