'This Is a Power Program': Why Rex Watson Chose to Stay at Coastal Carolina
6/29/2026 10:58:00 AM | Baseball
CONWAY, S.C. -- When Rex Watson entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on June 10, Coastal Carolina fans didn't panic. They went to work.
"It meant a lot," Watson said. "I couldn't even touch my phone without seeing notifications from all the posts. I got text messages from people, too. It definitely pushed me toward coming back because I knew I had people behind me."
For nearly two weeks, Teal Nation flooded social media with messages encouraging one of the Sun Belt Conference's top sluggers to stay in Conway. On June 22, Watson did just that. The All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team selection withdrew his name from the transfer portal, choosing to return to Coastal Carolina for the 2027 season.
For Watson, the decision wasn't simply about returning for another year. It was about finishing what he started.
"I didn't want to go into the portal twice in two years," Watson said. "When everything happened, I decided I'd at least see what my options were, especially while we were waiting to find out who the new coach at Coastal was going to be."
He didn't have to wait long.
"As soon as Coach (Chris) Lemonis got here, he got on the phone with me. He seemed awesome. It just seemed like I needed to come back and finish what I started at Coastal."
That conversation became the turning point.
"He genuinely seemed super fired up to be here," Watson said. "He was really excited when we talked about the plans for next year, the staff he was bringing in and everything they're building."
Wanting another perspective, Watson reached out to Chanticleer teammate Lukas Buckner. Buckner was recruited by Lemonis at Mississippi State and played for the national championship-winning coach before transferring to Coastal Carolina prior to the 2026 season.
"I talked with Buck and asked him what Coach Lemonis was really like," Watson said. "Buck told me, 'Dude, what you're seeing right now is exactly how he is as a coach.' After talking with him and seeing who he really is, I felt like this is a guy who's going to lead us to victory."
For Watson, it wasn't just what Lemonis said. It was the culture he envisioned.
"His three goals are to have fun, win and get better," Watson said. "I really like that because I think that's how you win. You have fun while you're trying to improve."
Continuity mattered, too. One familiar face Watson was especially excited to see remain in Conway was Director of Defense, Baserunning and Gameplay Matt Schilling.
"It's going to be awesome having a familiar face around," Watson said. "He's a true Coastal guy who's always trying to bring out positivity in everyone. He's going to be great to have around again, and I think he's going to bring even more positive energy. We're going to have a lot of fun together."
For anyone who watched Watson play in 2026, that philosophy probably looked familiar.
Before every at-bat, Watson etched a smiley face near the on-deck circle with his cleats, a reminder to himself, he says, that baseball is still a kid's game. And when the Chanticleers walked off with dramatic victories, Watson's celebratory back flips became as much a part of the celebration as the hit itself.
It didn't take long for that personality to resonate with Teal Nation.
After earning All-West Coast Conference honors as a freshman at San Diego, Watson arrived in Conway before the 2026 season and immediately became one of the Sun Belt Conference's most productive hitters.
The sophomore outfielder batted .290 while leading the Chanticleers in home runs (12), RBIs (64) and total bases (116). He ranked third in the Sun Belt in RBIs, tied for 10th in home runs and delivered some of the season's biggest moments, including a walk-off grand slam against East Carolina and a walk-off RBI single against James Madison. But those numbers only tell part of Watson's story. The people made Coastal Carolina feel like home.
"It was honestly more than I could have ever expected," Watson said. "You go out there and you're playing in front of a crowd full of teal that wants you to win. They want to win bad, but they also want you to have fun and be yourself."
That experience is one Watson believes future Chanticleers will quickly understand.
"Teal Nation is always going to have your back," Watson said. "Even when you're going through a rough stretch, they're going to lift you up. You've just got to feed into them and make sure they're having fun when they come to the games. If you're having fun, they're going to have fun, too."
For Watson, returning to Coastal Carolina isn't about looking back. It's about what's ahead.
"With what we've got going on at Coastal, this isn't a mid-major," Watson said. "This is a power program. We're going to remind people of that next year. We're going to make a run. I'm not coming back just to make another regional. We're coming back to go farther than that."
