UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA SPORTS

As head coach of the University of South Carolina baseball team, Ray Tanner won two College World Series National Championships.

As South Carolina athletics director, Tanner now reads budget reports and counts beans instead of line-up cards and pitches.

Tanner spoke at the Greater Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce Breakfast on March 26 at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

He was the director for the NCAA basketball tournament games that were played in Columbia this past weekend.

Tanner said NCAA officials “said it was very special” and those involved said they would love to come back.

Some estimates indicate the tournament games played at the Colonial Life Arena had an impact of up to $5 million on the local economy.

South Carolina also held the NCAA women’s basketball tournament on the campus of Charlotte.

Coached by Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks won 2 games there and advanced to the NCAA’s Sweet 16 for the sixth year in a row where they lost to top-seeded Baylor this past Saturday. “It was quite a weekend,” Tanner said. He said Columbia was well received by the tournament participants. He said his staff “heard kind words” from all of the teams.

Aside from on-court performance, Tanner said Gamecock student-athletes have one of the highest grade point averages among NCAA schools. The close to 450 South Caroina athletes just recorded their highest grade point average ever at 3.33.

The graduation rate for the basketball team is 100 percent and the football team’s graduation rate is 93 percent.

Tanner mentioned former South Carolina player Jackie Bradley Jr. of the Boston Red Sox was last year’s American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player.

Teammate and former Gamecock Steve Pearce was named World Series MVP. Both displayed a Gamecock “Spurs Up” sign after their World Series win.

Tanner also said South Carolina is one of only about 20 college programs in the country that operates in the black without subsidies, by generating revenue via ticket sales, marketing opportunities and other means.

As for the future, Tanner said new facilities in the offering include a new football Center and an indoor track facility. South Carolina is also currently planning an indoor tennis facility.