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Kevin Schnall adds two more more names to South Carolina's loaded coaching staff

The Gamecocks are not done adding to the baseball coaching staff.
ByMorgan Moriarty|
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June 10, 2011; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks players take batting practice at Carolina Stadium in preparation for the Columbia Super Regional of the NCAA Baseball Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
June 10, 2011; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks players take batting practice at Carolina Stadium in preparation for the Columbia Super Regional of the NCAA Baseball Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The South Carolina baseball program is entering a new era, as the Gamecocks hired new head coach Kevin Schnall last month. As you'd expect, Schnall has been busy adding plenty of names to his coaching staff. And on Monday, South Carolina officially announced two more names to his group. 

The Gamecocks and head coach Schnall have added Kyle Lindquist and Dan Valerio. Lindquist will serve as the Gamecocks' new defensive coordinator/infield coach, and Valerio is the team's assistant recruiting coordinator and field coordinator. 

Lindquist comes to South Carolina after spending the last five seasons with the Cleveland Guardians as a senior analyst. In Cleveland, he oversaw a Cleveland team that won three American League Central titles in 2022, 2024 and 2025. With the Guardians, he was tasked with overseeing player evaluation and scouting. Prior to his time with the Guardians, he coached at Davidson 2019 as a volunteer assistant, previously coaching at Denison University from 2014-18 as an assistant.  

Valerio arrives in Columbia from Wake Forest, where he will re-link up with longtime Demon Deacons hitting coach Bill Cilento. Valerio was Wake Forest's director of recruiting this past season, helping the program reach 39 wins and a Regional appearance in Morgantown. In 2024, he was with the Detroit Tigers, serving as the team's amateur scout as well as the team's video coordinator. 

Before his time with the Tigers and Wake Forest, he spent time working in the northeast. Previously he was the assistant scouting director for Prep Baseball Report in New Jersey, and also coached as the recruiting coordinator for Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester. 

Prior to his coaching career, he played three seasons professionally on the diamond, suiting up for the Somerset Patriots, Windy City ThunderBolts and Eastside Diamond Hoppers. He played college baseball at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla. 

The two coaches joining South Carolina's staff make up a loaded coaching staff in Columbia. Some of the biggest names Schnall hired includes pitching coach Matt Williams, the aforementioned Cilento, Tyler Shewmaker and Dylan Eskew. The Gamecocks have also been active in retaining several big-name players from the transfer portal, including names like Auburn's Bristol Carter and Texas Tech's Connor Shouse. 

Schnall arrives in Columbia after spending the last two seasons at Coastal Carolina. In his first season with the Chanticleers, he led the team to a College World Series final against LSU. 

Congrats to the news members of Schnall's coaching staff, and welcome to Columbia! 

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