Vicari Swain named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week

COLUMBIA, S.C. (September 8, 2025) – University of South Carolina punt returner Vicari Swain has been named the SEC co-Special Teams Player of the Week for the second-straight week, the conference office announced today.

Swain, a 6-1, 190-pound redshirt sophomore from Carrollton, Ga., took back-to-back punts to the house against South Carolina State, the first from 65-yards out in the second quarter to get the Gamecocks on the board, then again from 42 yards away less than two minutes later to give Carolina some breathing room. The Gamecocks would post a 38-10 win over their in-state rivals from Orangeburg.

More notes on Swain:

* Swain became the first Gamecock in history to return two punts (or kicks of any kind) for touchdowns in a game.

* With a punt return for a TD in the opener against Virginia Tech, Swain now has three punt returns for touchdowns this season, tying the single-season school record, set by Dick Harris in 1971.

* Swain became the first player in Division I to return two punts in a game for touchdowns since Daequan Hardy of Penn State (vs UMass) in 2023.

* Swain has three punt returns for touchdowns this season. The other 15 SEC schools have combined for one (Texas A&M).

* Swain has tied Ace Sanders (2010-12) for second on the school’s career mark for most punt returns for touchdowns with three, one behind Harris (1969-71).

* The three punt returns marked the most in a season in FBS since Washington’s Dante Pettis returned three in 2017.

Swain and the No. 11/10 Gamecocks (2-0) host Vanderbilt (2-0) on Saturday, Sept. 13. Game time for the SEC opener is set for 7:45 pm at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia and the game will be televised on SEC Network with Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic on the call.