University Southern California Trojans
Trojan Talk: Summer 1998
June 21, 1999 | USC Athletics
Trojan Talk Q&A: Garrett Continues To Expand USC's Programs and Facilities
"When we played Texas A&M in 1964, they were scared to death of our tailback, Mike Garrett. Every time the ball was snapped and Mike took a step, it looked like all 11 members of the defense flowed toward him.
"On one play a tackler hit Mike so hard that his helmet flew off and rolled along the grass. Honest to God, another player tackled the helmet. When he found out Mike wasn't in it, he slammed it down on the ground."
-- John McKay, in his autobiography, McKay: A Coach's Story
Nearly 34 years later, Mike Garrett is still in the public eye, although the only running he does now is through the tree-lined streets of Pasadena to stay in shape. At 54, Garrett is in his sixth year as USC athletic director, and the 1965 Heisman Trophy winner is enthusiastic about the future.
This has been a busy spring as Garrett has embarked on the greatest expansion of facilities in the history of the athletic department.
In June alone, groundbreaking began on the Galen Center (the $3 million dining/activity building that houses the Jess Hill Weight Room), plus three other projects. These included an expansion of the football practice field (named for Brian Kennedy), a new women's soccer practice field (named for Soni McAlister) and six new tennis courts (also used by the intramurals program) to replace the five removed for the football field.
Garrett also announced that USC will build a track stadium on Cromwell Field (named for Katherine B. Loker), and he has begun raising money for a long-awaited campus arena, an expansion of Dedeaux Field and an expansion of the training room.
Mike has been just as busy during the rest of his term as athletic director. Donations and marketing income have both skyrocketed. He has added soccer and water polo as additional women's sports, and, by the fall of 1999, will have added a total of 42 more women's scholarships, which will guarantee that all USC sports will have the maximum number allowed by the NCAA. And he has built an outstanding coaching staff, including Paul Hackett, who will make his debut in the Pigskin Classic on August 30.
As he looked forward to football season and Hackett's first game, Garrett discussed the state of the athletic department.
Q-- Is it more difficult for USC to be successful in football now?
A-- "Some people say that, but I don't agree. I believe if you have the right combination of people and resources and desire that you can do almost anything. With Paul Hackett, we believe we're in a position to really improve our program."
Q-- Each full year that you have been athletic director, USC has ranked in the top ten nationally in the all-sports ranking. But you've often said that's not good enough.
A-- "We want to win more, particularly national championships, because that's what we're used to doing. Being a Trojan and winning are synonymous. In the last two years, we've missed out on a couple of opportunities for more national titles, but I believe our athletes have learned from it.
"We have talent and great coaches now. What we're looking for is a winning attitude. Earning the national championship in baseball this spring was a good start. We believe great times are just around the corner."
Q-- What qualities do you look for in hiring coaches?
A-- "We always look for a disciplinarian first. And the second component is someone who will put the same stress on academics as he or she will on athletics. The third is someone who knows the sport and can just flat out coach it."
Q-- Do you think there's a correlation between success in athletics and academics?
A-- "It's an old adage that if you want to get something done, ask a busy person to do it. The way to win is to make sure student-athletes are under pressure on the field and in the classroom and they will find a way to succeed.
"We promise our athletes that, with our support system, if they apply themselves, they will graduate, and we are working hard to keep that promise."
Q-- Besides being exciting, your job is obviously stressful. What do you do to relax?
"Watch sports. It's more of the same thing, but it's someone else's team. I love sports. I also run a lot, and that relaxes me. And I play golf badly enough so that when I play all I can think about is golf, which takes my mind off my job.
"Getting away from the office and just being at home helps me a lot, too. I'm very much a homebody."
Q-- You've embarked on a major expansion of facilities. Was that one of your goals when you became athletic director?
A-- "I knew we had to do two things: bring in good coaches who could recruit and improve our facilities. The first five years we've hired outstanding coaches, upgraded our recruiting and started generating more money for our program. Now we're improving our facilities, and that's the last leg of what we had to do. We're very optimistic about the future."
Q-- How important is the new track stadium?
A-- "Our track and field program was once the best in the country, and with a stadium, we can be a real power again. Even though we haven't had a stadium, we've recruited awfully well in track in recent years, so we're very optimistic. I also believe that if USC becomes the track power we once were, it will be a real shot in the arm for the sport."
Q-- How about the new soccer field? That's a major commitment to the women's program.
A-- "It helps the soccer team, it helps the football team because it takes soccer off the football practice field and it helps intramurals and beautifies the community. It will give the women of our soccer team a real sense of pride, because they'll have their own field. They'll be able to practice whenever they want.
"Within time, depending on our lease, we may invest in some bleachers and lights and hold matches on the field. But playing in the Coliseum is great for recruiting. It's better than playing on campus at Stanford or UCLA."
Q-- How much will the addition of the Galen Center help the program?
A-- "It could be one of the best amenities that any athletic department ever had, coupled with the fact that it will be a recruiting tool beyond belief. We're going to have a TV monitor system in the building, and when we recruit a student-athlete, we'll be able to run his highlights on the screens.
"He'll walk into the dining facility and see himself on all the screens there. Later on, he'll walk into the Jess Hill Weight Room and see himself on monitors there. He'll go to the track stadium or Dedeaux Field and see himself on monitors there. Everything we build is going to have that system in it, and it doesn't cost much money.
"You can also watch all the sports events via satellite with that system. If we're playing in the College World Series, and our game is on during work hours, everyone will be able to see it."
Q-- You sure have a lot of changes planned.
A-- "It's going to be exciting. After the next two or three years, you won't believe this place."
-- Jim Perry
The Good Old Days Are Back: USC Rules College Baseball
Mike Gillespie was so happy he could barely talk.
"This couldn't be more special," said the USC baseball coach after his team had just won the national championship in Omaha. "I can't express how proud we are of our guys. They did a tremendous."
And then his voice broke. "I'm sorry. I'm just speechless."
His players weren't talking much, either. They were piling on top of each other in the middle of the diamond, celebrating USC's first College World Series championship since 1978. It was the Trojans' 12th national championship in baseball, more than twice as many as runner-up Arizona State, who has five.
To secure their national title, the Trojans had to win five games in a row after a 12-10 opening loss to LSU that left them one defeat away from elimination. They won those five games in six days, reeling off victories over Florida (12-10 in 11 innings), Mississippi State (7-1), LSU (5-4), LSU again (7-3) and, finally, Pac-10 rival Arizona State in the championship game by the mind-boggling score of 21-14.
USC had leads of as much as 8-0 and 14-8 in the title game, but Arizona State closed to 9-8 and 14-13 and trailed just 16-14 when the Trojans' five runs in the top of the ninth finally salted the game away. Senior second baseman Wes Rachels of USC was named the Series' most valuable player as he had five hits and a championship-game-record seven runs batted in.
There were nine homers in the title game, five by USC, including one by Rachels, two by junior first baseman Robb Gorr (who drove in five runs himself), one by junior outfielder Brad Ticehurst and one by junior designated hitter Jason Lane. Lane's homer, a grand slam in the top of the ninth, gave USC its final margin. It was his 15th hit in the Series, another record. Senior outfielder Jeremy Freitas had five hits in the championship game.
Senior relief ace Jack Krawczyk (pronounced KROFF-check) finally ended the carnage by retiring the last five Arizona State batters to earn his NCAA-record 23rd save of the season and NCAA-record 49th career save.
In winning their previous three games in the Series, the Trojans also got great pitching from freshman Rik Currier, who struck out 12 and allowed one run and four hits in eight innings against Mississippi State; senior Seth Etherton (Sporting News Player of the Year), who struck out 10 and allowed three runs in eight innings against LSU; and junior Mike Penney, who yielded three runs in 72/3 innings in the second victory over.
On the way to Omaha, USC went 4-1 in the East Regional in Clemson, S.C., as sophomore designated hitter Eric Munson captured MVP honors. Munson, who returned to his usual position of catcher in the World Series, went 10-for-18 with two doubles, two homers and eight runs batted in. In the regional, the Trojans beat Fordham 10-6, lost to Virginia Commonwealth 14-4, and then, facing elimination, won three games in a row over Clemson (8-5) and South Alabama twice (3-2 and 4-3).
Loker's $2 Million Gift Will Enable USC To Build a Track Stadium
These are exciting times for USC track and field.
The athletic department will soon construct a 3,000-seat track and field stadium on Cromwell Field, thanks to a $2 million gift from university alumna Katherine B. Loker. It is the largest gift the athletic department has ever received from an individual.
The new facility, scheduled for completion by track season in the year 2000, will be named the Katherine B. Loker Track and Field Stadium. Construction should begin in early summer, 1999.
"USC has already had a number of great women athletes, including many Olympians," athletic director Mike Garrett said, "and now we will have a world-class venue for track and field that bears the name of a woman. It will be inspiring to all of our students, but especially our women students."
The new stadium will house both men's and women's track and field offices and locker room facilities, and there will be storage space under the stadium that will serve several other sports.
Loker Track and Field Stadium should provide a boost to a program that has the nation's greatest heritage. USC track athletes have won 28 men's national titles, set 61 world records, produced 87 Olympic team members and won 34 gold medals.
Ron Allice, USC Director of Track and Field, was enthusiastic about the new facility.
"When Mike Garrett hired me, he said he wanted to bring track meets back to campus," Allice said. "Now we have a stadium for those meets, and it will be right in the center of campus.
"Our history in this sport is second to none. Speaking on behalf of all of our student-athletes in track and field and the generations of students to come, we are elated by Mrs. Loker's generosity."
Rosales Wins NCAA Golf Championship
On the last day of the NCAA women's golf tournament, USC freshman Jennifer Rosales came to the 14th green with a one-stroke lead. Suddenly, play was stopped when a thunderstorm roared in on the Madison, Wisconsin, golf course.
"I was nervous," Rosales said later of the delay. "I called my mom [in the Philippines] right away, and she calmed me down. She told me to forget about it and hang in there. Just play my game."
Rosales played her game all right. After an hour's delay for thunder, lightning and rain, she returned to the green, got her par, parred 15, birdied 16 and finished with two more pars to win the tournament by three strokes. With her nine-under-par 279, she became the first USC woman to win the individual NCAA title.
"She peaked at exactly the right time," said associate head coach Andrea Gaston. "We knew she was fully capable of the kinds of scores she posted in the NCAA Championships. That's why we recruited her so hard."
Rosales, a native of the Philippines who enrolled at USC prior to the spring semester, won the NCAA championship in only her sixth collegiate tournament. And she did it by overcoming a horrible start on the final day.
After coming into the last round tied for the lead with Arizona State's Grace Park at 207, Rosales opened play by shooting three bogeys in a row.
"I thought it was the end of the world," she said.
But the poised freshman rallied to shoot a par 72, despite high winds that sent nearly everyone else's scores soaring (only three players broke par). She outlasted Tulsa's Christina Kuld, who was three strokes back.
"It shows she's got a lot of fight in her," Gaston said. "You've got to have a lot of confidence to be able to pull yourself out of that kind of streak and turn things around. Her poise was phenomenal."
On her way to the championship, Rosales had rounds of 68, 66, 73 and 72. Her six-under-par 66 in the second round was the lowest round ever shot in a tournament by a USC woman.
Another USC freshman, Nicole Dalkas, tied for 27th in the NCAA Tournament with a score of 299 as the USC women finished seventh overall.
Three weeks later, Dalkas qualified for the U.S. Women's Open (July 2-5 in Kohler, Wisconsin). She was one of 79 qualifiers of 864 entrants nationwide.
Davis Finishes Fast To Win NCAA 400
He's already had an outstanding career at USC, but this topped it.
Junior Jerome Davis became USC's 12th NCAA 400-meter champion as he came from behind in the stretch to win the event on the final day of the NCAA Championships in Buffalo. He ran a personal-best 45.18, passing 1996 champion Davian Clarke of Miami, who led by about a yard coming off the final turn.
Because of their lane locations, Davis didn't see Clarke until they turned for home.
"When I came off the turn and saw him, I thought, 'Oh, man, where'd he come from?'" Davis said. "But I knew I had enough left in me to win. I thought, 'Keep on going and don't stop until you get to the finish line first.'
"He was trying to take what I wanted, but I wasn't going to let anything come between me and the win. It was a dream come true."
USC has had at least one individual winner in the men's national meet for seven straight years.
With the victory by Davis and a second place in the hammer from senior Bengt Johansson (236-11), the Trojan men finished seventh overall with 29 points. The USC women scored 35 points to finish fifth, their best placing since 1987, as junior Torri Edwards ran third in the 100 (11.18) and sixth in the 200 (23.24).
Two weeks earlier, Davis won the Pac-10 400 for the third year in a row in 45.44 and ran second in the 200 (20.75) as the USC men finished second overall.
Other USC Pac-10 champions included junior William Erese in the high hurdles (13.80), and, on the women's side, Edwards in the 200 (23.01), freshman Anna Lopaciuch in the 800 (2:05.71), junior Grazyna Penc in the 1500 for the third straight year (4:20.95), sophomore Natasha Danvers in the 400 intermediate hurdles (58.01) and the 1600-meter relay team, which was anchored by Danvers (3:36.61). The USC women finished third overall.
NEWS TO NOTE...
Four 1998 Kickoff Times Announced
ABC and the Pac-10 have announced kickoff times for four of USC's football games next season, including three at home. All four games will be televised by ABC.
The Kickoff Classic, featuring Purdue, which opens the season at home on Sunday, August 30, will begin at 11:30 a.m., as was previously announced. It will be televised nationally.
USC's home game with Arizona State on Saturday, October 3, will kick off at 4 p.m. and be televised regionally, while the Coliseum game against Notre Dame on Saturday, November 28 (two days after Thanksgiving), will be televised nationally and begin at 5.
One road starting time is also set. USC and Florida State will kick off at 3:30 in Tallahassee on Saturday, September 26. ABC will send the game to most of the country, including Southern California, where it will begin at 12:30. Other kickoff times will be determined during the season as the television schedule unfolds.
Date Set for Salute to Troy
Salute to Troy, the annual kickoff event for all USC fans, will be held on Friday night, August 28, this year. As usual, the event, which features the football team and coaching staff, will be held on Dedeaux Field in the early evening.
Invitations for the big party will be mailed in July.
Here's a Credit Card You Should Have
This is your chance to help the USC athletic department every time you make a purchase.
Some 10,000 people are already carrying the official USC Athletic Department Visa Card and you can join them. It's a painless way to support the program, because Visa donates a percentage of every dollar charged to the department. The more you use the card, the more the department benefits.
Besides charging with the card on a daily basis, consider using it to pay your support club dues. That way you can donate to USC twice with the same dollars. And, of course, you can use the card to pay for football or basketball tickets.
The card, which is available in three versions Visa Classic, Visa Gold and Platinum Visa (with different benefits) has no annual fee and a 4.9% fixed introductory APR. It's easy to apply. Simply phone 1-800-347-7887 to apply right over the phone.
Six Senior Athletes Honored for Leadership
Six graduating senior student-athletes have been honored for exemplary leadership on campus and in the community during their USC careers. They received their awards during the annual campus-wide Student Recognition Awards Program.
Included in those honored was soccer player Kelsey Mullen, who received the Order of the Laurel and the Palm, the highest honor bestowed on graduating seniors for campus and community service. Among her many activities, she served as Panhellenic Scholarship Chair, creating programming that raised the all-sorority grade point average to 3.04, which surpassed the all-women's average.
Other student-athlete honorees and their awards included Jamie Allshouse (women's swimming, Order of Troy), Miriam Bennett (women's track, Order of Troy), Lisa Martin (women's swimming, Order of Troy), Sheri Simala (women's soccer, Order of Troy) and Walter Ladwig (men's track, Senior Recognition). Martin and Simala are former presidents of the Trojan Student-Athlete Council.
Six Seniors Win Athletic Department Awards
Each year on graduation day, the athletic department holds a reception for graduating seniors and presents awards to six of them for athletic and academic success.
The six winners this year included swimmer Jean Ellis Todisco and football player Jim Wren (Pac-10 Conference Medal for athletic and academic excellence), soccer player Sheri Simala (Gimble Medal for most cooperative student-athlete), swimmer Eddie Durham and water polo player Miranda Lim (Willis O. Hunter Award for male and female athletes with highest grade point averages) and, from the national championship baseball team, Jack Krawczyk (Trojaneer Diamond Medal for bringing the most fame and distinction to USC in the last year).
Cardinal & Gold License Plate Frames Are on Sale
Cardinal & Gold auto license plate frames are now available at the University Bookstore.
However, the frames, which cost $38 each, are not on display. To purchase one, present your Cardinal & Gold identification card to a clerk, who will bring you one from storage. The frames, which have the words "USC" on top and "Cardinal & Gold Member" on the bottom, are only available at the USC Bookstore.
Women Rowers Win NCAA Race
One of the fastest growing sports at USC is women's rowing. In this, their first year as a scholarship program, USC's women won a national championship race.
At Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, the Trojan women won the gold medal in the NCAA varsity four race as they defeated second-place Brown by three seconds, or about one boat length.
"Last year, we were maybe the 10th or 11th best team on the West Coast," said coach George Jenkins. "And now we've won a race at the nationals. That's a huge step. We're excited about the future."
After athletic director Mike Garrett made the decision a year ago to fully fund all women's sports with scholarships, Jenkins was able to award three this year. Next fall, he will be able to give out eight, and by the fall of 1999, the rowing program will award 20.
There are three races at the rowing national championships: the varsity four, varsity eight and second varsity eight. USC won the only race in which it qualified.
"Next year, we hope to qualify in at least two events," Jenkins said. "Our success this year should help recruiting."
USC's winning rowers included coxswain Lisa Bartoli, stroke Ivelina Boteva, 3 seat Annelisa Gross, 2 seat Kasey Ryan and bow Rebecca Moneymaker. Ryan is the daughter of Mike Ryan, starting guard on USC's national championship football team of 1972.
