The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
South Carolina
10.17.2026 | Soccer
Longhorns host Gamecocks for first time in program history
#6/17 SOUTH CAROLINA VS. TEXAS
Date: Oct. 18, 2026
Where: Mike A. Myers Stadium
Time: 12 p.m.
TV: SEC Network+
Live stats: texas.statbroadcast.com
THE MATCHUP — For the first time in program history, Texas welcomes No. 6/17 South Carolina to Mike A. Myers Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The two sides have met three times on the pitch, with the Gamecocks holding a narrow 2-1 advantage. Last season, South Carolina earned a win on its home soil. Meanwhile, Texas defeated the Gamecocks, 1-0, in the 2024 SEC Tournament Championship Game. The Longhorns and Gamecocks first squared off in 2011.
LAST TIME OUT — Texas scored four goals in a Southeastern Conference match for the first time since joining the league, as the Longhorns dominated LSU, 4-1, at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Thursday night. Four different Longhorns found the back of the net against the Tigers, sparked by Caroline Swann's first career goal. With Texas in transition, Sadie Hoch played a through ball ahead to Ava McDonald near the 18-yard box. McDonald created space before flicking a no-look pass to Swann, who bent a left-footed strike past the LSU goalkeeper in the 21st minute. After assisting on the first goal, McDonald doubled the lead with her fifth tally of the season. Mya Brandon lobbed a ball over the Tigers' backline and McDonald burst into the box. After a dribble, the sophomore slung a right-footed rocket into the bottom left corner to put Texas ahead, 2-0, in the 40th minute. The Longhorns padded their two-goal cushion with a strike in the opening moments of the second half. Off a free kick from 25 yards out, Amalia Villarreal lined a service into the six-yard box. Audrey Bryant soared and buried a header for her career-best third goal of the campaign. LSU chipped at Texas' advantage in the 64th minute but wouldn't get any closer. With the Longhorns nearing goal, the Tigers were whistled for a handball to set up a penalty kick. Villarreal stepped to the spot and drilled her team-high eighth goal to cap off the offensive output in the 70th minute.
LOCK IT DOWN — The Longhorns have been one of the strongest defensive teams nationally into the heart of conference play. Under one of the best defensive minds in collegiate soccer, Margueritte Bates' club has drawn its opponents offside 32 times in the last eight matches. Across their first six contests, the Longhorns forced their opposition offside on just seven occasions. As of Oct. 17, Texas has outscored its opponents, 28-14, while yielding just 4.5 shots on target per match. For only the third time in program history, Texas posted five clean sheets through its first seven matches. The 2026 squad is just the second Texas team to have allowed a school-best one tally through four contests alongside the 2008 squad. Meanwhile, senior Bayliss Flynn became just the second Longhorn goalkeeper to record back-to-back shutouts in their first two starts at Texas in the program's illustrious 33-year history, joining Dana Hall in 2003.
THE VILLARREAL DEAL — A two-time All-SEC Second Team honoree, Amalia Villarreal has become a stalwart for the Longhorns during her three years on The Forty Acres. Across 54 career matches, the junior has notched 62 points. Villarreal has scored 25 times and dished out 12 assists, delivering at least eight tallies in all three campaigns. The Lansing, Mich., native is just the sixth Longhorn to record at least 25 goals in their first three seasons in burnt orange, joining Trinity Byars (47), Kelly McDonald (38), Kelsey Carpenter (29), Kelly Wilson (28) and Carol Finch (27). As of Oct. 17, she is tied for the fifth-most goals (8) and points (18) in the SEC. This fall, Villarreal picked up where she left off a season ago, tying the second-longest goal-scoring streak (five matches) in program history, matching Niki Arlitt (Sept. 14-28, 2007), Byars (Oct. 13-30, 2022) and Lexi Missimo (Oct. 10-27, 2024). Last year, she registered the seventh-most goals per game (0.47) in the SEC. Villarreal came off the pitch for 16 total minutes in 2025, etching her name in the program's record book along the way. Against Vanderbilt on Sept. 26, the Lansing, Mich., earned the No. 7 spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays on her first goal of the evening. With 10 seconds left in the tilt, Villarreal slotted a penalty kick, which marked the latest regulation goal to win a match in program history. As a rookie in 2024, she was tabbed the SEC Freshman of the Year. In conference action, she led all freshmen with 14 points, collecting five goals and four assists. Overall, Villarreal was one of just four SEC players with at least nine tallies and eight assists, joining teammate Lexi Missimo, Arkansas' Ava Tankersley and South Carolina's Catherine Barry.
HOME SWEET HOME — Texas owns a 48-14-10 (.736) record at Mike A. Myers Stadium since the start of the 2020 season. The Longhorns have managed to win double-digit contests at home in three of the last four years, highlighted by a 10-1-2 campaign in 2024. Overall, Texas has posted a 201-65-29 (.731) ledger at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
