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South Carolina

Mark Kingston talks about new approach in 2023, future roster-building plans

PeterWarrenPhoto2by:Peter Warren•06/12/23•

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HOOVER, AL - MAY 24: South Carolina head coach Mark Kingston during the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the LSU Tigers on May 24, 2023 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire)

Mark Kingston just finished up his sixth season as the head coach of South Carolina with the best single-season record of his Gamecocks career. South Carolina went 42-21 on the season with a 17-13 conference mark and an appearance in the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament.

It marked a major turnaround from 2022 when the team went 27–28, which was its first time with a losing record since 1996.

Kingston said after losing to Florida in the Gainesville Super Regional when asked about what he changed this year and what he is planning for going forward that he wanted the team to experience more joy.

“I made a concerted effort this year to just try to make sure that I pushed these guys but also allowed them to have fun much more than I ever have and encouraged the love among each other and encourage them to enjoy the process much more than I ever have,” Kingston said after South Carolina lost 4-0 in Game 2 of the Super Regional. “Along the way, they helped me do the same. I think that’s the biggest thing I’ll take. How we build rosters moving forward, I think that question’s for another day.”

The No. 2 national seed Gators swept the Super Regional to eliminate South Carolina, which was the No. 15 national seed and hosted a regional in Columbia, S.C., two weekends ago.

The team had struggled down the stretch of the season and in the SEC Tournament but three wins in the regional has turned the ship around at the right time. But Florida gave them no help with an outstanding performance to make to Omaha.

Kingston said this season was an extremely memorable one, and he hopes the program can continue on to built on its success.

“Yeah, and a lot of that has to do with a lot of the guys in that locker room,” Kingston said. “[Braylen] Wimmer has really evolved and grown up, and I’m just so proud of him. And Will McGillis has brought such a professional, classy approach to our locker room. Cole Messina, evolving into what he was. Ethan Petry, becoming a star right in front of our eyes. The Jack Mahoneys and the James Hicks and the Will Sanders. Just on and on. When this journey is with good people and kids you appreciate, it just makes it that much better. So yeah, this was a year that we won’t forget, and that we want to build on.”