Chris Lemonis, a Myrtle Beach native and national championship‑winning coach, has been appointed the seventh head baseball coach at Coastal Carolina University, bringing a proven track record of success back to the state where his career began.
A Coach With a Championship Legacy
During his tenure at Mississippi State, Lemonis guided the Bulldogs to the 2021 NCAA National Championship and captured the 2019 SEC West regular‑season title, earning Baseball America’s National Coach of the Year honors. He also led Indiana to three NCAA Tournament appearances and amassed a career record of 373‑226‑2 over 11 seasons, highlighted by 18 NCAA Tournament berths and five College World Series trips.
Lemonis returns to the Carolinas with a clear mission: to build on Coastal Carolina’s strong baseball tradition and contend for future championships. His experience developing 111 MLB Draft picks, 22 major‑league players and dozens of All‑Americans positions him to elevate the Chanticleers’ talent pipeline.
Beyond the dugout, Lemonis and his wife Jill are parents to two daughters, Marissa and Mackenzie, who will join the campus community as the program moves forward. The coach also carries a solid academic foundation, holding a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s in sport management.
His extensive background includes eight years as an assistant at Louisville, where he helped transform the Cardinals into a national powerhouse, and a 12‑year stint at The Citadel, where he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. Lemonis now looks to blend that experience with the university’s coastal identity to produce a championship‑ready team.