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South Carolina’s baseball program decided to part ways with head coach Mark Kingston on Monday after the team was eliminated from an NCAA Regional. That postseason appearance might’ve just cost the coach a near-half-million-dollar payout!
The Gamecocks struggled at times this season, eventually finishing the year at 33-21 with a 13-17 mark in SEC play. The squad’s NCAA Tournament hopes were in doubt before winning a trio of games in the conference tournament to safely secure a bid.
Entering the opening playoff round as a two-seed in the Raleigh Regional, South Carolina won its first game over James Madison in dramatic fashion, tying the game on a two-out two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth before walking it off with a sacrifice fly in the 10th.
While things were beginning to look up, the season would come to an end shortly thereafter.
South Carolina fell to NC State in the next game before being eliminated in a rematch with James Madison on Sunday. Kingston’s future, which had been uncertain throughout this postseason, was decided the following day.
The Gamecocks fired Mark Kingston on Monday after seven seasons in Columbia. He finished with a 217-155 overall record, which included an 83-96 mark in league play.
The timing of that decision is an interesting one!
Mark Kingston’s buyout was cut in half after May 31st.
Had he been fired before the month of June, the head coach would’ve landed an $800K payout. Instead, by waiting until June 3rd, that payment was reduced to $400K – and that postseason appearance could be to blame!
By waiting until after May 31st to fire Mark Kingston, #Gamecocks had his buyout decrease from $800,000 to $400,000 per his most recent updated contract.
— SportsTalk Media Network (@sportstalksc) June 3, 2024
The Gamecocks were still playing baseball when that buyout was cut in half!
They weren’t a lock to make the NCAA Tournament at regular season’s end as they ended the year on a six-game skid, though most talking heads predicted they’d be a three-seed in one of the 16 Regional fields.
Success in the SEC Tournament elevated them to two-seed status.
Had they not made the postseason at all, though, South Carolina’s baseball season would’ve ended in the last week of May. Though the university could’ve ultimately waited a week to officially fire him, there’s a possibility that swift action would’ve been taken given the unhappiness surrounding the program’s slide under Kingston.
After all, it took less than 24 hours to make the call following the NCAA Tournament – and it seems he’d seen the writing on the wall!
David Cloninger (@DCPandC) asked Mark Kingston if he feels like he’s got support from the administration to get the program to where it needs to be:@wachfox I @GamecockBasebll pic.twitter.com/NsLry0FIiT
— amanda (@amanda_1815) June 2, 2024
Typically, making the postseason results in staff bonuses and contract extensions. In Kingston’s case, it might’ve backfired!