JBryant12
02-24-2005, 10:12 AM
Tanner pulls out of AD search
By STEVE WISEMAN
Staff Writer
USC baseball coach Ray Tanner has withdrawn his name from consideration to replace outdoing athletics director Mike McGee.
Tanner met with USC president Andrew Sorensen earlier this month to discuss the job.
“I appreciated the opportunity to be considered a candidate, but baseball season is here, and I’m excited more than ever to be coaching,” Tanner said.
Tanner was one of three internal candidates to interview with Sorensen.
Chris Massaro, a senior associate AD for ticket operations, met with Sorensen this past week; Brad Edwards, a senior associate AD for business and development, was scheduled to interview with Sorensen on Wednesday.
Attempts to reach Edwards and Massaro on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Tanner has led USC to three consecutive College World Series berths and has the No. 5 Gamecocks off to a 6-0 start. He said the joy of coaching, plus unfinished plans for a potential new USC baseball stadium, caused him to reconsider.
“We have a nationally competitive baseball program, and we are in the midst of building a brand-new stadium,” Tanner said. “I hope somewhere down the road, when my coaching days are over, that I will have an opportunity to get into athletic administration.”
The 46-year-old Tanner is in his ninth season at USC. He previously coached at North Carolina State, his alma mater, where he gained administrative experience as an assistant athletics director in charge of game operations.
Even as he was expressing interest in replacing McGee, who announced his retirement in January, effective June 30, Tanner said the timing wasn’t perfect and that he still loved coaching. Tanner said he pursued the position because he had no way of knowing if the opportunity would present itself again.
Staff writer Joseph Person contributed to this report. Reach Wiseman at (803)-771-8472 or swiseman@thestate.com.
By STEVE WISEMAN
Staff Writer
USC baseball coach Ray Tanner has withdrawn his name from consideration to replace outdoing athletics director Mike McGee.
Tanner met with USC president Andrew Sorensen earlier this month to discuss the job.
“I appreciated the opportunity to be considered a candidate, but baseball season is here, and I’m excited more than ever to be coaching,” Tanner said.
Tanner was one of three internal candidates to interview with Sorensen.
Chris Massaro, a senior associate AD for ticket operations, met with Sorensen this past week; Brad Edwards, a senior associate AD for business and development, was scheduled to interview with Sorensen on Wednesday.
Attempts to reach Edwards and Massaro on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Tanner has led USC to three consecutive College World Series berths and has the No. 5 Gamecocks off to a 6-0 start. He said the joy of coaching, plus unfinished plans for a potential new USC baseball stadium, caused him to reconsider.
“We have a nationally competitive baseball program, and we are in the midst of building a brand-new stadium,” Tanner said. “I hope somewhere down the road, when my coaching days are over, that I will have an opportunity to get into athletic administration.”
The 46-year-old Tanner is in his ninth season at USC. He previously coached at North Carolina State, his alma mater, where he gained administrative experience as an assistant athletics director in charge of game operations.
Even as he was expressing interest in replacing McGee, who announced his retirement in January, effective June 30, Tanner said the timing wasn’t perfect and that he still loved coaching. Tanner said he pursued the position because he had no way of knowing if the opportunity would present itself again.
Staff writer Joseph Person contributed to this report. Reach Wiseman at (803)-771-8472 or swiseman@thestate.com.