Gamecocks Take on Charlotte in Third Match of Homestand

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team continues its homestand Friday night when the Gamecocks host Charlotte at 7 p.m.

Gameday Information – #WEareCarolina
Series History: South Carolina leads 15-12-4
Trend: Charlotte won 4
Last Meeting: Charlotte 3, South Carolina 0 | Sept. 25, 2021 | Charlotte
Carolina Win Streak: 4, twice
Charlotte Win Streak: 4, 2018-present

South Carolina Gamecocks 2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt
Coach: Tony Annan | 5th Season – 28-33-11
Goal Leader: 2 | Three tied
Assist Leader: 2 | Matthew DeJianne and Ethan Ballek
Points Leader: 6 | Ethan Ballek
Shots Leader: 12 | Ethan Ballek
Saves Leader: 9 | Filip Versterre

Charlotte 49ers 1-1-1, 0-0 American
Coach: Kevin Langan | 14th Season

Taking the Pitch

• This will be the 32nd meeting between the Gamecocks and 49ers.
• This will be the 17th meeting in Columbia, where the Gamecocks are 6-8-2
• This is the first meeting between the two teams since Tony Annan took over as head coach.
• The two sides met every season between 2009-2021.
• Carolina’s last win in the series came on Sept. 27, 2013 in Charlotte (2-1)
• All-time, the Gamecocks and 49ers are tied in goals scored 44-to-44.

Quick Notes

• This is the 48th season of South Carolina men’s soccer.
• The Gamecocks currently rank second in the nation in attendance (4,246).
• Carolina has led the nation in attendance the last three seasons, averaging 4,399 fans per game the last two season.
• Since the NCAA started tracking attendance in 1998, the last two seasons rank 4th and 6th all-time in average attendance.
• They are the first program to lead the NCAA in attendance three straight seasons since UC Santa Barbara led nine straight years (2007-2015.
• The Gamecocks have an all-time record of 539-294-87
• The Gamecocks begin their fourth season in the Sun Belt Conference.
• Ethan Ballek tallied a career-high two assists in the win over FIU Tuesday.
  • He finished the night with four points, adding a goal.
• Tyler Trimnal scored his first goal as a Gamecock Tuesday, tallying a brace that included the game-winner in the 83rd minute.
• The win over FIU marked Carolina’s first comeback win since 2022 (USC Upstate, 9/6)
• This marks the first time since 2011 that Carolina has opened the season with back-to-back road matches.
  • 1995 is the only other season in which they played back-to-back road matches to start.
• Mika Habel has scored in back-to-back matches to start the season after notching his first career goal against the College of Charleston.
• Andrew Goldsworthy also tallied his first career goal in the win over CofC.
  • Freshman Matthew DeJianne has tallied an assist in his first two collegiate matches, both coming on goals by Habel.
• Carolina was picked to finish fifth in the conference by the coaches.
• The squad had three players named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team: Ethan Ballek, Alexander Stjernegaard, and Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez.
• Ethan Ballek was named to the United Soccer Coaches Forwards to Watch List.
• Alexander Stjernegaard was named to the USC Midfielders to Watch List.
• The roster features many new faces from a season ago with 13 newcomers, nine transfers and four true freshmen.
• They return eight starters from a season ago, in addition to a duo of Mika Habel and Junior Saint Juste who missed most of last season due to injury.

For the latest on men’s soccer, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockMSoccer, Facebook /GamecockMSoccer, and Instagram @GamecockMSoccer.