For the seventh time in school history, Winthrop University named a head coach for the men’s basketball team, announcing former Winthrop assistant Mark Prosser as the new hire on Friday, April 2.
Prosser previously coached at Winthrop for six seasons, joining the staff as an assistant coach in 2012 before being promoted to associate head coach in 2013. He said his family genuinely considers Rock Hill to be home, especially his children, ten-year-old Ava Grayce and seven-year-old Declan.
“‘When are we going home? When are we going home?’ They always said that about Rock Hill,” Prosser said during his introductory press conference on Friday.
Prior to returning to Winthrop last week, Prosser spent the previous three seasons as the head coach at Western Carolina. The Catamounts produced a 7-25 record in Prosser’s first season (2018-19), but that greatly improved to 19-12 in 2019-20.
It appeared that Prosser’s team was on track for another solid campaign with a 7-2 start to the 2020-21 season (four of those wins were earned in overtime thrillers), but issues related to COVID-19 did not allow for the Catamounts to finish the season as strong, ending with an 11-16 record.
Prosser will bring many familiar faces from his Western Carolina staff with him, including former Winthrop staff members Brett Ferguson, Tony Rack, Mitchell Hill (not to be confused with former Winthrop basketball player Mitch Hill) and former Winthrop student-manager and walk-on Matthew Erps.
“It’s unique because I think the opportunity for consistency and continuity is there,” Prosser said. “As Dr. Halpin said, it’s going to be a similar brand of basketball.”
Prosser described Winthrop as one of the most “prestigious college basketball programs in the country,” acknowledging the recent success the team has seen.
“That’s sort of the price of admission at Winthrop basketball. It’s hanging banners, it’s competing for championships, and we know that when you walk in the door, and we feel the same way,” Prosser said.
“Playing in the NCAA Tournament and having that opportunity is sort of like a drug. Once you go, you feel like you’ve got to go back. That’s the expectation; we look forward to that, [and] that’s why we’re here.”
Prosser has coached in the NCAA Tournament on multiple occasions as an assistant, helping Bucknell advance to the Second Round as a 14-seed in 2005 and as a 9-seed in 2006.
Aside from his time at Western Carolina, Prosser’s one other season as a head coach (at D-II Brevard College in 2011-12) resulted in a 5-23 record, leaving some fans skeptical about his ability to win.
Still, a large number of fans and alumni campaigned hard for Prosser on Twitter, using the hashtag #TrustThePROSSess.
“It would seem that all of Twitter felt that I was just wasting my time in not calling Mark Prosser the same day [that Pat Kelsey left Winthrop],” said Winthrop Athletic Director Ken Halpin.
“We vetted a significant number of candidates, and we pared it down. And at the end of the day, as those candidates competed — and we have had some amazing candidates be interested — it was crystal clear that Mark Prosser competed and earned the right to lead this program.”
Halpin confirmed to Matthew Kreh of WRHI that the other two finalists for the job were Winthrop assistant Justin Gray and Tennessee assistant Desmond Oliver. Oliver has since been named the head coach at East Tennessee State.
Since Prosser was announced as Winthrop’s new coach, four members of Western Carolina’s roster have placed their names in the transfer portal. Winthrop currently has several vacant roster spots, so it is possible that players could follow Prosser to Rock Hill.
Winthrop’s available scholarships come as the team loses seniors Chandler Vaudrin (declared for NBA draft), Adonis Arms (transfer portal), Charles Falden (transfer portal), Kyle Zunic and Tom Pupavac, redshirt-freshman Joshua Corbin (transfer portal) and incoming freshmen Reyne Smith and Ben Burnham (both changed commitment to College of Charleston).
Photo courtesy of Winthrop Athletics
