South Carolina Board of Trustees Greenlights New Coaching Staff
The South Carolina Board of Trustees has given the green light to a fresh set of contracts that will shape the Gamecocks’ coaching landscape for the coming seasons. By endorsing deals for an assistant basketball coach and three aides in baseball, the board signaled a strategic investment in both program continuity and competitive depth.
Steve Smith, the newly hired assistant basketball coach, will earn $400,000 each year over a two-year span. His agreement is laced with incentives that reward NCAA Tournament qualification and deeper runs, while a termination clause guarantees him 85% of the remaining salary if dismissed without cause in the first year and a full 100% payout in the final year.
In baseball, the board’s approval encompasses three assistants: Matt Williams, Bill Cilento and Chad Oxendine. Williams secures a three-year contract worth $450,000 annually, Cilento matches that structure at $425,000 per year, and Oxendine receives a two-year deal at $300,000 per season. Each contract mirrors Smith’s bonus framework, tying additional compensation to tournament progression, and includes staggered termination payouts—85% of unpaid salary in the first year and reduced percentages thereafter.
The board also imposed a buyout requirement on the coaches themselves, meaning any premature exit by the staff would obligate them to reimburse a portion of the university’s investment. This mutual safeguard underscores the institution’s commitment to stability while providing clear financial parameters for both parties.