Photo from Google Images
(Coastal Carolina Head Coach, Gary Gilmore, embraces with 9-year volunteer assistant coach, Matt Schilling after beating LSU to Omaha.)
No team or coach deserves to be in playing in the College World Series more than Coach Gary Gilmore and Coastal Carolina University. Sure, I’m biased. Watching this team play with a chip on their shoulder, with relentless effort and that never quit grinding energy that defines the tenacity of this team and program are unlike any other team in Omaha.
As a Coastal Carolina University alum, I knew the goal for the baseball team each year was to make it to Omaha. On Sunday night, the dream finally came true after beating LSU in two games in the Super Regionals. Those two wins have to be the biggest wins in program history. Not just because the wins advanced Coastal to Omaha, but sweeping and SEC team, on the road and in front of a huge, hostel SEC crowd really exposed the grit of the Chanticleers to all of college baseball.
I knew as a student on campus that the players loved Coach Gilly and I knew he would never go to Omaha as a spectator, but only as coach with his team. Since 1991, Coastal has 14 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Chants have had three trips to the Super Regional (2008, 2010, & 2016) and now their first College World Series appearance in program history!
Gilmore is also a Coastal Carolina University graduate where he played center field for Chanticleers in the 80’s. Now, Coastal’s baseball stadium is named after him. When Coach was hired 21 years ago, he told them that one day he’d get Coastal Carolina to Omaha. Most people chuckled; Coach went to work. Building a program from scratch took time and patience. He recruited the scrappy players: the players that bigger schools didn’t see as playmakers. The magic in scrappy players is that those guys have a different level of heart and passion that can never be taught. Coach Gilmore built the success of Coastal baseball on those scrappy players.
This team is special. They can play with anybody but they know they wouldn’t be in the College World Series without the foundation that each player and team from the past 21 years has shaped. This team knows they are playing in Omaha because of and for all of those who have worn the jersey. Not one player in the Coastal locker room doubted that they could win. “Nobody deserves this more that Coach Gilmore. He’s one of the best coaches in the country… it’s an unbelievable feeling that we can now we can take our guy to the promise land” said Left Fielder Anthony Marks.
I couldn’t be more proud to be a Chant! The sports gods are bleeding teal and with Coastal’s first game in Omaha this Sunday night, I booked a flight to witness history. It’s time to show all of college baseball why we chant C-I-N-O (Coastal Is Number One)!