Special to The New Chapin News
By Thomas Grant Jr.
The University of South Carolina made history Sunday, retiring its first-ever women’s soccer jersey at Stone Stadium. The honor went to Savannah McCaskill, a Chapin native and former Irmo High School standout whose number 7 jersey now joins an elite group of Gamecock legends.
The ceremony took place prior to Carolina’s home match against Texas A&M, celebrating McCaskill’s record-setting collegiate career and lasting impact on the Gamecock program.
“What I’m most proud of is the history we made as a team,” McCaskill said. “My freshman year, we went to our first ever Elite Eight, which was really special, and then my senior year making the Final Four after back-to-back SEC Championships was the cherry on top. It was a real honor to go to the Final Four and experience that.”
During her four years at Carolina, McCaskill helped redefine the women’s soccer program. She led the Gamecocks to SEC regular-season titles in 2016 and 2017, and to their first Elite Eight and College Cup appearances in school history.
She still holds multiple program records, including 45 points and 10 game-winning goals in 2016 — both single-season marks — while her 17 goals that year stood as a record until 2023. McCaskill ranks fourth all-time in goals (40), fourth in points (114), and second in assists (34).
A three-time First Team All-SEC and First Team All-American honoree, McCaskill was also recognized as SEC Freshman of the Year (2014) and SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2016, 2017).
“Shelley and Jamie Smith were a huge part of my success,” McCaskill said of her coaches. “They always held me and the team to a high standard and instilled the confidence that we could go as far as we wanted. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my pro career.”
After graduating in 2017 with a degree in exercise science and a minor in psychology, McCaskill was selected No. 2 overall in the 2018 NWSL Draft by the Boston Breakers. She has since played for several professional teams and currently competes with the San Diego Wave of the NWSL.
McCaskill said she was both humbled and surprised by the honor of having her jersey retired.
“I grew up a Clemson fan,” she admitted with a laugh. “But when I started looking at schools, I fell in love with Carolina. It checked every box for me—both for soccer and for life after soccer.”
She shared that the ceremony was made even more meaningful with her parents, Tina and Greg McCaskill, by her side.
“They sacrificed so much—driving an hour and a half each way for club training, traveling to tournaments, never missing a game,” she said. “This moment is as much for them as it is for me.”
Looking ahead, McCaskill says she may explore coaching or continue developing her nonprofit organization, Green Horizons Collective, which she co-founded to create positive community impact off the field.
(Photos from South Carolina athletics)
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