COLUMBIA, S.C. South Carolina landed two student-athletes on the 2014 Preseason All-Conference USA Men’s Soccer Team, the league announced today. Both senior defenders Mahamoudou Kaba and Braeden Troyer garnered recognition, with Kaba taking the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year nod in the vote of the nine league coaches.
Kaba and Troyer anchored a backline that produced six shutouts in 2013, including three in Conference USA action. That included a home overtime win over then-No. 25 New Mexico, the only C-USA loss for the eventual league champion and College Cup participant. The pair also netted seven goals between them, Kaba with five and Troyer two, while being named to the All-C-USA first and second teams, respectively. “We’re very pleased to have Mo (Kaba) and Braeden recognized on the preseason teams,” said Gamecock head coach Mark Berson. “That’s a testimony to their hard work and high quality of play over the last three years. They are both very deserving of this recognition. We are looking forward to having them in camp and getting started on Aug. 12.”
Kaba also gained NSCAA All-South Region honors, while Troyer made the NSCAA Scholar All-South squad as well as the Capital One Academic All-District 4 team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
South Carolina came in fifth in the coaches’ preseason predictions for Conference USA. New Mexico took seven first-place votes in taking the preseason favorite position, with Charlotte and UAB both garnering a vote to rank second and third. All three fell to the Gamecocks last fall, two at Stone Stadium. The Gamecocks begin training for the 2014 season next Tuesday, Aug. 12, with their first exhibition match coming at home on Sat., Aug. 16 against USC Upstate. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Stone Stadium in Columbia.
Season tickets are on sale now, with soccer fans getting the best deal ever offered for tickets. For $25 for adults and $10 for youth 17 and under, purchasers receive a season ticket to every men’s and women’s soccer match this season, 22 in all, for an average price of under $1.50 per contest. In addition, season-ticket buyers will get an exclusive Gamecock Soccer scarf. To take advantage of the offer, call 1-800-4SC-FANS (1-800-472-3267) or go to GamecocksOnline.com/tickets to purchase yours today.
2014 Preseason Conference USA Men’s Soccer Poll As voted by the league’s coaches (first-place votes in parenthesis)
1. New Mexico (7)
2. Charlotte (1)
3. UAB (1)
4. Old Dominion
5. South Carolina
6. Kentucky
7. Florida International
8. Marshall
9. Florida Atlantic
Preseason Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year
Freddy Ruiz, F, UAB
Preseason Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year
Mahamoudou Kaba, D, South Carolina
2014 Preseason All-Conference USA Men’s Soccer Team
Kyle Parker, F, Charlotte
Quentin Albrecht, F, Florida International
Diego Navarette, F, UAB
Freddy Ruiz, F, UAB
Ben McKendry, M, New Mexico
Alex Clay, M., UAB
Matthew Gibbons, D, New Mexico
Mahamoudou Kaba, D, South Carolina
Braeden Troyer, D, South Carolina
Darion Copeland, D, UAB
Callum Irving, GK, Kentucky
