Changes Already Underway For Carolina Baseball

Several changes to the Gamecocks baseball program have already been made with a push towards a new head coaching hire. What's next for the team?

Mar 1, 2025; Greenville, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks Talmadge LeCroy (5) bats against the Clemson Tigers during the bottom of the sixth inning at Fluor Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard/USA Today Network via Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard/USA Today Network via Imagn Images

Changes were bound to take place as soon as the Gamecocks ended the 2026 season, now they are underway. Three big moves have already taken place to rebuild this program and more seem to be on the way.

Two years ago, then Athletics Director and former Gamecocks legend Ray Tanner moved on from Mark Kingston and decided to bring Paul Mainieri out of retirement to lead the program back to its glory days. Those plans however crashed and burned soon after takeoff.

Mainieri had one of the worst stretches of a Gamecocks coach in recent memory. The team combined for a 50-64 overall (13-47 SEC) with no postseason appearances. Mainieri was let go midway through the 2026 season, never making it through both years. Monte Lee took over for Mainieri and ended the year 10-23 overall, including 13 consecutive losses.

Lee, along with pitching coach Terry Rooney and assistant coach John Hendry, have all been let go in recent days signaling a complete rebuild of the program's future. According to 247Sports, Director of operations and player development Chris Gordon, strength and conditioning coach Billy Anderson and special assistant coach Stuart Lake will remain with the team until the new head coaching hire is announced. The new coach will get to decide on his new staff moving forward.

South Carolina Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati will be tasked with finding the next head coach of the program. There are names being thrown around, but there doesn't seem to be a clear frontrunner for the position as of today. The Gamecocks are not far removed from being one of the best programs in the sport. Should Donati get the hire right, the program could find it's way back into title contention in the near future.

More Changes Coming

South Carolina center fielder Tyler Bak (17) scores against Vanderbilt an on RBI-single hit by Ethan Lizama during the second inning at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, May 14, 2026. | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the firings of Lee, Rooney, and Hendry are significant, they won't be the biggest changes coming this offseason. As we wrote last week, a new coach and a new staff will certainly want to put their fingerprints on the roster. Whoever gets hired will need to breakdown the roster and see what potential needs are there to be had in the transfer portal. The program has the NIL support to rebuild this team into a winner fast.

Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall is name to watch out for many jobs around the country. He has led the Chanticleers to 92 wins in the last two seasons including a Sun Belt regular-season championships and tournament championship, as well as a run to the Men's College World Series final. Schnall isn't the only name on the list, but would be a big name hire for the Gamecocks if they land his services.

South Carolina Gamecocks on SI will have you covered on the Gamecocks baseball hires and roster updates throughout the offseason.