CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) -- 2024 is coming to a close, and what a year it was for sports across the Lowcountry and Palmetto State. Here's a look back at the top local sports stories of the year: 10. Paul Patrol After Mark Kingston wasn't retained as the head baseball coach at the University of South Carolina, Athletic Director Ray Tanner made a splash hire by bringing former National Championship-winning head coach Paul Mainieri out of retirement. Mainieri kept former Charleston Cougars player Monte Lee on staff. Tanner would step down as AD in the fall, moving to a new role as senior advisor to the president with a focus on fundraising and community engagement. 9. Shooter's Shoot Before leaving the club to play for CD Castellón in Spain, Charleston Battery forward Nick Markanich made league and team history in 2024. His 28 goals this season broke the USL Championship record of 26 and the Battery's record of 27, which was set by Paul Conway in 2001. 8. Clemson Basketball is Elite After falling in the first game of the ACC tournament, the Clemson men's basketball team rebounded to reach the quarterfinals in the NCAA Championship tournament for the first time since 1980 in a magical post-season run led by PJ Hall and Chase Hunter. Head Coach Brad Brownell's club entered the tournament as a six-seed and proceeded to upset No. 3 Baylor and No. 2 Arizona to reach the Elite Eight. 7. Ring Season One school had to wait seven decades, the other a calendar year. Pinewood Prep claimed a state title in football for the first time in school history after defeating Wilson Hall in the SCISA 3A State Championship. Head Coach Devontae Holloman delivered Pinewood the title in his second year. After Head Coach Chad Wilkes' abrupt departure at the beginning of the season, Oceanside Academy rallied around interim Coach John Patterson and each other to claim back-to-back state titles. 6. Final Draft The Lowcountry, especially Summerville High School, was well-represented in July's Major League Baseball Draft. Native Floridian slugger PJ Morlando was selected 16th overall by the Miami Marlins, becoming the first first-round pick from the Lowcountry since Justin Smoak in 2008. More history was made as brothers Cole and Carson Messina became just the 5th pair of brothers to be selected in the same MLB draft. Cole was drafted in the third round by the Colorado Rockies and Carson signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round. But, Summerville wouldn't be alone as former Hanahan hurler Trey Pooser was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 10th round after a stellar season at the University of Kentucky. 5. Court is in Session  2024 was a banner year for Charleston's own Emma Navarro, who finished the year ranked the No. 8 women's tennis player in the world. Navarro began the year by winning her first singles title at the Hobart International. She then went on to have her best finishes at all four major tournaments in her very short career, including impressive runs at Wimbledon (quarterfinals) and the US Open (semifinals). She also represented Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Emma Navarro recaps Olympics with News 2 Sports While 2024 marked a high in Navarro's career, it also saw Mount Pleasant native Shelby Rogers take the court for the last time. Rogers announced her retirement in August, ending a 15-year career in women’s professional tennis. Her most notable performances came at the 2016 French Open and the 2020 U.S. Open where she reached the quarterfinals. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 30 in the world in August 2022. The Town of Mount Pleasant recognized Rogers for her contribution to the sport by giving her a key to the city in November. 4. Changes at the College For the second straight season, the College of Charleston men's basketball team clinched the Coastal Athletic Association (CCA) Tournament title, with a dramatic 82-79 win over Stony Brook. The Cougars were sent out west to Spokane, Washington to compete against the University of Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After falling in that game, Head Coach Pat Kelsey left to take over in Louisville. As luck would have it, Kelsey's childhood friend and former Louisville Head Coach Chris Mack would be named his replacement. 3. A Gold in Georgetown Along with Navarro, Raven Saunders, and Jasmine Camacho Quinn, Georgetown's Melissa Jefferson also competed in the Summer Games in Paris. After winning bronze in the 100 meters, Jefferson claimed gold on the 4 x 100 relay team -- a monumental achievement for Georgetown and Coastal Carolina University as the Chanticleer alum was honored by the town with a parade down Front Street. 2. Bragging Rights After starting the season 3-3 with a road loss to Alamba, enough was enough for the South Carolina Gamecocks football team as they rattled off six consecutive victories to end the season. The streak included four wins against ranked opponents, the last one coming in Death Valley against the Clemson Tigers for the ultimate trophy: bragging rights. All wasn't lost for the Tigers, though, thanks to a Miami loss later that day which earned Clemson a spot in the ACC Championship. Kicker Nolan Hauser nailed a 56-year field goal as time expired to clinch a berth into the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Clemson would ultimately fall to the Texas Longhorns 38-24 in the first round. 1. Uncommon Favor What started in Paris ended with confetti falling in Cleveland, Ohio. The Gamecocks defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 87-75 in the April 7 championship game, propelling them to a perfect 39-0 season record. It was the program’s third national title and the second in three years. That feat is now enshrined in the history books thanks to a pair of congressional resolutions introduced by South Carolina lawmakers.