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2020 Conference USA men's soccer season

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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)
C-USA men's soccer seasons
2021 →
2020 Conference USA men's soccer standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Marshall 6 0 1 13 2 3
No. 20 Charlotte + 6 1 0 6 3 2
No. 16 Kentucky + 3 3 1 12 5 2
FIU 3 3 1 4 4 1
Florida Atlantic 3 4 0 6 4 2
South Carolina 2 4 1 8 7 1
UAB 1 5 1 3 12 1
Old Dominion 0 4 3 1 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

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Previous season

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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

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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 Langan Charlotte (asst.) 9 98–38–24 (.688) 98–38–24 (.688) 42–10–13 (.746) 7 0 0
FIU Kevin Nylen Orlando City SC (scout) 4 19–12–4 (.600) 29–15–9 (.632) 21–6–7 (.721) 1 0 0
Florida Atlantic Joey Worthen South Carolina (asst.) 4 11–35–1 (.245) 11–35–1 (.245) 6–17–0 (.261) 0 0 0
Kentucky Johan Cedergren Dartmouth 9 141–77–34 (.627) 89–47–20 (.635) 39–16–9 (.680) 11 0 0
Marshall Chris Grassie Charleston (WV) 4 131–42–15 (.737) 32–22–7 (.582) 11–9–3 (.543) 1 0 0
Old Dominion Alan Dawson North Carolina (asst.) 24 376–177–52 (.664) 247–147–42 (.615) 29–22–4 (.564) 14 0 0
South Carolina Mark Berson The Citadel 42 514–259–75 (.650) 503–254–75 (.650) 55–47–19 (.533) 22 3 0
UAB Jeff Kinney Virginia Tech (asst.) 2 3–12–2 (.235) 3–12–2 (.235) 1–5–1 (.214) 0 0 0

Preseason

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Preseason poll

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

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

Preseason national rankings

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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

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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

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Matches

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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.

Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
September 17 7:00 p.m. Kentucky Notre Dame Alumni StadiumNotre Dame, IN L 0–1 1
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

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United Soccer Coaches

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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

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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

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Positions by round

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

Matches

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Preseason exhibitions

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
January 23 5:00 p.m. FIU UCF UCF Soccer and Track Stadium • Orlando, FL W 2–0 0
January 30 2:00 p.m. Liberty Charlotte Transamerica Field • Charlotte, NC T 1–1 0
January 30 5:00 p.m. FIU South Florida Corbett Soccer Stadium • Tampa, FL W 2–0 0
January 30 5:00 p.m. UAB Lipscomb Lipscomb Soccer Complex • Nashville, TN T 1-1[permanent dead link] 87
February 2 6:00 p.m. Charlotte Davidson Alumni Soccer Stadium • Davidson, NC Cancelled[a]
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
February 3 5:00 p.m. VCU Marshall Hoops Family Field • Huntington, WV Postponed[b]
February 3 6:00 p.m. North Florida Florida Atlantic FAU Soccer Stadium • Boca Raton, FL W 1–0 120
February 6 2:00 p.m. Old Dominion VCU Sports Backers Stadium • Richmond, VA Postponed
February 7 2:00 p.m. FIU Jacksonville Southern Oak Stadium • Jacksonville, FL Postponed[b]
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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 17 7:00 p.m. USC Upstate South Carolina Stone Stadium • Columbia, SC
February 19 2:00 p.m. Kentucky Duke Koskinen Stadium • Durham, NC
February 19 3:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Jacksonville Southern 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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
February 23 2:00 p.m. ETSU Marshall Hoops Family Field • Huntington, WV
February 24 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Florida Gulf Coast FGCU 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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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)

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Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance
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

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NCAA Tournament

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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

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

Total picks by school

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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

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Round Pick # MLS team Player Position College Ref
1 26 Inter Miami Aimé Mabika DF Kentucky [6]
3 77 Sporting Kansas City Jamil Roberts FW Marshall [7]

Notes

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

References

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  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. ^ a b c "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.