The York County Soccer Hall of Fame will induct five people into its Class of 2026 on Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Courtyard by Marriott at Kingsley, 1385 Broadcloth St. in Fort Mill.
The class includes a longtime Rock Hill referee, a Wofford College All-American who came out of Fort Mill High School, a record-setting goalkeeper from Nation Ford High School, a University of South Carolina captain from Northwestern High School and a Fort Mill High alumna who went on to play professionally. The inductees are George Cobbina, Nick Schuermann, Ellen Bright Borland, Vance Benson II and Taylor Parker McDowell.
The Clover High School boys soccer team will also be recognized as a Team of Distinction after winning the SCHSL state championship in May. The hall gives that honor to York County teams that win a state, regional or national title.
Founded in 2019, the hall honors players, coaches, referees, administrators and teams whose contributions to soccer in York County merit recognition. According to the organization, its founders intended it to promote the sport locally and give younger players role models from their own communities.
The Class of 2026
Cobbina is being honored for nearly two decades of officiating and referee development. He began refereeing in Rock Hill in 2007, became a certified referee mentor in 2021 and was a founding member of the Rock Hill Referee Association, where he has held several leadership roles. He now serves as South Carolina Referees Area Referee Administrator and has worked six SCHSL state championship crews.
Schuermann was a four-year starter and three-year captain at Fort Mill High School before starting every match of his college career at Wofford College, where he captained the team for three seasons. He earned NSCAA Third Team All-American and NSCAA First Team Scholar All-American honors. He later returned to Fort Mill High as a coach with the school’s state championship program.
Borland played for several top club programs and represented South Carolina in the Olympic Development Program. At Nation Ford High School, she earned multiple All-State and All-Region honors and was named Region Player of the Year in 2012. She went on to rank among the top goalkeepers in University of South Carolina Upstate history and has since coached goalkeepers at the high school level and in college camps.
Benson led Northwestern High School in Rock Hill to several deep playoff runs, including a state championship, and earned All-State honors with the Trojans. At the University of South Carolina, he captained the Gamecocks to a Conference USA regular-season title and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
McDowell won multiple state, regional and showcase titles with Charlotte Soccer Club and the South Carolina Olympic Development Program. At Fort Mill High School, she earned back-to-back All-State honors and was named Region III Player of the Year in 2010. She played college soccer at the University of Kentucky and High Point University, earning NCAA All-Region recognition and several First Team All-Big South selections. As a professional with the Carolina Cobras, she scored the goal that sent the club to the W League national championship.
Ceremony details
The evening opens with a cocktail hour and meet and greet at 6 p.m., with a cash bar. A dinner buffet follows at 6:45 p.m., and induction speeches and the Team of Distinction recognition begin at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $55 and are sold through the hall’s website at yorkcountysoccerhof.com. Groups can reserve a full table by purchasing 10 tickets. All sales are final.
Charlotte Independence Soccer Club is the event’s title sponsor and has committed to that role through 2028. Nominations for future classes, including players, coaches, managers, referees and administrators, can be submitted through the hall’s website. Sponsorship inquiries go to [email protected].
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Associate Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
