Men's Soccer | August 29, 2023

Each week, the University of South Carolina Aiken will provide weekly notes. This week, USC Aiken opens the season at Belmont Abbey on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

Familiar Face

Head coach Ike Ofoje begins his 28^th season at the helm of the USC Aiken men's soccer program – and the 19^thyear in which he will solely coach just one team. Ofoje guided the Pacers to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 with a 14-6-1 ledger, including a 6-3 mark in the PBC. Ofoje, a staple of soccer in the PBC, will look to make a push in league play this season with an extremely deep roster.

A Team With Experience

Head coach Ike Ofoje's 2023 team could be one of the most experienced squads he has coached in recent history. The team consists of five seniors and 15 juniors – many of which were on the team and saw valuable time a season ago. The newcomers gained valuable experiences on the pitch at their previous schools.

Talented Underclassmen Returning

In addition to a strong core of upperclassmen on the team, the Pacers feature a wealth of returning talent as underclassmen. This includes a pair of tenacious keepers in Cason Donahue and Tyler Hughes as well as 6-3 defender Finaly Dyer. Ejemai Ohiwerei notched five starts a season ago and is poised to increase his playing time in 2023.

First Time In A While 

USC Aiken starts the year with Belmont Abbey. It marks the 10^th time in school history the two squads – just over two hours apart from one another – will tangle on the pitch. Last season, the Pacers won 3-0. This year marks the second consecutive season the teams will square off. Additionally, it's the first time the programs have met in consecutive seasons since the 2005-2006-2007 campaigns. 

Inside The Numbers

This week, USC Aiken opens the season with a road match at Belmont Abbey on Aug. 31. Since moving to Division II, the Pacers are 1-2-1 on Aug. 31. During the same time, the team is 9-17-2 (35.7 percent) in Thursday matches.

Against The Opponent

This week, USC Aiken opens the season with a road match at Belmont Abbey on Aug. 31. The Pacers are 7-1-1 in the all-time series against the Crusaders.