Baseball Head Coach Mike McGuire Inks Contract Extension Through the 2028 Season
7/31/2023 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate Chancellor Dr. Bennie Harris and the USC Upstate athletic department are excited to announce its commitment to the USC Upstate baseball program, inking head coach Mike McGuire to a contract extension through the 2028 season.
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"I'd like to thank Daniel Feig for hiring me four years ago, and Dr. Harris for the commitment he is making to me and this baseball program long term. I want to have one of the best mid-major programs in the country," said McGuire. "That can't happen without his support and financial commitment to our program. I look forward to the future development of our baseball program under Dr. Harris and new AD Matthew Martin's leadership."
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McGuire has helmed the Spartan program since 2020, leading the program to its winningest season (38 victories in 2023), winningest two-season stretch (73 victories from 2022 to 2023), and winningest three-season stretch (110 victories from 2021 to 2023). USC Upstate is one of 23 Division I programs to win 35 or more games in each of the last three seasons as McGuire is one of five coaches to win 35 or more games in each of the last six full seasons, joining an elite company with Southern Miss's Scott Berry, Vanderbilt's Tim Corbin, Texas Tech's Tim Tadlock, and Arkansas's Dave Van Horn.
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During his time at USC Upstate, McGuire has led the program to 123 victories, becoming the fastest coach to 50 wins at Upstate, reaching the mark in 69 games. Of his victories atop the Spartan program, 11 come against Power-Six opponents, winning multiple in each of his four seasons at Upstate while the program has captured three ranked victories under his direction, two coming last season. As a Division I head coach (11 seasons), his teams have captured 18 Power-Six wins and 12 ranked wins.
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Earning a third straight No. 2 overall seed at the championship, McGuire has led Upstate to three consecutive Big South Baseball Championship appearances, culminating in the program's first championship game appearance as he's led the Spartans to the postseason in each full season under his direction—no Big South Championship was held in 2020.
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McGuire's teams have also rewritten the program record book with his program and players setting multiple program and Division I era (2007-pres.) career, single-season, and single-game records. In 2023, the Spartans set eight program records and six Division I era marks, totaling 14 records set during the season, adding to the program's first conference championship game appearance and a program-record-tying eight postseason All-Conference honorees.
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"I am proud of the accomplishments of our program in four short years and extremely excited about where we are headed," added McGuire.
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He joined USC Upstate following a seven-year stint at Morehead State where he accrued 228 wins—the third-most in program history—and an average of 32.6 wins per season, the highest mark in program history. His Eagle teams twice set the program mark for single-season wins, doing so first with 38 wins in 2016 and again with 40 wins in 2019, winning more games than the previous mark (31) in each of his last five seasons at Morehead State, five of the seven 30-win campaigns in program history. He also led the Eagles to two NCAA Tournament appearances, competing in the 2015 Louisville Regional and the 2018 Clemson Regional.
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Prior to Morehead State, McGuire spent one season at Louisburg (N.C.) College, leading the Hurricanes to 52 wins and a No. 1 NJCAA national ranking while rattling off the longest winning streak at any level of college baseball in 2012, winning 27 straight games. McGuire also spent three seasons (2003-05) as the head coach at Lander, leading the program to a then-record 33 victories in 2004. He's also held stints as an assistant coach at Winthrop (1997-02; 2006-11) and Morehead State (1995-96).
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Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartansÂ
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
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"I'd like to thank Daniel Feig for hiring me four years ago, and Dr. Harris for the commitment he is making to me and this baseball program long term. I want to have one of the best mid-major programs in the country," said McGuire. "That can't happen without his support and financial commitment to our program. I look forward to the future development of our baseball program under Dr. Harris and new AD Matthew Martin's leadership."
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McGuire has helmed the Spartan program since 2020, leading the program to its winningest season (38 victories in 2023), winningest two-season stretch (73 victories from 2022 to 2023), and winningest three-season stretch (110 victories from 2021 to 2023). USC Upstate is one of 23 Division I programs to win 35 or more games in each of the last three seasons as McGuire is one of five coaches to win 35 or more games in each of the last six full seasons, joining an elite company with Southern Miss's Scott Berry, Vanderbilt's Tim Corbin, Texas Tech's Tim Tadlock, and Arkansas's Dave Van Horn.
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During his time at USC Upstate, McGuire has led the program to 123 victories, becoming the fastest coach to 50 wins at Upstate, reaching the mark in 69 games. Of his victories atop the Spartan program, 11 come against Power-Six opponents, winning multiple in each of his four seasons at Upstate while the program has captured three ranked victories under his direction, two coming last season. As a Division I head coach (11 seasons), his teams have captured 18 Power-Six wins and 12 ranked wins.
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Earning a third straight No. 2 overall seed at the championship, McGuire has led Upstate to three consecutive Big South Baseball Championship appearances, culminating in the program's first championship game appearance as he's led the Spartans to the postseason in each full season under his direction—no Big South Championship was held in 2020.
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McGuire's teams have also rewritten the program record book with his program and players setting multiple program and Division I era (2007-pres.) career, single-season, and single-game records. In 2023, the Spartans set eight program records and six Division I era marks, totaling 14 records set during the season, adding to the program's first conference championship game appearance and a program-record-tying eight postseason All-Conference honorees.
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"I am proud of the accomplishments of our program in four short years and extremely excited about where we are headed," added McGuire.
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He joined USC Upstate following a seven-year stint at Morehead State where he accrued 228 wins—the third-most in program history—and an average of 32.6 wins per season, the highest mark in program history. His Eagle teams twice set the program mark for single-season wins, doing so first with 38 wins in 2016 and again with 40 wins in 2019, winning more games than the previous mark (31) in each of his last five seasons at Morehead State, five of the seven 30-win campaigns in program history. He also led the Eagles to two NCAA Tournament appearances, competing in the 2015 Louisville Regional and the 2018 Clemson Regional.
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Prior to Morehead State, McGuire spent one season at Louisburg (N.C.) College, leading the Hurricanes to 52 wins and a No. 1 NJCAA national ranking while rattling off the longest winning streak at any level of college baseball in 2012, winning 27 straight games. McGuire also spent three seasons (2003-05) as the head coach at Lander, leading the program to a then-record 33 victories in 2004. He's also held stints as an assistant coach at Winthrop (1997-02; 2006-11) and Morehead State (1995-96).
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Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartansÂ
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
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