Feb. 2, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina women’s soccer coach Shelley Smith announced Wednesday afternoon the signing of nine student-athletes for the program’s 2012. The Gamecocks add players at every position with five four-star recruits and two US Soccer National ID Camp participants to fill needs vacated by the eight-player graduating class that left South Carolina as the winningest class in program history.

“I’d like to welcome this class coming in for 2012,” Smith said. “Our coaching staff is thrilled to have them joining our program after losing such a big senior class this last fall. We needed a freshman class to come in, be able to compete right away and build great depth. This class definitely does that. With the talent they have, how they compete, the experience they bring and how they complement the players returning, we couldn’t have asked for a better class. Also, since they’ve decided to come here, with the way these players have shown their commitment to the program and the commitment to prepare to be the best at the collegiate level, I’m very proud of the work they’ve done both in the classroom and in the field. I know they’ll have a successful freshman year.”

The Gamecocks won the 2011 SEC regular season and eastern division titles with a 9-2-0 record and moved to the NCAA Second Round for the third consecutive year – one of only two SEC programs to do so in that span. With a 16-7-0 record, Smith’s squad won its second piece of conference hardware in the past three years en route to her being named the NSCAA South Region Coach of the Year.

South Carolina swept the SEC postseason awards with Smith being named SEC Coach of the Year, Kayla Grimsley winning her second consecutive SEC Offensive Player of the Year award and Sabrina D’Angelo being named SEC Freshman of the Year, SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and SEC Goalkeeper of the Year – in the process becoming the first player in conference history to earn two player of the year honors in the same season. Grimsley also was named a second team All-American by the NSCAA and Soccer America, while D’Angelo was named a first team All-Freshman selection.

For full signing day bios and information, CLICK HERE.

2012 SIGNING CLASS