2002-2003 Signings  (5)

He averaged 12 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots as a junior and was selected for the North Carolina All-Star team following his senior year.  He was voted MVP of the North Carolina vs. South Carolina All-Star Game which was played in the Winthrop Coliseum.  He was a four-year member of his high school varsity.

Winthrop head coach Gregg Marshall says Houston is a very physical and tough competitor who should continue to develop his skills.  He is more of an inside player and plays much bigger than he is.  

Houston was the first of three players to sign with Winthrop during the early signing period.  He joins five newcomers who will join a program that has won four consecutive Big South Conference championships and made four trips to the NCAA tournament.

Shuler averaged 21 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists as a junior as his team reached a No. 5 state ranking.

According to Winthrop head coach Gregg Marshall, "James is a slashing wing player who can play above the rim and handle the ball.  He can also play the point guard with the ability he has to pass and handle the basketball."

"Kwbana is a very physical player who can play inside or step out and face the basket," says Winthrop head coach Gregg Marshall.  "He can also run the floor extremely well."

Cooke led coach Lorenzo Watkins’ Indian Hills team to a 29-5 record in 2001-2002 and a No. 10 ranking in the final National Junior College Division I poll.

As a sophomore, he averaged 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. During his freshman year, Cooke averaged 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while playing back-up to JUCO All-American Jerome Harper and was voted the Iowa Junior College Newcomer of the Year. As a high school performer at Concord H.S., he was selected team most valuable player and first-team All-Conference as a junior and senior, and earned All-State honors.

"Marcus is as athletic and complete scorer from the wing as I have ever coached at Winthrop," says head coach Gregg Marshall. "With his speed, jump shooting and ability to finish down on the rim, he will be able to take over the game offensively at times and will be an exciting player for the Winthrop faithful to watch for the next two years."

Marcus is the son of Debra Cooke.

Holland, who will have two years of eligibility remaining at Winthrop, is regarded as a great 3-point shooting threat after hitting 87 treys and connecting on 42 percent of his shots from beyond the arc last year while helping to lead his Cecil Community College team to a 27-4 record and the No. 2 national ranking in NJCAA Division II. He averaged 13.8 points and 3.1 rebounds as a sophomore. As a freshman, Holland helped his team to the Maryland JUCO state championship. In his two years on the JUCO level, Cecil won 51 games and lost just nine. He ranks third in that school’s history for most 3-pointers made in a career with 129.

Bill Lewitt, his JUCO coach, says Holland is a tremendous offensive player who has the ability to really stretch the opponent’s defense because of his outside shooting ability. "Elijah can carry a team offensively for short bursts because of his ability to put points on the board quickly. He has that knack of killing an opponent’s momentum by hitting the outside shot."

Holland began his high school career at Lejuene High School in Jacksonville, NC, before moving to the Washington, D.C. area as a junior where he played for Eleanor Roosevelt High School. As a high school senior Holland averaged 21 points, five rebounds and three assists while earning All-Prince George County honors.

"Elijah is a very mature young man and because of that will be able to step in next year and see a considerable amount of playing time," Winthrop head coach Gregg Marshall. "The one thing that he does exceptionally well is shoot the basketball. He is also a very responsible young man and an extremely hard worker. One of our recruiting needs was to bring in someone who could shoot the ball with accuracy from the perimeter and we believe Elijah will step in and provide us with perimeter scoring and quality minutes."

He is the son of Katrina Sweezy and Elijah Holland, Sr.