| South Carolina Gamecocks |
|---|
 |
| Founded | 1978 (1978) |
|---|
| University | University of South Carolina |
|---|
| Head coach | Tony Annan (4th season) |
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| Conference | Sun Belt |
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| Location | Columbia, South Carolina, US |
|---|
| Stadium | Stone Stadium
(capacity: 5,700) |
|---|
| Nickname | Gamecocks |
|---|
| Colors | Garnet and black[1]
|
|---|
|
|
| 1993 |
|
| 1988, 1993 |
|
| 1985, 1988, 1989, 1993 |
|
| 1979, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2010 |
|
| 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2015, 2016 |
|
| 1979, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016 |
|
| C-USA: 2005, 2010 |
|
Metro: 1993
C-USA: 2011 |
The South Carolina Gamecocks men's soccer team represents the University of South Carolina and, as of the 2022 college soccer season, competes in the Sun Belt Conference. The team is coached by Tony Annan, who succeeded Mark Berson as head coach after the 2020 season.[a] Berson had been the Gamecocks' only head coach since the program's inception in 1978 and had participated in 22 NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Quarterfinals on four occasions. Since 1981, South Carolina has played its home games at Stone Stadium, which is affectionately called "The Graveyard" by South Carolina fans due to an adjoining cemetery.[2][3]
Program history
South Carolina first fielded a men's soccer team in 1978 under the direction of current coach Mark Berson. The program wasted little time making a name for itself on the national stage, as it reached the NCAA Quarterfinals in 1985. The 14-year period from 1985 to 1998 was a dominant era for South Carolina, as it posted a 213–61–22 overall record with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances. Of the 12 NCAA Tournament trips during this run, the Gamecocks advanced to the second round or beyond on nine occasions.
Throughout its history, South Carolina has made 22 NCAA Tournaments, with four Quarterfinal appearances, two Semi-final appearances, and a 1993 National Runner-up finish. The 1993 squad won 16 contests before falling to Virginia 2–0 in the National Title game. The Gamecocks' most recent NCAA Tournament appearance came in 2016. Since the SEC does not sponsor NCAA Men's Soccer, South Carolina has participated as an Independent (even in its original years in the Metro Conference), finally joining the Metro for men's soccer in 1993 and 1994, but was forced back to independent status following the 1995 reunification with the Great Midwest Conference to form Conference USA (C-USA) until 2005, when Kentucky left the Mid-American Conference in order to allow the two SEC schools to play in C-USA together. South Carolina and Kentucky continued to play in C-USA through the 2021 season, after which both left to join the revived men's soccer league of the Sun Belt Conference.
In terms of conference championships, South Carolina won the Metro Conference season title in 1993 and the Conference USA tournament in 2005 and 2010, along with its regular season title in 2011.
Head coaches
Coaches history
| Name |
Years |
Seasons |
Won |
Lost |
Tie |
Pct. |
|---|
| Mark Berson |
1978–2020 |
43 |
511 |
261 |
76 |
.654 |
| Tony Annan |
2021–present |
5 |
33 |
40 |
13 |
.458 |
| Total |
48 |
544 |
301 |
89 |
.644 |
Records
All-Time career leaders
Scoring
|
|
| Career Assists |
| Rank |
Player |
Assists |
Years |
| 1 |
Rob Smith |
40 |
1991–94 |
| 2 |
Billy Baumhoff |
34 |
1991–94 |
| 3 |
Doug Allison |
32 |
1984–87 |
| 4 |
Rubén Tufiño |
30 |
1989–92 |
| 5 |
Clark Brisson |
26 |
1987–90 |
| 6 |
Arni Arnthorsson |
25 |
1984–87 |
| 7 |
Grenville Pope |
23 |
1985–88 |
| 8 |
Mike Sambursky |
22 |
2003–2006 |
| 9 |
Dan Ratcliff |
20 |
1983–86 |
| John Harr |
20 |
1997–99 |
| Scott Cook |
20 |
1985–87 |
| Matt Haiduk |
20 |
1989–93 |
|
Goalkeeping
| Career Goals-Against Average |
| Rank |
Player |
GAA |
Years |
| 1 |
Charles Arndt |
0.70 |
1985–88 |
| 2 |
Chris Foley |
0.72 |
1986–89 |
| 3 |
Paul Turin |
0.86 |
1978–79 |
| 4 |
Henry Ring |
1.03 |
1997-00 |
| John Mills |
1.03 |
1987–90 |
|
| Career Shutouts |
| Rank |
Player |
Shutouts |
Years |
| 1 |
Charles Arndt |
29.5 |
1985–88 |
| 2 |
Jimmy Maurer |
28 |
2007–10 |
| 3 |
Henry Ring |
25.5 |
1997-00 |
| 4 |
David Turner |
21.5 |
1990–93 |
| 5 |
Glen Thompson |
21 |
1980, 82–84 |
|
Retired professionals
- Clint Mathis – Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Hannover 96, Colorado Rapids, Ergotelis, Real Salt Lake; Former member of US National Team
- Josh Wolff – Sporting Kansas City, 1860 Munich, D.C. United; Former member of US National Team
- Eric Hawkes – Played 5 Seasons for Maryland Bays in the ASL & APSL National Champions.
- Doug Allison – Played 5 seasons in the NPSL; Current Furman men's soccer coach
- Paul Turin – Played for the Tulsa Roughnecks of the NASL
- Henry Ring – Chicago Fire
- Clark Brisson – Charleston Battery
- Rob Smith – Columbus Crew
- Rubén Tufiño – Played in Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano, most notably with Blooming and Bolivar; earned 35 caps for Bolivian National Team
- Mike Gosselin – earned one cap for US National Team
- Billy Clifford – played three seasons for the Jacksonville Cyclones
- Ray Vigliotti – Played for the Miami Americans of the ASL; played for the New York Arrows, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Baltimore Blast, and Wichita Wings of the Major Indoor Soccer League
- Richard Wurdack – Played for the Denver Avalanche and Kansas City Comets of the Major Indoor Soccer League
- Warren Lipka – Played for the Fort Wayne Flames, Indiana Kick, and the Detroit Rockers of the American Indoor Soccer Association
- Scott Cook – Played for the Maryland Bays of the American Professional Soccer League
- Charles Arndt – Played for the Maryland Bays of the ASL
- Due to COVID-19 issues, the NCAA moved the Division I men's soccer tournament from its normal fall 2020 schedule to spring 2021. The NCAA continued to designate that season as the "2020" season.
