Former Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey was introduced as the next head men’s basketball coach at College of Charleston on Friday, March 26. Kelsey spent the past nine seasons as the head coach at Winthrop.
“One thing I’m really proud of is my relationship with the city of Rock Hill,” Kelsey told attendees at Friday’s press conference in Charleston. “It’s emotional leaving that town because of the connections and relationships, and the amount of time that I poured into it. I commit to you that this is our new home. I will commit to making Charleston better by doing my part.”
Kelsey started and ended his speech with the same two words – “Our city.”
It’s no surprise that Kelsey has moved on to a new city. He almost left Winthrop in 2017 when he signed a contract to coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, only having a change of heart 30 minutes before his scheduled press conference.
What is surprising is Kelsey’s decision to go to Charleston when many thought he would take over a program with more prestige. While Charleston does own the seventh-highest all-time winning percentage among Division One teams (the Cougars have only been D-I since 1991), the opportunity to beat big-name schools is far less great in the Colonial Athletic Association as it would be in the Big East, the ACC, or other such conferences.
The one obvious reason that Kelsey would leave Winthrop for Charleston is the pay upgrade. According to Kevin Bilodeau of Live 5 News, Kelsey’s 5-year contract will earn him $550 thousand in his first season with the Cougars (compared to the $250 thousand a year he was making at Winthrop), and his salary will increase by $50 thousand each season after that.
His contract also includes incentives similar to those he had at Winthrop, earning him bonus money for winning a conference championship and for advancing in the NCAA Tournament.
College basketball insider Jeff Goodman was the first to announce the news via Twitter, reporting at 3:45 p.m. on March 25 that Kelsey was expected to make the move to Charleston. Three hours later, College of Charleston Athletics officially announced that Kelsey had been named the head coach. Kelsey posted an official statement on his own Twitter account that night.
“[A]s I reflect on our last nine years here, so many memories come flooding back. The Kelseys have had a great run here and are forever grateful to this city for being a wonderful home for our family,” he wrote.
Kelsey continued on about how hospitable the people of Rock Hill had been to his family and he then addressed his “beloved Winthrop”:
“What can I say… I love you and will miss you. You took in a young coach who had little experience and lots of dreams and helped them all to come true. When I asked for support, you responded.
“You tolerated my goofy antics when promoting games including disrupting your lunch at Thomson and DIGS with an impromptu pep rally. I worked hard to do my part and to earn my keep. I wasn’t perfect but I gave you every last ounce of what I had. You, Winthrop, will always hold a special place in my heart. Until we meet again… ROCK THE HILL.”
Around the same time Thursday night, Adonis Arms’ name appeared in the college basketball transfer portal, meaning he informed Winthrop that he intends to transfer. Arms averaged 10.5 points per game off the bench as a redshirt senior this season but is eligible to play one more year since the NCAA is granting players an additional year of eligibility to make up for this season being impacted by COVID-19.
“My two years here have been great and I will have lasting memories for a lifetime. Going back-to-back in the Big South tournament as champions is the best feeling ever,” Arms wrote in a post on his social media accounts.
“As I talked to God and my family I think it’s best for me to enter the transfer portal and continue the journey God has already written for me.”
On Friday morning, redshirt freshman Joshua Corbin’s name also appeared in the portal. Corbin led the Eagles in made three-point attempts this season with 47 hits from behind the arc.
“I want to start by thanking God for everything – the highs and lows of my first two years playing college basketball. It has been a dream come true. After talking with my family and friends we have decided that I will be entering my name in the transfer portal,” Corbin shared on social media.
A third player revealed that they would be leaving Winthrop on Friday, though the announcement was less surprising than the other two. Redshirt senior, Chandler Vaudrin, informed ESPN that he would decline his extra year of eligibility and declare for the NBA Draft.
Unfortunately for Winthrop, Kelsey’s departure also means the departure of several elite assistant coaches.
Kelsey told Jeff Hartsell of the Post and Courier that he plans to take Associate Head Coach Dave Davis, Assistant Coach Brian Kloman, and Strength and Conditioning Coach Eli Foy with him to Charleston, leaving Justin Gray as Winthrop’s interim head coach (though he, too, could follow Kelsey to his new home, according to Hartsell).
Gray’s name has also been mentioned as a candidate to replace Kelsey. One staff member inside the athletic department said they believe Gray is top two on the list of potential suitors to be Winthrop’s next head coach since he is viewed highly by the players currently on Winthrop’s roster.
Gray became an assistant coach at Winthrop in June of 2019 after playing 12 seasons of professional basketball overseas. Prior to playing professionally, he averaged 16.2 points per game during four seasons at Wake Forest, where Kelsey was an assistant coach.
The biggest drawback to promoting Gray is that he has no head coaching experience. However, Kelsey had none either when Winthrop hired him.
The other name at the forefront of the head coaching conversation is Mark Prosser, a former associate head coach at Winthrop and son of the late Skip Prosser, who served as Kelsey’s coach at Xavier and coaching mentor at Wake Forest.
Prosser just completed his third season as the head coach at Western Carolina. Unlike Gray, Prosser has tons of coaching experience, though his 42-76 record as a head coach is not exactly stellar.
While Winthrop Athletic Director Ken Halpin will want to do his due diligence on as many available coaching options as possible, he will also likely want to move fast. There are players to be recruited and perhaps some to be re-recruited.
Kelsey leaves Winthrop with a 186-95 overall record and an impressive 110-46 record against Big South Conference opponents. His Winthrop teams won four Big South regular season titles and three Big South Tournament championships.
Photo by Matthew Shealy
