Thompson, who was in his second season as Rams coach, was fired just hours before the team’s final home game on Feb. 14 against Shaw University.
In an X post, Thompson wrote, “After much reflection, I would like to share a statement regarding the recent decision to relieve me of my duties as head men’s basketball coach at Winston-Salem State University.” He described the move as “with no cause,” expressing natural disappointment, particularly over the timing that fueled “concerning speculation on my character.”
“To be clear, I was terminated with no cause,” he wrote in the statement posted Wednesday night.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 pic.twitter.com/VPC3Z5pbDN
— Corey Thompson (@CoachCoreyThomp) March 12, 2026
Thompson detailed personal firing impact
Thompson emphasized the broader fallout of his dismissal: “This decision affected many people—my family, our program and most importantly our players, whose season was abruptly taken from them.”
Thompson, a WSSU alum, had signed a four-year contract in July 2024 worth $125,000 annually, which ran through July 2028. The move leaves two years remaining on his deal, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.
Thompson’s last game as Rams coach was a 70-69 loss versus Claflin on Feb. 12.
He replaced longtime coach Cleo Hill Jr., who had led the Rams to two CIAA championships during his tenure.
WSSU went 7-15 overall and 2-11 in the CIAA under Thompson before he was fired. Overall, the team went 11-37 and 4-25 in the CIAA.
