USC, Paul Mainieri reach buyout settlement. How much will former baseball coach get?
Less than a week after South Carolina and baseball coach Paul Mainieri mutually agreed to part ways, the two sides have signed an official agreement outlining Mainieri’s buyout settlement, per a source.
If Mainieri was fired without cause, he would have been owed the entirety of what’s remaining on his contract, which runs through May 31, 2029. If that were the case, Mainieri — who was making $1.3 million annually — would be due around $4.15 million from USC. Conversely, if Mainieri left on his own, he would receive nothing from South Carolina.
But since this was a “mutual parting of ways,” a settlement was in order. And, per the terms of that settlement, South Carolina has agreed to pay its former baseball coach $2.5 million, the source said. Of that, $1.25 million will be due to Mainieri in May and the other $1.25 million will be due in June. The Post and Courier was the first to report the news.
In other words: Mainieri is receiving a substantial lump sum ($2.5 million) rather than being paid more money ($4.15 million) in monthly installments over the next three years.
Mainieri and South Carolina Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati met Saturday morning and decided to move on just 23 games into Mainieri’s second season as the Gamecocks’ coach. The meeting came a night after USC was run-ruled 22-6 in a series-opening loss to No. 4 Arkansas.
Mainieri, who guided LSU to the 2009 national championship and won over 1,500 games as a college baseball coach, led South Carolina for just 80 games. He finished with a 40-40 record.
Mainieri’s first season was a historically bad one for the Gamecocks. It ended with program records for losses (29) and SEC losses (24). And 2026 was off to an even worse start. The Gamecocks were 12-11 overall (0-4 SEC) — with five losses to non-power conference programs — before hitting coach Monte Lee took over. Since then, the Gamecocks are 1-2.
This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 11:08 PM.
