Four Gamecocks Earn All-Conference USA Honors
Luca Mayr earned all-league recognition for the third time in three seasons
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Four South Carolina soccer players earned All-Conference USA recognition, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon. Junior midfielder/striker Luca Mayr was named Second Team All-C-USA, senior midfielder Peyton Ericson, sophomore defender Mitchell Myers was named to the Third Team and freshman defender Josh Corning was named to the All-Freshman Team.
For the second consecutive season, Mayr led the Gamecocks in points (11) with four goals and three assists. He also led Carolina in shots (54) and shots on goal (23). He finished with a career-high two game-winners, slotting home the winning goal from distance with 19.4 seconds left in the team’s, 2-1, victory at No. 19 Virginia Tech (Oct. 1).
Mayr was a First Team All-C-USA selection in 2017 and was named to the All-Freshman Team in 2016. He’s started all 54 matches in his three seasons in Garnet and Black, scoring 38 points (13G, 12A). The Steyr, Austria, native’s 3.18 shots per game ranked in the top-50 nationally during the regular season.
Ericson started all 17 games in the midfield for Carolina in his final season. The Duluth, Ga., native tallied his first career game-winning goal on a PK in the first half of the team’s, 5-0, victory vs. Wofford (Sept. 19). He also recorded his first career assist on the game-winning goal vs. Lipscomb (Aug. 27). Ericson, who played primarily on the backline before moving to the midfield halfway through the 2017 season, finished his career with 66 starts in 70 career games played. He was a key contributor on NCAA Tournament teams his first two seasons, earning a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team in 2015 and the Third Team in 2016.
Myers had an outstanding second season, finishing second on the team with a career-high nine points. He scored twice and led the Gamecocks with five assists. Both of his goals were game-winners, which tied with Mayr for the team lead. The Aiken, S.C., native assisted on both goals in the team’s road upset against the 19th-ranked Hokies (Oct. 1) and scored a career-high four points (1G, 2A) in Carolina’s 3-2 win at FIU in the season finale.
Corning earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team after he started all 17 matches his first season on the Gamecocks’ backline. The Chapin, S.C., native finished the year with two assists, both on corner kicks. The left-footed player took all the team’s corners from that side of the field.
Myers and Corning played an integral part of a defense that finished fourth in the league in goals allowed (20) and goals against average (1.13).
2018 C-USA Men’s Soccer Superlative Awards Presented by Ready Nutrition
Player of the Year
JJ Williams, Kentucky
Offensive MVP
JJ Williams, Kentucky
Defensive MVP
Callum Montgomery, Charlotte
Golden Boot Award
Santiago Patino, FIU
Golden Glove Award
Elliot Panicco, Charlotte
Freshman of the Year
Jason Reyes, Kentucky
Coach of the Year
Johan Cedergren, Kentucky
All-Conference First Team
GK: Elliot Panicco, Charlotte
GK: Enrique Facusse, Kentucky
D: Callum Montgomery, Charlotte
D: Aimé Mabika, Kentucky
D: Tom Smart, New Mexico
MF: Niko Klosterhalfen, Old Dominion
MF: Joris Ahlinvi, FIU
MF: Kalil ElMedkhar, Kentucky
MF: Tommy Madden, Charlotte
F: Santiago Patino, FIU
F: JJ Williams, Kentucky
F: Max Wilschrey, Old Dominion
All-Conference Second Team
GK: Paulo Pita, Marshall
D: Gael Mabila, UAB
D: Mathieu Laurent, UAB
D: Ryan McLaughlin, Old Dominion
MF: Luca Mayr, South Carolina
MF: Teddy Chaouche, Charlotte
MF: Andrew Booth, FIU
MF: Nick Taylor, New Mexico
MF: Eder Mora, UAB
F: Daniel Bruce, Charlotte
F: Jason Reyes, Kentucky
All-Conference Third Team
GK: Mertcan Akar, Old Dominion
D: Mitchell Myers, South Carolina
D: Illal Osmanu, Marshall
D: Billy Jones, New Mexico
D: Carlos Diaz-Salcedo, Marshall
D: Leon Jones, Kentucky
MF: Alonso Coello Camarero, Florida Atlantic
MF: Peyton Ericson, South Carolina
MF: Sebastien Hauret, Old Dominion
MF: Vinicius Fernandes, Marshall
F: Daniel Corona, Old Dominion
F: Omar Grey, New Mexico
Conference USA All-Freshmen Team
Delasi Batse, D, Charlotte
Preston Popp, F, Charlotte
Errol Spence, MF, FIU
Alonso Coello Camarero, MF, Florida Atlantic
Jason Reyes, F, Kentucky
Vinicius Fernandes, MF, Marshall
Omar Grey, MF, New Mexico
Erik Virgen, MF, New Mexico
Daniel Corona, F, Old Dominion
Josh Corning, D, South Carolina
Blake White, MF, UAB
