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USC Aiken Pacers
Logo
UniversityUniversity of South Carolina Aiken
ConferencePeach Belt
NCAADivision II
Athletic directorTodd Wilkinson[1]
LocationAiken, South Carolina
First season1961
Varsity teams11 (5 men's, 5 women's, 1 co-ed)
Basketball arenaConvocation Center
Baseball stadiumRoberto Hernandez Stadium
Softball stadiumJ.H. Satcher Field
Soccer stadiumPacer Pit
MascotAce the Pacer
NicknamePacers
ColorsPacer Blue, Ace Red, and Triumph Gray[2]
     
Websitepacersports.com
Team NCAA championships
3
Individual and relay NCAA champions
2[3]

The USC Aiken Pacers are the athletic teams that represent the University of South Carolina Aiken, located in Aiken, South Carolina, in intercollegiate sports at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Pacers have primarily competed in the Peach Belt Conference since the 1990–91 academic year. The Pacers' primary rival is conference foe Augusta.

USC Aiken competes in ten intercollegiate varsity sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Men's and women's tennis were discontinued at the end of the 2018–19 school year. The Pacers also sponsor a co-ed Spirit Squad.


History

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USC Aiken's athletic programs were initially known as the Rebels. The mascot name was changed to Pacers in 1971.[4]

Conference affiliations

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NCAA

Varsity teams

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Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross country Soccer
Golf Softball
Soccer Volleyball

Baseball

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Ahead of the 2022 season, Michael Holder took the reins of the Pacer baseball program.[6] Holder succeeded longtime coach Kenny Thomas, who led the Pacers to nine NCAA Southeast Regional appearances across 22 seasons as head coach.[7]

Longtime Coastal Carolina head coach Gary Gilmore served as an assistant from 1986–1989 and subsequently as head coach at USCA from 1990–1995.

It was at the end of Gilmore's first season on staff in 1986 that pitcher Roberto Hernández was drafted in the first round of the MLB draft.[8] Hernández later made substantial donations to his alma mater, which led to a new baseball stadium being constructed and named in his honor on the university's campus.

Men's basketball

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The men's basketball program has been led by Mark Vanderslice since the 2015–16 season.[9]

Women's basketball

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The women's basketball program has been led by Mark Miller since the 2016–17 season.[10]

Cross country

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The Pacers' cross country program is led by coach Marshall Leonard.[11]

Golf

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The Pacers' golf program has been led by coach Michael Carlisle since the 1991–92 season. During his tenure, the program has experienced unprecedented success, including a run of three consecutive national championships (2004, 2005, and 2006).[12]

Men's soccer

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The men's soccer program is led by first-year head coach Nick Sakiewicz.[13] He takes over for longtime coach Ike Ofoje, who was also the Pacers' inaugural women's soccer head coach.[14]

Women's soccer

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The women's soccer program is led by first-year head coach Adam Kleman.[15] Kleman succeeds Tina Murphy, who in her two year tenure before departing for Gardner-Webb led the Pacers to their first Peach Belt tournament appearance since the 2017–18 season.[16]

Softball

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The Pacers' softball program is led by fourth-year head coach Jaclin Poole. Under Poole's leadership, the Pacers made the 2022 Peach Belt Conference tournament, the program's first since 2016.[17]

Volleyball

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The Pacers' volleyball program is led by head coach Glenn Cox, who has guided the program since 2008.[18]

Conference championships

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As members of the Peach Belt Conference the Pacers have won 55 conference championships (46 team, nine individual) across five programs.

Men's Sports

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Baseball

  • PBC Regular Season - 3 (1994, 2009, 2013)
  • PBC Tournament - 2 (1992, 1993)

Basketball

  • PBC Regular Season - 7 (1992-93, 2007-08, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2022-23, 2023-24)
  • PBC Tournament - 4 (1993, 2010, 2013, 2014)

Golf

  • PBC Championships - 12 (1995, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018)
  • PBC Individual Champions - 9 (Brian Kassel '93, Jamie Stanley '95, '97, Brooks Blackburn '96, Scott Brown '02, '06, Dane Burkhart '05, Brandon Robinson-Thompson '14, Johnson Holliday '18)

Women's Sports

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Basketball

  • PBC Regular Season - 3 (1990-91, 2001-02, 2007-08)
  • PBC Tournament - 1 (2012)

Volleyball

  • PBC Regular Season - 10 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
  • PBC Tournament - 5 (1991, 1992, 1996, 2006, 2007)

Regional championships

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The Pacers have had consistent success in regional competition, claiming 15 (10 team, five individual) NCAA Division II Region Titles across five sports.

Team

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Association Division Sport Year Opponent/Runner-Up Score
NCAA Division II Baseball 1993 Francis Marion 13–2
Men's Golf 2002 – 835–
2003 Francis Marion 865–878
2004 Kennesaw State 578–586
2005 Armstrong State 887–891
2006 Columbus State 875–912
Men's Basketball 2013 Barton 82–75
2014 Montevallo 84–73
Men's Tennis 2019 Wingate 4–2
Volleyball 2016 Queens 3–2

Individual

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Association Division Sport Year Individual(s) Event Score
NCAA Division II Men's Golf 1997 Jamie Stanley Individual Title 220 (+4)
2003 Scott Usher 212 (–4)
2005 Scott Brown 216 (0)
2006 Scott Brown 211 (–5)
2012 Matt Atkins 210 (–6)

National championships

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Team

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Association Division Sport Year Opponent/Runner-Up Score
NCAA Division II Men's Golf[19] 2004 Chico State 1,191–1,200
2005 Armstrong State 1,158–1,163
2006 Columbus State 1,148–1,160

Individual

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Association Division Sport Year Individual(s) Event Score
NCAA Division II Men's Golf 2005 Dane Burkhart Individual Title 279 (–5)
2008 Jeff Goff 278 (–2)

Notable alumni

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Baseball

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Men's basketball

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Men's golf

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Men's soccer

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Women's soccer

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References

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  1. ^ "USC Aiken Announces Todd Wilkinson As Director Of Athletics". Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "Colors". Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "2022-23 PBC CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE". Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  4. ^ Pacer Times, Vol. 50 no. 1, p.1 (August 8, 2013).
  5. ^ "Conference History". Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "Pacers ready to begin new era under Holder". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "Kenny Thomas To Retire After 2021 Season". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Roberto Hernández". Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  9. ^ "College Basketball: Division II head basketball job for Vanderslice". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  10. ^ "USC Aiken announces Mark Miller will be new women's basketball head coach". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "MARSHALL LEONARD NAMED USCA HEAD CROSS COUNTRY COACH". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  12. ^ "Michael Carlisle - Head Men's Golf Coach". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  13. ^ "USC Aiken Hires Nick Sakiewicz To Lead Men's Soccer Program". University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics. 2023-12-21. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  14. ^ "Ike Ofoje - Men's Soccer Coach". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  15. ^ "USC Aiken Hires Adam Kleman As Head Women's Soccer Coach". University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics. 2023-07-28. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  16. ^ "Tina Murphy - Women's Soccer Coach". University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  17. ^ "USC Aiken Is Sixth Seed For PBC Championship". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  18. ^ "Glenn Cox - Volleyball Coach". Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  19. ^ "NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship Results" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  20. ^ "Richard Batchelor - Baseball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  21. ^ "Scott Cassidy - Baseball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  22. ^ "Paul Fletcher - Baseball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  23. ^ "Roberto Hernandez - Baseball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  24. ^ "Adam Riggs - Baseball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  25. ^ "Bryan Ward - Baseball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  26. ^ "Reggie Williams - Baseball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  27. ^ "Chris Commons - Men's Basketball". Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  28. ^ "Josh Dollard - Men's Basketball". Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  29. ^ "Matt Atkins - Men's Golf". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  30. ^ "Scott Brown - Men's Golf". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  31. ^ "Roberto Diaz - Men's Golf". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  32. ^ "Ranaldo Bailey - Men's Soccer". Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  33. ^ "John Lesko - Men's Soccer". Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  34. ^ "Akeyla Furbert - Women's Soccer". Retrieved January 29, 2023.
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