Current position | |
---|---|
Title | Athletic director |
Team | South Carolina |
Record | 738–316 (.700) |
Biographical details | |
Born |
Smithfield, North Carolina |
March 25, 1958
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
1988-1996 | NC State |
1997-2012 | South Carolina |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 1133–489–3 (.699) |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
1992 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament 2000 Southeastern Conference 2002 Southeastern Conference 2004 Southeastern Conference Tournament 2010 NCAA Championship 2011 Southeastern Conference 2011 NCAA Championship |
|
Awards | |
1990 ACC Coach of the Year 1998 SEC Coach of the Year 2000 SEC Coach of the Year 2000 National Coach of the Year 2010 National Coach of the Year 2011 SEC Coach of the Year 2011 National Coach of the Year |
Ray Tanner (born March 25, 1958) is the athletic director at the University of South Carolina, a position he took on July 13, 2012 after spending 16 successful seasons as head coach of the university's baseball program. His record since arriving at Carolina in 1997 is 738-316 (.700). He led USC to three consecutive College World Series appearances in 2002, 2003 and 2004, three consecutive College World Series appearances in 2010, 2011 and 2012, two College World Series Championships in 2010 and 2011, and coached the USA Baseball National Team during the 2003 summer. His South Carolina teams have qualified for thirteen consecutive NCAA postseasons (the longest active streak in the Southeastern Conference (SEC)). On April 11, 2010, Tanner recorded the 1,000th win of his career with a 2-0 victory over Vanderbilt, becoming the 44th Division I coach in history to reach the milestone.
After graduating from South Johnston High School near his home in Benson, North Carolina, Ray Tanner attended North Carolina State University, in Raleigh from 1977 to 1980. He played for Sam Esposito, starting four seasons at shortstop and third base.
Tanner became an assistant coach to NCSU coach Sam Esposito immediately after his playing days were over. He remained in that position from 1980–1987, when Esposito retired and Tanner was named his successor. At age 28, he was one of the youngest head coaches in the country. During his first season the Wolfpack reached the NCAA tournament, playing in the East Regional. His teams earned bids to the NCAA tournament during seven of his nine seasons as head coach at NCSU, including five straight from 1990-1994. He was named ACC Coach of the Year in 1990.