Shawn Fauntleroy Jr. enters his first season on the Norfolk State football coaching staff in 2026 as an Offensive Assistant, returning to his alma mater after spending the 2025 season at Christopher Newport University.
Prior to joining the Spartans, Fauntleroy spent the 2025 season at Christopher Newport University following three seasons on the coaching staff at The Apprentice School. During his first two seasons with the Builders, Fauntleroy coached the offensive line, helping the program produce a school-record 9-1 campaign and capture its first Neptune Bowl championship. He transitioned to defensive line coach for his third season, helping guide the Builders to another winning season and a second Neptune Bowl title.
Before his time at The Apprentice School, Fauntleroy served as a Quality Control Coach at Towson University, working closely with the offensive line staff. He assisted with position drills, scout-team fronts and pressures, individual film sessions, and opponent preparation. Fauntleroy also contributed to the development of offensive lineman Aaron Grzymkowski, who earned All-CAA Second Team honors in 2021.
As part of his responsibilities at Towson, Fauntleroy conducted detailed opponent film breakdowns, analyzing defensive fronts and pressures to identify tendencies and assist with weekly game preparation. He also created practice cut-ups and helped prepare and distribute opponent breakdown materials for the offensive coaching staff.
From 2019-20, Fauntleroy coached the offensive and defensive lines for the Fork Union Military Academy postgraduate football program. During his tenure, he helped develop 10 Division I offensive and defensive linemen who continued their careers at programs including Marshall, Rutgers, and Florida. Fork Union also recorded consecutive winning seasons during his time on staff.
Fauntleroy began his coaching career as the defensive line coach at Bayside High School in Virginia Beach from 2017-18, helping develop a defensive front that contributed to one of the Beach District's top three defenses. In the summer of 2017, he also served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Norfolk State, working directly with student-athletes in strength training, speed, agility, flexibility, testing, and performance development.
A former standout defensive lineman for the Spartans, Fauntleroy played at Norfolk State from 2012-15. After joining the program as a walk-on, he earned a starting role during his freshman season and developed into a four-year starter on the defensive front. Fauntleroy helped anchor Norfolk State defenses that consistently ranked among the top units in FCS football, including a season in which the Spartans ranked second nationally in total defense. He also served as a captain of the defensive line.
Fauntleroy earned his bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in business from Norfolk State in 2017 before earning his Master of Social Work from NSU in 2020.
His return to Norfolk State brings his journey full circle, allowing the former Spartan student-athlete to bring experience coaching both sides of the line of scrimmage, player development, film analysis, and strength and conditioning back to the program where his collegiate career began.
