Seems like an odd deal, dude is 66 and been retired for a couple years with extended family in BR. Now has NIL and the portal to deal with. Good luck, if true, he will need it. The SEC east is tougher than it has ever been. Three, maybe four teams in Omaha.
The goal is to keep Monte Lee and have him be HC in waiting. Look for Rooney to move over from LSU to SC as Pitching Coach.
True. Guess I wasn't clear in my post. Just reflecting on how difficult winning in the sec has become. Not sure who else is on SC's schedule but Okla and Texas can play.ball also.
So they hired a guy who retired 3 years ago (before the NIL era) so they could keep a guy who got fired from their in state rival as coach-in-waiting. Great stuff.
He was the main assistant on their Omaha teams under Tanner. The Shame cocks love the guy and he is a solid hire. That's all I'm saying. If they strike out on their top guys, I'd imagine he sticks around awhile.
Terry Rooney, LSU baseball's associate director of program development and recruiting, is on track to become the next pitching coach at South Carolina, according to D1Baseball.
You’re talking about the AD who hired Will Muschamp after he couldn’t cut it at Florida. That should tell you right nothing is surprising
Will was also there 3rd or 4th choice at that point. I actually like this hire if they keep Lee in the fold.
man, I thought Muschamp was going to thrive at SC. I thought the guy finally learned the lessons of how to be a head coach (like, have a functional offense). He was always well liked by the administration and his players and could recruits the lights out. But, some live and learn, some get huge buyouts with gorgeous lake homes.
COLUMBIA – Paul Mainieri has been named the head baseball coach at the University of South Carolina, Athletics Director Ray Tanner announced today (Tuesday, June 11). 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. I think it’s a good hire to… he had health issues his last few years at LSU and probably was burned out. Sometimes taking time off and moving to a new team is rejuvenating. Not really worried about his age. I tend to think in baseball it’s not a big of a deal like football. The coach for NC State is 68.
I did too, until he brought in Roper as his OC. Then I realized he was too stubborn and not a good overall coach.
Monte Lee will be 48 before next season starts and let’s remember that after a good stint at College of Charleston, he had mediocre success at Clemson after never advancing out of the regional his first five seasons and then missing out on the tournament his last two years before getting fired. Actually, Lee’s career at Clemson was very similar to what Mark Kingston did at USCe but at least Kingston advanced to two Super Regionals. Lee again is pushing 50 so it’s not like he is an “up and comer” who needs more experience as a head coach in waiting. Surprised that Carolina apparently made such a push to keep Lee and even more surprised a veteran coach would want to stick around after first, clearly not being the top choice of the fanbase and second, being passed over in favor of a 67 year-old
Monte is very tight with Tanner. He will make $550K each year and will have every shot to take over if they have success. He will make more than being a head coach at most any non-SEC school.
Figured Kingston would not be unemployed for long. Actually Creighton isn't a bad job as long as u don't mind living in Nebraska. They have a winning history and if another miracle happens and they make it to the cws, nice home town advantage.
Evidently Creighton has a coach and Kingston has to wait a year based on what I heard on radio this am.
Accurate. Ed Servais announced he is retiring after the 2025 season, so Kingston is Assistant (to the) Head Coach until then.
