Baseball and Head Coach Kane Sweeney Make Another Additon to the Coaching Staff, Adding Former Spartan Johnny Sweeney as the Director of Hitting Development
7/10/2026 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Keeping a key piece of the Spartans' back-to-back Big South Championship squads in the Hub City, USC Upstate baseball and head coach Kane Sweeney are excited to announce the addition of Johnny Sweeney to the program's coaching staff. The former Spartan infielder enters the coaching ranks serving as Upstate's Director of Hitting Development.
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A four-year Spartan, Sweeney has helped the program reach greater heights during his playing days, leading Upstate to consecutive Big South Tournament Championships and NCAA Regional appearances, the program's first Big South Regular Season Championship, and four straight Big South Baseball Championship Game appearances.
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The most prolific slugger of the program's Division I era (2007-pres.), he clubbed 35 career home runs, a record for the era and the second-most in program history. He ended his career with numerous program and D1 era records, including HBP (62), single-season RBI (82), single-season HBP (31), single-season on-base percentage (.500; D1 era).
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As a senior in 2025, he became the program's first-ever Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist while earning American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings First Team All-American and ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Region honors. That season, he posted a slash line of .345/.500/.701 with 60 runs, 67 hits, 15 doubles, 18 home runs, and 82 RBI.
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A native of Millstadt, Ill., Sweeney graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership in 2025.
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All hires by the University of South Carolina Upstate athletic department are subject to an approved background check.
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
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A four-year Spartan, Sweeney has helped the program reach greater heights during his playing days, leading Upstate to consecutive Big South Tournament Championships and NCAA Regional appearances, the program's first Big South Regular Season Championship, and four straight Big South Baseball Championship Game appearances.
Â
The most prolific slugger of the program's Division I era (2007-pres.), he clubbed 35 career home runs, a record for the era and the second-most in program history. He ended his career with numerous program and D1 era records, including HBP (62), single-season RBI (82), single-season HBP (31), single-season on-base percentage (.500; D1 era).
Â
As a senior in 2025, he became the program's first-ever Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist while earning American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings First Team All-American and ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Region honors. That season, he posted a slash line of .345/.500/.701 with 60 runs, 67 hits, 15 doubles, 18 home runs, and 82 RBI.
Â
A native of Millstadt, Ill., Sweeney graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership in 2025.
Â
All hires by the University of South Carolina Upstate athletic department are subject to an approved background check.
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateBSB | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
Players Mentioned
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