2020 Conference USA men's soccer season
LeagueNCAA Division I
SportSoccer
DurationFall season: September 17 October 30, 2020
Spring season: February 3 April 17, 2021
Number of teams8
2021 MLS SuperDraft
Top draft pickAimé Mabika
Picked byInter Miami CF, 26th overall
Regular Season
Season championsMarshall
  Runners-upCharlotte
Season MVPVitor Dias (Marshall)
2020 Conference USA men's soccer standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Marshall6 0 113 2 3
No. 20 Charlotte + 6 1 06 3 2
No. 16 Kentucky + 3 3 112 5 2
FIU 3 3 14 4 1
Florida Atlantic 3 4 06 4 2
South Carolina 2 4 18 7 1
UAB 1 5 13 12 1
Old Dominion 0 4 31 4 3
As of May 18, 2021
Rankings from United Soccer Coaches

The 2020 Conference USA men's soccer season is the 26th season of men's varsity soccer in the conference. The season was slated to begin on August 29, 2020 and conclude on November 14, 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the season was postponed to begin on February 3, 2021, and conclude on April 17, 2021.

Despite the delay, Kentucky, South Carolina, and UAB will be playing competitive fixtures during the fall season.

Due to the pandemic, the regular season champion earned the league's automatic bid.

Marshall, who won the conference, won the national title game 1–0 in overtime over Indiana. This was not only Marshall's first men's soccer title, but was also the first national title in a team sport won by a Conference USA member while affiliated with the league.[1]

Background

Previous season

The 2019 season saw Marshall win both the Conference USA regular season and tournament, the first time in program history. Marshall, Charlotte, and Kentucky earned berths into the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament. Charlotte and Kentucky were eliminated in the Second Round, while Marshall beat in-state rival, West Virginia to reach the Sweet Sixteen where they fell to the University of Washington.

Charlotte goalkeeper, Elliot Panicco earned the Senior CLASS Award.

Head coaches

As of 2019 season
Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record Record at school C-USA record NCAA
Tournaments[2]
NCAA
College Cups[2]
NCAA
Titles[2]
Charlotte Kevin LanganCharlotte (asst.)998–38–24 (.688)98–38–24 (.688)42–10–13 (.746)700
FIU Kevin NylenOrlando City SC (scout)419–12–4 (.600)29–15–9 (.632)21–6–7 (.721)100
Florida Atlantic Joey WorthenSouth Carolina (asst.)411–35–1 (.245)11–35–1 (.245)6–17–0 (.261)000
Kentucky Johan CedergrenDartmouth9141–77–34 (.627)89–47–20 (.635)39–16–9 (.680)1100
Marshall Chris GrassieCharleston (WV)4131–42–15 (.737)32–22–7 (.582)11–9–3 (.543)100
Old Dominion Alan DawsonNorth Carolina (asst.)24376–177–52 (.664)247–147–42 (.615)29–22–4 (.564)1400
South Carolina Mark BersonThe Citadel42514–259–75 (.650)503–254–75 (.650)55–47–19 (.533)2230
UAB Jeff KinneyVirginia Tech (asst.)23–12–2 (.235)3–12–2 (.235) 1–5–1 (.214)000

Preseason

Preseason poll

The preseason poll was released on January 27, 2021.[3]

Team Ranking
1Marshall
2Kentucky
3Charlotte
4FIU
5Florida Atlantic
6South Carolina
7UAB
8Old Dominion

Preseason national rankings

The preseason national rankings were to be announced in August 2020, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only CollegeSoccerNews.com released a fall preseason poll.

United
Soccer
CSN Soccer
America
TopDrawer
Soccer
Charlotte
FIU
Florida Atlantic
Kentucky
Marshall
Old Dominion
South Carolina
UAB

Preseason All-Conference teams

Honor Recipient
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Milo Yosef, Marshall
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Hogan, Charlotte
Preseason All-AAC Team
2020 C-USA Men's Soccer Preseason Team
First Team
  • Joe Brito – Charlotte
  • Patrick Hogan – Charlotte
  • Luke Johnson – Charlotte
  • Alessandro Campoy – FIU
  • Alonso Coello Camarero – Florida Atlantic
  • Ivan Mykhailenko – Florida Atlantic
  • Enrique Facusse – Kentucky
  • Marcel Meinzer – Kentucky
  • Pedro Dolabella – Marshall
  • Jan-Erik Leinhos – Marshall
  • Milo Yosef – Marshall

Fall 2020 season

Matches

Kentucky, South Carolina, and UAB played competitive matches during the fall.

Index to colors and formatting
CUSA member won
CUSA member lost
CUSA member tied
CUSA teams in bold

All times Eastern time.

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
September 177:00 p.m.KentuckyNotre DameAlumni StadiumNotre Dame, INL 0–11
September 19 2:00 p.m. UAB Central Arkansas Bill Stephens StadiumConway, AR W 3–2 105
September 19 7:00 p.m. Georgia Southern South Carolina Eugene Stone StadiumColumbia, SC W 2–0 100
September 21 7:00 p.m. Duke Kentucky Bell Soccer ComplexLexington, KY W 4–2 95
September 24 7:00 p.m. Georgia State South Carolina Eugene Stone Stadium • Columbia, SC L 1–3 320
September 26 6:00 p.m. UAB Georgia Southern Eagle FieldStatesboro, GA L 2–3 266
September 28 7:30 p.m. Kentucky Louisville Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY W 3–1 115
September 30 4:00 p.m. UAB Georgia State GSU Soccer FieldAtlanta, GA L 0–4 214
October 1 7:00 p.m. Clemson South Carolina Eugene Stone Stadium • Columbia, SC L 0–3 460
October 2 3:00 p.m. No. 4 Kentucky Central Arkansas Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY W 2–1 (OT) 83
October 5 5:00 p.m. UAB No. 3 Clemson Riggs FieldClemson, SC L 0–2 748
October 10 6:00 p.m. South Carolina Mercer Betts StadiumMacon, GA W 1–0 116
October 10 6:00 p.m. UAB No. 1 Wake Forest Spry StadiumWinston-Salem, NC L 0–3 0
October 13 7:00 p.m. Georgia State UAB BBVA FieldBirmingham, AL L 1–4 195
October 14 7:00 p.m. Mercer No. 4 Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY W 3–1 97
October 17 7:00 p.m. UAB Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY UK 2–0 144
October 20 7:00 p.m. Georgia Southern UAB BBVA Field • Birmingham, AL Cancelled
October 24 7:00 p.m. UAB South Carolina Eugene Stone Stadium • Columbia, SC Cancelled
October 28 3:00 p.m. Central Arkansas UAB BBVA Field • Birmingham, AL Cancelled
October 30 7:00 p.m. Kentucky Duke Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY Cancelled

Rankings

United Soccer Coaches

During the fall 2020 season, United Soccer Coaches ran a Top 5 poll for the programs playing in fall.

    Improvement in ranking
  Drop in ranking
RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 5
NV No votes received
  Wk
1
Wk
2
Wk
3
Wk
4
Wk
5
Wk
6
Wk
7
Wk
8
Wk
9
Wk
10
Kentucky NV 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
South Carolina NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV
UAB NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV NV

Awards and honors

Date Player Position School Honor Ref.
September 22, 2020 Brian Banahan FW South Carolina TopDrawer Soccer Team of the Week [4]
Joseph Buete MF UAB
Sekou Soumah DF South Carolina

Spring 2021 season

Positions by round

2020 Conference USA Men's Soccer Tournament semifinals
2020 Conference USA Men's Soccer Tournament quarterfinals
Eliminated

Matches

Preseason exhibitions

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
January 235:00 p.m.FIUUCFUCF Soccer and Track Stadium  Orlando, FLW 2–00
January 30 2:00 p.m. Liberty Charlotte Transamerica Field  Charlotte, NC T 1–1 0
January 305:00 p.m.FIUSouth FloridaCorbett Soccer Stadium  Tampa, FLW 2–00
January 30 5:00 p.m. UAB Lipscomb Lipscomb Soccer Complex  Nashville, TN T 1-1 87
February 2 6:00 p.m. Charlotte Davidson Alumni Soccer Stadium  Davidson, NC Cancelled[lower-alpha 1]
February 3 7:00 p.m. Lander South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC L 0–1 0
February 5 3:00 p.m. Bellarmine Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY Cancelled
February 6 7:00 p.m. Montevallo UAB BBVA Field • Birmingham, AL W 1-5 196

Week 1 (Feb. 3 – Feb. 7)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
February 3 5:00 p.m. VCU Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV Postponed[lower-alpha 2]
February 36:00 p.m.North FloridaFlorida AtlanticFAU Soccer Stadium  Boca Raton, FLW 1–0120
February 6 2:00 p.m. Old Dominion VCU Sports Backers Stadium • Richmond, VA Postponed
February 72:00 p.m.FIUJacksonvilleSouthern Oak Stadium  Jacksonville, FLPostponed[lower-alpha 2]
February 7 5:00 p.m. North Florida South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC
February 9 3:00 p.m. Xavier Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY W 1-2 Archived February 10, 2021, at the Wayback Machine 56

Week 2 (Feb. 8 – Feb. 14)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
February 12 6:00 p.m. Charlotte Duke Koskinen Stadium  Durham, NC
February 13 1:00 p.m. Ohio Valley Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
February 13 3:00 p.m. Bowling Green Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY
February 14 2:00 p.m. Campbell Old Dominion ODU Soccer Complex  Norfolk, VA
February 14 2:00 p.m. Winthrop South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC

Week 3 (Feb. 15 – Feb. 21)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
February 16 2:00 p.m. Lipscomb Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
February 16 7:00 p.m. Central Arkansas UAB BBVA Field  Birmingham, AL
February 17 7:00 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast FIU FIU Soccer Stadium  Miami, FL
February 177:00 p.m.USC UpstateSouth CarolinaStone Stadium  Columbia, SC
February 19 2:00 p.m. Kentucky Duke Koskinen Stadium  Durham, NC
February 193:00 p.m.Florida AtlanticJacksonvilleSouthern Oak Stadium  Jacksonville, FL
February 19 4:00 p.m. West Virginia Tech Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
February 20 2:00 p.m. West Virginia Charlotte Transamerica Field  Charlotte, NC
February 20 2:00 p.m. George Mason Old Dominion ODU Soccer Complex  Norfolk, VA
February 20 6:00 p.m. UAB NC State Dail Soccer Field  Raleigh, NC
February 20 7:00 p.m. FIU North Florida Hodges Stadium  Jacksonville, FL
February 21 6:00 p.m. South Carolina Furman Stone Stadium  Greenville, SC

Week 4 (Feb. 22 – Feb. 28)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
February 23 2:00 p.m. ETSU Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
February 247:00 p.m.Florida AtlanticFlorida Gulf CoastFGCU Soccer Complex  Fort Myers, FL
February 25 4:00 p.m. Akron Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY
February 27 2:00 p.m. Wofford South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC
February 27 3:00 p.m. Bowling Green Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
February 28 1:00 p.m. Old Dominion William & Mary Albert–Daly Field  Williamsburg, VA

Week 5 (Mar. 1 – Mar. 7)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
March 2 3:00 p.m. Marshall Akron FirstEnergy Stadium  Akron, OH
March 6 TBA Charlotte Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex  Lexington, KY
March 6 2:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic FIU FIU Soccer Stadium  Miami, FL
March 6 2:00 p.m. Marshall South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC
March 6 3:00 p.m. Old Dominion UAB BBVA Field  Birmingham, AL

Week 6 (Mar. 8 – Mar. 14)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
March 13 12:00 p.m. FIU Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
March 13 2:00 p.m. UAB Charlotte Transamerica Field  Charlotte, NC
March 13 2:00 p.m. Kentucky Florida Atlantic FAU Soccer Stadium  Boca Raton, FL
March 14 2:00 p.m. South Carolina Old Dominion ODU Soccer Complex  Norfolk, VA

Week 7 (Mar. 15 – Mar. 21)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
March 18 7:00 p.m. Marshall Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex  Lexington, KY
March 20 1:00 p.m. UAB FIU FIU Soccer Stadium  Miami, FL
March 20 2:00 p.m. Charlotte South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC
March 21 10:00 a.m. Florida Atlantic Old Dominion ODU Soccer Complex  Norfolk, VA

Week 8 (Mar. 22 – Mar. 28)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
March 24 3:00 p.m. Marshall West Virginia Dick Dlesk Stadium  Morgantown, WV
March 27 2:00 p.m. FIU Charlotte Transamerica Field  Charlotte, NC
March 27 2:00 p.m. South Carolina Florida Atlantic FAU Soccer Stadium  Boca Raton, FL
March 27 2:00 p.m. Old Dominion Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
March 27 3:00 p.m. Kentucky UAB BBVA Field  Birmingham, AL

Week 9 (Mar. 29 – Apr. 4)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
March 30 TBA Charlotte Coastal Carolina CCU Soccer Stadium  Conway, SC
April 3 2:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
April 3 2:00 p.m. UAB South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC
April 3 6:00 p.m. Kentucky FIU FIU Soccer Stadium  Miami, FL
April 4 2:00 p.m. Charlotte Old Dominion ODU Soccer Complex  Norfolk, VA

Week 10 (Apr. 5 – Apr. 11)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
April 10 11:00 a.m. Old Dominion Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex  Lexington, KY
April 10 12:00 p.m. South Carolina FIU FIU Soccer Stadium  Miami, FL
April 10 2:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Charlotte Transamerica Field  Charlotte, NC
April 10 2:00 p.m. Marshall UAB BBVA Field  Birmingham, AL

Week 11 (Apr. 12 – Apr. 18)

DateTime (ET)Visiting teamHome teamSiteResultAttendance
April 17 2:00 p.m. UAB Florida Atlantic FAU Soccer Stadium  Boca Raton, FL
April 17 2:00 p.m. Charlotte Marshall Hoops Family Field  Huntington, WV
April 17 2:00 p.m. FIU Old Dominion ODU Soccer Complex  Norfolk, VA
April 17 2:00 p.m. Kentucky South Carolina Stone Stadium  Columbia, SC

Postseason

NCAA Tournament

Seed School 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship
Marshall BYE W 2–1 (OT) vs. Fordham(Wilson, NC) T 1–1 (7–6 PKs) vs. #1 Clemson(Cary, NC) W 1–0 vs. #8 Georgetown(Cary, NC) W 1–0 vs. North Carolina(Cary, NC) W 1–0 (OT) vs. #3 Indiana(Cary, NC)
Kentucky BYE W 2–0 vs. New Hampshire(Browns Summit NC) L 1–2 vs. #5 Wake Forest(Cary, NC)
Charlotte BYE T 1–1 (1–4 PKs) vs. North Carolina(Cary, NC)
W–L (%): 0–0–0 (–) 2–0–1 (.833) 0–1–1 (.250) 1–0–0 (1.000) 1–0–0 (1.000) 1–0–0 (1.000) Total: 5–1–2 (.750)

MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft was held on January 21, 2021 and was held virtually through its website.[5]

Total picks by school

Team Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Comp. Total
Charlotte 0 0 0 0 0
FIU 0 0 0 0 0
Florida Atlantic 0 0 0 0 0
Kentucky 1 0 0 0 1
Marshall 0 0 1 0 1
Old Dominion 0 0 0 0 0
South Carolina 0 0 0 0 0
UAB 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1 0 1 0 2

List of selections

RoundPick #MLS teamPlayerPositionCollegeRef
126Inter MiamiAimé MabikaDFKentucky[6]
377Sporting Kansas CityJamil RobertsFWMarshall[7]

Notes

  1. Match cancelled due to the February 2021 nor'easter.
  2. 1 2 Match postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

References

  1. "National Champions! Marshall Beats Indiana 1-0 In OT For College Cup Title" (Press release). Conference USA. May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Brackets" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. NCAA.org. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  3. "Spring 2021 C-USA Preseason Team & Poll Announced". Conference USA. January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. "Men's Team of the Week: September 22". Top Drawer Soccer. September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  5. "2021 SuperDraft Tracker". MLSSoccer.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  6. Geoghegan, Zack (January 21, 2021). "UK Soccer star Aimé Mabika selected by Inter Miami CF in first round of MLS SuperDraft". Kentucky Sports Radio. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  7. Goodwin, Jordan (January 21, 2021). "Sporting Kansas City adds defender, winger in 2021 MLS SuperDraft". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
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