Nov. 13, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina’s defender Brittiny Rhoades has earned second team All-Rookie honors as selected by the Top Drawer Soccer publication. She becomes the second Gamecock in as many years to earn the honor while senior goalkeeper Laura Armstrong was named an honorable mention selection for Top Drawer’s Team of the Season.

Rhoades (Wilmington, Del./Padua Academy) started 21 of 22 games for Carolina at left back and helped lead a defense that allowed only 16 goals for a 0.69 goals against average. She finished the season with three assists, two coming on game-winning goals while the third came against Tennessee in the SEC tournament quarterfinals. One of Carolina’s top lockdown defenders and set piece specialist, Rhoades was named to the SEC All-Freshman team last week to cap her rookie campaign. Her selection marks the second consecutive year that a Gamecock earned second team All-Rookie honors as sophomore Blakely Mattern was selected last season.

Armstrong (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood HS) was an honorable mention selection for the Top Drawer Soccer College Team of the Season. A fourth team selection last year, Armstrong leads the Gamecocks in goal with only six goals allowed in 1100 minutes. Her 0.49 goals against average ranks first in the SEC and ninth nationally. She posted a 7-2-1 record on the season with seven shutouts, tying the South Carolina single-season (7) and career (15) records for shutouts.

The 23rd-ranked Gamecocks earned their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1998 and plays Duke Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Athens, Ga. The winner of that match will advance to play the winner of the Georgia-Alabama A&M match in Sunday’s second round at 1:30 p.m.