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FLORENCE, S.C. -- Former Dillon High star Kevin Steele, a 39-year coaching veteran, has been hired as defensive coordinator at the University of Alabama.

The news was first reported by ESPN.

Steele's previous job was defensive coordinator at Miami. And before that, he was hired as a defensive assistant at his alma mater, Tennessee. He became interim coach there for nine days before the Vols' next coach, Josh Heupel, didn't retain him.

Before Tennessee, Steele was Auburn's defensive coordinator for five years and lost his lone game as the Tigers' interim coach in a bowl game.

Steele was also defensive coordinator at LSU (2015) and Clemson (2009-11). His 2010 defense at Clemson led the ACC and ranked No. 13 nationally in points allowed, surrendering 18.8 points per game.

This will be Steele's third stint with the Crimson Tide. He was a member of coach Nick Saban's first Bama staff in 2007. He came back to Alabama in 2013 and coached there until he left for LSU.

Steele was Baylor's coach from 1999-2002 and had a 9-37 record.

Not only was Steele a member of Saban's first Bama staff, he was part of the Carolina Panthers' first group of coaches.

And Steele was an assistant on Nebraska's 1994 national championship team under then-coach Tom Osborne.

Tennessee named Steele acting head coach, which he had been at Auburn after Malzahn was fired and prior to Harsin’s hiring.

Steele, Auburn’s defensive coordinator, is now also the Tigers’ interim coach after Malzahn’s firing. He was Baylor’s coach from 1999 until 2003, where he went 9-36.

In 2015, Steele served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Louisiana State. In 2014, he coached Alabama’s linebackers and was special assistant to Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. In Saban’s first year as Alabama’s coach, Steele was defensive coordinator. Then, from 2009-11, he held that same position at Clemson. His 2010 defense at Clemson led the ACC and ranked No. 13 nationally in points allowed, surrendering 18.8 points per game.

Before joining Alabama’s staff, Steele was executive head coach at Florida State under then-head coach Bobby Bowden.

In the NFL, Steele coached linebackers for the Carolina Panthers from 1995-98. And from 1989-94, Steele won a national championship (1994) at Nebraska as a linebackers coach under Tom Osborne.

Steele also held assistant jobs at New Mexico State (1983), Oklahoma State (1984-86), and his alma mater, Tennessee (1987-88). He started his full-time career in 1982 as the Vols’ outside linebackers coach. Before playing his final three years at Tennessee, Steele played his first season at Furman.

Steele’s brother Jeff serves as associate athletics director for facilities and operations at Auburn.

FLORENCE, S.C. (WPDE) — The Florence Area Swim Team (FAST) wants Francis Marion University to reconsider a decision to close its indoor pool on campus.

The 25-yard, competitive pool is located inside the school's Walter D. Smith University Center.

FAST said FMU has told them the pool will close in March.

FAST Coach Kinsey Brand added the closing will hurt their ability to have a consistent place to practice and train swimmers.

"When we see FMU closing and that being our only stable pool in the area. To really get in the amount of swimming that we need, to become better it’s just, it’s hard to see that go away. Because my daughter, who is now nine, I want her to have that same experience that I had growing up. Swimming with teammates and coaches. And getting to travel to the country because you worked hard enough to get that sectional cut. Or that national cut. Opening doors to possibly swim at colleges across the country. That they would not have had that opportunity if they didn’t know swimming even existed.”

FAST is part of the USA Swimming.

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The organization's website said "USA Swimming is the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States. We promote the culture of swimming by creating safe and healthy opportunities for athletes and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education."

Charissa Canfield is involved with FAST.

Canfield said the FMU pool meets their standards to operate as a club under USA Swimming.

“We are building athletes. That is the idea at this age. From a fitness standpoint, there is an optimal training temperature for the water. And then just having the time in the pool. Because swimming is a low-impact sport. You can spend more time with it. And so, optimally it’s cool they will be swimming for high school-age competitive swimmers, 2 to 3 hours a day. 5 to 6 days a week. And so getting that amount of time in a pool that is privately owned. Or some other situation is going to be difficult to keep those kids at the competitive level. That they’ve been," said Canfield.

FMU Vice President for Finance and Facilities Darryl Bridges said they spent more than a year researching their decision to close the pool.

Bridges said the pool is 50 years old and cost more than $100,000 a year to maintain.

"The expense of the pool. Operating the pool, it costs in excess of $100,000 a year to operate the pool. When you factor in the heating fuel. The maintenance. The chemicals. The supervision and upkeep. It’s exceeded its useful life. The pool is just almost 50 years old and it needs a complete overhaul. And that’s going to be very expensive. Estimates are in excess of $750,000," said Bridges.

He added students aren't using the pool as they did in 1973 when it was built.

Bridges said on average one student uses the pool a day.

"When the building opened in 1973 and the pool was built. There may have been a high level of interest in the competition and the idea that the competition pool would be more useful. FMU has never had a swim team. And the use has never been one, I believe, was initially envisioned. Shortly after coming to Francis Marion in 1999, President Carter raised money to construct an outdoor recreational pool. Which is used quite a bit about our students over the past 20 years. So, that shows us. That demonstrates that the interest today is much more in recreational use of a pool. Verses the competition use of the pool," Bridges added.

He said they plan to spend $5 million to renovate the University Center for the first time in 50 years.

Bridges said the pool will be repurposed for a state-of-the-art fitness center for athletes and students.

"This renovation needs to prepare the university for the next generation of students. We anticipate that this will meet the needs for the next 30 years or so. So, it’s important for us to get it right and make sure that we are not just looking at the current students . Which we are, but also what are the trends. And the future. Personal fitness, not just our student-athletes. But, our general student population is important. And is a great interest to our student body. We have heard that loud and clear from from the Student Government Association Leadership. The Student Athletic Association Leadership have both shared with us their overwhelming desire to have a state-of-the-art fitness center versus an indoor competition pool," said Bridges.

Student-athletes Savana Rosson and Alex Cox said they aren't aware of any FMU students who utilize the indoor pool.

They said a new student fitness center is much needed.

"I feel like that tiny space with multiple teams in there at one time. It’s kind of hard to get all the work you need. So I think if we expand it and where the location is. I think it’s perfect," said Cox.

"We have so many athletes trying to cram into our little area that we have right now. And sometimes we have multiple sports in there. And it is really hard to get what we all need out of our workout. From day to day. With all of those athletes in that small location that we have," said Rosson.

FAST said they understand that it's a huge cost to upkeep an indoor, heated pool, but they're willing to help out.

"I think that’s why we need to get the community involved. We want this to be far bigger than FAST, in and of itself. My vision for FAST would be to have swim programs where we have kids from all walks of life learn how to swim. And to know that they can take it as far as they want. With hard work and dedication and consistency. But, we can’t have that if we don’t have a pool. What I’m saying is, it’s a community effort. We know that the costs are high, like we are willing to do our part in raising money and fundraising," said Brand.

Brand said if FMU moves forward with closing the pool, they'll have to find other options that meet their needs.

"Right now, our media goal is to raise money. And also find a pool that we can put a bubble over. So, we are looking for an outdoor pool. That we can close somewhat during the winter months. So that we can keep practicing once it gets cold outside. So, we’re going to hopefully whimper along until a better option becomes available. But I hate to think of losing some of the swimmers that we’ve been able to bring up so far. Because swimming is all in about consistency and momentum. And when you lose that momentum, it’s hard to get going again,” said Brand.

FMU said they've allowed FAST to use the pool at a discounted price for many years.

Officials said before COVID in the year 2018-19 school year, FAST paid about $2,300 a year to use the pool.

FAST said time is now of the essence for them to find a new home to practice.

The pool is scheduled to close in March.

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FLORENCE, S.C. -- South Florence swept a basketball doubleheader from North Myrtle Beach on Friday night.

FRIDAY'S BASKETBALL PHOTOS: Hartsville boys vs. Irmo

FLORENCE, S.C. -- Hartsville's boys lost to Irmo in Friday's Class 4A lower-state final at the Florence Center.

MONDAY'S BASKETBALL PHOTOS: Hartsville at Wilson

FLORENCE, S.C. -- Photos from Monday's lower-state semifinal game between the boys' basketball teams from Hartsville and Wilson.

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SATURDAY'S GIRLS' BASKETBALL PHOTOS: Ridge View at South Florence

FLORENCE, S.C. -- South Florence lost 46-43 in Saturday's second round of the SCHSL Class 4A playoffs.

FRIDAY'S BASKETBALL PHOTOS: Ridge View boys at Wilson

FLORENCE, S.C. -- Fourth-ranked Wilson secured a spot in Monday's Class 4A lower-state semifinals with a 48-45 win over Ridge View.

THURSDAY'S BASKETBALL PHOTOS: Irmo at Wilson

FLORENCE, S.C. -- Wilson hosted Irmo in Thursday's first round of the Class 4A playoffs. The Tigers won 48-37 and advance to the second round …

TUESDAY'S BASKETBALL PHOTOS: South Florence at West Florence

FLORENCE, S.C. -- West Florence hosted South Florence in a Tuesday night doubleheader. Photos will be updated later toady.

MONDAY'S WRESTLING PHOTOS: May River at South Florence

Baseball is back with the return of spring training, and this week our hosts talk with Paul Gross, a recently retired broadcast meteorologist who is a weather consultant for the Detroit Tigers. They discuss how weather impacts baseball, from lightning safety rules to the precise timing of a rain forecast, including a dramatic situation in a game between the Tigers and Red Sox. Paul also shared a unique story from his consulting during the 2005 MLB All-Star Game. About the Across the Sky podcast The weekly weather podcast is hosted on a rotation by the Lee Weather team: Matt Holiner of Lee Enterprises' Midwest group in Chicago, Kirsten Lang of the Tulsa World in Oklahoma, Joe Martucci of the Press of Atlantic City, N.J., and Sean Sublette of the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia. Chapters: (0:00:02) - Advising Sports Teams on Weather Conditions (0:05:36) - Forecasting Weather for a Baseball Team (0:10:42) - Weather and Sports (0:18:16) - The Benefits of Advanced Weather Technology (0:23:34) - Weather's Impact on Sports Decisions (0:30:48) - Weather Consideration in Major League Baseball Chapter Summaries: (0:00:02) - Advising Sports Teams on Weather Conditions (6 Minutes) Across the Sky', a national Lee Enterprises weather podcast, is hosted by meteorologists Sean Sublette in Richmond, Joe Martucci in Atlantic City and Matt Holiner in Chicago. This episode discusses the winter storms that have recently been plaguing the Midwest, and how the weather in the upcoming weeks is expected to be mild with snow expected to return next week. They also bring on a guest, Paul Gross, a recently retired broadcast meteorologist who has been consulting for the Detroit Tigers and other big-name sports teams for a while now. (0:05:36) - Forecasting Weather for a Baseball Team (5 Minutes) The conversation focuses on the protocols for forecasting lightning and calling or pausing a game as a result. It is explained that the safety of the players and the field conditions must be taken into account, as well as the safety of everyone in the stadium. An example is given of a situation which occurred during a game, when a severe thunderstorm was taking a direct bead on the ballpark and the umpire refused to stop the game. A discussion follows on the protocols for lightning and how they have changed over the years, with insight from the Paul's experience advising the Tigers. (0:10:42) - Weather and Sports (8 Minutes) This chapter of the Across the Sky podcast covers the significance of lightning and how it can be a major weather killer, yet often flies under the radar due to lack of media coverage. The conversation then transitions to the importance of time when it comes to the weather in relation to sports games and the preparation that goes into playing a game. It is noted that the decision to start the game is often up to the home team general manager. The conversation then delves into a situation in which the Detroit Tigers had a game in Boston, but with a massive rain area approaching the game was started despite the fact that it was unlikely to be completed. (0:18:16) - The Benefits of Advanced Weather Technology (5 Minutes) This conversation is about a unique experience involving the weather at the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Paul Gross recounts how, as a season ticket holder, he and his family had purchased tickets for the game, and a cousin from Chicago had come in to join them. The weather forecast was mostly dry, but the commissioner of baseball, who was a bit of a nervous type when it came to the weather, asked the speaker to stay with him during the game. As the game progressed, the speaker was able to track a few showers on radar. (0:23:34) - Weather's Impact on Sports Decisions (7 Minutes) The conversation focuses on weather's impact on the game of baseball, particularly the flight of the ball in different weather conditions. The speaker talks about his experience with Michigan football and a game they played in Colorado where they were at risk of being affected by a tropical storm. They also discuss the Detroit Lions and their playing both inside and outside and the impact of weather on their games and practices. The speaker talks about the high stakes of the information he provides and how it can affect the outcome of games. Lastly, they talk about whether decision makers ever ask the speaker what he would do in a high stakes situation' (0:30:48) - Weather Consideration in Major League Baseball (12 Minutes) Matt Holiner shared his experience of working as a meteorologist for the Cincinnati Reds and his comparison of the different mentalities between football and baseball when it comes to forecasting weather. Matt discussed how teams will wait for two or three hours until they make the call to cancel a game due to inclement weather and how he had to communicate with the grounds crew and operations manager but not the players. He also shared that football has a higher threshold for what they will tolerate weather-wise and will play in almost any condition, while baseball has a lower threshold and will typically only play if the field is not deemed dangerous. Shownotes generated by Podium.page.

FLORENCE, S.C. (WCSC) - The Lowcountry has at least 2 teams that will be playing for state championships next weekend.

The Oceanside Collegiate boys and the Bishop England girls each won the 2-A Lower state title on Friday with wins in Florence. Both teams beat Andrew Jackson.

The Battling Bishops had a tougher day, down by 12 at the half, Paul Runey’s team turned up the defense in the 2nd half. They would give up just 2 points in the third and fourth quarters and Evelyn Kitchin hit a free throw with under 30 seconds to go to give Bishop England their first and only lead of the day in a 39-38 win.

“It’s unreal, it’s unreal” Runey said. “I thought we were gonna have our hands full with the way they did it in the first half but I kinda told the girls I really think they played their best basketball in the 1st half lets just cut it in half by the 3rd quarter and go all out in the 4th and things fell our way”

Izzy Woods led the Bishops with 12 points while Lissie Van de Erve added 11.

“From all the seniors we lost last year, only 5 returning, we’re a young team and we’ve done the unthinkable, no one thought we could get to state and I’m so proud of our team, so proud of my girls, we could not do this without doing this together.” Kitchin said. When asked about the game winning free throw she said. “I was shaking, I was like oh lord, I put it all on the man above and it went in”

The Bishops will face Gray Collegiate in the state championship game on Friday afternoon.

Oceanside Collegiate’s boys were also down early, trailing by 2 after the first quarter but they would outscore the Volunteers 27-8 in the 2nd and never looked back earning a 75-38 win to take their first lower state championship.

Malachi Stevens led the way with 24 points while Makhi Rivers chipped in with 13.

“Man, I got that monkey off my back” Oceanside head coach Quinton Hollis said. “I couldn’t sleep this whole week, it started with the Mullins game, when I watch film I get this feeling so I stopped watching film, just really got that monkey off my back, it feels good today”

The Landsharks will also play Gray Collegiate in the state finals next Friday.

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