South-Carolina
SC baseball coach Kingston gets extension, raise
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina has awarded baseball coach Mark Kingston a two-year contract extension and a raise after finishing with the best record of his six-season tenure.
The school’s board of trustees approved the deal Friday that lengthens Kingston’s contract through 2027 and bumps his salary up to $725,000, an increase of $125,000 over his old deal.
Kingston and the Gamecocks finished 42-21, the most wins since he took over in 2018. South Carolina, which hosted the opening round of the NCAA tournament, reached the super regionals, where it lost to Florida.
Kingston’s time at South Carolina appeared to be growing short after the team went 27-28 in 2022. But he was kept on by athletic director Ray Tanner — the Gamecocks’ former two-time College World Series championship coach — and the team responded this season.
The Gamecocks have reached the NCAAs three times under Kingston, including two of the past three seasons.
Kingston is 180-130 at South Carolina and 453-310-1 in 13 seasons coaching Illinois State, South Florida and the Gamecocks.