Paul Mainieri out as South Carolina baseball coach in second season
South Carolina baseball coach Paul Mainieri is out after less than two seasons with the program. He came out of retirement to take this job.
COLUMBIA — Paul Mainieri is no longer the South Carolina baseball coach, the school announced on March 21. Mainieri is in his second season. Mainieri and athletic director Jeremiah Donati released statements that it was a mutual decision.
Mainieri was hired in June 2024 to replace Mark Kingston, who was fired after seven seasons. Mainieri, 68, came out of retirement to take the job. In his first season, the Gamecocks went 28-29 and 6-24 in SEC play, the worst conference record in program history.
They are currently 12-11 overall, 0-4 in SEC play, including a 22-6 loss in seven innings to No. 4 Arkansas on March 20. It marked the sixth straight loss, third time an opponent scored over 20 runs and sixth time getting run-ruled under Mainieri.
"Jeremiah Donati and I have agreed that the baseball program will be better served with new leadership," Mainieri said in a statement. "I take full responsibility for the win/loss record of the baseball program over the 80 games I have served as head coach. "When (former AD) Ray Tanner invited me to come out of three years of retirement to coach again, my goal was to work with young people again and restore the South Carolina program to greatness with a return to Omaha.