Alonzo Hampton is set to begin his second season as WKU's defensive backs coach in 2012.

Hampton joins the Hilltopper staff after spending five seasons at Arkansas-Pine Bluff - including serving as defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010.

In his first season on the Hill, WKU tied for fouth in the Sun Belt Conferene in interceptions, and two defensive back - safety Kareem Peterson and corner Derrius Brooks - were among the national leaders in INTs.  In fact, the Hilltoppers saw their interception numbers improve from eight in 2010 to 13 in 2011.  Brooks earned second-team all-Sun Belt honors in Hampton's first season coaching the position.

Hampton joined the UAPB football staff in 2006 as cornerbacks coach - a position he held for two seasons. In 2008 he took over the entire secondary unit as he was named defensive backs coach before serving as coordinator his last two years in Pine Bluff. Hampton's secondary unit garnered national attention in 2008 as the Golden Lions ranked in the Top 30 in the NCAA FCS Division in Pass Efficiency Defense (8th), Pass Defense (17th), and Passes Intercepted (29th). Additionally, UAPB ranked 1st in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in Passing Defense allowing just 160.9 yards per game.

Hampton began his coaching career as the defensive coordinator at Warren High School, where he helped the squad to back-to-back Arkansas AAA state championships in 2001 and 2002.

In addition to his high school and collegiate coaching experience, Hampton also served a minority internship with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006.  It was that summer that he met Willie Taggart, who was interning in a similar capacity with the Eagles' offensive staff.

Hampton played collegiality at Louisiana-Monroe where he was a member of the football and track and field team. While at ULM he was named team captain in 1996 and was chosen to the All-Louisiana Defensive Back Team in 1996.

His professional career includes training camp stints with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks (1997) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1999) and the NFL Europe's Frankfurt Galaxy where he started at cornerback in the World Bowl in 1998 and 1999 - winning the championship in 1999.  He also spent the 2000 season playing for the New England Seawolves of the Arena Football League, helping the franchise to its first-ever playoff berth.

Hampton holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from ULM and a Master's Degree in Teaching from the University of Arkansas-Monticello.

He and his wife Yolanda have two children, Ashton and Alonzo Jr.

The Hampton File
Hometown: Warren, Ark.
College: Louisiana-Monroe, 1996 (BA); Arkansas-Monticello (MA), 2002
Wife: Yolanda
Children: Ashton; Alonzo, Jr.

Coaching Career
2000-03: Warren High School (Defensive Coordinator)
2004-05: Dumas High School (Head Coach)
2006-07: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Cornerbacks)
2008: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Defensive Backs)
2009-10: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs)
2011-present: WKU (Defensive Backs)

Playing Experience
1993-96: Louisiana-Monroe (Defensive Back)
1998-99: Frankfurt Galaxy - NFL Europe (Defensive Back)
2000: New England Seawolves - Arena Football (Defensive Back)