Aug. 18, 2015
South Carolina Hosts Winthrop
Eugene E. Stone III Stadium – Columbia, S.C.
Wed., Aug. 19, 7 PM
SEC Network + Video | | @GamecockMSoccer
Gameday Changes for South Carolina Home Soccer Matches
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.