South-Carolina
What Shane Beamer hopes everyone takes away from South Carolina's time at SEC Media Days
There’s only so many true ways to really judge a football team. That’s through wins and losses and the product shown on the field.
But there are also other opportunities, not only limited to game action, where teams can show what they’re about.
After a 5-7 season last year, not everyone is super high on South Carolina in 2024. Not as much as they were heading into last season after the Gamecocks won eight games in 2022. The media picked them to finish 13th in the SEC standings for this upcoming season.
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From his vantage point, Shane Beamer knows last year was a disappointment. But more than a week removed from speaking at SEC Media Days in Dallas, he hopes people can see the potential in what the Gamecocks can bring to the table.
“I would hope that the message that came out from myself and the three players that were with me in Dallas last week is just the confidence we have right now in this team, the hunger that this team has, the joy that a lot of these guys have about being a part of this program, and how eager we are to get started,” said the fourth-year head coach at his annual Birdies with Beamer event on Thursday.
While in Dallas last week, Beamer fielded many questions about what’s going to change this year. He recognized why some aren’t bought into South Carolina in 2024. But that doesn’t really impact his thinking on what his team could do.
“I think that event’s always tough because I see you guys pretty much every week,” Beamer said. “But there’s a lot of guys that have not heard a thing that I’ve said since January, or really probably since November in a lot of ways. So it’s more of just kind of an update and here’s what’s going on in Columbia.”
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For 2024, Las Vegas has set the over/under for South Carolina wins at 5.5. The schedule is certainly tough, but it always is, especially in the SEC and with Oklahoma and Texas joining the conference.
Regardless of how anyone views South Carolina, Beamer still believes he has the team in place to get the job done. He harped on this last week in Dallas and continues to do so as the season approaches.
“We don’t base our decisions and our narrative based on what anyone on the outside thinks,” Beamer said. “There’s a confidence and hunger in our building. I think our guys are very eager to get to work and get out there and start competing on Aug. 1.”
A shark is swimming around a surfer in Aptos, California
Drone footage shows a large shark was seen swimming ominously close to a surfer sitting on his surfboard at Seascape Beach in Aptos, California.
As summer crowds return to South Carolina’s beaches, new data highlights how influential the Palmetto State is on America’s shark risk.
The state has 118 recorded historical shark attacks, the third‑highest total in the nation. Two unprovoked bites have already been reported in 2026, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
South Carolina remains one of the country’s most closely watched coastal hotspots where incidents from shark bites to lightning strikes are likely to occur. Myrtle Beach, in particular, stands out, as it ranks No. 14 overall in hazard risk and No. 2 nationally for shark‑bite risk.
How likely is a shark bite in Myrtle Beach?
The odds of a shark bite in Myrtle Beach are estimated at 1 in 720,000 during a two‑week trip, equivalent to a 0.00014% likelihood, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
Even with Myrtle Beach’s national ranking, the numbers make one thing clear: shark encounters remain pretty rare.
Has there ever been a fatal shark attack at a South Carolina beach?
Despite its high risk of recorded shark encounters, there has never been a confirmed or fatal unprovoked shark attack in South Carolina in modern history.
The only such incident on record dates all the way back to 1852 in Charleston Harbor, according to America Surf, a magazine dedicated to surfing.
Myrtle Beach is among America’s top shark hotspots
With new national rankings spotlighting Myrtle Beach as one of the country’s most closely watched shark hotspots.
Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study reveals it stems largely from the area’s intense swimmer density and environmental conditions.
With over 17 million visitors each year, Myrtle Beach does see an increase in accidental shark interactions. At the same time, the region’s warm, murky coastal waters create ideal shark-hunting conditions.
What types of sharks are at Myrtle Beach? Blacktips to bull sharks
As concerns about coastal safety rise each summer, understanding which sharks are actually responsible for bites in Myrtle Beach helps put the risk into perspective.
Most incidents in South Carolina involve small to medium coastal species, not large predators, according to americansurfmagazine.com
Along the beach, sharks most often linked to bites include blacktips, spinners, bull sharks, sandbar sharks, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks.
Reality of shark encounters in Myrtle Beach
Understanding why shark bites happen in Myrtle Beach helps make sense of the danger.
As reported by americansurfmagazine.com, most incidents aren’t aggressive attacks but quick, unintentional encounters driven by shark behavior.
Bites are typically unprovoked yet non‑aggressive, often involving single, rapid nips when a shark mistakes a hand, foot, or ankle for a small fish in the surf.
Juvenile sharks feeding in shallow, turbid water are the usual culprits, especially fast‑moving blacktips and spinners, which strike at baitfish near the shoreline and may accidentally contact swimmers.
Ways to reduce shark bite risk this beach season
As the summer beach season approaches, safety experts say that most shark encounters can be prevented with simple habits in the water.
According to the Florida Museum, ways to keep yourself and others safe include swimming in groups, staying close to shore, and avoiding the ocean during dawn, dusk, or nighttime, when sharks are most active.
It also means minimizing behaviors that attract attention, avoiding excess splashing, and steering clear of shiny jewelry or bright, high‑contrast clothing that resembles prey in murky waters.
Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball landed a potential starting infielder from the transfer portal.
Will Craddock, who played one season at South Carolina, committed to the Bulldogs on June 26.
“Hail State,” Craddock wrote on Instagram.
The freshman batted .260, leading the Gamecocks in home runs (10) and runs (36) while ranking third with 29 RBIs. In SEC play, his average dipped to .172 with two home runs, six RBIs and 14 runs.
Craddock primarily played first base, but also made starts at second base, third base and designated hitter. He started all three games against Mississippi State in April, batting 3-for-14 with a walk, no RBIs but two runs.
He was a standout player for T.L. Hanna in Anderson, South Carolina, and was the state’s 5A Player of the year in 2025. He hit .442 that season with eight doubles, 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases while ranked as the No. 26 player in South Carolina.
Mississippi State’s starting first baseman, Reed Stallman, is out of eligibility.
The transfer portal opened June 1 and closes June 30.
Mississippi State baseball transfer portal class
Craddock is the 10th transfer to commit to Mississippi State and the second South Carolina player, joining relief pitcher Zach Russell.
Other position players who are transferring to MSU include Georgia Southern catcher/outfielder Brady Christman, Samford outfielder Jake Souders, Army utility player Josiah Overbeek, South Dakota State third baseman Nolan Grawe, Oregon catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus and North Florida outfielder Carter White.
Twelve Mississippi State players have entered the transfer portal as of June 26, including relief pitcher Tyler Pitzer who committed to South Carolina.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
USA TODAY 250th anniversary travel guides and American stories
USA TODAY marks America’s 250th with travel guides, culture, history, and local stories.
As the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary, one of the efforts underway is America’s Time Capsule.
The time capsule project is led by America250 and meant to bring together carefully selected artifacts and documents from all 50 states, five U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, and each branch of the federal government.
This national project is designed to capture the story of the United States at this historic 250th birthday, according to America250.
Here’s what South Carolina contributed to the national project.
What did South Carolina put in the America250 time capsule?
South Carolina is marking the nation’s 250th anniversary by contributing two historic items to the national America’s Time Capsule project, according to America250.
As part of the SouthCarolina250, which is the state’s initiative for the U.S.’s 250th celebration, commemoration effort, the state has provided a commemorative challenge coin and an official SC250 lapel pin.
Both will be buried inside the capsule on July 4, along with items from other states. And it is set to be reopened 250 years later in 2276.
Where will the Americ250 time capsule be buried?
The ceremonial burial of America’s Time Capsule is set to take place at Independence National Historical Park, located at 599 Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 4, according to america250.org.
What else is in America’s 250th anniversary time capsule
As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, the national time capsule has been filled with items meant to capture the character and diversity of the country in this moment.
The collection spans a range of items, from archival letters and state proclamations to student work from the America’s Field Trip contest, uncirculated currency, and even pieces of national sports memorabilia.
Time capsule engineered to last centuries
As planners work to ensure America’s Time Capsule endures for the next two and a half centuries, engineers and archivists have focused heavily on long‑term preservation.
The capsule itself is a cylinder‑shaped stainless‑steel vessel, precision‑designed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in partnership with archival scientists at the Library of Congress, according to the Institute.
Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.
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