Paul Mainieri (born 29 August 1957 in Morgantown, WV) is the current head coach of the LSU baseball team. Prior to that position he was the head coach of the Notre Dame baseball team from 1995-2006, the United States Air Force Academy baseball team from 1989-1994 and the St. Thomas University baseball team from 1983-1988.

In 2009, Mainieri won his first National Championship with the LSU Tigers, defeating the Texas Longhorns in an epic College World Series battle. His third National Championship as an Division I head coach.

His cumulative record in 26 years of coaching is 942-537-6. His Division I coaching record is 763-416-5.

Mainieri started his college baseball playing career in 1976 at LSU. He played for one season, before transferring to Miami-Dade North Community College to play for his father, Demie Mainieri. After one year he transferred to the University of New Orleans where he played for two years and helped the team win two Sun Belt Conference titles and earn an appearance in the 1979 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament.

Mainieri began his coaching career in Florida as the head coach of St. Thomas University in 1983. In six seasons, his team went 179-121-1, and Mainieri became the winningest coach in St. Thomas History. He moved on to the United States Air Force Academy in 1989, where he would also remain for six seasons. He became the second-winningest coach in Air Force history posting a mark of 152-158.

Moving to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 1995, Mainieri turned the Fighting Irish into a perennial postseason contender winning the Big East tournament an unprecedented 5 straight seasons, making the NCAA Tournament 9 out of 12 seasons, and leading the Irish to one College World Series appearance in 2002. In total, Mainieri posted a .714 winning percentage going 533-213-3 in twelve seasons.

Mainieri replaced Smoke Laval at the end of the LSU Tigers’ 2006 season.

Career highlights:
Overall: 943-537-6

Championships:
Big East: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009
Big East Tournament: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
SEC: 2009
SEC Tournament: 2008
College World Series Championships: 2009

Awards:
National Coach of the Year (CBI): 1999, 2008, 2009
National Coach of the Year (Rivals): 2008, 2009

Playing career:
1976: Miami-Dade North CC
1977: UNO
1978-1979: LSU

Position:
Second base

Coaching career (HC unless noted):
1983-1988: St. Thomas University
1989-1994: Air Force
1995-2006: Notre Dame
2007-Present: LSU