Grading the Gamecocks: A Year in Review
South Carolina’s athletic year is coming to a
close, with a few teams still in their postseasons. Overall, it was an interesting 2015-16.
Grading each team’s performance in 2015-16:
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Coach: Shelley Smith
Record/conference finish: 12-5-3 (6-3-2 SEC, fifth)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament
The skinny: The team was expected to take a slight step back following a stunning run to the Elite Eight in 2014, but USC still made the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in nine years.
Grade: B
MEN’S SOCCER
Coach: Mark Berson
Record/conference finish: 11-8-2 (6-2 Conference USA, third)
Postseason: Second round, NCAA Tournament
The skinny: Another postseason berth for USC’s longest tenured coach, and a lot to look forward to with eight starters returning.
Grade: B
VOLLEYBALL
Coach: Scott Swanson
Record/conference finish: 13-18 (6-12 SEC, 11th)
Postseason: None
The skinny: The program continues to struggle, but its six SEC wins were the second-most in the last seven years.
Grade: C
FOOTBALL
Coach: Steve Spurrier/Shawn Elliott
Record/conference finish: 3-9 (1-7 SEC, sixth SEC East)
Postseason: None
The skinny: A snowball tumble for a team that finished fourth in the final polls after the 2013 season. From the all-time winningest coach abruptly resigning mid-season to losing to The Citadel, the year was a total disaster.
Grade: F
CROSS COUNTRY
Coach: Andrew Allden
Record/conference finish: Two firsts, one second in five meets (13th at SEC meet)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament
The skinny: Led by Mary Reiser, USC bounced in and out of the regional Top 15 in the polls all season, but finished a disappointing 26th (out of 39) in the Southeast Regional, denying advancement to the championship round.
Grade: C+
MEN’S GOLF
Coach: Bill McDonald
Record/conference finish: Six top-three finishes in 10 tournaments (10th at SEC tournament)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament (ongoing)
The skinny: The team stubbed its toe at the SEC championship but behind Matt NeSmith it blistered the NCAA regional course in Tuscaloosa, finishing second and advancing to the NCAA Championships. They are playing this weekend.
Grade: A
WOMEN’S GOLF
Coach: Kalen Anderson
Record/conference finish: Two top-three finishes in nine tournaments (fifth at SEC tournament)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament
The skinny: The Gamecocks won their NCAA Regional for the second straight year and fourth time in the past seven years, Katelyn Dambaugh taking medalist honors. USC advanced to match play at the NCAA Championships and was one stroke from forcing a playoff with Stanford. Finishing in the country’s top eight was impressive.
Grade: A+
EQUESTRIAN
Coach: Boo Major
Record/conference finish: 5-11 (0-6 SEC, fourth)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament
The skinny: After another national championship in 2015, USC was rebuilding this season. The seniors left with two SEC titles and a national title, and it’s a young team that will challenge next year.
Grade: C
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Coach: McGee Moody/Todd Sherritt
Record/conference finish: 6-3, with two top-two finishes in two invitationals (seventh at SEC championship)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament
The skinny: USC finished 17th at the NCAA championships, its best team result in 25 years, and Akaram Mahmoud’s second-place in the 1,650-yard freestyle was the best individual NCAA result in program history.
Grade: A
WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Coach: McGee Moody/Todd Sherritt
Record/conference finish: 6-3, two top-four finishes in two invitationals (11th at SEC championship)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament
The skinny: A 29th-place finish in the NCAA championship was USC’s best since 2012 and Allyson Nied won the platform dive.
Grade: A
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Coach: Dawn Staley
Record/conference finish: 33-2 (16-0 SEC, first)
Postseason: Sweet 16, NCAA Tournament
The skinny: As hard as it is to say a 33-2 season, where the Gamecocks tied a league record by all 19 games against SEC opponents, was a letdown – that’s what it felt like. USC was always going to be judged in the postseason, and the Gamecocks fell two steps short of the Final Four. A’ja Wilson and a strong cast returns.
Grade: B
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Coach: Frank Martin
Record/conference finish: 25-9 (11-7 SEC, T-third)
Postseason: Second round, NIT
The skinny: Talk all you want about Georgia or RPI or strength of schedule, but the national consensus is that USC was jobbed by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. The Gamecocks had an outstanding year and deserved to be recognized in the Field of 68. Guards Sindarius Thornwell, Duane Notice and P.J. Dozier return.
Grade: A
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Coach: Curtis Frye
Record/conference finish: Ninth SEC Indoor Championships, 11th SEC Outdoor Championships
Postseason: 51st NCAA indoor championships, NCAA outdoor championships (ongoing)
The skinny: Dondre Echols earned a silver medal in the 110 hurdles at the SECs and the team is participating in the NCAA outdoor championships.
Grade: B
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Coach: Curtis Frye
Record/conference finish: 11th SEC Indoor Championships, 13th SEC Outdoor Championships
Postseason: 33rd NCAA indoor championships, NCAA outdoor championships (ongoing)
The skinny: Natasha Dicks (triple jump) and the mile relay team each earned medals at the SECs and the team is participating in the NCAA outdoor championships.
Grade: B
MEN’S TENNIS
Coach: Josh Goffi
Record/conference finish: 14-15 (4-8 SEC, 11th)
Postseason: None
The skinny: The Gamecocks finished one win short of the NCAA Tournament, but stand to return every player. As Goffi said, the team found itself late in the season, but it was just a little too late to get to the postseason.
Grade: C
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Coach: Kevin Epley
Record/conference finish: 19-8 (9-4 SEC, T-fourth)
Postseason: Second round, NCAA Tournament
The skinny: USC won its most matches since 1995 and hosted an NCAA regional. While they didn’t end as strongly as they wanted to, they only lose one senior.
Grade: B
SOFTBALL
Coach: Beverly Smith
Record/conference finish: 38-23 (7-17 SEC, 11th)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament
The skinny: Another solid season where the Gamecocks were competitive enough to earn a fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth. Playing in the tough SEC is no picnic, but Smith’s program has steadily trended upward since she arrived.
Grade: B
BASEBALL
Coach: Chad Holbrook
Record/conference finish: 42-15 (20-9 SEC, first SEC East)
Postseason: Begins in one week
The skinny: All Holbrook did was take a reconstructed team that missed the postseason last year to the SEC East championship, just a half-game from winning the whole shootin’ match. Even after the usual SEC tournament stinker, USC should make some noise in a home NCAA Regional.
Grade: A
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Coach: Moritz Moritz
Record/conference finish: 20-16 (7-8 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association, fifth)
Postseason: None
The skinny: USC fell just short of the NCAA Tournament, going 2-3 in the CCSA tournament, but posted the first 20-win season in program history and beat a Top-10 team for the first time. The school’s newest sport continues to improve.
Grade: B
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