President’s tenure marked by football, baseball highlights
The last five years have seen plenty for Gamecocks fans to cheer for.
Since Harris Pastides was named president in 2008, the football team shook off years of middling performance for a pair of program-best 11-win seasons and top-10 finishes. The baseball team won back-to-back national championships. And women’s basketball has improved its conference record, taking back-to-back 25-win seasons.
“That’s a good track record for any president,” said trustee Thad Westbrook, of Lexington.
Ray Tanner, who has been athletics director since 2012 and a coach at South Carolina since 1997, said Pastides has been unusually active with athletics.
Pastides goes to many games — even for smaller sports — and that has raised his profile among student-athletes, Tanner said.
“His sincerity is really cherished by our athletes and our coaches,” Tanner said. “We feel very much that he’s part of what we’re doing.”
For his part, Pastides lists athletic successes often among his favorite moments as president: College GameDay visits for wins over Georgia and Alabama, bowl wins and a pair of baseball championships.
His tenure has also seen new and upgraded athletic facilities. Carolina Stadium opened in 2009, football has a new tailgating area and video board and the athletic village — including the Rice Athletics Center and Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center — is growing.
The last year has also seen new plans for a plaza by Williams-Brice Stadium and upgrades to non-revenue sports’ facilities.
“Our student-athletes, they know who our president is, and that’s not common at all universities,” Tanner said. “With his support and encouragement and his presence, that’s very important to the success of any program.”