Aug. 15, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s soccer was picked to finish third in the SEC this season in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll released by the conference Tuesday afternoon.

The No. 4 Gamecocks, who open the season on Fri., Aug. 18 at home against UCF, enter this fall as the highest ranked team in the SEC. Points for Tuesday’s coaches’ poll were compiled on a 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, and each coach was not allowed to vote for his/her own team.

Seventh-ranked Florida topped the poll, while Texas A&M was selected to finish second. Carolina closes out the regular season at Florida on Thu. Oct. 26, in a match set to air on SEC Network.

The Gamecocks return five starters and 12 letterwinners from last season’s squad that captured the SEC Regular-Season Title after posting an 11-0-0 mark in conference action. Last fall’s title marked the third league championship for Carolina, which won the 2009 SEC Tournament before earning the conference’s regular-season title in 2011.

Notable Gamecock returnees this season include 2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Year Savannah McCaskill and All-SEC First Team selection Mikayla Krzeczowski. McCaskill, a senior striker, totaled program single-season records for points (45) and goals (17) last fall, while Krzeczowski posted the school’s lowest single-year goals against average (0.43). Both Carolina standouts were placed on the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List earlier this month.

Kickoff against the Knights on Friday is set for 7 p.m. ET at Stone Stadium, and the match can be seen on SEC Network.

Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Florida
2. Texas A&M
3. South Carolina
4. Missouri
5. Arkansas
6. Auburn
7. Tennessee
8. Vanderbilt
9. Ole Miss
10. Alabama
11. LSU
12. Kentucky
13. Georgia
14. Mississippi State