South Carolina men's club hockey claims 1st national championship, aims to expand game across southern states

"The University of South Carolina's men’s club hockey team captured its first championship title at the Amateur Athletic Union College Hockey National Tournament, which took place from March 6 to 13  in West Chester, Pennsylvania.." 

"It's been on our bucket list for a long time, as a team, and this year with the group we had, we definitely knew we had the teammates and the guys to do it. So going in, we were all bought in, that was our final goal." Dylan Greeley 

Student Affairs and Academic Support Welcomes New Campus Recreation Director

 “His extensive knowledge and expertise make him a perfect fit to lead our campus recreation department.”

With over three decades of campus recreation experience, Walcyzk is dedicated to fostering a holistic experience that will enhance USC’s existing recreational offerings through education, innovation and social connections. 

Students should play pickleball to expand their physical, social boundaries

Pickleball has recently garnered immense popularity in the U.S. The sport attracts people with its methodical movements and various health benefits. College students should take up pickleball in their free time to help expand their social circles and have fun while exercising

The number of players has grown by 159% from 2019 to 2022, with approximately 8.9 million in the country. 

The sport can help college students achieve their personal fitness goals, whether it be burning more calories throughout the day or building their muscular strength as a whole.

Game On: Leveraging sports, play, and physical activity to combat the mental health crisis

When discussing the mental health crisis, particularly at the post-secondary level, an increasingly common refrain is that ‘we can’t counsel our way out of the problem.’ This acknowledgement is necessary: the American Council on Education has noted, “[d]espite the approximate doubling in mental health service use during the past 10 to 15 years, the rise in distress continues unabated—far outpacing increases in service use—and there are persistent inequities.”

Women's Club Soccer makes program history with 1st national tournament appearance

After the final whistle blew and the Gamecocks had lost in the regional final, the team learned that it was bound for nationals — the first time in the club's history. 

The team secured a third undefeated regular season with a clean 3-0-1 record and also finished as the No. 5 team in its region. 

“I just feel like we’re more hungry than anything,” Clune said. “We got a taste of like, 'OK, we actually are a good team in the region,' and now we’re wanting to prove it more.” 

 

Carolina Women’s Club Ice Hockey team prepares for inaugural season despite start-up roadblocks: 'It's long overdue'

Despite the hurdles, the women’s club hockey team opened up its inaugural season with a 2-1 win over the U-19 South Carolina Lady Warriors.

The women's club hockey team will continue its inaugural season with its first out-of-state matchup against High Point University in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 9:45 a.m.

Gamecock Water Polo Club sees rise in numbers after moving to competitive league

The water polo club is competing in a league for the first time since the it's revival and will have a shot at winning a Southeast Division Championship on Oct. 22 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

“It's super exciting. I mean, it's just everything we could dream for,” Windham said. “There's still stuff to look forward to. We're still working towards getting that natty, working towards winning the Southeastern Conference.”

Cock Hockey finishes 22nd season with series sweeps, new jerseys, broken records

With rivalry sweeps, a growing fanbase and a new look on the ice, the South Carolina men's club ice hockey team's 22nd season represented the culmination of multiple years of hard work and growth.

As this year's group of seniors went from passing out pamphlets in front of Russell House as freshmen to now selling out home games and realizing the completion of a four-year jersey project, the team also achieved a 29-3-1 in Division II of the College Hockey Federation. The season also featured a handful of series sweeps, included multiple victories over each of Tennessee, Georgia and Clemson. 

South Carolina men's club lacrosse looking to build off previous success, shrug off sluggish start

The South Carolina men's club lacrosse team is looking to rally and turn its season around after a shaky 2-7 start, as it strives for its third consecutive championship title.

Gamecock lacrosse won its first Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Championship in 2019. The team then followed with another championship victory in 2022, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 championships were canceled, meaning that the Gamecocks were back-to-back champions. 

Club sports athletes discuss the positive mental health impacts of playing

While students at USC chose to join club sports teams for a variety of reasons, several club athletes agree that joining an athletic club has been beneficial for their mental health. 

“It's nice to have two hours, three hours at a time blocked off in my day to just dedicate to playing a sport,” Josie Steed, a first-year women’s club rugby player, said. “I think that's really good for my mental health to be having a community of people where we all have a shared goal, and we can just rely on each other.”

Intramurals offer students social outlet and stress relief

As students face daily stressors and anxiety in college, some turn to intramural sports to help curb the mental health struggles that come with everyday life on campus. 

Playing an intramural sport creates opportunities for students to get outside and exercise. According to the Cleveland Clinic, exposure to sunshine not only leads to the production of vitamin D within the body, but also serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes the human body feel good when released. Exercise then releases endorphins, which aids in promoting well-being, according to the Mayo Clinic.