Aug. 9, 2010

By Miquel Jacobs
Media Relations Assistant

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina junior forward Kayla Grimsley and senior defender Brittiny Rhoades have been selected to the fourth annual women’s soccer Coaches Preseason All-SEC team, the conference office announced Monday. Since the Preseason All-SEC team debuted in 2007, the Gamecocks have had seven selections, a number that ties Tennessee for second-most in the conference.

Grimsley (Lakeland, Fla.) earns her second consecutive appearance on the preseason list and is an All-America candidate in 2010. She is a two-time All-SEC selection, a TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Season selection and returns for her junior season after one of the top all-around performances in Gamecock history. She became just the fifth player at South Carolina to hit double-digit goals in a season and finished with 13 goals and seven assists for 33 points. She finished first in the SEC in goals, second in points and fifth in assists, while coming just one point short of setting the South Carolina single-season record. Grimsley started the season with a record nine-match scoring streak and spent parts of the summer training with the U.S. U-20 and U-23 national teams.

Rhoades (Wilmington, Del.) earns her first preseason honor and continues a tradition with at least one Gamecock defender earning a nod on the preseason list. She has started 68 of 70 career games at left back in leading the Gamecocks to the best three-year period in program history. She was a 2007 Freshman All-American selection and has earned the reputation as Carolina’s top lockdown defender since stepping onto campus. She returns as the leader of a defense that finished last season ranked eighth nationally and posted a school-record 15 shutouts.

Florida led all schools with five selections while South Carolina, Auburn and Ole Miss each had two. The coaches preseason All-SEC team consists of a minimum of 11 players. Each SEC head soccer coach voted for five attackers, five defenders and one goalkeeper. No ties were broken.

South Carolina opens the 2010 season on Aug. 20 when the team travels to Boston, Mass., to play the Terriers and Northeastern Huskies. Fans can get their first look at the 2010 team and get signed posters at the Fan Appreciation Day scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 15 at 12:30 p.m. Season Tickets for the 2010 season are currently on sale. Ticket prices are $25 for adults and $10 for students. They can be purchased at GamecocksOnline.com or by calling (800) 4SC-FANS.

2010 SEC Soccer Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team