South Carolina parts ways with head baseball coach Paul Mainieri 23 games into 2026 season

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — South Carolina announced it is parting ways with head baseball coach Paul Mainieri. The Gamecock manager went 40-40 overall and 6-28 in SEC games during his 80 game tenure.

Paul Mainieri and Atheledic Director Jeremiah Donati released the following statement to the Gamecock Athletics website.

Statement from Paul Mainieri

Jeremiah Donati and I have agreed that the baseball program will be better served with new leadership. I take full responsibility for the win/loss record of the baseball program over the 80 games I have served as head coach.

When Ray Tanner invited me to come out of three years of retirement to coach again, my goal was to work with young people again and restore the South Carolina program to greatness with a return to Omaha. My staff and I have worked diligently in an attempt to accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, that goal has not materialized as quickly as I would have liked and will take more time than I had anticipated and that is time that I just don’t have at my age.

I want to make it clear that Ray Tanner, Jeremiah Donati, President Amiridis, and the university leadership have supported me and the baseball program throughout my tenure. In short, I did not get the job done at a level that I expected, or the university deserves.

As I go into retirement again (and for the final time), I reflect on how fortunate I have been to do what I Iove most – coaching college baseball and trying to impact young lives – for more than 40 years at five wonderful institutions. St. Thomas University, the United States Air Force Academy, the University of Notre Dame, LSU, and the University of South Carolina, will always hold a special place in my heart. The young men that I have had the honor to coach will always be foremost in my thoughts. It is my hope that their success in life and contributions to society will be my lasting legacy.

It is time for me to rejoin my family and be the best husband, father, and grandfather that I can be.

• Paul Mainieri

Statement from Jeremiah Donati

After a conversation this morning with Coach Mainieri, we agreed that it would be in the best interest of the program that we part ways at this time. I appreciate everything Paul has poured into our student-athletes and our program, not just at South Carolina, but throughout his career. He is a Hall of Fame coach and a world-class individual, and we wish him and his family all the best.

• Jeremiah Donati