"This is such a tremendous loss not only for the Department of Athletics but for the Hampton community and the athletic community as a whole," said Hampton Director of Athletics and head football coach Joe Taylor. "Coach Laster was an outstanding person, a great mentor and a great coach. He coached multiple sports during his time here at Hampton and in doing so he touched so many lives, particularly that of the young ladies whom he guided."

The head softball coach at Hampton since 1989, Laster built a Lady Pirate program that quickly became one the top teams in the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), winning back-to-back conference titles in 1994 and 1995. When Hampton made the move to Division I the success continued as the Lady Pirates snapped Florida A&M's three-year championship winning streak to capture the 1996 MEAC crown. Last season Laster earned his 500th career victory with a win over North Carolina A&T in the MEAC Tournament and just two days prior to his passing, he led Hampton to the 2007 regular season title with a doubleheader sweep of Delaware State.

Laster also served as the women's volleyball coach where he just concluded his 13th year. In just his first season with the Lady Pirates (1994), Laster led Hampton to a 27-5 overall mark in the regular season, and an impressive 22-2 record in conference play (CIAA). In 2005 the Lady Pirates posted their first winning season on the Division level with a mark of 20-15.

Laster was also had great success as a basketball coach. He served two years at an assistant at his alma mater, Tuskegee University, before becoming head women's coach at Talladega College. He returned to lead Tuskegee in 1976. In 1988, Laster moved to Hampton where he went on to became the second winningest coach in the history of the school's women's basketball program. By the conclusion of Laster's career as the women's basketball head coach, he had over 400 victories to his credit.

© 2007 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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