Nov. 15, 2010

2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket | South Carolina NCAA Tournament Notes | Selection Show Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina men’s soccer team (12-6-2) has earned the No. 7 seed in the 2010 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament, and with the seed, the Gamecocks have earned a bye in the first round of the event. South Carolina will host the winner of the Coastal Carolina versus Duke matchup on Sunday at Stone Stadium. Match time is set for 2 p.m.

South Carolina NCAA Tournament Notables
– South Carolina has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 19 times in its history (including 2010).
– Carolina owns an all-time record of 15-18 in NCAA Tournament contests, including a 10-10 mark in games played at Stone Stadium.
– South Carolina advances to the 2010 NCAA Tournament as the automatic bid from Conference USA.
– Mark Berson led his team to the College Cup in the 1988 and 1993 seasons. The Gamecocks advanced to the National Championship game in 1993. Virginia earned a 2-0 win over the Gamecocks in that match – held in Davidson, N.C.

2010 Team Notes
– South Carolina finished fourth in Conference USA this season, two spots better than its sixth-place finish in the league in 2009.
– Five Gamecocks garnered All-Conference USA awards: Blake Brettschneider (Co-MVP, Co-Offensive Player of the Year, First Team), Bradlee Baladez (Third Team, All-Freshman Team), Jimmy Maurer (Second Team), Chipper Root (All-Freshman Team) and Will Traynor (First Team).
– Four Gamecocks earned selection to the C-USA All-Academic Team in Blake Brettschneider, Jimmy Maurer, Stephen Morrissey and Will Traynor.
– South Carolina was the 2005 Conference USA Tournament champion, collecting the title in its first season competing in the league.
– The Gameocks are currently ranked No. 22 in the Soccer America Top 25 Poll (Nov. 15).
– In the Nov. 9 RPI, South Carolina was ranked No. 19. The Gamecocks have been ranked in the top 20 for every RPI report this season, topping out at No. 15. Based on the NCAA RPI report from Nov. 9, South Carolina is 7-5-1 (including two wins vs. UAB, Tulsa) against the RPI Top 50, and 10-6-1 against the RPI Top 100. South Carolina defeated SMU – RPI No. 5 – in the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament on Friday and No. 22 Tulsa on Sunday

Visit GamecocksOnline.com throughout the week for updated information on the Gamecock men’s soccer team and Sunday’s match.