COLUMBIA — South Carolina baseball is seeking a new coach and there are some intriguing options.
Mark Kingston was fired after seven seasons with the Gameco*cks, athletics director Ray Tanner announced on Monday. Kingston's salary in 2024 was $695,958, according to reports by The Tennessean.
Here are some candidates to monitor throughout the coaching search at South Carolina:
Chris Pollard
Current job: Duke
Pollard has been with the Blue Devils since 2013. Duke has made the postseason in five of the last seven years under Pollard. The Blue Devils were 40-20 this season and made it to the NCAA Normal Regional. An SEC job could be of strong interest to Pollard, who has been with Duke for more than a decade. Duke is a private school so Pollard's contract is not publicly available.
Josh Elander
Current job: Tennessee hitting coach/recruiting coordinator
The urgency and timeline of Tanner's hire is unclear, but Elander could be a candidate to watch for even though Tennessee is still alive in the NCAA Tournament. Elander has been with coach Tony Vitello since 2017. Since Elander arrived in Knoxville, the Vols have been to the College World Series twice in 2021 and 2023 and had four NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023).
With assumptions that some Gameco*cks will enter the transfer portal, having someone like Elander come in with recruiting expertise could be big. Elander helped Tennessee sign six top-15 recruiting classes. Elander is making $325,000 in his current position, according to UT's database.
Chris Lemonis
Current job: Mississippi State
Lemonis won the 2021 national title but then missed the NCAA Tournament in 2022. The Bulldogs made a strong run in 2023 to bounce back before losing in the Charlottesville Regional final against Virginia. He has been in Starkville since 2019 so he is familiar with the intensity of the SEC and being the coach at a program with serious expectations. Lemonis is making $1.3 million at Mississippi State.
Kevin O'Sullivan
Current job: Florida
O'Sullivan is another veteran coach with winning experience. Florida earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament with a record barely above .500 and is in position to advance to the super regionals.
O'Sullivan could come at a high cost as his salary in 2024 was $1.755 million but his 2017 national title win in addition to his high winning percentage in the SEC would be worth it. Florida had a very underwhelming 2024 campaign prior to the NCAA tournament which could lead O'Sullivan for a job reset. He was in the mix in the 2017 coaching search and could be again.
Cliff Godwin
Current job: East Carolina
Godwin is in his 10th season with ECU with a 46-16 record. ECU hosted the NCAA Greenville Regional this season and has reached a super regional four times under Godwin. Godwin has spent time at Ole Miss, LSU and Vanderbilt so a head coaching job at another SEC school could be on his radar. The changing landscape of college athletics could lead to a someone like Godwin wanting to hop to a higher level. Godwin agreed to a contract extension in 2022 that through 2029 on a $600,000 salary, according to the Daily Reflector.
Brian O’Connor
Current job: Virginia
Maybe the five-time ACC Coach of the Year and three-time national coach of the year wants to try the SEC? His winning resume speaks for itself. He is in his 21st year with Virginia, which is heading toward what could be its seventh College World Series appearance. If O'Connor wants something new, South Carolina has an enticing package to offer a coach with five 50-win seasons and 15 straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Per his contract, O'Connor's salary is $1,130,980 for this season.
Dan McDonnell
Current job: Louisville
Another highly successful ACC coach who brings experience and wins. McDonnell has been with Louisville since 2007 and entered the 2024 year with .698 career winning percentage, third-highest among active Division I coaches. Louisville's 32-24 record this year wasn't great and missing the NCAA Tournament the last two years might be a reason McDonnell tries something new. McDonnell, who was a potential candidate in 2017, hasn't been to the College World Series since 2019.
McDonnell made $1.35 million this season, per his contract.
SC SEASON ENDS:What South Carolina baseball coach Mark Kingston said about his future after NCAA regional loss
Tom Walter
Current job: Wake Forest
Walter just finished his 15th year with Wake, and was named ACC coach of the year in 2023. Wake Forest earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. It went 0-2 in the Greenville Regional after entering the 2024 season as the preseason No. 1 team. Walter has a good situation at Wake Forest, but the Demon Deacons lose a lot after this season. Wake Forest is a private school so Walter's contract is not publicly available.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her atlkesin@gannett.comand follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
