Tyler Ruthven Class: Junior Hometown: Alpharetta, Ga. Last College: San Francisco Height / Weight: 6-2 / 174 Position: Defender

• 2007 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year
• 2007 All-Conference USA Third Team
• 2007 NSCAA All-South Third Team
• 2007 Strength & Conditioning Award

2007
Started all 19 games for the Gamecock defense ... Named the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year ... Also garnered All-Conference USA Third-Team and NSCAA All-South Region Third-Team accolades ... Played the majority of the season at center back ... Key member of the defensive unit that allowed just 21 goals on the year, including a league-low seven goals during Conference USA play ... Helped the Gamecock defense record six total shutouts on the year ... Also contributed one goal, one assist and seven shots ... Collected an assist in 2-1 overtime win over Wofford (Sept. 11) ... Scored first collegiate goal in South Carolina's 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Davidson (Oct. 3) ... Shared the team's Strength & Conditioning Award with Mark Wiltse.

Pre-South Carolina
Transferred to South Carolina from the University of San Francisco ... Played in 19 matches and started 10 times as a true freshman at USF ... Recorded one assist ... Began his high school career at Roswell High School before moving on to Milton High School where he was a two-time team captain ... Played club soccer for the Concorde Fire Elite with fellow Gamecock junior Mario Burstein.

Personal
Born July 18. 1988 ... Played for the Colorado Rapids PDL team during the summer of 2008, leading the team in minutes played ... Parents are Dick and Sue Ruthven ... Father, Dick, was a Major League Baseball pitcher ... A sports management major ... Full name is Tyler John Ruthven.