Sept. 14, 2004

COLUMBIA, S.C. –
After a 4-0 start, the University of South Carolina men’s soccer team has cracked the national top 25 rankings this week. The Gamecocks are ranked tied for No. 18 in this week’s adidas/National Soccer Coaches Association of America Poll. In the Soccer Times Poll, USC made its 2004 debut at No. 24, and the Gamecocks enter the Soccer America Poll at No. 25.

South Carolina made a statement over the weekend by defeating 16th-ranked Portland, 3-2, in the adidas/South Carolina Gamecock Classic. USC also picked up 1-0 victory over Bucknell to capture its third straight Classic title.

The Gamecocks opened the season with a 2-1 triumph over William and Mary in Columbia on Sept. 1 and followed up with a 2-0 road win at Winthrop on Sept. 4.

In addition to being ranked nationally, Carolina is third in the NSCAA South Region Poll behind North Carolina-Greensboro and Wake Forest.

USC hits the road looking to extend its win streak this weekend as it competes in the University of Pennsylvania Tournament in Philadelphia, Pa. South Carolina faces the host Quakers on Friday, Sept. 17, at 2:30 p.m. and battles Princeton at Noon on Sunday, Sept. 19.

adidas/NSCAA Top 25 Poll (Sept. 14)
1 Indiana
2 Maryland
3 North Carolina, Greensboro
4 Santa Clara University
5 Southern Methodist
6 Boston College
7 Old Dominion
7 St. John’s
9 Michigan
10 Saint Louis
11 UC Santa Barbara
11 Wake Forest
13 Penn State
14 Notre Dame
15 Coastal Carolina
16 Creighton
17 California
18 South Carolina
18 Washington
20 UCLA
21 Rhode Island
22 Binghamton
23 Seton Hall
24 Florida International
25 Virginia

Soccer Times Top 25 Poll (Sept. 14)
1 Indiana
2 Maryland
3 Santa Clara
4 Wake Forest
5 Notre Dame
6 Saint Louis
7 Michigan
8 UCLA
9 St. John’s
10 Washington
11 California-Santa Barbara
12 Southern Methodist
13 Creighton
14 Old Dominion
15 Coastal Carolina
16 North Carolina-Greensboro
17 Penn State
18 Stanford
19 California
20 Virginia
21 Akron
22 Boston College
23 Florida International
24 South Carolina
25 Tulsa