Bowing out first round of both the NCAA Tournament and the SEC tournament certainly wasn’t in the agenda for head coach Shelley Smith’s 2015 team. But coach Smith, going into her 15th year with the Gamecocks, knows dwelling on the season’s mishaps does no good for the 2016 season.
“Sometimes, things just don’t go your way,” she said after South Carolina’s 2-0 upset loss against UNC-Wilmington in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. “We will be back again next year.”
And the team will be back with some familiar faces. Like their men’s team counterpart, the women’s team will be loaded up top. With much of their offensive production returning, No. 24 South Carolina is predicted to contend for the conference title in a loaded SEC. Because of the SEC’s strength, the Gamecocks’ schedule looks like a tough one.
On the away side, the Gamecocks have to travel to Auburn and College Station. No. 12 Auburn has a sturdy midfield lead by the two Ramsier sisters, Brooke and Casie, and No. 8 Texas A&M returns nine starters from last year's NCAA Quarterfinal team, including All-American midfielder Mikaela Harvey. Both these games will provide insight on how South Carolina can perform against high-level teams away from Columbia.
No. 7 Florida and No. 22 Ole Miss both come to Stone Stadium for their matchups, a place where South Carolina only lost once last regular season in overtime to Vanderbilt.
When South Carolina lost last season, they lost close. Of the five losses last season, three of them were in overtime and another was a 2-1 loss to No. 23 Clemson in the upstate. They will have to tighten up their late game tactics and in-game play in those tight situations if they want to improve their record. A good away record can only provide cushion when it comes tournament time.
South Carolina has a tough conference slate, one that will continue to challenge the team week in and week out. However, if they can work the ball through some of their best players and stick to their roles on the pitch, they will have a chance to knock off some of the juggernauts and advance in the conference championship and hopefully qualify for another NCAA tournament.
Players to watch
Savannah McCaskill — Since her freshman season in 2014, McCaskill has started every single game the Gamecocks have played. Last season, the forward lead South Carolina in points and held third in the SEC with 1.45 points per game after racking up 10 goals and nine assists through 20 games. McCaskill will need to help fill in the shoes left by recent graduate Raina Johnson, who was second on the team in goals, at the forward position. Johnson was typically a vocal leader on the field, especially when the Gamecocks went on the attack, so McCaskill will have to take her spot doing as such.
Chelsea Drennan — Drennan will continue to do what she does best for the team: provide goal-scoring opportunities for her teammates. As a prolific passer, the senior looks to break more than one assist record, seeing she’s already second in career assists (29) and game winning assists (9). After starting every game the past two years, the Anderson native also will provide much needed leadership and experience to Gamecocks.
Dates to circle
Oct. 16 vs. Florida — The Gators open the season ranked seventh in the nation and deservedly so. Last year, Florida won the SEC and made it through the first couple of rounds of the NCAA Tournament before losing to runner-up Duke. That team returns most of their starters, including seniors Meggie Dougherty Howard and Savannah Jordan and junior Gabby Seiler, all of whom have been put in the Hermann Trophy watch list for the upcoming season. The Gators will be the toughest test for the Gamecocks this season, making it one of the best games in Columbia to attend.
Oct. 27 vs. Ole Miss — The last game of the regular season for the Gamecocks could make or break their conference standings. Ole Miss finished a spot ahead of South Carolina in 2015, which allowed them to gain a bye round in the SEC Tournament. They also bring back a prolific scorer in CeCe Kizer, who scored 14 goals in 2015. The Rebels also return many of their starters from their Elite Eight team, and they are looking to use that experience to win the tight games.