Paul Mainieri

Last updated
Paul Mainieri
Paul Maineiri, LSU Head Baseball Coach.jpg
Current position
TitleHead coach
Team South Carolina
Conference SEC
Record0–0 (–)
Biographical details
Born (1957-08-29) August 29, 1957 (age 66)
Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
1976 LSU
1977Miami-Dade North CC
1978–1979 New Orleans
1979 Niagara Falls Pirates
Position(s) Second base
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1983–1988 St. Thomas (FL)
1989–1994 Air Force
1995–2006 Notre Dame
2007–2021 LSU
2024–present South Carolina
Head coaching record
Overall1,501–775–8
Tournaments71–43
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA (2009)
4 SEC (2009, 2012, 2015, 2017)
6 SEC tournament (2008–2010, 2013, 2014, 2017)
4 Big East (1999, 2001, 2002, 2006)
5 Big East tournament (2002–2006)
Awards
NCBWA National Coach of the Year (2015)
Skip Bertman Award (2015)
Baseball America Coach of the Year (2009)
Collegiate Baseball Coach of the Year (2009)
SEC Coach of the Year (2009, 2015)
Big East Coach of the Year (2001)

Paul Mainieri (born August 29, 1957) is an American baseball coach and second baseman. He is currently the head coach at the University of South Carolina. [1] He played college baseball at LSU, Miami-Dade CC and New Orleans before pursuing a professional baseball career. He then served as the head coach of the St. Thomas Bobcats (1983–1988), the Air Force Falcons (1989–1994), the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1995–2006) and the LSU Tigers (2007–2021). Mainieri coached LSU to the 2009 College World Series Championship.

Contents

Playing career

Mainieri graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. He started his college baseball playing career in 1976 at LSU. He played for one season, earning a letter, before transferring to Miami-Dade North Community College to play for his father, Demie Mainieri. After one year he transferred to the University of New Orleans where he played for two years and helped the team win two Sun Belt Conference titles and earn an appearance in the 1979 NCAA Division I baseball tournament. In 1978, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star. [2]

Mainieri completed his undergraduate degree requirement at Florida International University in 1980, earning a B.S. in physical education. He played two years of minor league baseball and earned a M.S. in sports administration from St. Thomas University in 1982.

Coaching career

St. Thomas

Mainieri began his coaching career in Florida as the head coach of St. Thomas University in 1983. In six seasons, his team went 179–121–2, and Mainieri became the winningest coach in St. Thomas History. His No. 1 jersey was retired by the university in February 2012. In 2013, the new field at St. Thomas University was named in his honor. The Bobcats' new field is called Paul Demie Mainieri Field at Frank R. Esposito Stadium. Paul Mainieri asked the university to include his middle name, Demie, in the naming of the field because it is the same name as his father's first name. Both Mainieris have deep roots with St. Thomas, and recently became the first father-son duo to be elected to the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Mainieri was inducted into the St. Thomas Hall of Fame on November 1, 2009. Mainieri became the sixth person to be inducted into the St. Thomas Hall of Fame, joining Ken Stibler, Marinka Bisceglia, Manny Mantrana, Laura Courtley-Todd and John Batule. [3]

Air Force

He moved on to the United States Air Force Academy in 1989, where he would also remain for six seasons. He became the second-winningest coach in Air Force history posting a mark of 152–158.

Notre Dame

Moving to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 1995, Mainieri turned the Fighting Irish into a perennial postseason contender winning the Big East tournament a record 5 straight seasons, making the NCAA tournament 9 out of 12 seasons, and leading the Irish to one College World Series appearance in 2002. He won the 2001 Big East Coach of the Year award. In total, Mainieri posted a .714 winning percentage going 533–213–3 in twelve seasons.

LSU

Mainieri replaced Smoke Laval at the end of the LSU Tigers' 2006 season. In the 2007 season, LSU finished 29–26–1 and did not reach the NCAA tournament.

40 games into the 2008 season, the Tigers were again struggling with a 23–16–1 record. However, the team then went on a Southeastern Conference record 23-game win streak and moved on to claim the 2008 SEC Tournament championship. Under Mainieri's leadership, the team swept the Baton Rouge Regional bracket of the NCAA baseball post-season and won their first Super-Regional since 2004. UC Irvine ended the streak in the first game of the Super Regional, defeating LSU 11–5, but LSU won the next two games and reached the 2008 College World Series. It was LSU's first College World Series appearance since 2004 and they recorded their first win since their CWS championship in 2000.

Mainieri's Tigers entered the 2009 season as the favorites to win the SEC, and were the preseason No. 1 team in some national polls. [4] During the season, the Tigers won the SEC regular season title, the 2009 SEC Tournament championship, and reached the 2009 College World Series as the No. 3 national seed. Mainieri then led LSU to the CWS Finals against Texas. The Tigers won the first game 7–6 in 11 innings, lost the second 5–1, but won the national championship defeating the Longhorns 11–4 in the final game. The Tigers finished the season with a 56–17 record. Mainieri received the 2009 Coach of the Year award from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and the 2009 Coach of the Year award by Baseball America. Rivals.com also named Mainieri the 2009 National Coach of the Year. [5] [6] [7]

The 2009 title was the sixth in LSU baseball history, tying Texas for the second most national championships in college baseball history, and Mainieri joined Skip Bertman as the only LSU baseball coaches to win a national championship.

In 2015, Mainieri received the National Coach of the Year award from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Skip Bertman Award presented by the College Baseball Foundation. [8] During the 2017 season, LSU played Florida in a best-of-three series to determine the winner of the 2017 College World Series. Florida swept LSU and the Tigers finished as College World Series runner-up. [9] Mainieri announced his retirement from coaching after the conclusion of the 2021 season.[ citation needed ]

South Carolina

Paul Mainieri was named the 31st head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball program on June 11, 2024. His contract is for five seasons and he will be paid 1.3 million dollars per season. He is set to take over for Mark Kingston, who was fired on June 3, 2024 after 7 seasons at the helm.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
St. Thomas Bobcats (Sunshine State Conference)(1983–1988)
1983St. Thomas 19–25–1
1984St. Thomas 37–14
1985St. Thomas 32–21
1986St. Thomas 23–24
1987St. Thomas 35–21
1988St. Thomas 33–16–1
St. Thomas:179–121–2 (.596)
Air Force Falcons (Western Athletic Conference)(1989–1994)
1989 Air Force 27–2713–135th
1990 Air Force 26–347–217th
1991 Air Force 22–271–208th
1992 Air Force 23–245–207th
1993 Air Force 28–225–1610th
1994 Air Force 26–247–1510th
Air Force:152–158 (.490)38–105 (.266)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Big East Conference)(1995–2006)
1995 Notre Dame 40–2111–42nd
1996 Notre Dame 44–1813–76th NCAA Regional
1997 Notre Dame 41–1915–63rd
1998 Notre Dame 41–1715–42nd
1999 Notre Dame 43–1820–51st NCAA Regional
2000 Notre Dame 46–1818–72nd NCAA Regional
2001 Notre Dame 49–13–122–41st NCAA Regional
2002 Notre Dame 50–1818–81st College World Series
2003 Notre Dame 45–1816–73rd NCAA Regional
2004 Notre Dame 51–1220–61st NCAA Regional
2005 Notre Dame 38–24–114–9–13rd NCAA Regional
2006 Notre Dame 45–17–114–9–13rd NCAA Regional
Notre Dame:533–213–3 (.714)196–76–2 (.719)
LSU Tigers (Southeastern Conference)(2007–2021)
2007 LSU 29–26–112–17–15th (West)
2008 LSU 49–19–118–11–11st (West) College World Series
2009 LSU 56–1720–101st (West) College World Series champions
2010 LSU 41–2214–165th (West) NCAA Regional
2011 LSU 36–2013–17T–5th (West)
2012 LSU 47–1819–111st (West) NCAA Super Regional
2013 LSU 57–1123–71st (West) College World Series
2014 LSU 46–16–117–11–12nd (West) NCAA Regional
2015 LSU 54–1221–81st (West) College World Series
2016 LSU 45–2119–113rd (West) NCAA Super Regional
2017 LSU 52–2021–91st (West) College World Series Runner-Up
2018 LSU 39–2715–154th (West) NCAA Regional
2019 LSU 40–2617-133rd (West) NCAA Super Regional
2020 LSU 12–50–06th (West)Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 LSU 38–2313–174th (West) NCAA Super Regionals
LSU:641–283–3 (.693)242–175–3 (.580)
South Carolina Gamecocks (Southeastern Conference)(2025–present)
2025 South Carolina 0–00–0
South Carolina:0–00–0
Total:1,501–775–8 (.659)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA tournament

YearSchoolRecordWinning %Notes
1996 Notre Dame1–2.333Eliminated by Virginia in South I Regional
1999 Notre Dame1–2.333Eliminated by Michigan in South Bend Regional
2000 Notre Dame3–2.600Eliminated by Mississippi St. in Starkville Regional Finals
2001 Notre Dame3–2.600Eliminated by Florida International in South Bend Regional Finals
2002 Notre Dame5–3.625Won South Bend Regional & Tallahassee Super Regional
College World Series (5th Place)
2003 Notre Dame2–2.500Eliminated by Cal St. Fullerton in Fullerton Regional Finals
2004 Notre Dame2–2.500Eliminated by Arizona in South Bend Regional Finals
2005 Notre Dame2–2.500Eliminated by Florida in Gainesville Regional Finals
2006 Notre Dame0–2.000Eliminated by Kentucky in Lexington Regional
2008 LSU6–3.667Won Baton Rouge Regional & Super Regional
College World Series (5th Place)
2009 LSU10–1.909Won Baton Rouge Regional & Super Regional
College World Series champions
2010 LSU1–2.333Eliminated by UC Irvine in Los Angeles Regional
2012 LSU4–2.667Won Baton Rouge Regional. Eliminated by Stony Brook in Baton Rouge Super Regional
2013 LSU5–2.714Won Baton Rouge Regional & Super Regional
College World Series (7th Place)
2014 LSU2–2.500Eliminated by University of Houston in Baton Rouge Regional
2015 LSU6–2.750Won Baton Rouge Regional & Super Regional
College World Series (5th Place)
2016 LSU3–3.500Won Baton Rouge Regional. Eliminated by Coastal Carolina in Baton Rouge Super Regional
2017 LSU9–3.750Won Baton Rouge Regional & Super Regional
College World Series Runner-Up
2018 LSU2–2.500Eliminated by Oregon State in Corvallis Regional
2019 LSU3–2.600Won Baton Rouge Regional. Eliminated by Florida State in Baton Rouge Super Regional
2021 LSU4–1.800Won Eugene Regional. Eliminated by Tennessee in Knoxville Super Regional
Totals75–44.63021 Regionals (Won 10)
10 Super Regionals (Won 6)
6 College World Series (1 Championship)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skip Bertman</span> American baseball player and coach, college athletics administrator

Stanley "Skip" Bertman is an American former college baseball coach and athletic director at Louisiana State University (LSU). He led the LSU Tigers baseball team to five College World Series championships and seven Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships in 18 years as head coach. He amassed 870 wins, 330 losses, and three ties for a .724 winning percentage. His .754 winning percentage in NCAA baseball tournament competition is the highest among head coaches in college baseball history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Van Horn</span> American baseball coach

David Kevin Van Horn is an American baseball coach and former infielder, who is the head baseball coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Bianco</span> American baseball coach (born 1967)

Michael F. Bianco is an American baseball coach and former catcher, who is the current head baseball coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. He played college baseball at Indian River Community College before transferring to LSU where he played for coach Skip Bertman from 1988 to 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LSU Tigers baseball</span> Baseball team of Louisiana State University

The LSU Tigers baseball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers play home games on LSU's campus at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field, and they are currently coached by Jay Johnson.

Raymond Peter "Smoke" Laval is an American college baseball coach who was the head coach of the University of North Florida Ospreys. He is a former head coach of the Louisiana State University Tigers and the University of Louisiana at Monroe Indians baseball teams. He has led his teams to two College World Series, five conference championships, and seven NCAA Division I Baseball Championship appearances, and has received a number of coaching awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Southeastern Conference baseball tournament</span> Collegiate baseball tournament

The 2007 Southeastern Conference baseball tournament was held at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, AL from May 23 through 27. After being ranked #1 nationally for most of the season and taking the regular-season SEC crown, Vanderbilt won the tournament and earned the Southeastern Conference's automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 NCAA Division I baseball tournament</span> American college baseball tournament

The 2006 NCAA Division I baseball tournament was held from June 2 through June 26, 2006. Sixty-four NCAA Division I college baseball teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament, to play in the NCAA tournament. The tournament culminated with 8 teams in the College World Series at historic Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 LSU Tigers baseball team</span> American college baseball season

The 2008 LSU Tigers baseball team represented Louisiana State University in the NCAA Division I baseball season of 2008. This was the final year for the team in the original Alex Box Stadium. A new stadium was built during the season and opened on opening day of the 2009 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Gamecocks baseball</span> Baseball team of the University of South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college baseball. South Carolina has perennially been one of the best teams in college baseball since 1970, posting 35 NCAA tournament appearances, 11 College World Series berths, 6 CWS Finals appearances and 2 National Championships: 2010 and 2011. Carolina is one of six schools in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles. Since joining the Southeastern Conference in 1992, the team has competed in the Eastern division. South Carolina owns a stellar 32–20 record at the CWS and holds the NCAA record for consecutive wins (22) in the national tournament as well as the longest win streak ever at the CWS in which the Gamecocks played for national titles all three years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Gators baseball</span> Baseball team of the University of Florida

The Florida Gators baseball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of baseball. Florida competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They play their home games in Condron Ballpark on the university's Gainesville, Florida, campus, and are currently led by head coach Kevin O'Sullivan. In the 105-season history of the Florida baseball program, the team has won 16 SEC championships and has appeared in 14 College World Series tournaments. The Gators won their first national championship in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 LSU Tigers baseball team</span> NCAA Division I college baseball season

The 2009 LSU Tigers baseball team represented Louisiana State University in the NCAA Division I baseball season of 2009. This was the first year for the team in the new Alex Box Stadium.

The 2009 NCAA Division I baseball season play of college baseball in the United States, organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began on February 20, 2009. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 2009 NCAA Division I baseball tournament and 2009 College World Series. The College World Series, which consisted of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA tournament, was held in its annual location of Omaha, Nebraska, at Rosenblatt Stadium. It concluded on June 24, 2009, with the final game of the best of three championship series. LSU defeated Texas two games to one to claim their sixth championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 LSU Tigers baseball team</span> American college baseball season

The 2010 LSU Tigers baseball team represented Louisiana State University in the NCAA Division I baseball season of 2010. The Tigers played their home games in the new Alex Box Stadium which opened in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team</span> American college baseball season

The 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2010 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Gamecocks played their home games in Carolina Stadium. The team was coached by Ray Tanner, who was in his fourteenth season at Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 LSU Tigers baseball team</span> American college baseball season

The 2013 LSU Tigers baseball team represents Louisiana State University in the NCAA Division I baseball season of 2013. The Tigers played their home games in the new Alex Box Stadium, which opened in 2009. On May 17, 2013, the playing field at Alex Box Stadium was designated Skip Bertman Field, in honor of the LSU coach with the most wins in the program's history. At the end of the game against Ole Miss, the program celebrated the best regular season record in its history with 48 wins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 LSU Tigers baseball team</span> American college baseball season

The 2015 LSU Tigers baseball team represent Louisiana State University during the 2015 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Tigers play their home games at Alex Box Stadium as a member of the Southeastern Conference. They are led by head coach Paul Mainieri, in his 9th season at LSU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 LSU Tigers baseball team</span> NCAA Division 1 college baseball season

The 2017 LSU Tigers baseball team represents Louisiana State University (LSU) during the 2017 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Tigers play their home games at Alex Box Stadium as a member of the Southeastern Conference. They are led by head coach Paul Mainieri, in his 11th season at LSU. The Tigers would host both the Baton Rouge Regional and Super Regional, before advancing to the 2017 College World Series. The Tigers would eventually lose to Florida in the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 LSU Tigers baseball team</span> American college baseball season

The 2018 LSU Tigers baseball team represents Louisiana State University (LSU) during the 2018 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Tigers play their home games at Alex Box Stadium as a member of the Southeastern Conference. They are led by head coach Paul Mainieri, in his 12th season at LSU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Vitello</span> American baseball coach (born 1978)

Anthony Gregory "Tony" Vitello is an American college baseball head coach and former infielder. Vitello has been the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team since June 7, 2017. Since taking over as head coach, Vitello has led Tennessee back to national prominence and has helped establish Tennessee baseball as an SEC and national power. Vitello's teams have made five NCAA regionals, four NCAA super regionals (2021–2024), and three College World Series appearances, winning the College World Series National Championship in 2024 over Texas A&M for the Volunteers’ first-ever national title.

References

  1. https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/million-dollar-man-paul-mainieri-hired-as-highest-paid-baseball-coach-in-usc-history/ar-BB1o2zb7 [ bare URL ]
  2. "All-star selections headed by Met slugger". Yarmouth Register. Yarmouth, MA. July 27, 1978. pp. S13.
  3. Mainieri Elected to St. Thomas Hall of Fame
  4. "SEC Coaches Pick Baseball to Win League". June 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
  5. "Collegiate Baseball names Mainieri 2009 Coach of the Year". June 26, 2009. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
  6. "Mainieri named 'Baseball America' Coach of the Year". June 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  7. "Mainieri Named National Coach of the Year by Rivals". July 6, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  8. "LSU's Paul Mainieri honored as the NCBWA National Coach of the Year". June 13, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  9. "Florida sweeps LSU for first CWS title". ncaa.com. Retrieved June 9, 2019.