Clemson baseball: Monte Lee will not return – right decision?

Clemson baseball went from 14-0, to not selected for the NCAA Tournament, to a team looking for a coach.

A once promising season for Clemson baseball has turned completely around as Athletic Director Graham Neff has announced that Lee will not return in 2023.

"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."

Just a few days ago I questioned the direction of the program and chronicled a lack of interest, not only from myself, but from other long time fans.

After a 14-0 start the team fumbled through the rest of the season with a 21-23 record and an embarrassing performance in  the ACC Tournament that they barely qualified for.

This is a painful, but necessary, move for a program that prides itself on a family atmosphere.

This is a painful, but necessary, move for a program that prides itself on a family atmosphere.  The truth is also painful: The program has fallen from an annual NCAA Tournament participant, often regional host, and fairly often Super Regional host to barely making it’s own conference tournament.

It was time.

It was no doubt a tough call and will have ramifications in recruiting, much as the last change in leadership did.

All eyes turn to Graham Neff and the search for the next Clemson baseball coach.

Neff referenced those expectations in his release:

"“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.”"

Monte Lee was a class act and it’s unfortunate it came down to this, but the results were nowhere near the expectations.