Gamecock Men's Soccer Ranked 24th in NSCAA Preseason Poll
Aug. 2, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina men’s soccer team will enter the 2016 season ranked No. 24 according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Preseason Top 25 Poll that was released on Tuesday.
The Gamecocks are set to face six teams that are also ranked in the preseason list, including No. 3 Clemson, No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 21 Coastal Carolina, No. 22 Charlotte, No. 23 FIU and No. 25 Rutgers. Four of the six teams will travel to Stone Stadium this fall, where the Gamecocks went undefeated last season.
South Carolina returns 17 letterwinners from its 2015 squad, which compiled an 11-8-2 record while advancing into the NCAA Tournament second round. Returnees Danny Deakin and Koty Millard earned NSCAA All-Southeast Region nods in 2015. Deakin led the Gamecocks and finished second in Conference USA with 11 goals last season while Millard tied for the team lead in assists with five.
Carolina will begin its season with an Aug. 15 exhibition on the road at No. 8 North Carolina. The Gamecocks host a home exhibition on Aug. 18 against Winthrop before regular-season play begins Fri., Aug. 26, with a home date against Clemson. Season tickets are available for purchase online at GamecocksOnline.com/Tickets or by calling 800-472-3267. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 17 and under, and purchasers will receive a Gamecock Soccer vuvuzela along with their season pass to all 21 men’s and women’s home matches.
