ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROILNA - Winthrop Athletic Director Chuck Rey announced contract extensions this month for both Head Men's Basketball Coach Mark Prosser and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Semeka Randall Lay.
Mark Prosser
Prosser, who was hired in April 2021 as the seventh head coach to lead the men's basketball program, will have a contract extension through the 2028-29 season. He wrapped up his fourth season at the helm this spring in which the team posted its second 20-win season under his watch.
"Coach Mark Prosser ranks amongst the top three Big South Conference coaches in wins, all-time within that span, and led the team to its first collective GPA above 3.0," said Rey. "His exceptional ability to recruit not just the country's best basketball student-athletes, but retain these student-athletes of exceptional character, reflects the positive culture he has cultivated within this program and aligns with the values of Winthrop University.”
Prosser said over the last four seasons he has worked with some of the nation's best
and brightest student-athletes and coaching staff members. "They each have played
an integral role in, not only the success that we have enjoyed on and off the court,
but also our opportunity to continue the work that we started when we arrived back
in Rock Hill,” he said. “This place is special for my family. It is home for us, and
we love it here. However, we also acknowledge that the job is not finished. We are
as motivated as ever and are working daily to push this program forward and add more
banners in the Coliseum."
The Eagles reached the Big South title game for the second time in four years this
past March. In his first season the Eagles were undefeated at home (13-0) for just
the third time in program history and have a combined 47-10 record at home during
his tenure. Prosser was the third coach in program history to earn 20 or more wins
in their first season and the first Eagle coach to earn 14 league wins in their first
year. This past season Prosser moved into fourth in all-time for victories, passing
Randy Peele.
Semeka Randall Lay
With the women’s team, Randall Lay received a contract extension through the 2027-28 season. She completed her fifth season leading the women's basketball program and coming off one of its most successful seasons in recent years.
"Coach Semeka Randall Lay has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for our women's basketball program and led our women's basketball program to its most successful season in over a decade," said Rey. "The program achieved its highest win total since 2014, secured its first Big South Conference tournament victory in more than 10 years, and earned the highest team GPA at 3.47 in program history.”
Randall Lay led the Eagles to the Big South Conference Tournament semifinals versus eventual champion High Point. Playng for Winthrop was the Big South Newcomer of the Year, Amourie Porter, who was also named First Team All-Conference.
Randall Lay said she would like to thank the numerous student-athletes, coaches, support staff, administrators, president and Board of Trustees for making this achievement possible. "Upon my arrival, transforming the Winthrop women's basketball program has been a paramount goal of mine,” she said. “I am thrilled with the progress we have made and will continue to work diligently to drive further improvement both on and off the court."
She was hired as the interim head coach in April 2020 after serving the previous year as associate head coach for the Eagle program. Randall Lay was named the permanent coach in April 2021, becoming the 17th head coach in program history.
For more information, contact Brett Redden, assistant athletic director for communications, at reddenb@winthrop.edu.
