Nov. 19, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina sophomore striker Sam Arthur has been named a Second Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, it was announced by CoSIDA on Wednesday. Arthur marks the fifth Gamecock men’s soccer player to garner Academic All-America honors, while he is the program’s first second-team selection. Additionally, he is the first Gamecock selection since Chris Faklaris (third team) and Greg King (first team) earned the honor in 1995.

Arthur led the Gamecocks with 12 goals and three assists for a total of 27 points on the year. The Roswell, Ga., native collected two goals in Conference USA play, both game winners, while also contributing one assist. Arthur ranked in the top 25 national statistics throughout the season, while earning conference and national player of the week honors. Arthur earned the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal last year, along with C-USA Academic Honor Roll honors, while he was named to the CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III First-Team earlier this month.

To be eligible for Academic All-America honors, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00 and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing. Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.