Donald Ray Tanner Jr. (born March 25, 1958) is an American college athletics administrator and former baseball coach who is the athletic director at the University of South Carolina, a position he took on July 13, 2012, after 16 seasons as head coach of the university's baseball program. His record at South Carolina was 738-316 (.700). He led USC to three consecutive College World Series appearances in 2002, 2003, and 2004; three consecutive College World Series Finals appearances in 2010, 2011, and 2012; two College World Series Championships in 2010 and 2011; and coached the USA Baseball National Team during the 2003 summer. On April 11, 2010, Tanner recorded the 1,000th win of his career with a 2–0 victory over Vanderbilt, becoming the 44th Division I coach to reach the milestone. Playing career After graduating from South Johnston High School near his home in Benson, North Carolina, Ray Tanner attended North Carolina State University, in Raleigh from 1977 to 1980. He played for Sam Esposito, starting four seasons at shortstop and third base. Coaching career NC State Tanner became an assistant coach to NCSU coach Sam Esposito immediately after his playing days were over. He remained in that position from 1980 to 1987, when Esposito 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 to 1994. He was named ACC Coach of the Year in 1990. His nine-year record at NC State was 395–173–3. South Carolina Tanner arrived at South Carolina prior to the start of the 1997 season. Tanner guided the Gamecocks to a 33–24 record in his first season in 1997 and finished fourth in the competitive SEC. The Gamecocks were greatly improved in 1998 and finished with 44 wins and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 1999, Tanner led the Gamecocks to the SEC East Division title for the school's first division crown. Starting in 2000, Tanner help guide South Carolina to one of the most successful stretches in program history. The Gamecocks made the College World Series in 2002, 2003, and 2004. The 2002 team finished runner-up after losing to the Texas Longhorns in