Smith Adds a Pair of Gamecocks to 2024 Roster
COLUMBIA, SC – South Carolina Head Coach Shelley Smith has added a pair of transfers to the 2024 roster, as announced on Wednesday. Gamecock fans will see two new faces in Emma Misal (Rutgers) and Maggie Taitano (Florida State).
Emma Misal - Defender
- Will join the Gamecocks as a 5th year
- 2022 All-Big Ten Third Team Selection
- Two-time Academic All-Big Ten (2021-22)
- 2020-21 Big Ten All-Freshman Team
As a senior (2023): Played in 10 matches with nine starts, missing time due to injury, chipping in with an assist from the back…Missed all but one Big Ten match, including Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals due to injury, returning with 17 minutes in the NCAA Tournament match at Columbia (11/12)…Assisted a goal during 7-0 win over FDU (8/28)
As a junior (2022): Contributed to five shutouts on the backline during the 2022 regular season…Finished the regular season with a pair of 90-minute efforts on defense…Started and contributed 64 minutes in the 2-0 defeat of Ohio State (9/18)…Made season debut in the 3-2 home win over LSU (9/11)
As a sophomore (2021): Started in 16 of 23 games…earned an assist in the 4-0 win over St. Louis in the second round of the NCAA tournament (11/19)…picked up an assist in the 5-0 win over La Salle (9/5).
As a freshman (2020-21): Started all 16 games…assisted the equalizer in the 1-1, double-overtime draw with No. 6 Clemson (April 30)…aided the backline in back-to-back, 1-0 shutouts in the two games of Big Ten Regional Weekend, holding both opponents to single-digit shots on goal to advance to the Big Ten Semifinals (April 8 and 11) made her Scarlet Knight debut in 3-2 win over Penn State (Feb. 19).
Prior to Rutgers: U.S. Women’s National Team Under-18 call up in 2019…helped guide Penn Fusion to back-to-back, first-place finishes in the Atlantic Division of US Development Academy (2018, 2019)…named to Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division First Team and All-Sentinel Girls Soccer First Team in 2016…member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Daughter of Tina and Skip…has a brother, Ethan.
Why She Chose South Carolina: “I loved everything I heard about the program, all the girls were so positive and made me feel extremely welcomed. I also loved the coaches, and I feel I will improve as a person and player at USC. I also liked the master’s program that they had to offer.”
Maggie Taitano - Midfielder/Defender
- Will join the Gamecocks as a sophomore
- Recent 2023 National Champion
As a freshman (2023): Recorded 372 minutes in 17 games for FSU and ended the season with one assist…Recorded her first career assist against Morehead State in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament (11/10)…Played a career-high 45 minutes in the regular season finale against NC State and registered a shot (10/26)…Recorded her first career shot at first-ranked North Carolina (9/24)…Made her collegiate debut against ninth-ranked TCU (8/20) with 28 minutes of playing time.
Before FSU: Was on the US U17 CONCACAF roster in March 2022…Made the ECNL Southwest All-Conference Team…Made honor roll (3.75 GPA or higher) all four years of high school.
Why She Chose South Carolina: “Enjoyed the Coaching Staff, family environment, competitive atmosphere, and playing style.”
