The Daily Gamecock: Welcome Back Fall 2016

A6 Friday, August 12, 2016

Peaceful, passionate: Rallies, protests converge on Columbia @THEHUMANBODDIE

W it h most USC st udent s away, what could have been a rat her qu iet su m mer i n Columbia instead was instead one f illed w it h outspoken citizens calling for change.

The same could be said of the summer of 2015, in which South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley successfully pushed for a two-thirds House vote to remove the Confederate battle flag from Statehouse grounds.

On Ju ly 10, 2015, people gathered on the government property to protest the flag’s removal, putting the city in a national news spotlight.

Concerns surrounding the Confederate f lag arose following the deadly shooting of nine A f rican-A merican pa r ish ioners at Mot her Ema nuel A M E Chu rch in Charleston. The alleged shooter, a white supremacist, sported the flag among white supremacist symbols.

In the eyes of many, the flag represents a racist past and is still a symbol of racism rather t ha n pr ide i n a Sout her n heritage.

“After the tragic, hate-filled shooting in Charleston, it is only appropriate that we deal once and for all with the issue of the flag,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham upon Haley’s call to remove the flag.

The flag removal and protests thereafter were not the only resu lt s of t he Cha rleston shoot i ng. T he mu rder of nine black South Carolinians

fueled the Black Lives Matter movement, another cause for which many people choose to rally. The Confederate f lag came down after Black Lives Matter protesters called for it by gathering outside the Statehouse, chanting, “Take it down!”

Fast-forward to the summer of 2016, and the rebel flag is still gone from the Statehouse lawn. The South Carolina Secessionist Party, along with other advocates and supporters of the flag, organized a rally to call for the flag’s return.

The rally was not simply to protest the flag’s absence, but also to honor Confederate s old ier s w ho f ou g ht a nd died for South Carolina and other Southern states. For both reasons, the Stars and Bars flooded the government property on July 10, exactly one year after they were taken away.

People attending the rally flew their own flags and wore hats and T-shirts with the flag’s design on them. Among those people were citizens in Civil War re-enactment costumes. People carried flags with phrases on them, such as “These colors don’t run,” “I ain’t coming down” and “Heritage not hate.”

T he Sece ssion ist Pa r t y ceremoniously raised their own Confederate flag on a 30foot pole in the same spot on the lawn that the original flag once flew.

“Our flag is missing. We came to put it back,” said part y chairman James Bessenger

before the flag was raised. “So, without any more delay, let’s put it back.” People applauded, and as the flag went up, they cha nted, “Leave it t here!

Leave it there!”

Live music, guest speakers and a common desire to see the flag rise again united a rally with hundreds of red-andblue-clad citizens.

Tragedy struck in the week leading up to the rally, though, just as it had in 2015. The fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Cast ile near M i n neapol is, M i n ne sot a, by local pol ice of f icers sparked sparked outrage and Black Lives Matter protests ac ro s s t he U. S . A not her tragedy occurred in Dallas, Texas, with the murder of f ive p ol ice of f icer s. T he Colu mbia Confederate f lag rally had already been organized before these events happened, as had a Black Lives Matter counterprotest. The counterprotest was canceled while the flag rally stayed on schedule, and many of those i n at tenda nce wore black ribbons on t heir wrists in remembrance of the fallen Dallas officers.

Though t he originally organized counterprotest was indefi nitely postponed, it did not stop Black Lives Matter protesters from showing up on Gervais Street during the Confederate flag rally to make their voices heard.

“Your f lag represents hate — hate!” protesters chanted, led by a man with a bullhorn.

“

There was a gate barricading the Statehouse lawn off from the Gervais Street side, and people advocating for each cause were restricted to their respective sides of the gate.

Flag toters chose to ignore the protesters, who remained persistent.

Several hours after the rally, citizens gathered outside the Statehouse again for a Black Lives Matter protest. The late morning and early afternoon were electric with the flag rally and the first protest storming the Statehouse grounds, but this evening protest, while much larger, had a calmer, more serious tone. Protesting against what is thought to be a system of continued injustice toward the black community, cit izens marched f rom Statehouse through different parts of Columbia.

Eight hu ndred people marched on that evening, The State Newspaper reported.

The protesters blocked Interstate 126 shortly before continuing and event ually bringing themselves back to the steps of the Statehouse.

A s ma ny pol ice of f icers stood at the top of the steps, p r o t e s t e r s s at w it h e ac h other, chanting, “No justice, no peace,” and voicing their infuriation and exhaustion f rom black cit izens being killed by police officers. The protest s were ca r r ied out peacefully into the late night with no incident reports.

The organizer of the march, Pat rick Tate, followed up afterward by calling on fellow

Black Lives Matter movement supporters and bringing them to meet with Columbia police to discuss police-to-citizen relations. Tate and members o f t h e C o l u m b i a Po l i c e Department discussed ways to carry rallies and protests out peacefully, and Tate also emphasized doing away with t he idea of a war bet ween A f rican-A mericans and police. Chief Skip Holbrook said he believes the discussion has raised the degree of trust.

Columbia is home to students, organizers, law makers, protesters, f lag wavers and officers. An eventful summer proved its residents’ ability to advocate for causes, even those that may confl ict, both passionately and peacefully.

“

T. Michael Boddie

Our flag is missing.

We came to put it back.

– James Bessenger

Carolyn Culbertson / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Black Lives Matter supporters protested in response to the Secessionist’s rally.

Carolyn Culbertson / THE DAILY GAMECOCK Courtesy of MCT Campus

SC Secessionist Party members gathered one year after the rebel flag’s removal.

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Advice to freshmen from A&C staff

If this is your first year at USC, welcome. You might be starting school, but it most likely doesn’t feel much like the school you’re familiar with.

Luckily, college provides so many new experiences beyond the classroom.

Being in a new place often means there are a lot of new things to take in. You will hear a lot about football games and other sporting events — all great experiences — but here in Arts & Culture, we have some other suggestions picked out for you. And even if you’re not a freshman this year, sometimes it is good to act like a freshmen again, trying to soak in every experience in a new environment. Try out our recommendations for this fall semester. You might be happily surprised with what you find.

Darby Hallman: Don’t be afraid to try school groups or organizations.

One of the biggest regrets I have from my freshman year is that I didn’t try out any groups on campus. Being the shy person that I am, I was hesitant to go to any school groups with a bunch of students who already knew each other out of fear of the whole experience being awkward.

It took me until around half way through my sophomore year to fi nally expand past my circle of friends and try out university organizations like The Daily Gamecock. What I learned was that most other people had the exact same insecurities I had and that when like-minded people gather together, it isn’t hard to find something to talk about.

W hile I did have a few awkward experiences, I learned that it really isn’t a big deal. If you go to a group meeting and it’s a complete catastrophe, or you decide it isn’t for you, then just try a different group. USC has about 20,000 undergraduate students, and if you have a bad experience, then you don’t have to see those people again. It isn’t like high school, where you see many of the same people in all your classes.

So if you like writing, join a writing group. If you like tennis, join a tennis group. Whatever it is that you like to do, there are opportunities for you here if you have the courage to take them.

Grace Batton: Spend a Saturday at Soda City market.

Instead of spending Saturday sleeping in, take the time to adventure at Soda City, Columbia’s local farmers market.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., walk down Main Street and explore the homemade goods Cola has to offer. Local food vendors include delicious stands such as the Belgian Waffle truck, the BBQ Bus, the Wurst Wagen, Boiled P’nuts and Spotted Salamander — not to mention the many fresh bakeries and international-themed food tents.

Acoustic musicians often sing and play their instruments on the street for shoppers to enjoy while strolling and perusing the vendors’ tents. Just some of the offerings at Soda City include a box full of fresh produce for $10, handmade collars and leashes for any size animal, natural candles and soaps, potted succulent arrangements and local honey. For a memorable Saturday, nowhere is better fit to accommodate than Columbia’s very own Soda City.

Keep up with new offerings and vendors by following the Soda City Facebook page.

Sarah Nichols: Watch free movies with Carolina Productions.

Courtesy of Charlotte Price

Columbia’s weekly market is known for its wide variety of locally based vendors, food trucks and fresh produce.

Watching a movie in theaters is the perfect thing to do when you’re only feeling slightly sociable — you can bring friends, or a significant other, and talk to them when you want, but you can also be quiet and enjoy the movie once it starts.

However, movies can be expensive, and a lot of freshmen on campus don’t have cars. Instead, every Thursday through Sunday night, Carolina Productions screens movies in the second floor of the Russell House.

Carolina Productions has a pretty big budget, and they use part of this budget to screen many popular and recent films.

Last spring, they screened a majority of the current Academy Award-nominated movies, as well as popular movies such as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and throwbacks such as “Kill Bill.” Not only is Russell House a short walk from essentially any residence hall on campus, but these movies are also completely free to all students. It is the perfect way to have a night of entertainment without spending a dime.

Hailey Covell: Take time to explore the unique sides of your new city.

Freshman year for you at USC is guaranteed to be a good one. The shift in how much free time you are used to versus at USC will grow with hours between and after classes to do whatever you wa nt. W it h a campus f u ll of opportunities, there is always something to do at USC or in Columbia.

I’m sure most people have heard stories of USC football games or “nights out in Five Points,” but there is so much more to Columbia than these typical student activities. If you’re new to town or just looking to discover cool new places, Columbia is filled with unique restaurants, parks and other types of entertainment.

In the heart of the vista is Kaminsky’s, a dessert cafe that’s sure to make for a delicious piece of cake and a fun night out with friends or a date. There are other unique restaurants as well, such as Menkoi Noodle House, a traditional ramen cafe, or TakoSushi, a fusion between Asian and Mexican

cuisine. If you’re looking to explore the outdoors, Columbia has some beautiful riverside parks, such as Granby Park, the Columbia Riverfront Park or Cayce Riverwalk, which offer great places to go on a run or hang out with friends.

Maybe you’re more into music and discovering new bands. Music Farm in Columbia has a new show every few weeks, and you’ll no doubt have a great time even if you’ve never heard of the bands.

So don’t get all wrapped up in the typical “USC student” things to do, because there is so much more. Get out and explore Columbia. You’ll always discover something fun and new.

Sarah Morse: Stay healthy.

A s a rising senior, I would give anything to have the ability to go back in time and start my career as a Gamecock all over again. While freshman year seems like it was decades ago, I do remember how lost I initially felt. My advice to the incoming freshmen at USC is to eat as healthily as possible. The dining services at USC offer students myriad dining options, and while it might seem fun to indulge on pizza

and fountain soda every night, I urge incoming freshmen to examine some of the healthier options on campus.

Plan-It Healthy, located on the bottom floor of Russell House, presents students with countless vegetarian, vegan and even gluten-free dining options. With meals prepared fresh daily, Plan-It Healthy is one of the tastiest food stops on campus. Another restaurant freshmen should check out is Garden Toss. Also located in the Russell House, Garden Toss is a dining station that allows students to create their own salads.

Equipped with amazing croutons and a diverse collection of toppings, Garden Toss offers students quick, cheap and healthy meals that will help them keep their energy up all day long.

Between long nights in Five Points a nd dem a nd i n g c l a s s s c he d u le s , keeping yourself healthy, especially as a freshman, is a vital skill that one must learn.

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The university has many different student organizations to suit any area of interest.

Luke Yengo / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The area surrounding USC’s campus offers plenty of parks and quiet hang-out spots that allow students to relax away from their everyday haunts.

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Upcoming entertainment releases to get excited about Darby Hallman

@DARBYHALLMAN1

W h ile t he fa l l season mea ns classes, ex a ms a nd tripping over bricks on the Hor se shoe, it a l so come s with some of the year’s best releases in entertainment.

This list of upcoming movies, TV shows, games and albums a re a sa mple of t he g reat study distractors you can be enjoying soon.

Games “Final Fantasy XV” Release Date: Sept. 30 “ Fi n a l Fa nt a s y X V ” i s a h ig h l y anticipated Japanese role-playing game from developer Square Enix. “Final Fantasy X V” makes many changes to the “Final Fantasy” formula, the most prominent of which is the game’s combat system. Traditionally the “Final Fantasy” series has always featured some variation of a turn-based combat system, but with this game, Square Enix has decided to go for more fast-paced, hack-and-slash style gameplay. The story of “Final Fantasy XV” follows Noctis, who is the prince of the kingdom of Lucis, and his three best friends, Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto.

W hile t raveling to wed his f iancée, Noctis receives word that his kingdom has been invaded and his fiancée and father murdered. It’s up to Noctis and his friends to fight off the invaders and take back the kingdom. A “Final Fantasy XV” film titled “Kingsglaive” releases digitally on Aug. 30.

“Battlefield 1” Release Date: Oct. 21 “Battlefield 1” is the newest addition to the “Battlefield” series and is a fi rstperson shooter game set in World War I. The “Battlefield” series is known for its large maps and expansive selection of weapons and vehicles, and “Battlefield 1” seems to be keeping this trend alive.

“Battlefield 1” will feature World War I technolog y such as bomber planes, tanks and mustard gas that can be used to fight off enemies. The game will also have both a single-player campaign and online multiplayer where players can face off against their friends or strangers in a variety of game modes. The maps and locations of “Battlefield 1” take from many different areas of The Great War and, with stunning visuals, will hopefully offer an engaging glimpse of what it was like on the battlefield in the 1910s.

Courtesy of Lucasfilm

Movies

Courtesy of Square Enix

“The Girl on the Train” Release Date: Oct. 7 Based off the New York Times Best-Seller novel by Paula Hawkins, “The Girl on the Train” follows Rachel Watson, a depressed woman who is struggling to go on with her life following a divorce. When she rides the train every day, Watson witnesses the seemingly happy life of a couple, Megan and Scott Hipwell.

However, one day, Watson wakes up with no memory of the night before and sees news that Megan has gone missing, leading her to seek answers to what happened to Megan and what she herself was doing that night.

“The Girl on the Train” stars Emily Blunt, known for her role as Kate Macer in “Sicario,” as Watson and is directed by Tate Taylor, who directed 2014’s “Get on Up.”

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” Release Date: Dec. 16 “Rogue One” is the first of three planned “Star Wars” spinoff films for the next few years. Rather than following Rey and Finn from “The Force Awakens,” “Rogue One” goes back in time and tells the story of how a group of rebels stole the plans to the Death Star that Princess Leia hides inside R2-D2 in “A New Hope.” Felicity Jones, known for her work in “The Theory of Everything,” stars as Jyn Erso, a defiant woman with a criminal background who is chosen to lead the mission to retrieve the Death Star plans. Given the popularity of “The Force Awakens” and the prequel trilogy’s lack of popularity, it will be interesting to see how this second attempt at a prequel story fares after the massive return to glory that “Star Wars” experienced last year.

Television “Atlanta” Release Date: Sept. 6 “A t l a n t a” i s a n upcoming comedy show on F X w rit ten, produced by and starring rapper, writer and actor Donald Glover. According to FX, t he show follows two cousins and their journey through A t l a n t a’s r a p s c e n e and the obstacles that a r e c au s e d b y t h e i r “o p p o s i n g v ie w s o n art versus commerce, s u c c e s s a n d r a c e .”

Glover will share the screen with Brian Tyree Henry, who appeared in “Boardwalk Empire,” and Lakeith Lee Stanfield, who is known for his work in “Short Te r m 1 2 . ” D o n a l d Glover has won awards for his w rit ing in “30 Rock,” acting in “Community” and songwriting under his stage name “Childish Gambino.”

“A t l a nt a” w i l l r u n f or a 10-episode season on FX. “Luke Cage”

Courtesy of Marvel Television and ABC Studios

Release Date: Sept. 30 First appearing as a reocc u r r i ng cha rac ter i n 2015’s “Jessica Jones,” Luke Cage is get t i ng h is ow n s how on Net f l i x . “ Lu k e Cage” is the third Mar vel Netf lix show leading up to the “Defenders” crossover

show t hat w il l feat u re Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Lu k e C a g e . Lu k e C a g e , pl a y e d b y Un i v e r s it y of Sout h Ca rol i na a lu m nu s Mike Colter, is an ex-convict who uses his powers of super strengt h and unbreakable skin to fight crime in New

York C it y. Bot h “ Je s sic a Jones” and “Daredevil” were met wit h posit ive rev iews for their acting, character development a nd u n ique takes on superheroes.

“Luke Cage” is based of f the character in the Marvel Comics and, like “Jessica

Jone s” a nd “ D a re de v i l ,” t a k e s pl ac e i n t he s a me universe as the Marvel fi lms.

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Friday, August 12, 2016

C2 Friday, August 12, 2016

women’s soccer

Women’s soccer team looks to rise to top of tough SEC Drew Mueller

@TDG SPORTS

Bowing out first round of both the NCAA Tournament a nd t he SEC tou r na ment certainly wasn’t in the agenda for head coach Shelley Smith’s 2015 team. But coach Smith, goi ng i nto her 15t h yea r with the Gamecocks, knows dwel l i ng on t he sea s on’s mishaps does no good for the 2016 season.

“Somet imes, t hings just don’t go your way,” she said after South Carolina’s 2-0 upset los s ag a i n st U NC Wilmington in the first round of the NCA A Tournament.

“We will be back again next year.”

A nd t he team w ill be b ac k w it h s ome f a m i l i a r faces. Like their men’s team cou nter par t, t he 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.

O n t he aw a y s id e , t he Gamecocks have to travel to Auburn and College Station.

No. 12 Auburn has a sturdy m idf ield lead by t he t wo

Ramsier sisters, Brooke and Casie, and No. 8 Texas A&M returns nine starters from last year’s NCA A 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 F lor id a a nd No. 22 Ole Miss both come to St o ne St ad iu m f o r t he i r matchups, a place where South Carolina only lost once last regular season in overtime to Vanderbilt.

W hen Sout h Carol i na lost last season, t hey 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 cont inue to challenge t he 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 t he conference championship and hopefully qualif y for another NCA A tournament.

Players to watch

Sava n na h McCask i l l — Since her freshman season i n 2 014 , M c C a s k i l l h a s 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 R a i n a Joh n son , who wa s 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 — Dren nan w ill cont inue to do what she does best for t h e t e a m : p r o v id e g o a l scor i ng oppor t u n it ies 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

Courtesy of Daniel Hou / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

n at i v e a l s o w i l l p r o v id e much needed leadership and experience to Gamecocks.

Mark your calendar

Oct. 16 vs. Florida — The G at o r s o p e n t h e s e a s o n ranked seventh in the nation a nd deser vedly so. Last year, Florida won the SEC a nd m ade it t h rough t he first couple of rounds of the NCA A Tournament before losing to runner-up Duke.

That team returns most of t he i r s t a r t er s , i nc lud i n g seniors Meggie Doughert y 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 M iss — 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 b y e r ou nd i n t he SE C 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.

Courtesy of Rick Ackerman

Savannah McCaskill will lead a strong South Carolina attack that will also feature forwards Sophie Groff and Chelsea Drennan for Shelley Smith’s squad.

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women’s golf

Dambaugh set to lead Gamecocks again in 2016 Adam Orfinger @AORFINGER

Fresh off the second-best NCAA Tournament fi nish in program history, the South Carolina women’s golf team returns its top player from the 2015-16 season, which gives Gamecock fans reason to b e opt i m i st ic for t he upcoming campaign.

Senior Katelyn Dambaugh will be leading the charge for Sout h Carolina again in 2016, after boasting the team’s lowest score at all but two tournaments last season.

Dambaugh shot a 9-under 207 at t he B at o n Rou g e Regional for medalist honors in addition to finishing in the top five in another five tournaments.

Dambaugh w ill have to lead t he G a mecock s wit hout former teammate Sarah Schmelzel, who had t h e t e a m’s s e c o n d - b e s t 18 -hole s c or i n g a ver a g e l a s t s e a s o n a nd w a s t he medalist at April’s Br yan National Collegiate. Beyond Schmelzel however, ever y Gamecock who saw action in 2015-16 returns to this year’s team.

Among those returnees is junior Ainhoa Olarra, who played in all 11 tournaments last season. Olarra ranked

t h ird on t he team w it h a 74.38 scoring average, and she managed fou r top-20 f i n ishes as a sophomore, including two appearances in the top 10. After posting nine under-par rounds in her sophomore season, Olarra has potential to emerge as the number two player for the Gamecocks this season.

The G amecock s were unable to win a tournament

last season, claiming r u n ner -up honor s t w ic e and t y ing for f irst at t he Baton Rouge Regional. If t he re st of t he tea m c a n support Dambaugh, South Carolina will be a force to be reckoned with yet again in the postseason.

Players to watch

Katelyn Dambaugh — You just can’t ignore Dambaugh.

The senior was a First Team

All-American in 2015-16 and was named the runner-up for t he A N N I K A Award.

Dambaugh w ill be Sout h Ca rol i n a’s u nque st ioned leader after fi nishing inside t he top 20 in all but one tournament last season and posting 18 rounds under par.

Marion Veysseyre — As a f reshman last season, Ve y s s e y r e p o s t e d a n i mpressive 76.82 scor i ng

average, scoring as low as 70 in her first season with the Gamecocks. She also hung on in match play until the fi nal hole against Stanford’s f ou r -t i me A l l- A me r ic a n Mariah Stackhouse during t he NC A A Tou r na ment .

A f ter put t i ng toget her a s ol id a m at e u r c a r e e r i n Europe, Veysseyre should make an impact in Columbia this season.

Mark your calendar

S e p t . 25-27 A N N I K A I ntercol leg iate — T he Gamecocks won the Florida event in 2014, but finished ninth of 12 teams last season, 44 shots behind Southern C a l i f or n i a , t he 2015 champion. The A N N IK A I nt e r c ol le g i at e f e at u r e s some of the better teams in t he Sout heast, and Sout h Carolina will need to prove its merit in the team’s first tournament of the season.

Oct. 14-16 Ruth’s Chris Ta r Heel I nv it at iona l — Hosted by North Carolina, this event features premiere tea m s e ver y sea son , a nd t he Gamecocks fared poorly in 2015. Still early in the season, a bounceback performance in Chapel Hill w i l l bu i ld moment u m a s the team looks to return to national prominence.

Courtesy of South Carolina Athletics

Senior Katelyn Dambaugh returns after receiving All-American honors in 2015-16.

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football

Gamecock Traditions Claudia Chakamian @C CHAKAMIAN

Columbia game days are a n e ve nt t h at a l mo s t a l l Sout h Carolina fans rally around. For t hose gett ing ready to ex per ience t heir fi rst football game, get ready for a day unlike any other.

Most southern schools have their own unique and special traditions, and South Carolina is no different.

Tailgating

Ta i l g a t i n g i s h u g e i n C olu mbia on g a me day s.

Even for noon games, almost everyone is up early, eating good food and gathering with friends and family outside of t he stadiu m. On t hose insanely hot days to start the season and those cold nights to finish the year, fans still love being out all day to get pumped for the game.

Dress up

When you go to a football game, you would normally just wear your team’s jersey or T-shirt; that’s not the case for Southern colleges. For game day, almost all students dress up in garnet and black to cheer on the Gamecocks. Girls are normally in black sundresses and cowboy boots, while boys sport a South Carolina polo, or button down when it finally gets cooler, and khakis. Some people go with a jersey or T-shirt, but these are usually the best options to beat the infamous Columbia heat.

Josh Warner / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Cocky, recognized as one of the best mascots in college athletics, throws his spurs up to fire up a crowd at Williams-Brice.

2001

South Carolina has been named as having one of the m o s t e x c it i n g e nt r a n c e s in college football. A s the football team gathers in the t u n nel, t he beg i n n i ng of “20 01: A Space Ody ssey ” starts play ing t hroughout the stadium and the crowd g e t s mor e p u mp e d . T he excitement matches the song, and, at the peak, the football team runs onto the stadium, mak ing all fans that much more excited for kickoff.

Sandstorm

A not her moment to get t he crowd f ired up is when “Sa ndstor m” bla st s throughout Williams-Brice.

It plays after the team takes the field and every time the Gamecocks score. Students take their white towels and wave them around, chanting “USC” to the beat of the song.

It’s a great way to get everyone ready for kickoff and keep the energy up after a touchdown or field goal.

St udent s need to m a ke sure to get to their section early, though, because as the clock ticks down, the student section fi lls up and everyone grabs t heir towel. A nd no one wants to do “spurs up” as everyone else is waving their towels around. Also, try not to hit your neighbor with the towel.

Jeffrey Davis / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Sir Big Spur, the school’s beloved live mascot, is present at every South Carolina home football game at Williams-Brice.

Forever to thee

Just as South Carolina has their own special entrance, the end of the game is memorable as well. The team, gathered on the field facing the crowd, sings the alma mater along with the fans, and everyone finishes together with their ha nds raised, “Forever to thee.” Win or lose, it’s the perfect way to end a fun game day and celebrate the love of the Gamecocks.

Game day is like Christmas for a col lege footba l l fa n or student; you wake up all excited to see what happens, and everyone has their own traditions as to how the day w i l l play out . C h r ist m a s comes Sept. 17 for Gamecock fans, and these traditions will be back ready for another year in Williams-Brice.

Daniel Hou / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The Carolina Band, known as ‘The Mighty Sound of the Southeast,’ always puts on a show for students during game day.

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men’s soccer

Difficult schedule will test Berson’s squad yet again Drew Mueller

@TDG SPORTS

Last year’s season was a wild one for the Gamecocks: A n E SPN Top -10 sc issor k ick volley goal by Jeffrey Torda, a hat trick by junior Da n ny Deak in — f irst in program since 2001, a perfect home record and a penalt y shootout win against Furman to adva nce i n t he NC A A Tou r nament. Yet w it h all excitement, the Gamecocks still fell short in both the Conference USA tournament, losi ng to Marshall i n t he semifinals, and the NCA A Tournament, falling to UC Santa Barbara in overtime the round following South C a r ol i n a’s d r a m at ic w i n against Furman.

However, i n 2016, head coach Mark Berson has the same outlook for this season as he’s had for the past 37 years coaching the Gamecocks.

“We expect to contend for the conference,” he said. “We

expect to be in the hunt for the conference championship, and our goal is to make the NCAA tournament and advance.”

T h o s e g o a l s m i g ht b e more difficult this year than in times past, seeing No. 24 Sout h Carolina plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The Gamecocks will matchup against No. 3 Clemson, who lost the NCAA C h a mpion sh ip g a me la st season, No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 21 Coastal Carolina and No. 25 Rutgers in the nonconference slate. Add in the nor m a l C on ferenc e USA opponents in No. 23 Florida International, Kentucky and Cha rlot te, a nd one cou ld argue a potentially average season for the Gamecocks.

W it h t h at s a i d , c o a c h Berson, t he w in n ingest men’s soccer coach in NCAA history, contends that their schedule this year isn’t out of the ordinary, especially since most of the predictably more difficult games are at home

where the Gamecocks held an 8-0-2 record.

“Those teams as top RPI tea m s prepa re u s for t he conference season,” he said.

“We want to make sure we have a good measuring stick of where we need to be. To be the best, we need to compete against the best, and we try to do that every year.

“We knocked off a lot of top teams at home, and that was a major focus for us, We felt like our home needs to be a fortress for us. We really need to be tough at home. Our fan support is unbelievable, and we want to make sure to give them all the excitement and wins we possibly can.”

While the home record was fantastic last season, they do need to work on their away play. At 2-7, the team played subpar when not in Columbia.

Part of their poor play was t heir defense. If t hey can figure out how to not let up as many goals, t hen t heir overall record can improve

dramatically. Coach Berson rea l izes t hei r hole i n t he armour and has worked to fi x it for the upcoming season. “ We s c o r e d p l e n t y o f goals last year, but we were defensively not good at the early and middle part of the season, and then we really got better,” he said. “Improving our defending is a major focus for us going into this season because we are going to have a very talented attacking team.

If we get our focus correct defensively, I think we can i mprove ou r resu lt s bot h home and away.”

With a potentially bolstered defen se a nd a n attacking front that’s one of the deadliest in Conference USA, the Gamecocks have high aspirations for the 2016 season.

Players to watch

Danny Deakin - The junior started all 21 matches last year and had a phenomenal sophomore season. Deakin, a transfer from Mercyhurst,

led the Gamecocks in goals and was second in Conference USA with 11, only behind Charlotte’s Parker Kyle, who decided to go professional after only one season and was selected by t he Columbus Crew. He’s already nominated for the Hermann award watch list and was named to the AllConference USA preseason team. Look for him to be the offensive centerpiece for the Gamecocks this year.

Koty Millard - Millard also started all games last year and was an energetic player when on the pitch. He’d put pressure on defenses trying to clear the ball, challenge headers (he’s only 5-foot-5) and constantly chase down opponents. The rising senior also tied the top of the team with five assists and finished with second team All-Conference USA honors.

The Columbia nat ive will continue to be a distributor this season, pairing well with Deakin.

Sarah Stone / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

With the loss of graduated seniors Jeffrey Torda and Ryan Arambula, the Gamecocks need to have their midfield and forwards to step up in the leadership category.

GAMES TO WATCH Kentucky - With fi rst-team AllAmerican and Canadian National Team player Callum Irving playing goalkeeper, Kentucky had arguably the best defense in Conference USA, let alone the nations. While Irving has since graduated, the Wildcats return sophomore defender Jordan Wilson, an early candidate for the A ll-A merican team. Sprink le in seniors Charlie Reymann and Alex Bumpus, who both played significant minutes last season, and that team can stonewall any other collegiate team. Kentucky also returns their leading scorer, Stefan Stojkovic, making them the biggest threat in Conference USA. Wake Forest - Wake Forest made it all the way to the quarterfinals last season before getting knocked out by eventual champions Stanford.

Even so, they still ended the season ranked No. 1, and will most likely be on top of the rankings. Head coach Bobby Muuss returns eight starters this coming season and add a top-10 recruiting class, making the Demon Deacons one of South Carolina’s most difficult opponents when they come to Columbia.

Cody Scoggins / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Danny Deakin lead last year’s team in shots and shots on goal.

Friday, August 12, 2016 C17

women’s tennis

Gamecocks search for fifth straight NCAA appearance behind Epley Pete Helms

@TDG SPORTS

Ever y at h let ic s sea son comes w it h ex pectat ions, among the team and among t h e f a n s . T h e w o m e n’s tennis team has made the NC A A Tou r na ment fou r years in a row now, and this trend is now becoming the yearly expectation heading i nto head coach Kev i n Epley’s fifth season at South Carolina.

Gamecock fans have watched their women’s tennis program become one of the best in the countr y under the guidance of Epley. Four tournament appearances in four years is an impressive f e at t h at s ho u ld no t g o u n not iced. W hat is even more impressive is that this is a part of Epley’s larger 12year streak of mak ing the tournament.

Epley has had a number of s ub s t a nt i a l ac c ol ade s in his 12-year career as a head coach, including six conference championships and seven top-25 finishes.

Howe ver, l a s t s e a s o n might have been his most impressive achievement. He led a team that had to rely on four freshmen to a top-15 fi nish with a 19-8 record in a conference that had eight ot her teams f inish in t he fi nal top 25.

The Gamecocks are only losing X imena Siles Luna from last year’s team. While Siles Luna was a great player for the Gamecocks, it is hard

to not be excited about the lone member of t he 2016 signing class, Mia Horvit.

“She is a proven player who will have an immediate impact on the team,” said Epley once Horvit signed. “ We h ave b e e n h ig h on Mia’s ability for a long time and believe she will continue to improve in the years to come.”

That is h igh pra ise for such a you ng player, but t he pr a i s e i s wa r r a nt ed.

S he w a s c o n s id e r e d t he N o . 11 p l a y e r i n t h e recruiting class according to TennisRecruiting.net and was ranked as high as No. 73 in t he junior rank ings by the International Tennis Federation.

Ho r v it i s e x p e c t e d t o have a big freshman season, but several talented rising sophomores showed t heir potential this past season. As previously mentioned, Epley and the Gamecocks had to previous rely on freshmen Paige Cline, Ingrid Gamarra Martins, Rachel Rohrabacher and Hannah Templeton.

Rohrabacher and Templeton played a little bit this past season, but weren’t relied upon nearly as much Cline and Mart ins. Cline played most of the season at the No. 3 spot and posted an 18-13 record, and Martins played at t he No. 2 spot where she f inished with a 23-12 record. Both of them had spectacular fi rst seasons a nd w e r e ab le t o f i n i s h

ranked No. 97 and No. 76, re spec t ively, i n nat iona l polls.

Caroline Da iley w ill be looked at as one of the leaders of this team as she enters her senior season. She played the No. 1 spot for the team last year and posted a 6-19 record. That might look bad on paper, but the SEC is so competitive that her performance was still good enough to f i n ish r a n ked No. 71 i n t he cou nt r y. I anticipate a jump in the win column this coming season.

Junior Hadley Berg, senior Brigit Folland and junior Allison Mills compose the rest of the team. Mills didn’t play much last season, but Folland and Berg were two of t he best on t he tea m.

Folland played mostly at the No. 5 spot where she fi nished with a 25-6 record, and Berg primarily held down the No. 4 spot where she posted a 25-8 record. They will be integral pieces this season as the Gamecocks make their pu sh for a not her NC A A Tournament bid.

Ex pectat ions should be high for this year’s women’s tennis team. Winning the SEC Cha mpionsh ip or Tournament is a possibility b ut no t s o m e t h i n g f a n s should ex pect to see, consider i ng how tough t he c o n f e r e n c e i s e v e r y year. Coach Epley has set a precedent of making the NC A A Tou r na ment , a nd this team has all the pieces to do it . T he pa st t h ree

seasons t he G a mecock s made it to the Round of 32, and I believe that they will at least match that this coming season.

Players to watch

Caroline Daily — Daily will be looked at as one of the leaders of this team as she enters her senior season.

She played the No. 1 spot for the team last year and posted a 6 -19 record. T hat may look bad on paper, but the SEC is so revered that her performance was still good enough to f i n ish r a n ked No. 71 i n t he cou nt r y. I anticipate a jump in the win column this coming season Hadley Berg — The ju n ior f rom Ca l ifor n ia primarily held down the No. 5 spot last season where she posted a 25-8 record. She will be relied upon in 2016 as an integral player on the t e a m a s t he G a me c o c k s

make their push for another NCAA Tournament bid.

Know the coach

Kevin Epley was an AllSouthwestern Conference player at Southern Methodist University during his senior season in 1996.

He st a r ted h is coac h i ng career in 1998 as an assistant at A labama. It didn’t take him long to work his way up the coaching ranks. By 2000, he was the head coach of Fresno State’s women’s ten n is team. He coached there for three years before taking the same position at William & Mary. He worked there until the Gamecocks offered him the job in 2012.

In his twelve-year career, he has a 215-101 record, twelve straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and six conference championships.

Sarah Stone / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Coach Kevin Epley looks to take his team back to the postseason.

Friday, August 12, 2016 C21

Column: South Carolina Gameday Warrior sports can be annoying supports all athletes

Drew Mueller

@TDG SPORTS

All fans love to have an advantage when it comes to their team.

Whether it’s traditions that their team holds, going to the games or barstool sports talk, fans want something so that they can get behind with their team. The fact that they can get pumped up for their team yet write off their opponent is an integral and essential component of any sports fan. At the Un iversit y of Sout h Carolina, we are one of the best at creating a unique and exhilarating atmosphere, one that most fans want to go enjoy.

But there are a couple of things that we do that annoy me.

During k ickoffs at f o o t b a l l g a m e s , no m at t e r t h e r e a s o n , we wave our rally towels to t he sou nd of “Sandstorm” blasting through Williams-Brice.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for an atmosphere that breeds fan hype a nd get s t he team pumped up; however, we as Gamecock fans shou ld n’t a n noy t he ot her team’s players and fans, and when we play “Sandstorm” after every kickoff, it starts to get stale for teams i n t he f ig ht . Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as bad as Ten nessee playing “Rocky Top” after anything happens

(seriously, no need to chant it after a one yard gain), but it still runs dry after the 20th time of yelling and waving the towel in a single game. So dry that, on one Saturday evening a g a i n s t G e or g i a i n 2014, hundreds of fans decided they didn’t need their towels anymore and lobbed t hem onto the field instead of t he usual booing.

This caused a delay in the game and a stern warning over the PA, something that caused a negat ive cha nge i n a n a l read y ten se atmosphere.

But football games aren’t the only sporting event s where t h is happens.

During basketball, t he st udent sec t ion heckles the opposing team’s players, coaches and fans with usually harmless yet humorous jeers (“Marshall Henderson wears crocs,” for example), but then the occasional spiteful and unnecessary comment slips, sending the security to come and escort the perpetrator out. Nobody wants to sit through that, whether t he v ict im is on t he court or in the stands, and it’s a buzzkill to see people escorted from their seats.

A nd now at soccer event s, t hey w ill be handing out vuvuzelas to season ticket holder s. T here i s a reason why they have been banned at almost

e ver y m ajor s o c c er event — World Cup, Euro Championships and Champions League games, among others — a f t er d i s t u rbi n g the 2010 World Cup ex per ience: Nobody wants to hear a constant b a r r ag e of not ele s s horns blaring in their ears. Even watching on T V, it was irritating enough to mute t he game. Now the vuvus will make their way into Stone Stadium, and it’s only a matter of time before almost everyone will be complaining.

We a s f a n s w a n t to cheer for our team and make them appear b et t er t h a n a nyone else. I understand that.

However, we can do better at the University of South Carolina.

Let’s change up the k ickof f rout i ne on Saturdays. Instead of yelling at or talk ing trash to our opponent’s fans, thank them for traveling to Columbia.

Please, could we get a ban on noisemakers and have just organic noise?

Let’s show hospitality i nstead of a n noy ing them.

We should want the opposing team to come back into WilliamsBrice or Colonial Life A rena or Stone Stadium, not torture them to the point where they don’t want to come back. As Gamecocks, we should want to garner a good reputation, not one where every other fan finds us annoying.

Adam Orfinger @AORFINGER

He’s friends with SEC First Team pitcher Braden Webb, his persona has a Twitter account with over 800 followers, and he frequently has dinner with Gamecock Jesus. He’s the ultimate Gamecocks fan. But when you think of Gameday Warrior, it’s hard not to wonder: Why does this guy do what he does?

The man behind the superfan is 21-year-old Christopher You ng, a sport and entertainment management student here at USC. He can generally be found at some South Carolina athletic facility, ranging from WilliamsBr ice St ad iu m to t he C a r o l i n a Vo l l e y b a l l Center, and sometimes he’ll end up at more than one in the same night.

So why is this guy at every sporting event, no matter the importance, no matter the time? The answer is simple.

“I do t h is for t he at h let e s , s o t h at t he at h letes ca n have t he support and the fan base that they deserve,” Young said.

W h i l e Yo u n g ’s primary motivation is to support the athletes, he’s gotten some incredible e x p e r ie n c e s a s w e l l .

“Gameday Warrior,” as he is often referred to, traveled to LSU for last year’s relocated football game, went to Clemson for a baseball game and even witnessed the women’s basketball team

win the SEC Tournament and reach the Final Four.

Young points to the LSU game as the best e x p er ie nc e of a l l . “ I really got to experience the atmosphere and what other SEC schools do on their game day,” he said.

While he’s spent plenty of t i me t r a v e l i n g t o support the Gamecocks, Young says the best way to get involved is still at home. For the incoming freshmen, Young believes t he best way to get involved is just by taking pa r t i n t he Sat u rd ay festivities at WilliamsBrice. However, South Carolina only plays seven home games each year, so freshmen have to get engaged in Gamecock athletics in other ways as well during the fall semester.

“Outside of going to football, they really need to go and check out Stone Stadium,” said Young of freshmen who want to get a taste of the pride he has in the school. “When the men’s and women’s soccer teams get going, that stadium is packed.

It’s an amazing home atmosphere.”

Part of that atmosphere comes from their massive attendance numbers, as the men’s team ranked ninth in the nation last season with 2,245 fans per game and the women ranked third, bringing in 2,655 per contest. Young also points to the fans who paint themselves, start chants and dance in the stands for creating a fun time at Stone Stadium.

If you take You ng’s advice and catch a soccer game this fall, it shouldn’t be hard to find him in the crowd at Stone Stadium.

It’s safe to say he’ll be the only person there with garnet and black overalls, a Gamecock fedora, South Carolina logo sunglasses and face paint.

Young says he’s had all the gear since his senior year of high school when his mom went to a local store and picked up as much of it as possible for him to wear to a pep rally.

“I put them on, and it was just so much fun wearing them, I never quite took them off,” Young said.

He may be the most well-k nown student in the stands at most events, but Young welcomes the idea of other st udents matching his passion.

“I hope that someone shows the same amount of love and spirit,” the fou r t h-yea r st udent said. “That’s what the u n i ver s it y a nd t he s e at h letes deser ve, a nd that’s what they need.”

As freshmen pour in for their first semester as Gamecocks, there will be plenty of fans falling in love with the athletic programs as Young did and plenty more fans to fill the seats. There may not be another Gameday Warrior among t hem, but Young hopes the new students will bring more energ y and contribute to t he home f ield advantage. Take it from the self-proclaimed crazy superfan: “You’ve gotta be a little crazy.”