Gamecocks prepare for 20-match season
"This year's schedule will once again be challenging for our team and should prepare us well for any post season play," said coach Shelley Smith in a statement. "We always want to be ready for SEC play, and this schedule will give us several tests against quality opponents before we begin that part of the season. It won't be easy, but I am confident our players will meet the challenges ahead."
The Gamecocks will open the season in North Carolina with meetings against East Carolina and Duke on Aug. 19 and 21 before flying across the country a week later to play Arizona (Aug. 26) and Arizona State (Aug. 28). It will be the first time USC has ever played Arizona, while the second leg of the trip against the Sun Devils completes a home-and-home series between the two teams. ASU played the Gamecocks to a 1-all draw last season in Columbia.
"Arizona will be an exciting opportunity for our players to travel across the country to where we have not been before as a program, and play two strong opponents," Smith said.
USC will have its home opener on Sept. 2 against Northeastern then travel to the Upstate on Sept. 9 to face Clemson at Riggs Field before completing the 2011 Carolina Cup Tournament against UNC-Wilmington two days later in Clemson.
"We know Clemson will be difficult at their place," Smith said. "It is such a big rivalry game, so there is always a lot of emotion. The Carolina Cup will be another great opportunity to showcase some strong Division I teams from the Carolinas, highlighted by our rivalry game with Clemson on Friday night."
USC's nonconference schedule concludes with two home dates against Charlotte and Wake Forest. The game against the Demon Deacons will be Wake's first appearance in Columbia since its dramatic 1-0 last-second defeat of the Gamecocks in the 2009 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. USC defeated the Demon Deacons 1-0 last season in Winston-Salem.
From there, it will be the traditional 11-game SEC slate, concluding with an Oct. 28 date at Florida in the regular season finale. USC and UF's season ender has decided the SEC regular season champion each of the last two seasons.
Playing the Gators on the road is symbolic of the theme of USC's schedule this year. Twelve of 20 dates are on the road, including six of 11 conference matches.
"Our conference schedule is always demanding, especially in a year like this when we play an additional away game," Smith said. "We will need to play consistently and get results on the road as we face top opponents throughout the season."
The Gamecocks return seven starters from last year's squad, which went 15-6-4 and finished second in the SEC for both the regular season and league tournament before falling to Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.