SCarolina board makes it official: Tanner new AD

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) The South Carolina board of trustees has approved a five-year contract that will pay the Gamecocks' national championship baseball coach Ray Tanner $675,000 a year to serve as the school's the new athletic director.

Tanner won College World Series titles in 2010 and 2011 and was runner-up in Omaha this past season. Tanner spent 15 years as the Gamecocks' baseball coach, making six CWS appearances in all.

His first hire is expected to be his long-time assistant Chad Holbrook to take over the baseball program.

Tanner replaces Eric Hyman, who resigned two weeks ago to take a similar position at Texas A&M. Tanner quickly emerged as the most popular choice to replace Hyman, and the board made that official Friday.

Updated July 13, 2012