South Carolina Parts Ways with Paul Mainieri, who are some Head Coaching Candidates for the Gamecocks

COLUMBIA, S.C. – On Saturday, March 21, the South Carolina Gamecocks parted ways with head coach Paul Mainieri. 

The Gamecocks’ record is 12-11 overall, and they are 0-4 in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play. 

Mainieri left a comment about his departure from the South Carolina program in a press release from the university’s athletic department. 

“[South Carolina Athletic Director] 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.” 

Mainieri added, “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.” 

South Carolina associate head coach and hitting coach Monte Lee took over as the team’s interim head coach as the 2026 college baseball season continues.

With Mainieri gone, World Baseball Network takes a look at a few candidates who could take over the head coaching role at South Carolina. 

Mark Wasikowski, Head Coach, Oregon Ducks

Mark Wasikowski is in his seventh season coaching the Oregon Ducks. He has brought lots of success to Eugene over his time with the program. 

Wasikowski has led the Ducks to five NCAA Tournament appearances. Oregon made two super regionals under Wasikowski in 2023 and 2024. 

Oregon has also had three straight 40-win seasons and is currently 18-3 overall this season. 

If Wasikowski wants to break into the SEC, doing so at South Carolina would be the golden opportunity. 

Nolan Cain, Associate Head Coach, Texas Longhorns

Nolan Cain is in his second season at Texas as the associate head coach under Jim Schlossnagle. 

Cain has a big recruiting background. He serves as the Longhorns’ recruiting coordinator and was also the recruiting coordinator for the LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies. 

Cain has landed six top-five overall recruiting coordinators over the course of his career. His first recruiting class at Texas was Baseball America and Perfect Game’s number one overall class in the country. 

Along with recruiting, Cain is the third-base coach and also mentors catchers for the Longhorns. 

His mentorship for the catcher has gone a long way as he has helped players such as Rylan Galvan and Notre Dame transfer Carson Tinney. 

Cain is an assistant coach ready for a head coaching job. His eye for talent and recruiting, along with his SEC experience, make him a great candidate for the head coaching job at South Carolina. 

Will Coggin, Assistant Head Coach, Georgia Bulldogs

Will Coggin is in charge of the offense under Wes Johnson’s staff at Georgia. The Bulldogs have turned in some great hitting results under the assistant coach. 

Georgia currently leads the country in home runs as a team with 72. Last season, Georgia had 144 home runs as a team and was also one of the best long-ball-hitting squads. 

The Bulldogs have won 105 games dating back to the beginning of the 2024 college baseball season. A large part of this has been their elite offensive ability under Coggin over that stretch. 

If the Gamecocks want a coach with a background in the SEC and a background in creating a great offense, Coggin is a great person to interview for the position.

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WBN NCAA: /news/category/ncaa

 

PHOTO: South Carolina head coach Paul Mainieri walks across the field during an NCAA baseball game against Clemson at Segra Park on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. Clemson won 4-1. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)