ESPN College GameDay comes to Columbia, SC for the first time in 10 years. It was announced on Sept. 7 that the show was coming to Columbia, and it made massive waves through the University of South Carolina community. A sell-out crowd was expected for the game at Williams-Brice and led to fully-packed stands for the entirety of the game.
The South Carolina Gamecocks fell to the LSU Tigers Saturday afternoon in a long battle at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks stayed ahead for the majority of the game but then lost it in the final two minutes when LSU scored, making it 36-33. The Gamecocks had 13 penalties throughout the game, which resulted in two touchdowns being called back for the team.
The University of South Carolina volleyball team defeated the Temple Owls 3-0 on Sept. 6, 2024 at the Carolina Volleyball Center. The team's home opener was played in front of a packed crow and ended quickly after 3 sets and a total of 75 points from South Carolina. The Gamecocks will face the North Carolina Tar Heels at home on Sunday, Sept. 8.
The South Carolina Gamecocks narrowly defeated the Old Dominion Monarchs 23-19 at Williams Brice Stadium on Aug. 31, 2024. Although delayed in the second quarter due to lightning near the stadium area, the teams’ first ever matchup saw an enthusiastic, sold out crowd. The Gamecocks now start the season 1-0.
Gamecock Entertainment hosted Carolina Kickoff on Aug. 30, 2024, a day before the Gamecock football team's first home game of the season. The event included performances from the Carolina Band and cheerleaders, an appearance from Cocky and games from different university organizations. Students stopped to watch the band and take photos with Cocky while heading to class. South Carolina will open its 2024 season with a home game against Old Dominion on Aug. 31, 2024.
Sororities at The University of South Carolina excitedly celebrated bid day on Aug. 25, 2024, at Colonial Life Arena. The university's recruitment number was a record high 2,318 potential new members, or PNMs. The PNMs received their bids, revealing their new sorority. The arena was filled with excitement and emotion as the two-week long recruitment process finally came to a close.
The University of South Carolina held its annual First Night Carolina celebration on Aug. 19, 2024. The event included appearances from Gamecock head football coach Shane Beamer, head men's basketball coach Lamont Paris and head women's basketball coach Dawn Staley. Students also enjoyed free food, carnival events and live music. The night concluded with a firework show, lighting up the sky above Russell House. USC's fall semester begins Aug. 20.
On July 27, there was a new fundraising event called Sistercare Saturdays hosted at Soda City Market. This Sistercare Saturday was the first of three fundraising events to support Sistercare, an organization dedicated to helping victims and families recovering from domestic violence. The event featured a dunking booth, raffle drawings, free yard games and informational booths from Sistercare and local public safety partners. Participants purchased tickets for $5 for three throws, $10 for seven throws and $30 for an instant dunk.
Contestants showcased their skills at the second annual Capital City Cocktail Competition in Columbia, S.C., hosted by Bubblee Mixologist. The event featured three rounds of challenges: classical cocktails, ingredient-based, and international South Carolina fusion. Judges selected the best cocktails while attendees enjoyed curated drinks and bites, supporting local industry bartenders and nonprofit organizations.
To mark the start of Pride Month, the South Carolina Pride Movement hosted Outfest, showcasing a variety of vendors, small businesses, and a vibrant drag pageant. The one-day festival, held in Columbia’s Vista, drew around 10,000 attendees to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community and allies.
The No. 20 South Carolina baseball team lost its weekend series against No. 2 Arkansas 2-1, bringing its record to 27-13 on the season. While the Gamecocks were able to pull off a 6-3 win on Saturday afternoon, it fell to the Razorbacks on Friday and Saturday night. Next up, South Carolina will face No. 3 Kentucky on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 7 p.m. This will be the first of a three-game series.
More than 32,000 fans gathered in Columbia to watch South Carolina football compete in the 2024 Garnet & Black Spring Game at Williams-Brice Stadium on April 20, 2024. The Garnet team rushed to an early lead in the first drive of the game and ultimately defeated the Black team 17-0.
The Gamecock women's basketball team continued celebrating its undefeated season with a parade on Main Street on April 14 — one week after winning its third national title in program history. The parade started at the intersection of Main and Laurel streets and ended on the steps of the Statehouse. Head coach Dawn Staley was filled with gratitude during her remarks, and both Staley and senior guard Te-Hina Paopao expressed the hope that they would celebrate again in 2025.
Thousands gathered at Colonial Life Arena on Monday, April 8, 2024 to welcome the 2024 National Champion South Carolina women's basketball team back to Columbia following the team’s 87-75 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the final round of the NCAA Women's Tournament on Sunday afternoon. University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis sent out a mass email to the university announcing the cancellation of all classes beginning between 1 p.m and 3:15 p.m. to allow students, faculty and staff to attend the celebration.
The South Carolina Gamecocks’ emerged victorious from a close matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes to secure the national championship title with an undefeated season on April 7, 2024. The Gamecocks defeated the Hawkeyes 87-75 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. Freshman guard Tessa Johnson led the Gamecocks in scoring with 19 points, a career high. Johnson and senior center Kamilla Cardoso earned all-tournament honors. This is the third time that the Gamecocks earned an NCAA title, and the first with an undefeated season, making the team the 10th team to do so in the history of the tournament.
Members of Gamecock nation and the University of South Carolina student body gathered in celebration following the No. 1 overall ranked South Carolina women's basketball team's 87-75 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2024 NCAA Women's Tournament on April 7, 2024. Fans gathered in various places across Columbia and the USC campus to cheer on the Gamecocks as the team claimed its third national championship since 2017.
The Gamecock beach volleyball team took home two wins against Morehead State and UT Martin over the weekend as part of the Palmetto Invitational. The team defeated UT Martin 4-1 on Saturday and Morehead State 5-0 on Sunday. This brings the Gamecocks' overall record to 15-9 on the season with a current five-win streak. Next, the Gamecocks will head to Boca Raton, Florida, for the FAU Burrow Beach Bash starting on April 13, 2024.
The No. 22 ranked South Carolina softball team kicked off its weekend series with a 6-0 loss to the No. 16 ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs on Friday, April 5 at Beckham Field, followed by a 4-0 loss on Saturday. On Sunday, the Gamecocks won 3-1 following a two-run double by redshirt junior outfielder Bre Warren in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Gamecocks are now 28-12 for the season.
The Gamecock baseball team played a two-game series against the Texas A&M Aggies on Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6, 2024. The Gamecocks fell in both matchups, losing 2-9 and 3-6, respectively. The Aggies scored 7 runs in the first three innings on Friday, all but securing its win. On Saturday, senior infielder Gavin Casas hit South Carolina's first pinch-hit home run since the its game against Florida on May 19, 2022, but it wasn't enough to push the Gamecocks ahead of the Aggies. Next up, South Carolina will face UNC on April 9, 2024, at 7 p.m. on the road at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The University of South Carolina and the University of Iowa women’s basketball teams participated in the NCAA’s Super Saturday on April 6, 2024, in preparation for their championship game. The day consisted of press conferences with players and coaches as well as practices that were open to fans. Members of both teams said they felt prepared for the game. The Gamecocks danced and joked around throughout the practice. Head coach Dawn Staley spent several minutes interacting with fans. The Hawkeyes were business-like throughout the practice, with an intense focus on each drill the team completed. South Carolina and Iowa with face off on April 7, 2024, for the championship game.