Gamecock Men’s Soccer Releases 2011 Schedule
AMR
COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina
head men’s soccer coach Mark Berson announced on Wednesday his
team’s schedule for the upcoming 2011 season. For the
defending Conference USA Tournament champions, the slate features
contests against four teams ranked in the final 2010 NSCAA Top 25 Poll
and eight teams that advanced to the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Three
of those teams advanced to the Round of 16 and one to the College Cup,
while 12 of the 18 regular-season opponents for 2011 amassed
double-digit win totals last season. The Gamecocks will host 11
home dates at Stone Stadium, including one exhibition contest this fall.
“This is a tremendous schedule, which will bring some of the top
teams in the nation here to Columbia,” Berson said.
“We will have to replace a lot of veteran leadership off of last
year's team, but I know our guys will be up to the challenge. Our
objective is to build on our Conference USA championship and move
forward. We have a lot more to accomplish, and this year’s
schedule will provide us with some great opportunities.”
South Carolina finished last season ranked No. 12 in the final NSCAA
Top 25 poll after winning the Conference USA Tournament to earn the
league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Carolina
earned the No. 7 national seed in the event, and advanced to the Round
of 16 by earning a first-round bye, and defeating Duke in the second
round on a golden goal in overtime at Stone Stadium.
From the final NSCAA poll, South Carolina will play at 16th-ranked
Dartmouth in the Dartmouth Classic in early September, before hosting
No. 10 Brown at the annual Gamecock Classic the following
weekend. Eighth-ranked SMU will visit Stone Stadium in Conference
USA play in mid-October, before No. 3 North Carolina, who advanced to
the 2010 College Cup, will visit Columbia in early November.
The Gamecocks kick off the season hosting Elon in an exhibition contest
on Aug. 21 before traveling to NCAA participant College of Charleston
in the season opener on Aug. 27. South Carolina continues
non-conference play when it travels to Clemson on Sept. 2 for a 7 p.m.
contest at Riggs Field. Carolina has won four-consecutive
contests against the Tigers, all shutouts, entering the 2011 campaign.
After hosting Charlotte, last season’s Atlantic 10 regular-season
champs, on Sept. 6, the Gamecocks travel to face nationally prominent
foes Dartmouth and Bradley at the Dartmouth Classic, Sept. 9-11.
The Big Green advanced to its fourth-straight NCAA Tournament in 2010,
while the Braves also participated in the postseason event. South
Carolina returns home to host Brown and High Point in the annual
Gamecock Classic, Sept. 16-18, at Stone Stadium. Brown advanced
to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16, while High Point, who tallied a
stellar 16 wins in 2010, fell just short of postseason play, falling in
the finals of the Big South Tournament.
Wake Forest will visit Columbia for a non-conference matchup on Sept.
21, before Carolina opens C-USA play at Memphis on Sept. 24. A
rematch of the 2010 Conference USA Tournament championship game between
the Gamecocks and Tulsa will take place at Stone Stadium on Sept.
30. The Golden Hurricane earned an at-large bid to last
season’s NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round.
Consecutive away contests follow, as Carolina travels to UAB on Oct. 4,
before continuing league play at UCF on Oct. 8. South Carolina
returns to Columbia for three-straight contests in mid-October, first
hosting SMU on Oct. 12, before entertaining Marshall (Oct. 15) and
non-conference foe NC State (Oct. 18). The Gamecocks play their
final regular-season away contest at FIU on Oct. 22 before hosting
College Cup participant North Carolina (Oct. 25) and Kentucky (Nov. 4)
to close out the regular season.
The 2011 Conference USA Tournament will be hosted by Tulsa at the
Hurricane Soccer Stadium, Nov. 9-13. The event will feature the
top six teams from the league.
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