The South Carolina men's soccer program is set to begin its 48th season on Thursday night when the Gamecocks hit the road to face College of Charleston. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Ralph Lundy Field in Patriots Point.
The matchup will mark the start of Tony Annan's fifth season at the helm in Columbia. Annan has compiled a record of 26-31-11 at South Carolina, and the program is trending upward after producing a strong 10-5-2 campaign in 2024. The Gamecocks also finished 5-4 in Sun Belt play, proving they are becoming one of the nation's premier soccer conferences.
The Gamecocks enter the 2025 season picked to finish fifth in the conference preseason poll. They also placed three players on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team: Ethan Ballek, Alexander Stjernegaard, and Alejandro Valezquez-Lopez. In addition, Ballek was recognized on the United Soccer Coaches' Forwards to Watch List, and Stjernegaard earned a spot on the Midfielders to Watch List.
The Gamecocks also continue to set the standard for fan support. South Carolina has led the nation in men's soccer attendance for three straight seasons, averaging 4,399 fans per game over the past two years, ranking fourth and sixth all-time in NCAA history since the organization began officially tracking attendance in 1998. South Carolina is the first program to top the attendance charts for three consecutive seasons since UC Sante Barbara's nine-year streak from 2007-2015.
History leans in South Carolina's favor when it comes to this matchup. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series against the CofC Cougars, 17-7-3. However, Charleston has the most recent win, taking a 1-0 overtime victory in Columbia on Aug. 26, 2021.
Coach Annan's squad will look to build on their legacy on Thursday night when they open the season under the lights in Charleston.
Gameday Information:
When: August 21, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Charleston, S.C.
Venue: Ralph Lundy Field at Patriots Point (Capacity: 3,900)
Broadcast: FloSports
Live Stats: StatBroadcast