South Carolina Ends Paul Mainieri's Baseball Coaching Tenure

Mainieri and athletic director announce mutual decision after less than two seasons.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:38pm

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South Carolina has parted ways with baseball coach Paul Mainieri after less than two seasons with the program. Mainieri, who came out of retirement to take the job, and athletic director Jeremiah Donati released statements indicating it was a mutual decision.

Why it matters

Mainieri is a highly respected college baseball coach, having won a national championship at LSU in 2009. His early departure from South Carolina raises questions about the state of the Gamecocks' baseball program and Mainieri's future in coaching.

The details

Mainieri, 64, was hired as South Carolina's head baseball coach in June 2024 after retiring from LSU following the 2021 season. In his first season with the Gamecocks in 2025, the team went 32-24 and failed to make the NCAA Tournament.

  • Mainieri was hired as South Carolina's head baseball coach in June 2024.
  • The 2025 season was Mainieri's first with the Gamecocks, where the team went 32-24 and missed the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Paul Mainieri

A veteran college baseball coach who won a national championship at LSU in 2009 before retiring in 2021, only to take the South Carolina job in 2024.

Jeremiah Donati

The athletic director at the University of South Carolina who announced the mutual decision to part ways with Mainieri.

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What they’re saying

“We mutually agreed that it is in the best interest of the program for me to step aside.”

— Paul Mainieri, Former South Carolina Baseball Coach

“We appreciate Paul's efforts and wish him the best in the future.”

— Jeremiah Donati, South Carolina Athletic Director

What’s next

South Carolina will now begin a search for Mainieri's replacement as the head baseball coach.

The takeaway

Mainieri's early departure from South Carolina highlights the high-pressure nature of major college baseball programs, where sustained success is expected even from experienced coaches.