Gamecocks reportedly have new baseball coach

The search for South Carolina's new baseball coach is reportedly over.

According to Dan Lucas, a sports anchor at WFLA in Tampa, Florida and Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball.com, South Florida head coach Mark Kingston is expected to take the Gamecocks job.

GamecockCentral.com reported Friday Kingston was athletic director Ray Tanner's likely choice to take over the program.

GamecockCentral also reported Thursday of steam building behind Kingston to take over the program.

The 47 year old interviewed with the Gamecocks about a week ago, touring the facilities and meeting with a few players in town over the summer.

Also see: Jam-packed insider notes on Gamecock targets

Currently finishing year three of a six-year deal, Kingston is making $140,000 base salary annually for the Bulls. Former head coach Chad Holbrook made a base pay of roughly $400,000 annually at South Carolina.

Kingston spent the last three seasons as the South Florida head coach, taking the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament in 20115 and this season with a 42-19 record. Before that, he was the head coach at Illinois State for five seasons, winning the MVC Tournament in 2010.

Also see: More recruiting scoop on high-priority Gamecock recruits

He was an assistant at Miami, where he was part of a staff that won the 2001 College World Series. He was also recruiting coordinator at Tulane and helped lead the Green Wave to the College World Series in 2005 and has been to four Super Regionals as an assistant.

South Carolina's Board of Trustees will meet Friday morning at 9 a.m. to discuss a coaching contract, however, which contract the board will discuss has not been specified.

Also see: Jabari Ellis talks final decision

Chad Holbrook resigned at the beginning of June, sparking the almost month-long search for the Gamecocks' new head coach.

Stick with GamecockCentral over the course of the day as the story develops.