In addition to being announced as the 31st South Carolina baseball coach in school history, Paul Mainieri also announced the retention of associate head coach/hitting coach Monte Lee and the additions of pitching coach/recruiting coordinator Terry Rooney and assistant coach John Hendry.
Details on their contracts and bios are below.
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ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH/HITTING COACH MONTE LEE
Lee is no stranger to Gamecock baseball as he has spent two stints as an assistant coach, most recently the last two seasons as the associate head coach/recruiting coordinator. The Gamecock offense hit 218 home runs in his two seasons in Columbia, including Ethan Petry’s 44, which is tied for fifth on Carolina’s all-time home runs list. Carolina also had 124 stolen bases in two seasons and scored 952 bases in 2023 and 2024. Offensively, Petry was a consensus All-American in 2023 and was named to the All-Raleigh Regional in 2024. Cole Messina was an All-American in 2023, an All-Region first team selection, an All-SEC Tournament honoree and an All-Raleigh Regional team selection in 2024.
Lee, who has had 21 winning seasons in his 22 years as a full-time NCAA coach, most recently was the head coach at Clemson University for seven seasons (2016-22), garnering a 242-136 overall record and leading the Tigers to four NCAA Tournament berths. He also was the head coach at the College of Charleston (2009-15), leading the Cougars to a Super Regional berth in 2014 and NCAA appearances in 2010 and 2015. He was an assistant at South Carolina from 2003-08, guiding USC to College World Series appearances in 2003 and 2004 and four Super Regional berths.
Monte Lee Contract
1. Title and Term
- Title: Assistant Baseball Coach
- Term: June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2027
2. Annual Compensation
- Annual Compensation: $550,000.00
3. Incentive Compensation
(a) NCAA Post-Season Tournament Appearance
- 1 month of base salary (and)
(b) NCAA College World Series Appearance (final 8 teams)
(c) NCAA College World Series Champion
4. Termination of Employment
(a) University Termination for Cause
- The University may terminate Coach for cause.
(b) University Termination Without Cause
- If the University terminates Coach without cause, the University will pay Coach an amount equal to Coach’s base salary for the remaining term of the contract, subject to Coach’s obligation to mitigate.
(c) Coach’s Termination
- Coach may terminate the contract, and will pay the University liquidated damages as follows:
| Effective Date of Termination | Liquidated Damages Amount |
|---|---|
| 06/11/24 – 05/31/25 | $550,000 |
| 06/01/25 – 05/31/26 | $300,000 |
| 06/01/26 – 05/31/27 | $150,000 |
PITCHING COACH/RECRUITING COORDINATOR TERRY ROONEY
Rooney joins the Gamecocks from LSU, where he was the Tigers’ Associate Director of Program Development and Recruiting for the 2024 season. It was his second stint in Baton Rouge, as he was the pitching coach/recruiting coordinator under Coach Mainieri for two seasons (2007-08), helping the Tigers to a berth in the 2008 College World Series and assembling the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class that contributed significantly to LSU’s 2009 National Championship team.
Rooney was the pitching coach/recruiting coordinator at Purdue from 2022-23 and at Houston from 2017-21. He was the head coach at UCF from 2009-16, where he was named the American Athletic Conference’s Coach of the Year in 2014 and guided the Knights to a 45-win season and a NCAA Regional berth in 2012.
Terry Rooney Contract
1. Title and Term
- Title: Assistant Baseball Coach
- Term: June 11, 2024 – May 31, 2027
2. Annual Compensation
- Annual Compensation: $425,000.00
3. Incentive Compensation
(a) NCAA Post-Season Tournament Appearance
- 1 month of base salary (and)
(b) NCAA College World Series Appearance (final 8 teams)
(c) NCAA College World Series Champion
2. Termination of Employment
(a) The University may terminate Coach for cause.
(b) University Termination Without Cause
- The University may terminate Coach without cause, in which case the University will pay Coach an amount equal to Coach’s base salary for the remaining term of the contract, subject to Coach’s obligation to mitigate.
(c) Coach’s Termination
- Coach may terminate the contract and will pay the University liquidated damages as follows:
| Effective Date of Termination | Liquidated Damages Amount |
|---|---|
| 06/11/24 – 05/31/25 | $425,000 |
| 06/01/25 – 05/31/26 | $175,000 |
| 06/01/26 – 05/31/27 | $75,000 |
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ASSISTANT COACH JOHN HENDRY
Hendry comes to the Garnet and Black after three seasons as the University of Virginia’s Director of Player Development. In his three seasons in Charlottesville, Hendry has helped the Cavaliers to three straight College World Series appearances, including a trip in 2024 after defeating Kansas State in the Super Regional.
Hendry pitched for the University of Indianapolis from 2016-21. He appeared in 34 games, contributing as both starting pitcher and a reliever for the Greyhounds. Out of high school, Hendry was a 32nd round pick of the Colorado Rockies in the 2016 MLB Draft. At the conclusion of his playing career, Hendry went on be an assistant coach for the Academy Park Rangers of the College Summer League in 2021. During his time as a student-athlete at Indianapolis, he spent time working in the facilities and gameday operations department.
Hendry is the son of John Hendry, longtime MLB executive and current special assistant to New York Yankee general manager Brian Cashman.
