Corey Thompson’s tenure as Winston-Salem State’s (WSSU) men’s basketball coach is over.
Multiple sources have indicated to HBCU Gameday Thompson is reportedly on his way out at WSSU. The move was made official shortly thereafter. The timing is notable, coming just ahead of the Rams’ home finale against Shaw University — a final regular-season moment that typically carries extra meaning for seniors, alumni, and a fan base that measures the program against a long championship tradition.
Thompson was hired in July 2024, stepping into one of the most storied jobs in HBCU basketball. The on-court results have been difficult to turn quickly. WSSU is 7-15 this season after a 5-22 mark in 2024-2025, leaving the program searching for traction and continuity.
Even with the recent struggles, the standard at Winston-Salem State has never been based on “building years.” The Rams are not just another team in the CIAA landscape. They are a program with a national identity, shaped by icons and championship runs that still define the expectations inside the C.E. Gaines Center.
WSSU basketball has high expectations
That legacy begins with Clarence “Big House” Gaines, the Basketball Hall of Famer who made WSSU a national brand and won eight CIAA championships. Gaines’ impact remains the foundation of how Ram fans view basketball: with pride, with pressure, and with the belief that the program should matter every season.
The modern era has reinforced that mindset. Rick Duckett delivered back-to-back CIAA championships in 1999 and 2000, keeping WSSU at the center of the conference conversation. Bobby Collins later added another banner with the 2012 CIAA title, proving that the Rams could still rise in different eras, with different rosters, and under different leadership.
Most recently, Thompson followed Cleo Hill, who re-established WSSU as a championship-level program by winning CIAA titles in 2020 and 2023. Those seasons revived the energy around WSSU basketball and raised expectations for what comes next.
HBCU Gameday will continue to monitor the situation. WSSU will now look to restore the standard— and decide what direction an HBCU flagship in the CIAA wants to take moving forward.
Prayers
Ugly, Bad Move. I don’t think Big House would have made a decision like this as Athletic Director, unless there was an illegal action or actions affecting the team or institution. What have we come to, where we go after a man’s dignity. He should have been allowed to complete the season. Any team can win the CIAA tournament, regardless of record.