Dec. 7, 2005
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FOOTBALL (7-4, 5-3)
Head Coach Steve Spurrier was named the Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year. Sidney Rice and Ko Simpson were named fi rst team all-conference, while Johnathan Joseph was a second team selection. The Gamecocks will travel to Shreveport, Louisiana for a December 30 matchup in the Independence Bowl with the Missouri Tigers. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
MEN’S BASKETBALL (5-2)
The men’s basketball team split a pair of games last week, defeating UNC Greensboro before falling at Clemson. Tarence Kinsey scored 20 and Renaldo Balkman added 16 in the win over Greensboro. Balkman led the way with 15 points and a dozen boards in the loss at Clemson. The squad owns a 5-2 record after seven games. They are off until December 14 when they host Winthrop at 7:30 p.m. They still have five games, including four home contests, scheduled throughout the remainder of the month.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (2-3)
The women’s basketball team dropped its third straight game, a 73-66 decision to Georgia Southern on November 29. The Gamecocks had defeated the Eagles 13 straight times prior to last week’s setback. Stacy Booker led the way with 20 points for Carolina. The team will return to action on Tuesday, December 13, when they host nationally-ranked Minnesota at 7 p.m. That contest will mark the first game of a stretch in which the Gamecocks play five home games in nine days.
WOMEN’S GOLF
South Carolina head women’s golf coach Kristi Coggins announced the signing of two high school student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, including the top player in the state of South Carolina. The 2005 recipient of the Beth Daniel Award as the South Carolina Junior Golf Association’s Player of the Year, Taylor Barrett is ranked as the No. 1 player in the state in the SCJGA’s Final 2005 Heritage Classic Foundation rankings. She is the reigning Class AAAA individual state girls champion, winning the title by draining a 25-yard putt in the first hole of a sudden death playoff with her competitor’s ball sitting one foot away from the flag. Barrett tied for the state title in 2004 as well before the playoff system was in place.
MEN’S SOCCER
South Carolina freshman goalkeeper Mike Gustavson earned freshman All-America honors from Top Drawer Soccer, the publication recently announced. Gustavson was one of five rookie goalkeepers to make the list. Senior Josh Alcala received an invitation to the 2006 adidas Major League Soccer Player Combine. Alcala is among 54 seniors from NCAA Division I men’s soccer teams selected to compete in event, held Jan. 12-15 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
SWIMMING & DIVING (M: 1-4; W: 2-4)
The South Carolina men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams posted fifth-place finishes at the Bulldog Christmas Invitational in Athens over the weekend. The squad set three school records. Christy Williams bested the mark she set last season in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:59.12. The 200 medley relay of Williams, Lindsey Tiberio, Diana Lopez and Haley Skaggs went 1:42.94 to set the new mark and reach an NCAA “B” standard. The 400 medley relay quartet of Williams, Tiberio, Kendel Fiorentino and Skaggs finished at 3:44.06, the fastest mark in school history and also an NCAA “B” standard time. Senior diver Allison Brennan, earned the top spot on the one-meter board with a score of 291.90 and on the three-meter board with a score of 307.80.
TRACK AND FIELD
The University of South Carolina track team announced its 2005 recruiting class on Friday. The women’s team took in a strong haul of recruits, landing seven athletes from all across the globe. The Gamecock men added local star Scott Pierce, of Irmo. The women’s signing class is led by two of the nation’s best in Sicklerville, N.J native Krystal Cantey and Brandi Cross of Missouri City, Texas.
BASEBALL
The University of South Carolina baseball program announced the signing of 18 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the November early signing period. The class is highlighted by seven recruits from the state of South Carolina and includes nine high school and nine junior college signees.
MEN’S GOLF
South Carolina men’s golf coach Puggy Blackmon did not have to leave the state of South Carolina to secure his latest recruiting class. Blackmon has inked the Palmetto State’s three best prep golfers in George Bryan IV (Chapin), Patrick Rada (Anderson) and Paul Woodbury (Lake City), to national letters-of-intent. The trio will join the Gamecock program in the fall of 2006.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Three University of South Carolina women’s tennis players were ranked in the ITA Southeast final Fall Regional Rankings. Freshman Gira Schofield was the highest ranked Gamecock coming in at 11th while junior Laura Ganzer finished at 25th and freshman Natasa Vuckovic was ranked 27th.
