Justin Hamlette joined Norfolk State's sports performance staff in June 2025, bringing a strong background in athletic performance and sports science from stops at Austin Peay State and Georgia Southern.
At Norfolk State, Hamlette assists in the development of speed, conditioning, and overall strength for student-athletes while working to minimize injury. He implements return-to-play protocols for injured athletes, directs all PlayerDATA GPS monitoring for the football team, and oversees the use of VALD ForceDecks and Nordbords for injury prevention and return-to-play testing. He also directs post-lift recovery nutrition and supplements for student-athletes and assists the head strength coach with all other aspects of the strength and conditioning program. In addition to football, Hamlette oversees strength and conditioning for women's basketball, men's and women's track and field, and cross country, helping guide the men's track and field team to the 2025 MEAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
Prior to Norfolk State, Hamlette served as a graduate assistant strength coach at Austin Peay State from 2023-25, where he led quarterback shoulder care preparation for all lifts, assisted with Catapult data logistics and analysis, and directly programmed in-season developmental lifts for football. He also assisted with velocity-based training analysis and pre-game activation and warmups, while overseeing strength and conditioning for men's and women's tennis, women's track and field, and cheer. During his tenure, Austin Peay won the 2023 United Athletic Conference championship and produced 24 All-Conference honorees.
Hamlette began his career as a football strength and conditioning intern at his alma mater, Georgia Southern, from January to August 2023, where he provided instruction in proper lifting techniques, implemented sport-specific training programs, and managed weight room safety protocols.
Hamlette earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a minor in Public Relations from Georgia Southern in 2023 and his Master of Science in Health and Human Performance from Austin Peay State in 2025. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA.
