Scott Wingo is officially home.

The two-time champion and 2011 College World Series Most Outstanding Player is back in the garnet and black as south Carolina's volunteer assistant and met with the media for the first time since accepting the job earlier this month.

“The culture since day one since I got here has been awesome working with Mark (Kingston), Chad (Caillet), Justin (Parker), Ryan West our operations guy and Bryan Wells and the players. It’s been a really cool experience so far and you can tell the guys are anxious and excited and flat-out ready to go to start the fall.”

Wingo—who will work with the outfielders and assist with the infielders and hitters while also coaching third base—spoke about his time at most recently Notre Dame, coming home and hitting the ground running the last few weeks.

Did the current players on the roster know who you were and your reputation?

SW: “They did, and it was pretty cool. It’s pretty cool when some of these guys tell me they went to our parade or was watching the games. One, it made me feel old. I said man I’m getting really old. We just had a prospect camp and one player said he was at a camp when he was five or six years old with me, Blake Cooper and Matt Price.

I was like, ‘You were six years old?’ And now he’s about 18. That definitely made me feel like I’m getting up there. Most of the guys knew of me. It was a pretty humbling and cool experience getting to talk to them especially about those two years in 2010 and 11.”

Also see: Insider notes from the football recruiting trail

How does your experience here as a player help you coach knowing the expectations?

SW: “It’s an honor to be able to come here and coach at your alma mater. The respect I have for these fans, this program. You know they know the game of baseball. They know how to win. They expect to win. That’s something I got to see my four years here.

We had some good teams in 08 and 09, some really good teams. I was speaking with Reese Havens a few days ago and told him that 2008 we could play with anybody. We had a few missing pieces but you respect the overall culture that was started here. That goes back a long time ago. I remember from 2000 to 2004, I’d watch those guys in Omaha: Drew Meyer, Landon Powell and a bunch of those guys.

David Marchbanks went to my high school. Those guys started and really started a good foundation here and we were able to cap it off in 2010 and 11. That’s the goal: to get back there. Obviously when you get to Omaha you got a shot. You got a shot.”

Do you think your experience as a player will help guys understand some of those expectations?

SW: “It starts first being prepared. A lot of times when I think of moments where I wasn’t quite ready or a little bit nervous for the moment, I don’t think I was quite prepared from an athletic standpoint and being prepared to hit those guys who are 92 to 94. I just wasn’t a great hitter say during that specific year.

Defensively I felt I was ready to roll from day one. Preparation is big. You have to be ready to go. That starts with us, and that starts with the guys getting in those cages, getting on the field and being ready to compete with the most elite talent out there.”

Also see: Top150 power forward sets South Carolina official visit

How easy of a process was it to get you back to South Carolina?

SW: “Obviously Coach (Stuart) Lake took another job. I think and speak very highly of coach Lake. I know he took another job out side of baseball, but when that happened, coach Kingston had a conversation on the phone. Just to get the opportunity to come back to my alma mater wasn’t a very tough sell.

This place is home to me. I love this place more than anything. I have great memories here and think highly of this place. It wasn’t tough for me, I’ll be honest with you.”

What did you learn during your time at Notre Dame?

SW: “Link Jarrett is as good as it gets. One, he’s very detailed oriented but has a lot of feel for the game. He was an infielder at Florida State and I believe he went to the college world series three times. I want to say he leads the country in assists as a shortstop. He has a lot of feel for the game. He’s a great coach.

He’ll always be one of my mentors because he’s just a great person and definitely has Notre Dame on the right path: Chuck Ristano, Rich Wallace, Sean Guite. All those guys do a great job and wish them nothing but the best.

I’ll definitely take away the details. We prepared the right way, and that’s where you have to do the small things right. If not, those things compound on you and the next thing you know you’re down 7-0 and have to fight back. We’re going to try and do the small things right and hopefully get to Omaha, Nebraska.”

What did you learn during your journey to assistant to out of baseball and now back in it?

SW: “After about six to eight months, (I got) that itch. It’s almost like one of those former pro athletes retires and he gets an itch again to go play. I got that as far as coaching. Luckily I got a phone call from a few schools wanting me to be the volunteer assistant, and Link Jarrett was one of them.

I just followed my heart on that. I went up to Notre Dame. I didn’t go on an official visit up there, I just spoke with him a number of times on the phone for a couple hours. My heart was led to get back into coaching…I always knew in the back of my head I wanted to coach. After that 2018 season I felt like I needed to possibly step away for a bit to see options. I think that six to eight months solidified it for me as far as knowing where my heart wanted to be. A lot of lessons.

Also see: Insider notes from Wednesday's practice

I’ve been part of some great coaches: north Greenville with Landon Powell, (Jon) Coutlangus to Chris Hayes at Jacksonville and link Jarrett. I’ve gotten to see some really good coaches and can hopefully take some bits and pieces from them.”

What is your impression on the hitters you'll be working with now that small group work has started?

SW: “One, we’ve got an athletic group. The newcomers, they look good. We have nice little group of older guys with Eyster and a group of transfers who are looking good. I expect us to be competitive and absolutely get after it. There are a couple shortstops I like. Obviously madden came from Virginia Tech and is a good player.

I’m enjoying working with them so far. I know we’re only a few days in, but I expect us to grow as a group and as a team this fall. It’s a big fall…Fall is a time where you win. We’re going to hopefully do that this fall as far as growing as a group and getting better.”

Are you ready to coach third and get flak if a runner gets thrown out at home?

SW: “The Wilmington Sharks in the Coastal Plains League I was the third base coach for three or four years. I’ll be ready for them. I’m sure we’re going to be aggressive and we’ll probably have at least one guy thrown out. But they’re going to know I did it from the right side. We’re going to be aggressive.

I’m going to work there this fall a lot to get more comfortable with that. I’ve usually been at first base the past three years. I’m looking forward to that and I’m going to work hard in our scrimmages of getting comfortable with our guys and me as well with the position there. That’s the hot corner as far as coaching boxes. That’s where the action is. I look forward to it, though.”

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