Tag: Monte Lee

Is Clemson assistant a candidate for baseball job?

As athletic director Graham Neff begins his search for Clemson’s next baseball coach, a veteran assistant is filling in on an interim basis. But could he be a candidate for the permanent job? Bradley LeCroy has been assigned to hold down the fort …

As athletic director Graham Neff begins his search for Clemson’s next baseball coach, a veteran assistant is filling in on an interim basis. But could he be a candidate for the permanent job?

Bradley LeCroy has been assigned to hold down the fort following Monte Lee’s firing Tuesday, but Neff said he doesn’t anticipate considering LeCroy as a viable candidate.

“But I do proceed him to be an incredibly important part of a transition process here,” said Neff, who has also asked Brad Owens, the program’s director of operations, to help oversee the program until a hire is made. “He carried himself in that regard seven years ago. I’ve had time to meet with him and Brad (Tuesday) afternoon and charge them and ask them to help do that transitionally.

LeCroy, who interviewed for the job when Jack Leggett was fired following the 2015 season, has been a part of Clemson’s staff for two tenures spanning 15 years total. A former Clemson player who was a member of the Tigers’ 2000 College World Series team, LeCroy has spent the last 12 seasons at Clemson working with the hitters and infielders.

LeCroy has also served as recruiting coordinator since returning to Clemson following the 2010 season. He first coached on Leggett’s staff as a volunteer assistant from 2003-05.

Neff did not indicate whether or not LeCroy or pitching coach Andrew See would have an opportunity to remain on the next coach’s staff.

Neff considers Clemson baseball ‘top-15 job’, plans to hire accordingly

Graham Neff acknowledged Tuesday was a tough one. Neff made the first significant personnel decision of his brief tenure as Clemson’s athletic director when he opted not to bring Monte Lee back for an eighth season as the Tigers’ head baseball …

Graham Neff acknowledged Tuesday was a tough one.

Neff made the first significant personnel decision of his brief tenure as Clemson’s athletic director when he opted not to bring Monte Lee back for an eighth season as the Tigers’ head baseball coach. Neff said making that call after meeting with Lee earlier in the day was difficult for reasons that go beyond the field.

“Certainly with my role here, it’s important to evaluate and make tough decisions,” said Neff, who was promoted from deputy athletic director following Dan Radakovich’s departure for Miami in December. “And that’s what this is primarily because of who Coach Lee is as a person.”

Yet Neff voiced optimism about the future of a once-revered college baseball program that’s hit a rough patch. Clemson has played in the last two ACC Tournaments as a double-digit seed and has missed consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time since the 1985-86 seasons, but that didn’t stop Neff from expressing both his convictions and expectations of a program that’s made a dozen College World Series appearances.

“I consider Clemson baseball a top-15 job. Period,” Neff said. “With the tradition, the resources, the facilities, the fan base and the talent within this state of South Carolina and the region, I think that’s where Clemson baseball should be. And what that means from a competition for postseason – regionals, super regionals and Omaha. We’ve been to 12 College Worlds Series and intend to increase that number.”

In terms of Lee’s replacement, Neff said he plans to hire accordingly.

Neff indicated money won’t be an object when it comes to landing his guy. Clemson will owe Lee a buyout of roughly $500,000 for the remaining two years on his contract, which was set to run through June 2024. In the world of college athletics where buyouts in the millions are more the norm, it’s not an amount that will hinder Clemson from a financial standpoint in attracting top candidates, Neff said,

“Certainly we have done our due diligence on the market and what that looks like from an investment standpoint for coach, staff and program,” Neff said. “We intend to win and win big, and we’re prepared to invest and invest big as it relates to attracting a coach to be able to restore and meet those expectations we have for Clemson baseball.”

So what kind of coach will he be looking for when he officially begins his search Wednesday? Neff said he intends to start with “high-profile, accomplished coaches,” which could mean waiting at least another week to potentially talk to candidates who are coaching in the NCAA Tournament.

But Neff didn’t rule out the possibility of hiring a top assistant or even someone in the professional ranks, adding he doesn’t have a specific type.

“Very open and not exclusive to any type of profile,” Neff said. “Again, we intend to invest and go seek the best. That’s easy to say, but, again, we’ve done our due diligence on the market and have a sense of where that could be and where that could take us.”

Clemson is hiring its third baseball coach since the end of the 2015 season when Lee replaced Hall of Famer Jack Leggett, who led the Tigers to 21 NCAA Tournaments in 22 seasons before his dismissal. The Tigers never advanced beyond the regional round during Lee’s tenure.

Clemson Announces Change in Leadership Within Baseball Program

Monte Lee will not return as head coach for the 2023 season after seven seasons at the helm of the Clemson program

Via Clemson Athletic Communications:

CLEMSON, S.C. – Director of Athletics Graham Neff announced on Tuesday a change in leadership within the baseball program. Monte Lee will not return as head coach for the 2023 season after seven seasons at the helm of the program. A national search for the next head coach will commence immediately.

“Monte and his staff have been nothing but professional in their approach to Clemson Baseball, and we appreciate the manner in which they’ve represented Clemson University,” said Neff. “The expectations for Clemson Baseball are very high, and the team’s recent on-field performance has not met those of our administration, our coaching staff, our student-athletes or our loyal fanbase. Clemson Baseball is a proud program, and we, as a department, are committed to doing all we can to return our program to national prominence. We will work with our student-athletes to ensure that the transition process is successful.”

Lee was 242-136 (.640) overall and 102-86 (.543) in league play in seven seasons as Clemson’s head coach, which included trips to the NCAA Tournament from 2016-19, as well as the ACC Championship in 2016. Clemson finished the 2022 season with a 35-23 overall record, and finished tied for 11th in the ACC standings. Over the past two seasons, Clemson was 60-50 (.545) overall and 29-36 (.446) in ACC play, missing the NCAA Tournament in each season.

Academically, the baseball program has registered a perfect 1000 Academic Progress Rate and a 100% Graduation Success Rate in each of the past five cohorts.

A total of 32 Tigers have been drafted 35 times under Lee. The 35 draft picks are 10th most in the nation and third most in the ACC from 2016-21. Prior to his time at Clemson, Lee amassed a 276-145 (.656) record and four berths in the NCAA Tournament in seven seasons at College of Charleston.

Assistant Coach Bradley LeCroy and Director of Operations Brad Owens will oversee the program while the search is conducted.

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Clemson release on change in leadership for baseball program

CLEMSON, S.C. – Director of Athletics Graham Neff announced on Tuesday a change in leadership within the baseball program. Monte Lee will not return as head coach for the 2023 season after seven seasons at the helm of the program. A national search …

CLEMSON, S.C. – Director of Athletics Graham Neff announced on Tuesday a change in leadership within the baseball program. Monte Lee will not return as head coach for the 2023 season after seven seasons at the helm of the program. A national search for the next head coach will commence immediately.

“Monte and his staff have been nothing but professional in their approach to Clemson Baseball, and we appreciate the manner in which they’ve represented Clemson University,” said Neff. “The expectations for Clemson Baseball are very high, and the team’s recent on-field performance has not met those of our administration, our coaching staff, our student-athletes or our loyal fanbase. Clemson Baseball is a proud program, and we, as a department, are committed to doing all we can to return our program to national prominence. We will work with our student-athletes to ensure that the transition process is successful.”

Lee was 242-136 (.640) overall and 102-86 (.543) in league play in seven seasons as Clemson’s head coach, which included trips to the NCAA Tournament from 2016-19, as well as the ACC Championship in 2016. Clemson finished the 2022 season with a 35-23 overall record, and finished tied for 11th in the ACC standings. Over the past two seasons, Clemson was 60-50 (.545) overall and 29-36 (.446) in ACC play, missing the NCAA Tournament in each season.

Academically, the baseball program has registered a perfect 1000 Academic Progress Rate and a 100% Graduation Success Rate in each of the past five cohorts.

A total of 32 Tigers have been drafted 35 times under Lee. The 35 draft picks are 10th most in the nation and third most in the ACC from 2016-21. Prior to his time at Clemson, Lee amassed a 276-145 (.656) record and four berths in the NCAA Tournament in seven seasons at College of Charleston.

Assistant Coach Bradley LeCroy and Director of Operations Brad Owens will oversee the program while the search is conducted.

Clemson makes decision on Lee

After another NCAA Tournament miss, Clemson athletic director Graham Neff has made a decision regarding the leadership of the Tigers’ baseball program. Monte Lee has served as Clemson’s head coach for the last seven seasons, but this one was his …

After another NCAA Tournament miss, Clemson athletic director Graham Neff has made a decision regarding the leadership of the Tigers’ baseball program.

Monte Lee has served as Clemson’s head coach for the last seven seasons, but this one was his last. Lee has been relieved of his duties, Neff announced Tuesday.

Assistant coach Bradley LeCroy and director of baseball operations Brad Owens will oversee the program while a “national search” for the next head coach is conducted, according to a news release.

The move didn’t come as a surprise. While Lee said following Clemson’s last game in the ACC Tournament that he expected to be back for an eighth season next year, sources indicated to The Clemson Insider that Neff was prepared to make a coaching change if the Tigers missed out on the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season, which became official Monday.

It’s the first time Clemson has failed to make a regional in consecutive seasons since missing five straight NCAA Tournaments from 1982-86.

Lee was hired away from the College of Charleston before the 2016 season to replace Jack Leggett, who was fired after the Tigers failed to advance past the regional round in 2014 and 2015. As part of his reason for deciding to part ways with the College Baseball Hall of Famer, then-athletic director Dan Radakovich said, “I think we can be better.”

Neff echoed that sentiment in a statement released Tuesday.

“Monte and his staff have been nothing but professional in their approach to Clemson baseball, and we appreciate the manner in which they’ve represented Clemson University,” Neff said. “The expectations for Clemson baseball are very high, and the team’s recent on-field performance has not met those of our administration, our coaching staff, our student-athletes or our loyal fanbase.

“Clemson baseball is a proud program, and we as a department are committed to doing all we can to return our program to national prominence. We will work with our student-athletes to ensure that the transition process is successful.”

Lee led Clemson to an ACC tournament title in his first season at the helm, but things haven’t been much better for the program since under his direction. Lee got Clemson to a regional in each of his first four seasons, but the Tigers never advanced to a super regional during his tenure.

After the coronavirus pandemic wiped out the 2020 season, the Tigers had a losing season in 2021, their first since 1957. They missed the tournament again this season despite winning their first 14 games and having the ACC’s Player of the Year in Max Wagner, who tied a school record for single-season home runs.

Clemson finished 13-18 in ACC play counting blowout losses to North Carolina and Virginia Tech in last week’s conference tournament. Lee finished his tenure at Clemson with a 242-136 record, including a 102-86 mark in ACC regular-season play.

Clemson baseball officially learns postseason fate

After a long weekend of waiting, Clemson’s baseball team found out today whether it will play in the NCAA Tournament or if this is the end of the line for its season. It’s the latter for the Tigers. The NCAA Tournament’s 64-team field was announced …

After a long weekend of waiting, Clemson’s baseball team found out today whether it will play in the NCAA Tournament or if this is the end of the line for its season.

It’s the latter for the Tigers.

The NCAA Tournament’s 64-team field was announced early this afternoon, and Clemson wasn’t included. The Tigers did not receive an at-large berth, marking the second straight season their season has ended without a regional bid.

Clemson finished with a 35-23 overall record but won just 21 of its last 44 games after starting the season 14-0. It’s the first time since the 1985-86 seasons that Clemson has missed out on back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, though it was far from a surprise if not expected following the Tigers’ winless showing in last week’s ACC Tournament.

Clemson’s resume consisted of 13 top-50 RPI wins, but the Tigers had just 13 conference wins during the regular season, finishing fifth in the ACC’s Atlantic Division. They finished five games below .500 against league competition on the season after being outscored 27-8 in losses to North Carolina and Virginia Tech last week.

Now that Clemson’s season is officially over, a decision on the future leadership of the program could come soon. Monte Lee said last week he expects to be back for an eighth season as the head coach but acknowledged that ultimately won’t be his call.

What we know about the future leadership of Clemson baseball

This season was always going to be an important one for Clemson’s baseball program. Graham Neff acknowledged as much shortly after taking over as the Tigers’ athletic director back in December, even if it was stating the obvious. Clemson missed out …

This season was always going to be an important one for Clemson’s baseball program.

Graham Neff acknowledged as much shortly after taking over as the Tigers’ athletic director back in December, even if it was stating the obvious. Clemson missed out on the NCAA Tournament last year after posting its first losing season since 1957.

The Tigers had appeared in 11 consecutive regionals before that. As for the last time Clemson has failed to make the tournament in back-to-back years, you have to go all the way back to the Bill Wilheim era in the mid-1980s.

Yet that’s a real possibility for the current version of the Tigers in Monte Lee’s seventh season at the helm, one in which Clemson was in danger of not even qualifying for the ACC Tournament before winning seven of its last nine conference games to clinch the 12th and final seed. For comparison’s sake, the Tigers were the 11th seed last year.

That run at least put Clemson back in the at-large conversation heading to Charlotte, where the Tigers began the week with a respectable RPI ranking of 30. But with just 13 conference wins, Lee and his team knew there was work to do in the league tournament in order to give their postseason resume a much-needed boost.

“We all know what we’re facing, and the guys will be ready to go,” Lee said before this week’s trip to Charlotte.

Yet the Queen City may have written the obituary on Clemson’s season. The Tigers went 0-2 against a couple of regional-bound teams in North Carolina and Virginia Tech and weren’t all that competitive, losing those games by a combined score of 27-8. The results dropped the Tigers’ RPI to 32 and their record against ACC competition for the season to five games below .500.

It all makes Clemson a longshot for an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament and brings questions about the future of the program back to the forefront.

“It’ll be more of just a feel and seeing where the program and Monte is at,” Neff told The Clemson Insider. “There’s no, ‘Hey, if you make it to regionals or super regionals or Omaha.’ There’s not that specificity of the achievement but just the evaluation of the season in total.”

That was the public answer when Neff was asked last month about his personal expectations for the program. But multiple sources familiar with the situation indicated to TCI the program is prepared to make a change in leadership if the Tigers fail to make a regional again.

If that move were to be made, Lee would be owed a buyout of $500,000, according to a copy of his contract term sheet obtained by TCI. Lee, who’s making $500,000 in total compensation this year, has two years left on his contract, which runs through June 30, 2024.

Hired as Hall of Famer Jack Leggett’s replacement following the 2015 season, Lee has a 242-136 record as Clemson’s coach, including a 102-86 mark in the ACC during the regular season. Clemson made the NCAA Tournament in each of Lee’s first four seasons at the helm (a tournament wasn’t held in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic) but hasn’t advanced beyond that round during his tenure.

The Tigers won’t have to wait long to learn their fate. The NCAA Tournament’s 64-team field will be unveiled Monday, which could have more than a season riding on it.

“I expect to be back,” Lee said following Thursday’s game, “but ultimately that’s not my decision.”

Lee talks about his future, how season ended

CHARLOTTE – Monte Lee opened up during his press conference following the loss to Virginia Tech. Lee talked about what went wrong this week at the ACC tournament, whether he believes Clemson should make the NCAA tournament and his future with the …

CHARLOTTE — Monte Lee opened up during his press conference following the loss to Virginia Tech.   Lee talked about what went wrong this week at the ACC tournament, whether he believes Clemson should make the NCAA tournament and his future with the Tigers.

Watch Lee’s postgame press conference on TCITV:

Lee addresses job security

CHARLOTTE – For the second straight season, the ACC Tournament may be the end of the road for Clemson’s baseball season. It might also mark the end of a tenure. Clemson coach Monte Lee watched his team labor through another lopsided conference …

CHARLOTTE – For the second straight season, the ACC Tournament may be the end of the road for Clemson’s baseball season.

It might also mark the end of a tenure.

Clemson coach Monte Lee watched his team labor through another lopsided conference tournament loss to Virginia Tech late Thursday night at Truist Field. The Tigers, who needed to win seven of their final nine ACC games during the regular season just to grab the 12th and final spot in the league tournament, will now await their regional fate, which appears dire after getting outscored a combined 27-8 in two tournament losses that dropped Clemson to five games below .500 against ACC competition this season.

Lee’s future at the helm of the program is also in question. After 11 straight regional appearances, the Tigers are now in danger of missing out on back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time since failing to qualify five straight times from 1982-86.

If that does indeed happen – the NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday – Lee said he expects to be back in 2023 but acknowledged that call will be made by Clemson athletic director Graham Neff.

“It’s going to be up to the administration,” Lee said following Thursday’s game. “I’m sure I will meet with the administration at some point and hear what they have to say. I expect to be back, but ultimately that’s not my decision. We’ll certainly cross that bridge when we get there.”

This season comes on the heels of the Tigers’ first losing season in six decades. Lee has a 242-136 record as Clemson’s coach, including a 102-86 mark in the ACC during the regular season. The Tigers made the NCAA Tournament in each of Lee’s first four seasons at the helm (a tournament wasn’t held in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic) but hasn’t advanced beyond that round under his watch.

While Lee said he’s still holding out hope of an NCAA invite for his team, some of his comments Thursday night were laced with a hint of finality for a season if not more.

“It’s tough to end the season, and it’s really hard to put into words the way the end of the season feels,” Lee said. “More than half my life, I’ve been in this situation where your heart’s broken at the end of the season.

“It’s more of a gratitude thing for me. I’m grateful for these young men. I’m also disappointed that as the head coach, I didn’t do a good enough job of putting us in a better position. I’m 100% accountable for the way our team plays. Obviously falls on me.”

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Clemson’s season teetering following another loss

CHARLOTTE – The wait begins. And it will be a nerve-wracking one for Clemson’s baseball team. The Tigers’ postseason chances clashed with a virtual must-win scenario Thursday after Clemson dropped its ACC Tournament opener to North Carolina two days …

CHARLOTTE – The wait begins.

And it will be a nerve-wracking one for Clemson’s baseball team.

The Tigers’ postseason chances clashed with a virtual must-win scenario Thursday after Clemson dropped its ACC Tournament opener to North Carolina two days earlier. But top-seeded Virginia Tech made sure the Tigers left the Queen City empty-handed in their bid to enhance a bubbly resume for the NCAA Tournament.

Max Wagner tied a program record with his 27th home run of the season, but it was one of the few highlights for Clemson (35-23) in a tournament finale in which the Tigers trailed from the start. Tech (41-11) swatted six homers against five Tiger pitchers, including four as part of a seven-run third, in handing Clemson an 18-6 loss Thursday at Truist Field. Beginning the week with an RPI ranking in the high 30s but just 13 ACC victories, the Tigers were outscored 27-8 in its tournament losses.

Now they’ll be sweating and hoping their body of work is good enough for a regional berth when the 64-team field is announced Monday. Clemson is in danger of missing consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time since the Reagan administration.

Tech finished with 15 hits and had 10 runs less than three frames in against a Clemson pitching staff with an earned run average north of 4.6 coming into the tournament. The Hokies scored in each of the first three innings against freshman right-hander Billy Barlow (2-4), who allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits and walked three in his 13th start of the season.

Carson Jones ended Barlow’s night with a no-doubter to right with two outs in the third. Clemson coach Monte Lee brought on another freshman, Austin Gordon, but Tech kept the long balls coming, hitting back-to-back-to-back jacks off the right-hander in the inning to push its lead to 10-2.

Wagner brought Will Taylor home in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run homer to left-center, tying the record set by Khalil Greene in 2002 for the most home runs in a single season. Freshman outfielder Camden Troyer got the Tigers a little closer with another two-run shot in the fourth, but the Hokies blanked Clemson over the final five innings while the Tigers’ pitching continued to struggle.

Senior Jackson Lindley walked three of the four batters he faced in the fourth as Clemson issued 10 free passes on the night. Geoffrey Gilbert, who started each of the previous five games he pitched, came on with one out in the inning for his first relief appearance since April 20. His 2 2/3 innings of work tied the longest outing of the night for a Clemson pitcher, though he yielded two more runs on three hits, including Nick Biddison’s solo shot in the seventh.

Jones tagged Tech’s final homer off Ryan Ammons as part of a four-run ninth for the Hokies. Ammons allowed four hits and walked one over the final two innings.

Troyer finished with two of Clemson’s six hits. Biddison went 3-for-3 with five RBIs for Tech.

This story will be updated.

Congratulations! You did it! You graduated! Now is the time to preserve your diploma in a custom frame. Here at Clemson Variety & Frame, we build all our frames in-house – from the frame to the mats and etchings to the installation – to guarantee the quality. You worked hard for your degree. Trust us to show your diploma in the best light possible.