Mark Kingston is the head coach of the South Carolina baseball team, which recently earned promotion to the NCAA Tournament Super Regional for the first time since 2018. Kingston, who has coached at USC since 2017, has led the Gamecocks to a record 42-19 record this season despite multiple injuries on the pitching team. Kingston has been in the headlines for his team’s impressive performance and the nickname for his shortstop Braylen Wimmer: “Octopus”.
Early life
Mark Kingston was born on May 16, 1970, in Buffalo, New York. He grew up in Dumfries, Virginia, where he attended Potomac High School and played baseball. Recognized by Collegiate Baseball as one of the top 50 recruits, he was ultimately selected in the 35th round of the 1988 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees.
However, he chose to play college ball in North Carolina; He was instrumental in guiding his team to winning the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship and reaching the College World Series in 1989 in his freshman year. In 1992 he graduated from UNC with a degree in Political Science.
Mark Kingston career
player career
Kingston was drafted again by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 45th round of the 1992 MLB Draft. He played one season in the Brewers organization and then four seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization, reaching Class AA. He also played one season with the independent league Grays Harbor Gulls.
coaching
After his playing days were over, Kingston began his coaching career in 1996 as an assistant coach at Purdue. After two seasons, he was named top assistant and joined Illinois State in 1999 as an assistant coach. He then moved to Miami (FL). In 2000, he became an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, where he helped the team win the 2001 College World Series title and produced two All-Americans.
In 2002, Kingston became an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Tulane, where he remained for seven seasons. He recruited six classes that were ranked in the top 25 nationally by Collegiate Baseball and led the team as the top seed to the 2005 College World Series.
In 2009, Kingston returned to Illinois State as an assistant head coach and was promoted to head coach in 2010. He coached at Illinois State for five seasons and led the team to qualifying for two NCAA regionals and two Missouri Valley Conference regular-season titles. He was twice named MVC Coach of the Year (2010 and 2013).
In 2015, Kingston was hired as the head coach in South Florida, where he coached for three seasons and led the team to two NCAA regional league appearances and a regular-season American Athletic Conference title.
Kingston assumed the position of head coach at South Carolina in 2017, becoming the thirtieth player in program history to hold the position. In his first season at USC, he led the team to an NCAA regional title and an NCAA super regional appearance. In his sophomore season, he coached five players who were selected in the MLB Draft.
Mark Kingston Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Mark Kingston |
| birth date | May 16, 1970 |
| Age | 54 years |
| Place of birth | Buffalo, New York, United States |
| Profession | baseball coach |
| University | University of North Carolina |
| qualification | graduate |
Physical Statistics | |
| Height | in feet inches – 5 feet 8 inches – in centimeters – 172 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 78kg – in pounds – 171 pounds |
| Hair color | Brown |
| eye color | Brown |
Mark Kingston Family | |
| Father | Mark Kingston |
| Mother | Lorraine Kingston |
| Sister | – |
| Brother | – |
relationship status | |
| Marital status | Married |
| who is Mark Kingston’s wife? | Letitia Kingston |
| Children | Three (Kailyn Grace, Cameron James & Kathryn Patrici) |
Personal life
Kingston and his wife, formerly known as Letitia Kelly, are blessed with a beautiful family of five. They have three wonderful children: Kailyn Grace, Cameron James, and Kathryn Patricia. Mark first met his wife when he was playing pro ball.
Mark Kingston Salary and Net Worth
According to available information, Kingston in the state of South Carolina receives an annual salary of $ 600,000. Additionally, it is widely speculated that his estimated net worth is around $2 million. In 2021, the University of South Carolina renewed his contract, but his salary did not increase. Instead, his buyout was simply increased back to $2.2 million.