Second Men’s Soccer Exhibition Set for 7 PM Wed. vs. Winthrop

Aug. 18, 2015

South Carolina Hosts Winthrop
Eugene E. Stone III Stadium – Columbia, S.C.
Wed., Aug. 19, 7 PM
SEC Network + Video | | @GamecockMSoccer

Roster Notes

South Carolina brings back 13 letter-winners and 16 members from the squad that made the 2014 Conference USA Tournament Championship Match.
Ten newcomers join the group: three transfers and seven freshmen.
The Gamecocks return 47 percent of their goals and 57 percent of their assists from last year.
Third-team All-Conference USA midfielder Kurtis Turner is the top returning scorer, and he’s led the Gamecocks in assists in each of his first two years.
Junior goalkeeper Marco Velez is also back after recording three solo shutouts last season.

The Gamecocks Shine in the Classroom as Well

South Carolina’s 16 returners have a total of 26 SEC Academic Honor Roll certificates and 25 Conference USA Academic Honor Roll notations between them.
Last season, 20 of the roster members picked up spots on each honor roll.
Ryan Arambula (three) and Jeffrey Torda (two) both own multiple C-USA Academic Medals, which go to honorees holding a 3.75 cumulative GPA or higher.
Nine times, SC has garnered the NSCAA Team Academic Award, including one in each of the past six years.
Twice in the past five years, the Gamecocks have captured the top GPA in NCAA Division I according to the NSCAA.

We Schedule Top Competition

Of the 17 regular-season matches scheduled for the Gamecocks, 12 come against top-100 RPI teams in the final 2014 report from the NCAA.
Ten of those ranked in the top 50, five from C-USA (Charlotte, Kentucky UAB, Old Dominion & New Mexico).
Four foes made the NSCAA/Continental Tire Preseason Top 25, with five more among those receiving votes.
Eight of the Gamecocks’ foes made last year’s NCAA Tournament.

Attendance Outstanding at Stone Stadium

The 2014 Gamecocks had the fifth-highest paid attendance average in NCAA Division I at 2,602.
That 2,602 attendance average is the largest for a season in Stone Stadium history.
The paid attendance of 5,415 for the season-opening match against Belmont ranks as the 4th-best in Stone Stadium history and 8th in the site’s history of men’s matches.

Gamecocks Have a Rich History in NCAA Tournament

On 20 occasions, the Gamecocks made an NCAA Tournament, the most in Conference USA.
Eleven times, the Gamecocks have played the NCAA Tournament Round of 16.
South Carolina is 16-19-1 in the tourney, making two College Cups in 1988 and 1993.

South Carolina Played for Third Conference USA Tournament Crown

South Carolina made its eighth appearance in the Conference USA Tournament, advancing to the finals before falling 2-1 to host Old Dominion.
The seventh seed, the Gamecocks opened the event by beating second-seeded and 18th-ranked Kentucky 2-1.
On Fri., South Carolina downed No. 21 UAB, 1-0, in the semifinals.
Entering the event, SC had only once faced a rematch against a team it lost to in the regular season.
In 2010, South Carolina fell to SMU in the regular season 3-1 but came back to win the semifinal rematch 2-1 en route to its second tourney title.
The Gamecocks added to that total with both wins in the 2014 event.
It’s the second time the Gamecocks have downed back-to-back ranked foes in the event, matching the 2010 team (2-1 W in semis over No. 5 SMU on 11/12, 1-0 W in finals over No. 25 Tulsa on 11/14).
SC missed becoming the first No. 7 seed to win the tourney, joining two others who made the finals (FIU 2007, Memphis 1998).
The Gamecocks are now 9-6-1 all-time in the C-USA Tourney, winning it twice (2005 and 2010).

Gamecocks were Comeback Kings in 2014

In six of South Carolina’s 10 wins, the team came from behind to take the victory.
Five victories came from one goal back, with the fifth marking the largest comeback in school history (down 0-3 at Florida Atlantic).
Twice, the team has fought back against a ranked foe despite being down a player to force double overtime (down 0-1 vs. No. 25/18 Clemson, down 0-3 vs. No. 19/22 Kentucky).
The three wins that didn’t involve overtime or falling behind were a 2-0 decision over Mercer, the 1-0 triumph at Old Dominion and the 1-0 victory over No. 21 UAB in the C-USA semis.