Former assistant, Semeka Randall Lay, named as Winthrop women’s basketball coach
Semeka Randall Lay has been named as Winthrop’s interim women’s basketball coach.
“I’m extremely grateful and honored to lead this Winthrop women’s basketball program,” Randall Lay said in a statement released by the university. “I am thankful for our President Dr. George W. Hynd, (athletic director) Dr. Ken Halpin and the rest of the athletic leadership team for entrusting in me to provide our student-athletes with an impactful experience both on and off the court.”
Randall Lay spent this past season as an assistant under Lynette Woodard — a women’s basketball pioneer who departed from the program’s helm nearly a month ago, after a third-consecutive losing season.
In 2019-20, Winthrop went 11-19 (8-12 Big South) and ended its season in the first round of the conference tournament.
Randall Lay has an impressive resume — both as a player and as a coach. As a player, she was a standout under legendary head coach Pat Summit, where she was a three-time All-America selection and finished with 1,915 points before a brief WNBA career.
She was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame on May 17, 2008.
Randall Lay has eight years of head coaching experience, five with Ohio University and three at Alabama A&M. She’s also been an assistant coach with several Power 5 programs — including Cincinnati, West Virginia and Michigan State.
She helped lead the Spartans to the NCAA Championship game in 2005.
“Coach Randall Lay has significant experience as a head women’s basketball coach in addition to her tremendous experiences as a player,” Halpin said. “We are excited for her to lead the program moving forward.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 3:36 PM.
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