Gamecocks part ways with softball coach Beverly Smith after 14 seasons

South Carolina has another coaching search on its hands.

Longtime softball coach Beverly Smith “will not return” next season, athletic director Ray Tanner announced Saturday morning via press release.

Smith, hired in 2010, spent 14 seasons as USC’s softball coach and finished with an overall record of 461-323 (.588) and a 102-219 (.318) record in the SEC. News of her firing was first reported by John Whittle of TheBigSpur.

She was the second-winningest coach in program history and reached nine NCAA regionals, including the Durham Regional this season as a No. 3 seed. But South Carolina only reached the super regional round of the NCAA Tournament once, in 2018, and never reached the College World Series in her tenure.

And the Gamecocks compete in an already-tough SEC that’s adding Texas and Oklahoma for next season — the two teams that just competed in the Women’s College World Series finals. The Sooners beat the Longhorns to win their record fourth consecutive NCAA title ealrier this week.

This year’s team went 36-24 overall and 8-16 in the SEC before going 2-2 in the regional round and getting eliminated by Duke. Smith’s teams won 32% of their SEC games across her 14 seasons.

Coaching changes at USC

With Smith’s firing, Tanner has a busy few months ahead. Earlier in June, USC’s longtime athletic director fired baseball coach Mark Kingston and is currently in the middle of that coaching search. Tanner also announced longtime men’s golf coach Bill McDonald would not return, though it wasn’t clear whether he’d been fired or his contract had expired.

Smith’s firing also follows a trend of various longtime South Carolina coaches either getting fired or retiring. Equestrian coach Boo Major retired earlier this spring, and track and field coach Curtis Frye retired last summer.

The Gamecocks just hired Carol Gwin as their new equestrian coach.

South Carolina recent softball coaching history

South Carolina had no conference affiliation until 1997 when the SEC first sponsored the sport.

• Judy Martino (1979-81): 91-35 (.722)

• Terrie Drake (1982): 25-9 (.735)

• Lou Piel (1983-86): 101-58-3 (.633)

• Joyce Compton (1987-2010): 951-486-4 overall (.661); 182-204 SEC (.472)

• Beverly Smith (2011-24): 461-323 overall (.588); 102-219 SEC (.318)