<P> Students tend to socialize off campus in Five Points and the Congaree Vista . Both of these areas are within walking distance of campus and offer restaurants, bars, cafés, and a variety of local entertainment . </P> <P> Lake Murray and the three rivers (Saluda River, Broad River, and Congaree River) around Columbia offer students many recreational activities . The South Carolina coast--Charleston, SC, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head--is only a 1.5 to 2 hour drive for additional recreational activities . </P> <P> The university offers club, intramural, and varsity sports . Its 19 varsity sports teams compete in the Southeastern Conference (except for men's soccer which competes in Conference USA and women's sand volleyball which competes as an independent) and are known as the Gamecocks . The Gamecocks have won ten national team championships: 2017 NCAA Championship in women's basketball; 2010 & 2011 NCAA Championships in baseball; 2002 NCAA Championship in women's outdoor track & field; 2005, 2007, and 2015 National Championships in women's equestrian; and 2005, 2006, and 2007 Hunt Seat National Championships in women's equestrian . Also, the men's and women's track & field teams have produced many NCAA individual champions, world championship medalists, and Olympic medalists . The baseball and basketball teams have also produced Olympic medalists . Other significant accomplishments include 2010 SEC Eastern Division Champions in football, NCAA runner - up four times in women's track & field (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005), NCAA runner - up four times in baseball (1975, 1977, 2002, 2012), 1993 NCAA runner - up in men's soccer, 2005 & 2006 NIT champions in men's basketball, and the 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers . See the grid at the main article for other championships . </P> <P> Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement, convocation, and athletic games are: The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way, the USC fight song and We Hail Thee Carolina, the university's alma mater . </P>

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