End of an Era for Gamecocks Baseball
Mark Kingston’s tenure as the head baseball coach of the University of South Carolina has come to an end, as announced by Gamecocks Athletics Director Ray Tanner today.
After seven years at the helm, Kingston leaves behind a legacy of success with a 217-155 overall record and an 83-96 SEC mark. Under his leadership, the Gamecocks made four postseason appearances, reaching the Super Regionals twice. However, the 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taking over as the 30th head coach in program history in 2017, Kingston led the team to six winning seasons, including three in SEC play. Despite finishing third in the SEC East twice and making NCAA Super Regionals in consecutive years, the decision was made for a fresh start.
In the most recent season, the Gamecocks finished with a 37-25 overall record, ranking as high as #7 in the nation. Although they fell short in the NCAA Raleigh Regional, the team showed promise and potential for the future.
With Kingston’s departure, Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Monte Lee will step in as interim head coach to guide the team through the transitional period.
South Carolina’s baseball program has a rich history, with 35 NCAA Regionals appearances in the last 50 seasons, winning 19 regional titles and making 11 College World Series appearances, including back-to-back championships in 2010 and 2011. As the Gamecocks look towards the future, the search for a new head coach begins to continue the tradition of excellence.