South Carolina baseball to name field after legendary coach

Ray Tanner Field has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? On Friday, during a USC Board of Trustees meeting, the University of South Carolina approved naming the playing field at Founders Park “Ray Tanner Field” in homage to the greatest head coach in South Carolina baseball history.

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From the USC Athletics release:

COLUMBIA — Two-time National Championship Baseball Coach and Athletics Director Ray Tanner will have his name on the baseball field at Founders Park when the 2025 season starts, University of South Carolina officials announced today.

The Gamecock baseball field will now be “Ray Tanner Field.”

On Sept. 27, 2024, University officials announced an extension to the naming rights agreement with Founders Federal Credit Union that goes through the 2035 season.  Founders Park became the name of Carolina’s baseball stadium in 2016.

“Founders Federal Credit Union is thrilled to learn that Coach Ray Tanner will be honored with the Ray Tanner Field at Founders Park,” said Bruce Brumfield, President and CEO of Founders Federal Credit Union.  “It is a privilege for Founders Park to be associated in any way with Coach Tanner and his legacy. Coach Tanner has served the University of South Carolina with integrity and devotion, and no one deserves this honor more.”

A group of Gamecock Athletics donors collectively gave $2.5 million for the naming to take place.

“The accomplishments that I have been a part of at the University of South Carolina is due to the wonderful support of our University administration, Gamecock student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans,” said Tanner.  “This is a tremendous gesture from my friends and donors.  I am grateful for their commitment to this project.  Our baseball program is one of the best in the nation and will continue to compete for championships as we begin the Paul Mainieri era at USC.”

Ray Tanner Field is the first USC athletics competition surface to carry the name of a former coach or student-athlete.

Tanner was named South Carolina’s baseball coach on June 14, 1996, after nine successful seasons as head coach at his alma mater, North Carolina State.

In 16 seasons as the Gamecock head coach, Tanner compiled a 738-316 (.700) record with six College World Series appearances, winning the 2010 and 2011 NCAA Championships and national runners-up finishes in 2002 and 2012.  Carolina made 14 NCAA tournament appearances under Tanner, advancing to 10 Super Regionals.  USC won three SEC regular season championships (2000, 2002 and 2011), the 2004 SEC Tournament and six SEC East titles (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2012).

Under Tanner’s leadership, the Carolina baseball program set an NCAA record for consecutive NCAA Tournament wins (22) and CWS wins (12) between 2010-12, as the Gamecocks became just the sixth and last school to win back-to-back baseball national titles.

Tanner also gained valuable experience at an international level in his association with USA Baseball. He served five stints with Red, White and Blue, including in 2003 as head coach for the USA National Baseball Team. He was named the U.S. National Coach of the Year for his work that season.

On July 13, 2012, Tanner was named South Carolina’s 31st Athletics Director.  On Sept. 13, 2024, the University announced that Tanner would be transitioning from his role as Athletics Director to become Athletics Director Emeritus and Senior Advisor to University President Michael Amiridis.

During his tenure as Carolina AD, Tanner initiated plans and maintained the importance of the student-athlete experience at USC.

Under Tanner’s watch, the athletics department was the first school in the SEC to guarantee four-year scholarships for all qualifying sports through “The Gamecock Student-Athlete Promise.”  Carolina also committed to giving each student-athlete the maximum amount of financial awards as allowed by the Alston vs. NCAA Supreme Court decision.

South Carolina has also put resources in place for its student-athletes to take advantage of the Name, Image, Likeness opportunities. Whether it is NIL compensation-generating opportunities or learning about promotion, branding and business, Gamecock student-athletes can succeed in this new landscape of intercollegiate athletics.

Gamecock student-athletes have posted a cumulative 3.0 grade point average or better in 35 consecutive semesters. Since 2015, Gamecock student-athletes have earned more SEC Academic Honor Roll honors than any other school.

During Tanner’s tenure as Athletics Director, the Gamecocks have won four national championships (2015 equestrian, 2017, 2022 and 2024 women’s basketball), 21 SEC regular season and tournament championships and have posted five of the top nine finishes in the Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup All-Sports Standings in school history.

A dedication ceremony will take place during the opening weekend of the 2025 baseball season, Feb. 14-16, 2025.

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