The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy (the university officially approves both terms). The program participates in the Pacific-12 Conference and has won 117 team national championships, 95 of which are NCAA National Championships.[2] USC's cross-town rival is UCLA, with whom there is fierce athletic and scholastic competition. However, USC's rivalry with Notre Dame predates the UCLA rivalry by three years. The Notre Dame rivalry stems mainly from the annual football game played between these two universities and is considered the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football.[3][4][5][6][7]
- The Trojans have won 117 team national championships, 95 of which are NCAA National Championships. This is the third highest count of all universities.
- The Trojan men have won 94 national championships (81 NCAA titles), more than any other University.[2]
- The Women of Troy have earned 23 national championships (14 NCAA titles), third in the nation.[2]
- The Trojans won at least 1 national team title in 26 consecutive years (1959–60 to 1984–85).
- USC won the National College All-Sports Championship an annual ranking by USA Today of the country’s top athletic programs — 6 times since its inception in 1971.
- Trojan men athletes have won more individual NCAA titles (302) than those from any other school in the nation and the Women of Troy have brought home another 55 individual NCAA crowns for a combined 357 individual NCAA championships.
- Four Trojans have won the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in America: diver Sammy Lee (1953), shot putter Parry O’Brien (1959), swimmer John Naber (1977) and swimmer Janet Evans (1989).
- Two Trojans have won the Honda-Broderick Cup as the top collegiate woman athlete of the year: Cheryl Miller (1983–84) and Angela Williams (2001–02). And Trojan women have won 8 Honda Awards, as the top female athlete in their sport.
- USC has a reputation and long tradition of nurturing Olympic athletes. From the 1904 Summer Olympics through the 2004 games, 415 Trojan athletes have competed in the Games, taking home 122 gold medals (with at least 1 gold in every summer Olympics since 1912), 76 silver and 60 bronze.
- There have been more Trojans in the Olympics than from any other university in the world - if USC were its own nation in the Olympics, it would rank tied for 8th in the world in total gold medals earned.[1].
- While a student, Rebecca Soni won an Olympic gold medal for swimming the 200m breaststroke during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, setting a world record. She also received a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke and the 4x100m Medley Relay.
- Football (11) - 1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004
- Baseball (12) - 1948, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1998
- Gymnastics (1) - 1962
- Swimming & Diving (9) - 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
- Tennis (20) - 1946, 1951, 1955, 1958, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1976, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
- Track & Field (26) - 1926, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1976
- Indoor Track & Field (2) - 1967, 1972
- Volleyball (6) - 1949*, 1950*, 1977, 1980, 1988, 1990
- Water Polo (7) - 1998, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
94 (81 NCAA) Total Men's Titles[2]
* Indicates non-NCAA championship (not including football titles, which are all non-NCAA)
- Basketball (2) - 1983, 1984
- Swimming & Diving (1) - 1997
- Tennis (7) - 1977* (2), 1978*, 1979*, 1980*, 1983, 1985
- Track & Field (1) - 2001
- Volleyball (6) - 1976*, 1977*, 1980*, 1981, 2002, 2003
- Water Polo (3) - 1999*, 2004, 2010
- Golf (2) - 2003, 2008
- Soccer (1) - 2007
23 (14 NCAA) Total Women's Titles[2]
* indicates non-NCAA championship
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USC Trojans Football started in 1888 and has amassed an all-time win-loss record of 793–313–54, giving the program a .706 winning percentage. A December 1998 SPORT magazine ranking listed USC as the No. 4 all-time college football program of the 20th century. In 2009 ESPN ranked USC the second best program in college football history.
The USC Football team has been voted National Champions 11 times.[8] USC is also known for its Heisman Trophy winners. USC is second in Heisman winners at 6. Reggie Bush was USC's 4th Heisman Trophy winner but he relinquished the trophy, thereby giving USC a total of 6. Three of the four Heisman winners from 2002 to 2005 were Trojans - Carson Palmer (now with the Oakland Raiders) in 2002, Matt Leinart (drafted by the Arizona Cardinals) in 2004 and Reggie Bush in 2005 (now with the Miami Dolphins).[9] Four other Trojan tailbacks have won the coveted Heisman Trophy as college football’s outstanding player: Mike Garrett in 1965, O.J. Simpson in 1968, Charles White in 1979 and Marcus Allen in 1981. Also notable, USC has the most players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 4. USC's record against opponents from the old Pac-10 is 367–153–29 (.695), and the Trojans have winning records against all nine other members. As of 2011, 473 Trojans have been taken in the NFL Draft, more than any other university.[10]
Since 1959, the Trojans have won the conference championship 18 times and tied for the title on 6 other occasions. USC has the nation’s best bowl winning percentage (.660) among the 65 schools which have made at least 10 bowl appearances and its 3 Rose Bowl appearances is an all-time best.[11] USC players have been named first team All-American 17 times, with 8 consensus selections and 2 unanimous choices. [2]
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USC Trojans Baseball has a notable history in baseball: With 12 baseball national championships, Troy is far and away the leader in that category (no other school has more than 6). Since starting baseball in 1924, the Trojans have compiled a record of 2,221-1,093-15 (.669) against college opponents, and have captured outright or tied for 38 conference championships. USC's most notable baseball coach was Rod Dedeaux, coaching from 1942–86, who led the school to 11 of its NCAA crowns, including 5 straight from 1970-74.
USC boasts many successful major leaguers such as Ron Fairly, Don Buford, Tom Seaver, Dave Kingman, Fred Lynn, Roy Smalley, Steve Kemp, Mark McGwire, Randy Johnson, Bret Boone, Jeff Cirillo, Barry Zito, Geoff Jenkins, Kent Hadley, Aaron Boone, Jacque Jones and Mark Prior. In all, 100 Trojans have gone on to play in the major leagues and scores more in the minors. [3]
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The men's USC Trojans Basketball program has a long tradition. The men's program is only one of about 48 schools which have more than 1,000 victories in college basketball. Since starting basketball in 1907, the Trojans have compiled a record of 1,357–984 (.580), winning 14 league championships. Recently, the 2007 team set a school record for most wins in a season and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament.[4] The University recently announced major sanctions over player OJ Mayo's receipt of improper benefits during the 2007-2008 season. Notably, USC has vacated all regular season wins during that season, dropping their record for the 2007-2008 season to 1-32.[12]
The Galen Center. Notice the Los Angeles Skyline viewable through the north windows.
The women's USC Trojans Basketball program, after improving steadily, first reached the pinnacle of success in women’s basketball in 1983 and the Trojans have been near the top almost ever since, winning 2 national championships and playing in 4 Final Fours.
The Women of Troy have made the NCAA tourney 6 of the past 14 years, including advancing to the regionals 3 times. Lisa Leslie, who became an Olympic and pro star, won the Naismith Award in 1994 (she was the MVP of the first WNBA All-Star Game). Tina Thompson was the No. 1 pick in the 1997 WNBA draft. Cynthia Cooper was twice an Olympian and WNBA MVP. In 2009, USC hired Mary Wooley as their assistant coach for women's basketball. [5]
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The men's volleyball team has made 11 NCAA Final Four appearances since scholarships were first awarded by Troy in the sport in 1977. The Trojans have won 4 NCAA titles (1977, 1980, 1988 and 1990) and have finished second on 6 other occasions (1979-81-85-86-87-91).
Ernie Hix, who retired as head coach after the 1981 season, turned USC into one of the top volleyball powers in the nation. Hix’s 8-year record was an impressive 146-47 (.756) with 2 national crowns.
Twenty-four Trojans have played on the U.S. National team and USC volleyballers have been named first team All-Americans 27 times. In the 1984 Olympics, Steve Timmons, Dusty Dvorak and Pat Powers all helped lead the United States to its first gold medal ever in the sport, while Timmons repeated with the 1988 U.S. squad.
Timmons, Bryan Ivie, Nick Becker and Dan Greenbaum won bronze medals with the U.S. in 1992. Tim Hovland, Celso Kalache, Adam Johnson, former coach Bob Yoder (a 3-time All-American who coached Troy to an NCAA title in 1988), Donald Suxho and Brook Billings also are key figures in USC’s volleyball heritage. Jim McLaughlin took over for Yoder in 1990 and led Troy to an NCAA title in his initial year. Powers became head coach in 1997, Turhan Douglas succeeded him in 2003 and Bill Ferguson took over in 2007.
USC Volleyball has won 6 national championships, 3 in NCAA (1981, 2002, 2003) and 3 before the NCAA sponsored women's Volleyball Championships the first 4 under coach Chuck Erbe. Erbe, who dominated the sport during his 12-year USC coaching tenure which began in 1976, posted a career record of 310-121-3 (.718). He coached the 1976, 1977 and 1980 AIAW champions and the 1981 NCAA titlists. His 1976 team registered the first perfect season (38-0) in women’s volleyball history.
Lisa Love, who coached at Texas-Arlington for 7 years, took over for Erbe in 1989 and guided USC into the NCAAs in 9 of her 10 seasons before retiring after the 1998 season. Jerritt Elliott served as interim head coach in 1999 and 2000, guiding the 2000 club to the NCAA Final Four. Mick Haley, head coach of the 2000 U.S. women's Olympic team who won 2 national crowns in the 1980s while at Texas, took over in 2001 and advanced to that season's NCAA regional final. Then, in 2002 and 2003, his teams won the NCAA crown, with the 2003 club going 35-0. USC also made the NCAA Final Four in 2004, 2007, and 2010.
In 1978, Debbie Green won the Honda Sports Award for volleyball. Trojans have been named All-American 55 times and 13 have been members of the U.S. Olympic team (including Green, Sue Woodstra, Paula Weishoff, Carolyn Becker, Kim Ruddins, and Nicole Davis). 2008 graduate Asia Kaczor played for the Poland indoor national team at the 2008 Olympics, while 2006 alum Bibiana Candelas represented her native country, Mexico in beach volleyball.
Legendary coach Stan Wood (1955–79) compiled a career record of 462-37 (.926) and won 14 conference championships. He also guided the Trojans to an NCAA record 51 consecutive dual match wins from 1956-59. His teams finished third in the NCAA tourney 6 times. Ron Rhoads a former USC all-American golfer coached from 1980-1983. Under coach Randy Lein (1984–92), USC continued its success, winning the conference championship in 1986. The 1991 Trojans finished seventh at the NCAAs. U.S. Amateur champion Sam Randolph, who finished as low amateur at the prestigious Masters golf tournament in 1985 and 1986, was a first team All-American for the third straight year in 1986 and was named college golf’s Player of the Year.
Former team captain Jim Empey took over as coach in 1993. Kurt Schuette became coach in 1995 and guided USC to an impressive fifth place finish at the NCAA tourney that season, Troy's best placing in 18 years, and then ninth in 1996, 14th in both 1997 and 2003 and sixth in 2005. His 2001 squad won the Pac-10 title, USC's first since 1986, and Troy repeated in 2002. Kevin Stadler, Craig's son, was the 2002 Pac-10 Golfer of the Year (USC's first honoree since 1986).
The USC women’s golf team is one of college’s finest, as witnessed by the program's first-ever NCAA team title in 2003 and their second in 2008. USC also has had second (twice), third, fourth (twice), fifth, seventh (3 times), ninth, 11th, 12th and 14th place finishes at the NCAA Championships in the past 21 years. The Women of Troy won the Pac-10 tourney in 1989 and the NCAA Regional in 1999 and 2006. Cathy Bright led USC to 5 Top 10 NCAA finishes in her 12 years as head coach (1982–93). Former Trojan player Renee (Mack) Baumgartner returned as head coach in 1994 and led USC to second place at the NCAAs in her first year. Andrea Gaston took over in 1997 (with men's coach Kurt Schuette serving as Director of Golf) and guided USC to 6 NCAA Top 10 finishes, including the 2003 NCAA title.
Jennifer Rosales won the 1998 NCAA individual title as a freshman, Mikaela Parmlid won as a senior in 2003 and Dewi-Claire Schreefel as a sophomore in 2006. Other top individuals have included Marta Figueras-Dotti, Denise Strebig, Kim Saiki, Tracy Nakamura, Jill McGill (the 1993 U.S. Amateur champion), Heidi Voorhees (the 1993 U.S. Amateur medalist), Jennifer Biehn (the 1994 Pac-10 champ), Candie Kung (the 2000 Pac-10 champ), Becky Lucidi (the 2002 U.S. Amateur and 2003 Mexican Amateur champion) and Irene Cho.
USC captured the 2008 NCAA Women's Golf Championship at the par 72, 6,424-yard (5,874 m) University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course. The Trojans won the event by six-strokes over UCLA and claimed their first women's golf national championship since 2003.
The women’s rowing team, based at the USC Boathouse, has been active since the early 1970s, but scholarships were first awarded in 1998 and USC has emerged as one of the nation's top programs. The varsity, junior varsity and novice eight teams train all year long for regattas from coast to coast. George Jenkins guided USC to national prominence during his 9 years as head coach (1994–2002). Kelly Babraj took over as head coach for the 2003 season, with husband Zenon Babraj serving as director of rowing.
At the 1998 NCAA meet, the Women of Troy rowers [Lisa Bartoli (c), Evalina Boteva, Annelisa Gross, Kasey Ryan, Rebecca Moneymaker] captured their first-ever national championship race in the varsity four+. In 2005, USC made its first-ever NCAA Championships appearance as a team, placing 11th.
The women's soccer team began competing in 1993 and calls McAlister Soccer Field home. Karen Stanley coached the team for the first three seasons. Jim Millinder took over in 1996 and guided seven of his squads (1998–2003) into the NCAA tourney (USC won the 1998 Pac-10 title).
Isabelle Harvey, the 1998 Pac-10 Player of the Year, was USC's first All-American first teamer (in 2000).
On December 7, 2007, 2-seed USC defeated 1-seed UCLA by a score of 2-1 to reach the College Cup final for the first time in its history. USC had never previously passed the second round in the NCAA tournament before the 2007-2008 season. The Trojans won the national title on December 9, 2007, with a 2-0 win over Florida State University.
The type of dominance USC has had in this sport was best exemplified by Troy's performance in the 1976 Olympic Games, when Trojan swimmers won more golds and more total medals than any country in swimming except the United States.
Over the years, USC men's swimmers have made Olympic teams 122 times, winning 38 gold, 23 silver and 18 bronze medals.[13] Gold medal winners have included Lenny Krayzelburg, John Naber, Bruce Furniss and Murray Rose.
Since beginning swimming in 1929, the Trojans have captured 9 NCAA championships, all under coach Peter Daland, who retired in 1992 after 35 years at Troy. USC swimmers and divers have won 110 NCAA meet individual and relay titles (including Erik Vendt, who won 5 individual titles in the 2000, 2002 and 2003 meets) and have earned All-American honors an amazing 562 times. Under Daland, USC won 17 Pac-10 championships and amassed an impressive dual meet record of 318-31-1 (.917). Three of his last 6 squads had runner-up finishes at the NCAA meet.
Four-time U.S. Olympic coach Mark Schubert, winner of 2 NCAA titles with the Texas women, succeeded Daland (he also served as the head coach of the Women of Troy). His men's teams placed in the Top-10 at the NCAAs 12 times in his 14 years at USC. Dave Salo was named head coach following for Schubert in both roles in 2007.
USC has likewise built a successful swimming program on the women’s side. In fact, the Women of Troy have finished in the top 10 nationally 25 of the last 30 years — including winning the NCAA title in 1997 — and have produced 233 All-Americans in that span. They have won conference championships in 1979, 1980, 1982 and 1985.
Among USC’s more famous women’s swimmers are Michelle Ford, Sue Habernigg, Cynthia Woodhead, Sue Hinderaker, Debbie Rudd, Kalyn Keller, Kristine Quance (she won 9 NCAA titles), Lindsay Benko (who won 5 NCAA titles), Kaitlin Sandeno (she won 2 races at the 2003 NCAAs) and diver Blythe Hartley (she won 5 NCAA titles).
George Toley (1954–80) guided the Trojans for 26 years before resigning during the 1980 season. His career record was 430-92-4 (.821) with 10 NCAA titles. Dick Leach succeeded Toley and posted a 535-133 (.801) mark in 23 years. His 1991, 1993, 1994 and 2002 teams won the NCAA tourney (his 2002 No. 11-seeded Cinderella team was the lowest seed ever to win the NCAA title and did so a month after Leach announced his retirement) and 8 of his other teams finished fourth or better. He was succeeded by ex-Pepperdine, Fresno State and Long Beach State coach Peter Smith for the 2003 season. His 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 teams have won the National Championship.
Overall, USC players have been named to All-American teams 137 times, with many also enjoying successful pro careers, including International Tennis Hall of Famers Stan Smith, Rafael Osuna, Alex Olmedo and Dennis Ralston, as well as Bob Lutz, Raul Ramirez, Butch Walts and Joaquin Loyo Mayo.
Those national crowns all came under Dave Borelli, who coached USC from 1974 to 1988. In duals, Borelli’s record was phenomenal: his teams went 300-43 (.875).
Five times Trojans have won national singles titles, along with a doubles champ and 74 All-Americans. Prominent USC stars have included Barbara Hallquist, Diane Desfor, Lea Antonopolis, Leslie Allen, Sheila McInerney, Stacy Margolin, Trey Lewis, Anna Maria Fernandez, Cecelia Fernandez Parker, Kelly Henry, Beth Herr, Caroline Kuhlman, Trisha Laux, Jewel Peterson and Lindsey Nelson.
Cheryl Woods, a former Trojan player, took over for Borelli in 1989. Richard Gallien, a successful player and coach at Pepperdine, became head coach in 1996. His 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 teams advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals and he got to the NCAA semifinals in 2006.
The Trojans have won an unprecedented 26 NCAA titles (including 9 straight, 1935–43) in the 85-year history of NCAA outdoor track, plus 2 indoor NCAA titles and 35 Pacific Coast or Pac-10 crowns, including a string of 15 straight (1936–55). They have had 39 unbeaten and untied seasons, including a string of 16 in a row (1946–61). Since starting track and field in 1900, USC has compiled a dual-meet record of 410-116-4 (.777).
Outstanding coaches include Dean Cromwell (1909–48), who won a record 12 NCAA titles and had a dual meet mark of 109-48-1; Jess Mortensen, who never lost a dual meet (64-0) in 11 years and won 7 NCAA titles; and Vern Wolfe, who retired after the 1984 season with 7 national titles and a dual meet record of 106-17-1 (.859). Jim Bush, who won 5 NCAA titles while at crosstown rival UCLA, became USC's head coach in 1991. His 1992 Trojans finished third at the NCAAs with only a 6-man team. Ron Allice, who won 11 state titles at Long Beach City College, took over the combined men's and women's programs in 1995 (the men were fourth at the 1995 NCAA meet, 10th in 1996, third in 1997 while winning the Pac-10 title, seventh in 1998, fifth in 1999 while winning the Pac-10 crown, tied for seventh in 2000 while winning the Pac-10 title, tied for 12th in 2001, tied for 11th in 2002, third in 2003 while winning the Pac-10 title, sixth in 2005 while winning the NCAA West Regional crown and tied for ninth in 2006 while winning the Pac-10 and NCAA West Regional meets).
Sixty USC tracksters have won 88 places on U.S. Olympic teams over the years. Trojans have won 26 individual Olympic titles and shared in 8 relay wins. Gold medal winners include long jumper Randy Williams, pole vaulter Bob Seagren, sprinter Charles Paddock, sprinter Quincy Watts and hurdler Felix Sanchez.
Since 1912, 61 USC trackmen have equalled or bettered world records, and there have been 110 NCAA outdoor individual or relay winners from Troy—including 2005 and 2006 NCAA high jump champ Jesse Williams (he also won indoors both years).
The Trojans also have a long history of successful distance running, including 9 Olympians and NCAA champions Julio Marin and Ole Oleson.
The women’s track program at USC has developed into one of the nation’s finest. The Trojans have placed in the Top 10 of the NCAA Championships 12 times, including winning the program's first-ever NCAA team title in 2001. The Women of Troy also finished third in 1987, seventh in 1996 (while winning the Pac-10 title), fifth in 1998, third in 1999 (just 4 points from first place), second in 2000 (again just 4 points out of first place), third in 2002, seventh in 2005 and second in 2006 (while winning the NCAA West Regional title).
The women’s track and field heritage begins with Sherry Calvert, the former head coach. Calvert, a 4-time All-American javelin thrower at USC who participated in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics, started the program as an undergraduate and coached through 1983. Fred LaPlante succeeded her from 1984 through 1988. Barbara Edmonson was coach in 1992 through 1994. In 1995, Ron Allice took over as the combined men's and women's coach.
Troy has had many other successful track and field athletes. Patty Van Wolvelaere won a pair of national titles in the 100-meter hurdles. Kerry Bell was an All-American heptathlete for 3 years. 1988 NCAA heptathlon champion Wendy Brown and Yvette Bates set world bests in the triple jump during their USC careers. Ashley Selman won the 1990 NCAA javelin title. Angela Williams became the first athlete, male or female, at any level to win 4 consecutive NCAA 100-meter dashes when she did so in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. Natasha Danvers won the 2000 NCAA 400-meter intermediate hurdles. The Women of Troy won the NCAA 1600-meter relay in 1987 and the 400-meter relay in 2000. Brigita Langerholc took the 800 meters and Inga Stasiulionyte captured the javelin, both in the 2001 NCAAs. Natasha Mayers won the NCAA 200 meters in 2002. Virginia Powell won the 2005 and 2006 NCAA indoor and outdoor high hurdles (she also set the collegiate record in the outdoor race).
The Women of Troy also compete in cross country in the fall under coach Tom Walsh.
Since starting water polo in 1922, the Trojans have compiled a 984-492-7 (.666) record, winning 14 conference championships along the way.
Longtime coach John Williams led the Trojans to national prominence since during his tenure from 1973 to 1998. Nineteen of his last 22 teams finished the season in the top 7 nationally, including the 1998 NCAA championship team and the 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997 squads which placed second in the NCAA tourney.
Jovan Vavic, who joined as co-head coach in 1995, took over as head coach in 1999. His 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 teams won the NCAA championship. With their 2011 victory, the Trojans became the first men's water polo team to win four consecutive championships. The 2008 team had a perfect 29-0 season.
Seventeen USC poloists have participated in the Olympics and Trojans have made various All-American teams 140 times. Some of the more prominent names in USC water polo history are Ron Severa, Wally Wolf, Charles Bittick, Greg Fink, Greg Fults, Zach Stimson, Craig Furniss, Charles Harris, Robert Lynn, Drew Netherton, Hrvoje Cizmic, Marko Zagar, Simun Cimerman, Marko Pintaric, George Csaszar, Pedraj Damjanov, Bozidar Damjanovic and Juraj Zatovic (who in 2005 was USC's first-ever male winner of the Peter J. Cutino Award as the National Player of the Year).
USC’s newest sport, the women's water polo team began play in 1995 under head coach Jovan Vavic. In 1999, in just their fifth year of existence, the Women of Troy—led by National Player of the Year and 2000 U.S. Olympic goalie Bernice Orwig—won the national championship in an exciting 5-overtime sudden death victory over Stanford. USC then was second in the national tourney in 2000. Then in 2004, USC—behind National Player of the Year Moriah Van Norman—turned in the sport's first undefeated season (29-0) in winning the NCAA title. USC was third in the 2005 NCAAs and second in 2006, 2008, and 2009 (losing to UCLA, 5-4).
Besides Orwig and Van Norman, other top players have included Aniko Pelle (the 2000 National Player of the Year), Nina Wengst, Olympian Sofia Konoukh, Katrin Dierolf, Kelly Graff, Lauren Wenger (the 2006 National Player of the Year) and Brittany Hayes.
Current Women of Troy Hayes, Erika Figge, Patty Cardenas, and Kami Craig, along with Van Norman and Wenger, are all on the U.S. National Team, while alumnae Anna Pardo and Eszter Gyori play for Spain and Czech Republic, respectively.
On May 16, 2010, the Women of Troy became the 2010 NCAA National Champions after a 10-9 defeat of #1 Stanford at Aztec Aquaplex on the campus of San Diego State University. This is the school's third Women's water polo national title.
The Victory Bell is the rivalry trophy in the USC-UCLA crosstown rivalry. The winner of the annual football contest keeps the bell for the next year, and paints it the school's color: cardinal red for USC, True Blue for UCLA.
The 295-pound bell was taken from the top of a Southern Pacific locomotive. The bell was given to the UCLA student body in 1939 as a gift from the school's alumni association. Initially, the UCLA cheerleaders rang the bell after each Bruin point. However, during the opening game of UCLA's 1941 season (at the time, both schools used the LA Coliseum for home games), six members of USC's SigEp fraternity (who were also members of the Trojan Knights) infiltrated the Bruin rooting section, assisted in loading the bell aboard a truck headed back to Westwood, took the key to the truck, and escaped with the bell while UCLA's actual rooters went to find a replacement key. The bell remained hidden from UCLA students for more than a year, first in SigEp’s basement, then in the Hollywood Hills, Santa Ana and other locations. At one point, it was even concealed beneath a haystack. Bruin students tried to locate the bell, but to no avail. Tension between UCLA and USC students rose as each started to play even more elaborate and disruptive pranks on the other. When the conflict caused the USC President to threaten to cancel the rivalry, a compromise was met: on November 12, 1942, the student body presidents of both schools, in front of Tommy Trojan, signed the agreement that before home games, when the bell is in USC's possession, it sits along Trousdale Parkway for fans to ring as they participate in the "Trojan Walk" to the L.A. Coliseum. During home games, and whenever USC faces UCLA at the Rose Bowl, the Victory Bell is displayed at the edge of the field for the first three quarters of the game. Members of the Trojan Knights and USC Helenes ring the bell every time the Trojans score.
USC has an overall record of 45-28-7 in the Cross-town Series.
The Shillelagh, a Gaelic war club made of oak or blackthorn saplings from Ireland, is the rivalry trophy for USC-Notre Dame football games. Like the Victory Bell, the winner of the annual game gets to keep possession of The Shillelagh until the following year. For every USC victory, a ruby-adorned Trojan head with the year and game score is added; for every Notre Dame win, an emerald-studded shamrock with similar year and score information is added. The club was presented as a rivalry trophy in 1952 by the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Los Angeles (with all the previous games already represented with medallions), and is engraved with "From the Emerald Isle."
There have been two shillelaghs. The original ran out of room in 1989 and was retired; it is now on permanent display at Notre Dame. The second shillelaghs is slightly longer and contains medallions from the 1990 game onwards.
There are now 42 shamrocks, 33 Trojan heads and 5 combined medallions on the shillelaghs.
Since 2001, USC athletics have participated in a direct competition with cross-town rival UCLA in The Gauntlet, originally called the Lexus Gauntlet. Lexus did not continue sponsorship of the competition after its contract expired in 2009, however, the two schools do continue to keep track of the competition scores.[14]
A victory in NCAA-sanctioned sports competition between the schools earns the winning school a predetermined number of points towards a final count. (For example, a single football victory is worth 10 points whereas all head-to-head men's water polo victories count as a series and the series is worth 5 points, with 2.5 points awarded to each university in the case of a split.) USC won the trophy's inaugural 2001–02 season, and again in 2003–04 and 2005–06, and five straight years from 2007–08 to 2011–12.[14]
USC is home to many athletic facilities, including the world-famous Memorial Coliseum and the state-of-the-art Galen Center, but USC is home to many other athletic sites as well. USC's other on-campus athletic facilities include the McDonald's Swim Stadium (site of the 1984 Olympic swimming and diving competition), Marks Tennis Stadium, Cromwell Track and Field (which includes the 3,000-seat Katherine B. Locker Stadium), the McAlister Soccer Field, the Johnson Family Golf Practice Facility, the 1,500-seat Lyon Center (a campus recreation center that hosts some Trojan intercollegiate events), Howard Jones Field, the practice field for USC Trojans football, and the USC Physical Education Building (housing the 1,000-seat North Gym). Off campus, the University's crew team operates out of the USC Boathouse in the Los Angeles Harbor.
The Coliseum during a USC game
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is one of the largest stadiums in America. USC has played football in the Coliseum ever since the grand stadium was built in 1923. In fact, the Trojans played in the first varsity football game ever held there (beating Pomona College, 23–7, on Oct. 6, 1923). The Coliseum was the site of the 1932 Summer Olympics and hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and track events of the 1984 Olympic Games. Over the years, the Coliseum has been home to many sports teams besides the Trojans, including UCLA football, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Raiders football, and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball. The Coliseum has hosted various other events, from concerts and speeches to track meets and motorcycle races. The Coliseum has a present full-capacity of 92,000 seats (almost all are chair-back seats). The Coliseum is located on 17 acres (69,000 m2) in Exposition Park, which also houses museums, gardens and the Los Angeles Sports Arena. [6]
Opened in September 2006, the Galen Center is the basketball and volleyball facility for the University of Southern California Trojans. Located at the southeast corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles, it is across the street from the campus and near the Shrine Auditorium.
The facility is 255,000 square feet (23,700 m2), with a 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) pavilion, and has three practice courts and offices. The seating capacity is 10,258 as well as 22 private suites.
Entrance to Dedeaux Field
Opened on March 30, 1974, Dedeaux Field has continually been improved over recent years with the grandest project taking place before the 2002 season. A $4 million project signified the largest improvement made to the facility as a new clubhouse and players' lounge were added on the first base side. Expanded offices for the coaching staff and new Hall of Fame were also part of the project, along with a new pavilion. Prior Plaza, named after Jerry and Millie Prior (parents of former Trojan Mark Prior), is located on the first base side and features USC's All-Americans and players who have played in the majors.
A new bleacher section was added on the first base side, pushing capacity to 2,500 at Dedeaux Field. With dimensions of 335 feet (102 m) down the right and left field lines, 365 in the right field power alleys and 375 to the left field power alleys, and 395 to straightaway center, Dedeaux Field is a natural grass field. The outfield fences stand 10 feet (3.0 m) high.
[edit] Fight On
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The school's fight song, Fight On is usually played after first downs and touchdowns. The music for USC's fight song, Fight On, was composed in 1922 by USC dental student Milo Sweet (with lyrics by Sweet and Glen Grant) as an entry in a Trojan spirit contest. Outside of USC, the song has been used in numerous recordings and movies. The song was also adapted by an American task force in the Pacific theater of World War II.
[edit] All Hail
"All Hail to Alma Mater
To thy glory we sing;
All Hail to Southern California
Loud let thy praises ring;
Where Western sky meets Western sea
Our college stands in majesty;
Sing our love to Alma Mater,
Hail, all hail to thee!"
The words and music to USC's alma mater, All Hail, were composed in the early 1920s by Al Wesson, Troy's longtime sports information director. He wrote the song as a student member of the Trojan Marching Band for the finale of a 1923 campus show.
[edit] Conquest
Another famous USC song is the processional march, Conquest, by Alfred Newman. It is usually played after every USC victory, and in the case of football, after every score. The battle cry, from Newman's score to the 1947 motion picture Captain from Castile, has become synonymous with the tradition of USC since the Trojans adopted it in 1954 during a basketball game against Oregon State. Newman, a composer of film music, was the musical director of Twentieth Century-Fox Studios.
Tribute To Troy, the incessant stanza of pounding drums and blaring horns, is played after every defensive stop. Fanfare is the introduction to Tribute To Troy and is played when the band takes the field. All Right Now is played after USC gets a turnover. Another One Bites the Dust is played after USC gets a sack. The William Tell Overture is played at the start of the fourth quarter. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's theme from the Star Wars films) is played when USC is flagged for a major penalty. Tusk is also played during the 4th quarter with the fans chanting "U-C-L-A Sucks!"
- ^ USC Graphic Identities
- ^ a b c d e Pac-10 Conference And The NCAA Championships
- ^ John Walters, Does it get any better than this?, SI.com, October 13, 2005, Accessed March 24, 2009.
- ^ Dave Revsine, Michigan, Ohio State set bar high for other rivalries, ESPN.com, November 24, 2006, Accessed March 24, 2009.
- ^ The Greatest Intersectional Rivalry: Top 10 Moments from Notre Dame-USC, SI.com, October 12, 2005, Accessed March 24, 2009.
- ^ Adam Rose, The Color of Misery, LATimes.com, October 20, 2007, Accessed March 24, 2009.
- ^ This Week in Pac-10 Football, Pacific-10 Conference, November 20, 2006, Accessed March 24, 2009.
- ^ The NCAA does not conduct a championship for Division I-A football. Instead, teams are awarded championships by various private organizations, currently the recognized championships are awarded by the Associated Press poll and the Bowl Championship Series --however not always in unison.
- ^ http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/14/sports/la-sp-reggie-bush-20100915
- ^ Pedro Moura, Trojans take lead in all-time draft picks, April 30, 2011, accessed May 1, 2011.
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_football_bowl_records
- ^ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/01/usc-basketball-imposes-major-sanctions.html
- ^ USC Olympians – 38 Gold Medals, USC Athletic Department.
- ^ a b "USC wins 4th straight Gauntlet title", Pedro Moura, ESPN.com, April 25, 2011
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