Landon Powell, former Gamecocks leaving their mark on historic North Greenville season
From playing in a College World Series to catching a perfect game in Major League Baseball, Landon Powell has always carried the lessons he learned at South Carolina proudly.
“At South Carolina we were taught how to compete and what it meant to be a winner,” said Powell, who is in his eighth season as head coach at North Greenville. “Coach (Ray) Tanner really instilled that in us and taught us how to scrap and claw for everything we got.”
While his playing days are behind him, those same lessons he learned in Columbia have become a staple for his coaching style. After beating West Chester 8-5 on Thursday, North Greenville is one win away from winning the DII College World Series. A feat that less than a decade ago seemed impossible.
“Eight years ago when I got hired they were the cellar dweller of DII baseball. They were 8-35 before I got here. They had a horrible facility at a private Christian university in little ole Tigerville, SC. We had three-and-a-half scholarships when I first got hired. Our budget for supplies was $12,000.”
Including a shorten NCAA season in 2020 due to COVID-19, Powell heads into Friday with 299 wins during his tenure at UNG. With a chance to win one more, the team’s 53 wins is already a new school record.
“This is a difficult place to be successful. That just makes it that much more fulfilling and special for all of those who know and have been part of our program.”
Powell isn’t the only Gamecock on staff. Former USC great Trey Dyson (1999-2002) and former Gamecocks first baseman Matt Williams (2014-18) are assistants at North Greenville. Until this past winter, former USC pitcher Jon Coutlangus had been an assistant under Powell since his arrival in 2015.
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“With them being Gamecocks, that’s important to me. I bleed garnet and that university was a big part of my life. It molded me into who I am as a person… I know that Coup, myself, and Trey especially since we played in the same dugouts at the same time at South Carolina, we were taught what it meant to be a winner.”
The Crusaders’ unlikely playoff run has captivated the attention beyond Tigersville, especially here in Columbia. A gesture that Powell has felt more and more in recent weeks.
“Gamecock fans are the best fans in the country. I’ve said it ever since I’ve played there. They’re a special group and they really care about their sports. They love their players, they want to win, they wang to be successful. I’m grateful that they’re following us and cheering us on. We’re the last team standing right now in South Carolina so we’re carrying that state flag proudly. We have a lot of players on our roster from South Carolina and they’re having great seasons.
North Greenville will play Point Loma (San Diego, CA) Friday night at 7. The Crusaders need to win one more game to be crowned national champions. A loss would force a winner-take-all matchup on Saturday.
