USC women’s soccer has national championship aspirations in 2024: ‘We want it all’

South Carolina women’s soccer had a great 2023.

The Gamecocks finished second in the SEC, were ranked nationally in the Top 25 all season, finished No. 1 in the nation in attendance and made their 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament (where they fell to Stanford in the second round).

But “great” isn’t good enough for this group.

“We want it all,” fifth-year defender Hallie Meadows said at USC’s on-campus media day Monday. “We want to win a national championship, and nothing shy of that. We want the SEC regular season, the SEC Tournament.”

South Carolina’s 2024 season, coach Shelley Smith’s 24th with the program, began Monday night with an exhibition against Carolina Ascent FC of the USL Super League. Another exhibition is Saturday against Wake Forest. The regular season begins Aug. 18 versus Furman.

Here are some pertinent storylines ahead of the 2024 campaign

Preseason action against pro soccer club

Monday’s exhibition versus Carolina Ascent FC was the first game against a professional team in program history.

“They were interested in playing us,” Smith said of how the game came together. “(USC) coach Marnie (Merritt) has a good relationship with the head coach, coach (Phillip) Poole, there. He’s been to our stadium. He knows the environment we have here. I think they’re excited to come into Columbia, to showcase their team and know the quality team we have. So it worked out well for both teams.”

The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Could this kind of early, pro exhibition become a regular thing?

“We always want some good competition in the preseason. And we’ve been able to set up some good games with college teams. But something like that gives us another opportunity. So definitely. And we’re happy to have them and, our players look to play pro professionally, too, so maybe some of our players will end up coming back here someday as well from that level.”

Five fifth-year seniors return

Meadows, goalkeeper Taylor Fox, forward Cat Barry, midfielder Brianna Behm and forward Corinna Zullo all decided to stay at South Carolina and use their fifth year of eligibility. Their goal is to leave the program better than they found it, which means national championship contention this season and in years to come.

“And knowing the people we were bringing in, we were like, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s run it back,’” Meadows said. “I think we have a good shot this year. And we’re so excited about this season.”

Senior midfielder Lily Render added that these fifth-year seniors’ decision to return is “a testament to our program... You see other programs, and people leave and take their fifth year somewhere else. So it’s pretty amazing that all of these fifth years wanted to stay with us.”

Young talent

Incoming freshmen Kylie Cino (South Carolina) and Katie Shae Collins (Tennessee) were both named 2023-24 Gatorade Players of the Year. They join fellow honorees Autumn Cayelli (South Carolina 2021-22) and Brinley Murphy (Tennessee 2022-23, 2021-22).

Sophomore forward/midfielder Reagan Schubach battled injuries her first year, so she only played half USC’s SEC schedule. She impressed the league’s coaches so much during that time, though, that she was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. “She is healthy now,” Smith said, “recovered well from the surgery. So we’re excited about what she can do.”

Replacing NWSL-caliber talent in goal

The Gamecocks are without stalwart keeper Heather Hinz this season, who was drafted by the Houston Dash in January after a stellar fifth year at South Carolina. She finished first in the SEC in shutouts (10, fifth-most in the country), overall save percentage (.864, No. 27 in NCAA) and goals against average (.500 in SEC, .632 overall for the No. 24 spot in the nation). She was also named SEC Goalkeeper of the Year.

Four keepers will compete to fill Hinz’s role: fifth-year senior Fox, senior Bucknell transfer Jenna Hall along with juniors Maria Kemp and Christina Tsaousis.

Depth creates lingering lineup questions

In addition to the position battle at keeper, Smith said she and her staff are struggling to decide on a starting lineup.

“This is probably one of the hardest jobs we’ve ever had, as far as going into a preseason,” Smith said. “We probably have the most depth, most talent. Not quite knowing where we’re gonna put people yet just because it’s so competitive.”

Landing on the best starting 11 and rotations will be a work in progress throughout the preseason and non-conference slate, Smith added. SEC play begins Sept. 19 at Georgia.

South Carolina women’s soccer 2024 schedule

• Aug. 5: USC 1, Carolina Ascent FC 1 (exhibition)

• Aug. 10: vs. Wake Forest (exhibition), 7 p.m.

• Aug. 18: vs. Furman, 7 p.m.

• Aug. 25: vs. College of Charleston, 7 p.m.

• Aug. 29: at Ohio State, 3 p.m.
  
  

• Sept. 1: at Miami of Ohio, 1 p.m.

• Sept. 5: vs. Clemson, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)

• Sept. 12: vs. Georgetown, 7 p.m.

• Sept. 15: at Georgia State, 6 p.m.

• Sept. 19: at Georgia, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)

• Sept. 22: vs. Kentucky, 2 p.m.

• Sept. 26: vs. Mississippi State, 7 p.m.

• Sept. 29: at Arkansas, 2 p.m. (ESPNU)

• Oct. 4: at Vanderbilt, 8 p.m.

• Oct. 10: vs. Florida, 7 p.m.

• Oct. 13: at Ole Miss, 3 p.m.

• Oct. 18: vs. Alabama, 7 p.m.

• Oct. 24: at Tennessee, 7 p.m.

• Oct. 27: vs. Auburn, 4 p.m.

• Nov. 2-Nov. 9: SEC Championships