Kingston Era of Creighton Baseball Officially Begins
Omaha, Neb. -- After helping guide Creighton Baseball back to the NCAA Tournament this season as the Associate Head Coach/Coach-in-Waiting during the 2025 season, Mark Kingston officially becomes Creighton's 11th head coach for the Bluejay program.
"Mark Kingston quickly acclimated to Creighton and helped make this leadership transition year a successful and memorable year for our student-athletes. The positive impact he and his staff made on our baseball program was immediate as we reached the NCAA Tournament in their first season on campus," said McCormick Endowed Athletic Director Marcus Blossom. "Creighton Baseball has a long history of excellence, and I look forward to continued success under Mark's leadership."
Kingston brings 15 years of head coaching experience, leading each team he has been a head coach of to the NCAA Tournament. He spent the last seven seasons (2018-24) at South Carolina, also holding the reigns at South Florida (2015-17) and Illinois State (2010-14). During his head coaching tenure Kingston has a combined record of 490-335-1, going 217-155 at South Carolina, 100-78-1 at South Florida and 173-102 with Illinois State.
"My last two trips to the CWS were with private institutions (Miami and Tulane), so I feel like this is a perfect fit for both sides," said Kingston. ""Creighton offers a world class education within a premier city, all while playing in Charles Schwab Field Omaha. For a coach or student athlete, an elite combination like that is very hard to find."
Throughout his coaching career, Kingston has helped lead 16 teams to NCAA Tournament berths (seven as a head coach and nine more an as assistant or associate head coach). Six of those teams reached the NCAA Super Regionals, with two participating in the College World Series and one winning a national championship.
As an assistant coach, Kingston helped the Miami Hurricanes capture the 2001 College World Series. His 22-year collegiate coaching career also includes stops at Tulane, where he helped guide the Green Wave to the 2005 College World Series, Purdue, Illinois State, South Florida and South Carolina.
A 1995 graduate of North Carolina with a degree in communications, Kingston was part of the 1989 Tar Heels squad that won an Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title and advanced to the College World Series. He also helped the team win the ACC Tournament and advance to NCAA Regionals in 1990 as a sophomore. Kingston received the Trippe Bourne "Most Dedicated Player" Award for his outstanding work ethic and leadership during his junior campaign and was named a team captain his senior season. Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers out of North Carolina in 1992, the Northern Virginia native played professionally for five seasons with Milwaukee and the Chicago Cubs organizations.
In 2019, Kingston was named as an assistant coach to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, which played in tournaments in Taiwan and Japan.
Kingston and his wife, the former Letitia Kelly, have three children, Kailyn Grace, Cameron James and Kathryn Patricia.
Mark Kingston — Coaching History
As a Head Coach: Overall Record 490-335-1
Year, School (Record)/Postseason
2010, Illinois State (32-24)/MVC Tournament Champions/NCAA Regionals
2011, Illinois State (36-18)/ MVC Tournament
2012, Illinois State (33-19)/MVC Tournament
2013, Illinois State (39-19)/ MVC Regular Season Title/MVC Tournament Runner-up
2014, Illinois State (33-22)/MVC Tournament Runner-Up
2015, South Florida (34-26-1)/NCAA Regionals
2016, South Florida (24-33)/–
2017, South Florida (42-19)/NCAA Regionals
2018, South Carolina (37-26)/NCAA Super Regionals
2019, South Carolina (28-28)/–
2020, South Carolina (12-4)/–
2021, South Carolina (34-23)/NCAA Regionals
2022, South Carolina (27-28)/–
2023, South Carolina (42-21)/NCAA Super Regionals
2024, South Carolina (37-25)/NCAA Regionals
Overall Record as an Assistant Coach: 543-296-2
As an Assistant Coach or Associate Head Coach:
1997, Purdue (30-25)/–
1998, Purdue (23-29)/–
1999, Illinois State (35-24)/–
2000, Miami (Fla.) (41-19-1)/NCAA Super Regionals
2001, Miami (Fla.) (53-12)/NCAA College World Series Champions
2002, Tulane (36-27)/NCAA Regionals
2003, Tulane (44-19)/NCAA Regionals
2004, Tulane (41-21)/NCAA Super Regionals
2005, Tulane (56-12)/NCAA College World Series
2006, Tulane (43-21)/NCAA Regionals
2007, Tulane (34-26)/–
2008, Tulane (39-22-1)/NCAA Regionals
2009, Illinois State (25-23)/–
2025, Creighton (43-16)/NCAA Regionals
NCAA Tournament Appearances:
Regionals: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025
Super Regionals: 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2023
College World Series: 2001, 2005
What Others are Saying about Hiring of Mark Kingston:
Skip Schumaker – Former Miami Marlins Manager
"King is one of the better college coaches in the game right now who truly cares about relationships with his players and coaches. He knows what winning looks like and I believe Creighton got a good one!"
Jim Hendry – Former Creighton Head Coach (1984-91), Former Chicago Cubs GM,
New York Yankees Special Assistant to the GM (2012-present)
"This is an outstanding hire for Creighton. Mark Kingston has done outstanding job as a college coach for a long time. The Bluejays have brought in the right guy moving forward into the future. The city of Omaha and Bluejay Nation will get behind him 100 percent."
Scott Forbes – North Carolina Head Coach
"I have been fortunate to know Mark for a long time. Mark is a tremendous leader of men, coach and most importantly a great father and husband! He will do great things at Creighton."
Jim Morris – Former Miami Head Coach
"Great hire. Congratulations to Coach Kingston and Creighton University. When he was my assistant, I know Coach Kingston is a competitor. He understands and respects the game. Overall a class act as a player, a coach and a family man. He will get it done at Creighton."
Jim Schlossnagle – Texas Head Coach
"Creighton hit a grand slam with their hire of Coach Kingston! Mark is an elite coach and an even better human being. He understands how to win at the highest level, especially at a private school. I have no doubt that Creighton will look back on this hire as a landmark day in its program."
Jay Johnson - LSU Head Coach
"Creighton made an outstanding hire naming Mark Kingston as their coach. Mark's teams always play a solid fundamental brand of baseball and do it with the highest level of competitiveness. Coach Kingston is a great recruiter, developer, and game coach and will have Creighton competing for BIG EAST Championships on a year in and year out basis."
Tim Corbin – Vanderbilt Head Coach
"I am personally glad this worked out for Mark, Creighton and its baseball program. Mark is a teacher, developer, a builder and a caretaker of young men. He has excelled in many environments at the collegiate level … and he has left every opportunity in better shape than how he found them. He is a winner. Although difficult, I really enjoyed competing against his teams. He will greatly impact [Creighton] and be a fine extension of it, with his attitude and care for other people."
Dan McDonnell - Louisville Head Coach
"Mark has had success coaching at all levels from winning a National Championship at Miami, to Regional and Super Regional runs while coaching at Tulane, Illinois State, South Florida and South Carolina. I personally got to coach beside him with the USA National Team as we competed against Cuba, Taiwan and Japan. Because of his ability to relate and connect with his players, he has a proven track record with championship accomplishments at every school he has coached at."
Chris Lemonis - Former Mississippi State Head Coach
"I have had the opportunity to coach against Mark in the SEC and with him for Team USA. His teams are very fundamental and they always play hard. He has had success at every school he has coached at in his career and has had a strong relationship with his players. I have no doubt he will continue that at Creighton."
Rick Jones - Tulane Hall of Fame Head Coach
"You just got a great coach, who is a great recruiter and on the field coach. More importantly a coach that the players really trust, respect, appreciate and will play hard for. This is a great hire!"