Former LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri has emerged as the focus of South Carolina’s search for a new head coach, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Monday, confirming multiple reports.
Mainieri, 66, coached LSU for 15 seasons, leading the Tigers to the 2009 national title and five Men’s College World Series appearances.
He left the Tigers in 2021, terming it a retirement at the time, but he’s in line to return to the diamond, this time joining another SEC power in the Gamecocks.
Mainieri would replace Mark Kingston, who was fired last week after seven seasons.
South Carolina finished 37-25 and 13-17 in the SEC this season, which ended with a 2-0 loss to James Madison in the Raleigh Regional of the NCAA tournament last week.
The Gamecocks haven’t reached the CWS since 2012. They won the national title in 2010 and ’11.
Prior to arriving in Baton Rouge in 2007, Mainieri spent six seasons at St. Thomas (1983-88), six seasons at Air Force (1989-94) and 12 seasons at Notre Dame (1995-2006). His career record is 1,501-774-8.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
