Gamecock Sports Preview 2022

It may be summer, but we are already looking forward to kicking off a new academic year with our annual Gamecock Sports Preview, presented by Founders Federal Credit Union, Thursday, August 18 from 6-8 p.m. at the Pastides Alumni Center. This members-only event includes dinner, drinks (beer and wine), and the opportunity to mingle with fellow fans.

Gamecock Sports Preview 2021 brought together nearly 300 alumni and fans to socialize and hear about what’s ahead for South Carolina athletics.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Shane Beamer | Head Coach, Gamecock Football

Shane Beamer, considered to be one of the rising stars among coaches in college football, was named the University of South Carolina’s 36th head football coach in December 2020. Beamer, 43, has been an assistant coach at seven Football Bowl Subdivision schools for 21 seasons. During his career, he has coached in 17 bowl games, including a College Football Playoff National Championship Game, has posted 18 non-losing seasons, six of those with double-digit victories and his teams have won 62.5 percent of its games.

Read Coach Beamer’s full bio >

Chance Miller | Senior Deputy Athletics Director

Chance Miller was named Senior Deputy Athletics Director in July 2019. He reports directly to both the athletics director and the general counsel.

His primary responsibilities include serving as a member of the athletics department’s senior management team, overseeing the day-to-day operations and initiatives of the Athletics Department, serves as the senior associate general counsel for the department, provides executive oversight for the office of compliance services as well as serving as the sport administrator for football and women’s and men’s swimming and diving programs.

Read Chance’s full bio >

Lamont Paris | Head Coach, Gamecock Men’s Basketball

Lamont Paris, who has been a part of nine NCAA Division I Tournaments and 17 twenty-win seasons as a college head and assistant coach, was named the University of South Carolina’s 33rd head coach in March 2022. Paris, 47, is the first African-American head coach in the history of the Gamecock men’s basketball program.

Paris comes to Carolina after five seasons as the head coach at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, coaching the Mocs to an 87-72 overall record (.547), including a 65-29 mark the last three seasons. In his 17 seasons as a collegiate assistant coach, teams associated with Paris were 497-217 (.696) with five conference titles and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching two Final Fours.

Read Coach Paris’ full bio >

Dawn Staley | Head Coach, Gamecock Women’s Basketball

Catapulting South Carolina into the national spotlight, Dawn Staley has made the Gamecocks a mainstay in the battle for SEC and national championships. Under her leadership, the Gamecocks have reached many firsts – two National Championships, NCAA Final Fours, No. 1 rankings, SEC regular-season and tournament titles, SEC Player of the Year, National Player of the Year, WNBA No. 1 Draft pick and No. 1 recruiting classes – to name the most notable.

While her coaching career is in full bloom, Staley is still recognized for her body of work as a one of the most decorated participants in United States women’s basketball history. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame solidified that legacy with her enshrinement as part of the Class of 2013.

Read Coach Staley’s full bio >

Michael Amiridis | University President

Michael Amiridis became 30th president of the University of South Carolina on July 1, 2022. Before coming home to Carolina, he led the University of Illinois Chicago as its chancellor since 2015.

Prior to leading UIC, Amiridis spent more than two decades at our Columbia campus as a faculty member and administrator, serving from 2009 to 2015 as the university’s executive vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Read President Amiridis’ full bio >

EMCEE

Connor Shaw | AVP and Insurance Advisor for HUB

Connor Shaw, University of South Carolina’s all-time winningest quarterback, serves as Assistant Vice President and Insurance Advisor for Hub International Limited (HUB). Prior to his role at HUB, he was Director of Football Relations for Gamecock Football. He returned to the Carolina football program in January of 2020 as Director of Player Development. In that role, he focused on the student-athlete’s career development, mental health, financial literacy and life skills, while leading the “Beyond Football” program.