COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina baseball coach Ray Tanner knew it was time for change more than a decade ago with his program at its most successful. Tanner could not escape that same feeling as athletic director these past few months even with Gamecock athletics trending upward.
Tanner, 66, said Friday he was stepping down after the fall semester, ending more than 12 years as one of the longest-tenured ADs in the Southeastern Conference.
“There was going to be a time” to change, Tanner said. “When I coached baseball, I didn’t leave the baseball program because I didn’t think it was good anymore to become the athletic director, it was time. And I knew it was getting close to time in this role as well.”
Tanner had come off national championships in 2010 and 2011 and a near three-peat before losing to Arizona in 2012 when he was chosen to head the department.
He’s leaving when it appears South Carolina sports’ fortunes are trending upward.
The women’s basketball team visited the White House this week after its third national title and, under coach Dawn Staley, will start the season as a favorite for another NCAA Tournament trophy.
He had hired ex-LSU national championship baseball coach Paul Mainieri this summer to restore College World Series success to the Gamecocks.
Tanner retained men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris with a long-term contract after he led the Gamecocks to their first NCAA tournament appearance in seven years.
And the football team is off to a good start as well, hosting No. 16 LSU in a sold-out game Saturday with ESPN’s “College GameDay” in town.
“I was somewhat hesitant about today myself, because we do have a lot going on,” Tanner said. “But, again, there never is a perfect time. But it is, it’s not a sad day, it’s a happy day.”
Tanner had discussions with university president Michael Amiridis the past few months about his future. The longer talks went on, Tanner said, the more chance of the news coming out before both sides wanted it.
“I’ve already had some people, I won’t give you any names, but a couple people reach out to me, ‘Hey, what do you know about that? I’d like to have that job,” ESPN’s Rece Davis, host of “College GameDay” said Friday from Columbia.
A national search for a new athletic director will begin at the end of November, Amiridis said.
Tanner will be paid his current salary of $1.175 million through June 30, 2025. He will earn $987,500 in the next year and $800,000 in the final year of the deal, which ends June 30, 2028, “unless extended by mutual written agreement,” according to the letter from Amiridis in accepting his decision to leave as AD and transition to the new role.
Tanner’s tenure has had its highs and lows.
Women’s basketball has won three national titles under Staley in 2017, 2022 and, most recently, 2024. And while Tanner was still baseball coach when Staley came on board before the 2008-09 season, he helped keep her with the Gamecocks despite other outside opportunities.
Tanner has hired two full-time football coaches over his 12 years as the program has tried to make strides in the difficult SEC.
Will Muschamp served from 2017 until his dismissal before the end of the 2020 season, going 28-30 overall and 17-22 in the SEC.
Current coach Shane Beamer was hired in December 2020 and has had two winning seasons in his first three years.
Tanner said he was honored to be at South Carolina for nearly three decades and the chance to continue in a different role. When his successor arrives, Tanner will be athletic director emeritus and presidential advisor, focusing on fundraising and community engagement.
“I am glad to see he’s continuing on in a role with the university and his willingness to do that,” said board of trustees chairman Thad Westbrook. “Ray, he doesn’t have a degree from South Carolina, but there’s no one who loves our university more.”
Tanner came to South Carolina in 1996 as baseball coach and went on to make six trips to the College World Series.
Tanner said his successor would need to be “nimble” in navigating the new, rapidly changing world of college athletics.
Amiridis said he would look for an athletic director with experience who had a similar respect for athletics as Tanner.
Tanner said he will not be closely involved in picking the next athletic director.
“I’m gratefully for the time that I’ve been able to spend in South Carolina and the opportunity moving forward,” he said. “We have a great place, we have wonderful people and I’m excited to remain in a capacity that’s going to be new to me, but certainly will energize me in a way that I haven’t experienced in a number of years.”
