COLUMBUS, Ohio – The South Carolina men’s soccer team kicks off the regular season at the Wolstein Classic when the Gamecocks take on host Ohio State Thursday, August 25 at 7 p.m.
Carolina begins year two under head Coach Tony Annan after finishing the 2021 season 5-9-2. The Gamecocks were picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt Conference preseason poll. South Carolina returns 10 players from last seasons squad, including All-Conference performers Peter Clement, Logan Frost, and Harrison Myring. The team will feature 17 new faces, which includes five transfers and 12 true freshmen. The Gamecocks play two matches at the Wolstein Classic, facing off against OSU on Thursday and Dayton on Sunday.
This marks the first time the Gamecocks have left the state of South Carolina to open the season since playing at Davidson to open the 1996 season. It’s the first time they’ve played a match outside of the Carolina’s since 1994, when they opened the season at Indiana. In the program’s 45 year history, they have only started the season outside of South Carolina three times (1990, 1994, 1996). They have only begun the season with a road match seven times, three of which came in Palmetto Series matchups at Clemson (2005, 2007, 2019).
Gameday Information – Wolstein Classic
When: August 25 | 7 p.m.
Where: Columbus, Ohio
Venue: Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (8,000)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Video: BTN+
Series History: First meeting
South Carolina Gamecocks 0-0, 0-0 SBC
Coach: Tony Annan | 2nd Season – 5-9-2
Returning Goal Leader: 4 | Logan Frost and Peter Clement
Returning Assist Leader: 3 | Logan Frost and Peter Clement
Returning Points Leader: 11 | Logan Frost and Peter Clement
Returning Shots Leader: 28 | Logan Frost
Returning Saves Leader: 21 | Tristan Himes
Ohio State Buckeyes 0-0, 0-0 BIG Ten
Coach: Brian Maisonneuve | 5th Season
Returning Goal Leader: 6 | Laurence Wootton
Returning Assist Leader: 2 | Anthony Samways and Laurence Wootton
Returning Points Leader: 14 | Laurence Wootton
Returning Shots Leader: 38 | Xavier Green
Returning Saves Leader: 29 | Keagan McLaughlin
Taking the Pitch
- This is the first meeting between the Gamecocks and Buckeyes.
- The two programs have combined to play 115 years of Division I soccer.
- They have combined to win 983 matches.
- South Carolina is 34-9-1 all-time in season openers.
- Carolina was unbeaten in season openers through the first 16 seasons as a program.
- Their first loss came in 1994 on the road to Indiana.
- The Gamecocks…