Mainieri, who is the active leader in career wins in Division I (1,505), guided LSU to a 2009 national championship and a 2017 runner-up finish. He has made six College World Series appearances, five with LSU and one with Notre Dame, four SEC championships, six SEC Tournament championships and 10 NCAA regional championships. Mainieri is a two-time SEC Coach of the Year and a four-time National Coach of the Year (2000, ’08, ’09 and ’15).
“This is a wonderful opportunity to coach at a prestigious and tradition-rich college baseball program,” Mainieri said. “I coached and competed against Ray Tanner for years and always had the greatest respect for him and the USC program. To now join with him on the same team and become a part of this program was simply something from which I could not walk away. We have a super coaching staff in place, I feel great and energized, I can’t wait to get started working with the players, and let’s get this University of South Carolina baseball program back to where it belongs – in Omaha and in the College World Series.”
Mainieri spent 15 seasons at LSU, guiding the Tigers to the 2009 College World Series national championship and five CWS appearances. During Mainieri’s tenure, LSU captured a remarkable 31 team championships, including the 2009 NCAA title, nine NCAA Regional championships, five NCAA Super Regional championships, four Southeastern Conference championships, six SEC Tournament titles and six SEC Western Division crowns.
In 11 of his 14 full seasons at LSU – the 2020 season was canceled after only 17 games due to COVID-19 – Mainieri led the Tigers to at least one team championship.
Paul Mainieri has been named the head baseball coach at the University of South Carolina, Athletics Director Ray Tanner announced today. He becomes the 31st head coach in the history of Gamecock baseball.
Mainieri also announced the retention of associate head coach/hitting coach Monte Lee and the additions of pitching coach/recruiting coordinator Terry Rooney and assistant coach John Hendry.
“Paul Mainieri is an outstanding coach, teacher, competitor and someone that I have known for many years,” said Athletics Director Ray Tanner. “One can judge his success through his many championships, SEC and NCAA, but I see the impact he has made on young men and know he can have that same success here as has achieved in his career
