Ray Tanner
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Ray Tanner (born March 25, 1958) is the head baseball coach at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. He has led Carolina to three consecutive College World Series appearances from 2002-2004 and coached the USA Baseball National Team during the 2003 summer.
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Playing career
After graduating from South Johnston High School in Four Oaks, NC, Ray Tanner attended North Carolina State University, in Raleigh, NC from 1977-1980. He played for Sam Eposito, starting four seasons at shortstop and third base.
Coaching career
NC State
Tanner became an assistant coach to Eposito immediately after his playing days were over. He remained in that position from 1980-1987, when Eposito retired and Tanner was named his successor. At age 28, he was one of the youngest head coaches in the country. During his first season the Wolfpack reached the NCAA tournament, playing in the East Regional. His teams earned bids to the NCAA tournament during seven of his nine seasons as head coach at NCSU, including five straight from 1990-1994. His nine year record at NC State was 395-173-3.
miracolous comeback against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the ninth inning of game three in the super regional
Team USA
Ray Tanner has a longstanding commitment to USA Baseball. He served as an assistant coach in 1993 and again in 1995 and 1996, coaching at the Olympics in Atlanta, GA. During these stints he coached together with college baseball legends such as Skip Bertman and Ron Polk. During the summer of 2002, Tanner served as the head coach of the USA Baseball National Team, comprised of some of the top college players. The team went undefeated during the regular season, including a sweep of its biggest rival, Japan. The only two losses came at the Pan American Games to Nicaragua and Cuba. The team finished the tournament as the runner-up. The win total of 27 is the highest in team history.
Personal
Tanner is married to Karen Donald and the couple has one daughter, Bridgette Grace, born in 2003.
Achievements (prior to 2005)
- Career Record of 767-325-3
- 7th among active coaches by winning percentage
- Top 40 among active coaches by victories
- 25th all-time by winning percentage
- Coach of the year in 2000
- 15 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 5 consecutive super regional appearances starting in 2000
- 3 consecutive College World Series Appearances starting in 2002
- 2000 & 2002 SEC Championships
- 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003 SEC East Championships
- 2004 SEC Tournament Titel
- Three 50-win seasons
- Winningest college baseball coach from 2000-2004 by victories
- Second winningest college baseball coach in SEC history by winning percentage, trailing only Skip Bertman of LSU
- Five first round draft picks at South Carolina