News - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Friday, July 1, 2011

Tanner Named National Coach Of Year By Collegiate Baseball

TUCSON, Ariz. — Head Baseball Coach Ray Tanner of the University of South Carolina has been named National Coach of The Year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

One of the most respected coaches in college baseball, Tanner led the Gamecocks to their second consecutive national championship at the recent College World Series.

South Carolina has now won a record 16 consecutive NCAA tournament games (2010-11), breaking the all-time record of 15 shared with Texas (1983-84).

In addition, the Gamecocks have now won their last 11 College World Series games dating back to last season, an all-time record. South Carolina broke the mark of 10 consecutive CWS wins they shared with both Southern California (1972-74) and Louisiana St. (1996-98). The Gamecocks’ last NCAA tournament loss was a 4-3 setback to Oklahoma in the opening round of the 2010 College World Series.

South Carolina finished the CWS with a microscopic 0.88 ERA in five games, the fourth lowest team ERA in the event’s history and the lowest since 1972 (Arizona St., 0.68). Only five teams have ever finished the CWS with a team ERA under 1.00. South Carolina’s team ERA is the lowest by a CWS champion since California in 1957 (0.60). In 10 NCAA tournament games this season, which includes Regional, Super Regional and CWS contests, South Carolina finished with a 1.31 ERA.

The team defense was just as impressive as the Gamecocks committed only four errors in five games and turned nine double plays.

After losing two of three at the Southeastern Conference tournament, the Gamecocks never suffered another setback the rest of the season as they ran off 10 straight wins to close the season and posted an overall record of 55-14.

Tanner, who is in his 15^th season at South Carolina and 24^th overall as an NCAA Division I skipper, led the Gamecocks to College World Series berths in 2002, 2003 and 2004 with a runner-up finish in 2002.

Under Tanner’s leadership, South Carolina owns the longest current streak of NCAA Regional appearances among the 12 SEC schools with 11 straight trips dating back to the 2000 season. In that span, Carolina has nine NCAA Super Regional appearances (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011). South Carolina is one of only six schools in the nation to make at least eight NCAA Super Regionals in the last 11 years and one of only eight institutions in the country to have reached the NCAA Regionals every season from 2000 to present.

Heading into the College World Series, his winning percentage at Carolina was .692, the second highest all-time among SEC coaches.

Tanner has coached 27 All-Americans at South Carolina and 48 All-SEC players. Incredibly, his average yearly win total at South Carolina has been 45.6 over 15 years.

Tanner has also been heavily involved in USA Baseball over the years. He has served five stints with the red, white and blue, including his latest in 2003 as head coach for the USA National Baseball Team. He led the Americans to a glistening 27-2 record, the best record for a U.S. National Team at the time and won a silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.

Collegiate Baseball National Coaches of The Year include:

• 2011: Ray Tanner, South Carolina

• 2010: Ray Tanner, South Carolina

• 2009: Paul Mainieri, Louisiana St.

• 2008: Mike Batesole, Fresno St.

• 2007: Pat Casey, Oregon St.

• 2006: Pat Casey, Oregon St.

• 2005: Augie Garrido, Texas

• 2004: George Horton, Cal. St. Fullerton

• 2003: Wayne Graham, Rice

• 2002: Augie Garrido, Texas

• 2001: Jim Morris, Miami (Fla.)

• 2000: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.

• 1999: Jim Morris, Miami (Fla.)

• 1998: Mike Gillespie, Southern Calif.

           Mike Batesole, Cal. St. Northridge

• 1997: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.

• 1996: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.,

           Andy Lopez, Florida

• 1995: Augie Garrido, Cal. St. Fullerton

• 1994: Larry Cochell, Oklahoma

• 1993: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.

• 1992: Andy Lopez, Pepperdine

• 1991: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.

• 1990: Steve Webber, Georgia

• 1989: Dave Snow, Long Beach St.

• 1988: Larry Cochell, Cal. St. Fullerton

• 1987: Mark Marquess, Stanford

• 1986: Jerry Kindall, Arizona

• 1985: Ron Fraser, Miami (Fla.)

• 1984: Augie Garrido, Cal. St. Fullerton

• 1983: Cliff Gustafson, Texas

• 1982: Ron Fraser, Miami (Fla.)

• 1981: Jim Brock, Arizona St.

• 1980: Jerry Kindall, Arizona