South Carolina baseball formally dismisses interim coaching staff after SEC Tournament exit
By David Wasson
Published:
The South Carolina baseball team is officially without leadership now that interim head coach Monte Lee and two more assistant coaches were relieved of their duties following the Gamecocks’ exit at the SEC Tournament.
The Post and Courier reported that Lee, pitching coach Terry Rooney and assistant coach John Hendry have been informed by the administration that they will not be retained. Director of operations and player development Chris Gordon, strength and conditioning coach Billy Anderson and special assistant coach Stuart Lake remain with the baseball program until a new head coach is hired.
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Lee, Rooney and Hendry were the three on-field coaches hired under former head coach Paul Mainieri, who was fired by South Carolina on March 21. Lee was retained by Mainieri from the previous staff and spent four seasons with the program. Rooney’s pitching staff was woeful in 2025, turning in a school-worst 6.41 earned run average. Hendry joined the staff after spending three years at Virginia and coached third base.
The Gamecocks went 22-35 overall and 7-23 in the SEC in 2026, bowing out of the SEC Tournament after losing to No. 23 Tennessee 11-6 on Tuesday. Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall has reportedly been tied to the South Carolina opening.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
