Tom Walter: 5 things to know about potential South Carolina baseball coach

A year ago, it looked like Tom Walter might lead Wake Forest to a national championship.

A year later, after losing in the Greenville Regional last week, Walter has been mentioned as a possible name to take over the South Carolina baseball program, after the firing this week of coach Mark Kingston.

Here are five things to know about the Demon Deacon coach:

1. HE WINS AT EVERY STOP

Walter has been a college baseball head coach for 27 years. He spent eight seasons at George Washington, five at New Orleans and has spent the past 14 as Wake Forest’s skipper.

At every stop, he’s found his way into the postseason.

Walter is one of just seven coaches to ever lead three-separate squads to the NCAA Tournament. No matter what conference he’s in, what city, what situation, Walter finds a way.

2. IT TOOK TIME TO FIND MAJOR SUCCESS

At Wake Forest, Walter was afforded something he wouldn’t get at South Carolina: Time.

Kingston made a super regional in his first season at South Carolina. Heck he made a regional this season and was fired days later. There are heightened expectations in Columbia. You are expected to win right away.

At Wake Forest, Walter did not do that — and he still kept his job.

Walter failed to make the NCAA Tournament in his first six (!) seasons in Winston-Salem, before finally making a regional in 2016 and a super regional in 2017.

Wake Forest has missed three tournaments since then, but has made the field in each of the past three seasons, highlighted by the 2023 season when WF won 54 games, was the tournament’s top seed and made the program’s first trip to Omaha in almost seven decades.

3. CAN BE HE COULD BRING THE PITCHING LAB?

How did Wake Forest go from a so-so baseball program to one of the best in America the past few years? Many folks think it has to due with technology.

As part of a $12 million development center built inside Wake Forest’s ballpark in 2019, the Demon Deacons constructed an ultra-high-tech pitching lab. It was Walter’s idea and it has been a game-changer for Wake.

From a Baseball America story on the lab: “From 16 high-speed, three-dimensional cameras, a motion capture and an embedded force plate in the pitcher’s mound with reflector markers on the pitchers, (Dr. Kristen) Nicholson can study the data and offer solutions to help reduce stress on a pitcher’s shoulder and elbow.”

Rhett Lowder, who had a 1.87 ERA while helping Wake to the College World Series, became the No. 7 overall pick in last summer’s MLB Draft. To much of his success, he credits the pitching lab.

“It’s helped me a lot,” he told MLB.com, “because coming in, I didn’t really know anything about any analytics or biomechanics, anything like that,”

Walter not only came up with the idea for the pitching lab, but was key in finding funding for it. Rather than asking alums for more money, he and the university teamed up with the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to hire a team physician and director for the pitching lab.

4. SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD HAVE TO PONY UP

Like any other coach in his position, Walter cashed in after taking Wake Forest to Omaha last season, signing a long-term extension with the school.

Because Wake Forest is a private institution, contract terms were not disclosed. But it should be known the last time The Deamon Deacons gave Walter an extension, it was for seven years. All that means is if South Carolina really wants Walter, it will likely have to pay a hefty buyout to get him.

Another thing: Walter hasn’t exactly been doing more with less. Even before the CWS season, Wake Forest was spending just as much on baseball as South Carolina.

According to US Department of Education Reports, South Carolina spent $5.93 million on baseball in Fiscal Year 2023. Wake Forest spent the exact same amount, which is a bit surprising considering South Carolina’s baseball history and SEC money.

If Walter is the hire, one would have to imagine he’d ask for some additional resources to compete in the SEC.

5. HE SEEMS TO BE ALL ABOUT TEACHING

When asked years ago what are his building blocks for success, Walter kept going back to buy-in.

“I get frustrated when I hear people say ‘kids today don’t want to work,’” he said “That’s not true, kids today love to put in work, they just have to believe in what they’re working towards. ... Kids don’t just do what the coaches say on blind faith, they have to be motivated.”

Walter does not come off as a my-way-or-the-highway disciplinarian. His goal, he said, is to give players information, resources and opportunity. The rest is up to them.