ATLANTA—The Georgia State men's soccer team plays its first match of the 2012 fall season when it travels to Columbia, S.C., to take on the reigning Conference-USA champions in South Carolina on Tuesday (7 p.m.).

The match is the first of two exhibition contests prior to the team's regular-season opener on Aug. 24. The Panthers host an exhibition match this Saturday, Aug. 18 vs. Southern Poly at the GSU Soccer Complex (7 p.m.).

Georgia State returns to the field following a rigorous preseason training camp hosted at the Jekyll Island Soccer Complex on Jekyll Island, which is just off the coast of Brunswick, Ga. The Panthers went through a preseason fitness test and numerous training exercises in preparation for the 2012 campaign.

The preseason camp helped welcome GSU's seven newcomers to a team that returns nine starters from last season. The Panthers are coming off a record-setting campaign in which they earned their first ever at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Brett Surrency enters his third year at the helm of the men's soccer program after leading the team to a 7-7-3 record in his first year and a 13-8-1 mark in last year's record-breaking season.

South Carolina is the preseason favorite to win the Conference-USA as announced by the conference last week. It was the first time in the history of the program the Gamecocks were selected as the preseason favorite in the Conference-USA. South Carolina returns this season following a 9-7-3 campaign in 2011 and brings back 15 letterwinners and seven starters from its 2011 NCAA Tournament squad. The Gamecocks are led by head coach Mark Berson who heads into his 35th season.

Fans can follow the match with live audio and live stats courtesy of GamecocksOnline.com. Check www.GeorgiaStateSports.com following the match for a recap and look ahead to Saturday's home exhibition match.

www.GeorgiaStateSports.com