Report: Paul Mainieri 'expected' to be South Carolina's next head coach

According to Kendall Rogers of D1 Baseball, Paul Mainieri is “expected” to be hired as South Carolina’s next baseball head coach. Mainieri will replace Mark Kingston, who was recently fired after seven seasons with the program.

Mainieri was a staple in the SEC for years with LSU and now returns to the conference as a splashy hire for South Carolina.

“BREAKING: Paul Mainieri is expected to be named the new head baseball coach at @GamecockBasebll, @d1baseball has learned,” Rogers said via X. “Mainieri guided #LSU to the 2009 national championship and has tallied more than 1,500 wins in his career.”

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South Carolina is fresh off a 37-25 season and an NCAA Tournament appearance. However, they did not make it out of the regionals, winning just one game in the Raleigh Regional. The two losses came at the hands of NC State and James Madison, with the Wolfpack eventually advancing to the Super Regionals.

Kingston took over in 2018, making the NCAA Tournament four times in six seasons. Just twice did they advance to the Super Regionals and never did the Gamecocks make the College World Series.

Athletic director Ray Tanner felt the need to make a move and find a new coach. He is hoping Mainieri and his SEC experience is what can get South Carolina back to consistently competing for national championships.

More on expected South Carolina coach Paul Mainieri

Mainieri last coached at LSU until 2021 and has been out of the coaching game over the last three years. A former College World Series champion as Tigers’ head coach back in 2009, Mainieri could be brought in to resurrect South Carolina’s program.

Overall, he is 1,505-775-8 in his carer with LSU, Notre Dame, Air Force and St. Thomas baseball.

Mainieri initially retired after the 2021 season. He led LSU to the NCAA Super Regionals but had not made a College World Series since 2017, where the Tigers were the runner-up.

While with LSU, Mainieri won four SEC titles and six SEC Tournament titles. He also led Notre Dame to the College World Series in 2002 amid nine total NCAA Tournament appearances.

Mainieri won the NCBWA National Coach of the Year award in 2015, the Skip Bertman Award that same year, and was also the coach of the year in 2009 while winning a national title.

On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this report