University Southern California Trojans
Trojan Talk: May 2000
February 07, 2000 | USC Athletics
Linehans Give $527,000 to Football, Baseball
Before he went to USC in the mid-1960s, Jerry Linehan was a UCLA fan. My, how people change.
"After he went to USC," his wife Anne says, "he became a Trojan right down to his toenails. Now, Jerry loves the university, and so do I. We love everything about it."
Recently, Jerry and Anne Linehan turned that love into a $527,000 donation to the athletic department to help both football and baseball.
"I always felt I owed the university something," Jerry said after making the donation. "I was lucky to be able to go to USC. It changed my outlook on life."
"We will be forever grateful to the Linehans for this wonderful gift," athletic director Mike Garrett said. "It's a major boost to our program."
"This was a wonderful surprise," associate athletic director Ron Orr added. "The generosity of the Linehans will help two of our sports for a long, long time."
The $527,000 donation will be split into two parts. A total of $377,000 will endow a football scholarship?the linebacker position on the gold team?and $150,000 will pay for the recent remodeling of the press box at Dedeaux Field. The new press box will be named in the Linehans' honor.
Jerry Linehan went to USC after he had begun his career in business and was 29 when he graduated from the School of Business in 1966. He later became an executive vice president with a successful manufacturing firm and, for a time, was one of four owners of the Trojan Barrel who later sold it to Julie Kohl.
When he retired recently, he and Anne moved to Palm Desert and decided to make their major donation to USC.
"The money was given from our hearts," Anne said. "If we could have done it, we would have given more."
Burell Johnson Donates $156,000 for Golf Practice Facility
Despite a long history of success, USC's golf program has always operated under a major handicap. Trojan golfers have never had a first-rate, on-campus practice facility.
Thanks to Burell Johnson, they do now.
Just before last Christmas, Johnson donated $156,000 to build a short-game practice area that will soon be ready for use.
"This donation was one of the best Christmas gifts our program has ever received," said USC director of golf Kurt Schuette. "It has enabled us to build the first significant campus practice facility in the history of USC golf.
"Now we'll be able to do a better job of developing our players right here on campus. The new facility will not only improve the teaching process, it will also help in recruiting more good players."
The new facility, which is being constructed behind the centerfield fence of Dedeaux Field, will enable USC's men and women to work on chipping, pitching, putting and bunker play.
Construction will be completed soon, and it should be available for use by September after the grass on the putting green is ready.
The golf program received three other large donations recently.
"I want to thank Randy Hecht, Bob Foote and Gary Shemano, who have also made significant contributions to our program," Schuette said. "Bob and Gary are former USC golfers, and I hope their gifts inspire other former Trojans to join us as we continue to build the program."
From the Director
Football Graduation Rate Soars
May is one of my favorite months of the year?and not just because of the weather.
This is graduation time, when all of the hard work of our student-athletes really pays off. Only a few of them will go on to professional sports, but they will all go on to the real world. Grad-uation will give them a boost into that world.
That's why I'm pleased that our graduation rates have continued to rise. And I'm particularly pleased that our two most recent graduation rates in football are the highest in USC history!
Later this year, the NCAA will announce rates that will include student-athletes who graduated through the summer of 1999. Our football rate that year was 80 percent.
In 2001, the NCAA will announce rates for football players who will have graduated through this summer. Our rate for that group will go up again?to 82 percent.
In addition, 17 members of last fall's football team either have cumulative grade point averages (that is, for their entire USC careers) of better than 3.00 or surpassed 3.00 last fall.
That group includes seven full-time or part-time starters?quarterbacks Mike Van Raaphorst and John Fox, tailback Chad Morton, fullbacks Brennan Ochs and Charlie Landrigan, offensive tackle Trevor Roberts and defensive tackle Ennis Davis.
Van Raaphorst, who has a cumulative GPA of 3.72, will graduate this month with a double major in broadcast journalism and political science. He'll play next fall as a graduate student in business.
When Morton graduated last December, he finished with a cumulative GPA of 3.44 and won an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
As I've said before, we promise our athletes that if they apply themselves they will graduate?and we're working hard to keep that promise.
I'm proud that our student-athletes are also working hard to help
us keep it.
?Mike Garrett
Trojan Talk Q&A
Former Swimmer Orr Is Still Competing?For $7 Million
He has a youthful look about him, so it's hard to imagine that nearly a quarter of a century has elapsed since Ron Orr competed on three USC national championship swimming teams (1975-77) under Hall of Famer Peter Daland. That was a great era for USC swimming, with Orr's teammates including Olympic champions John Naber, Bruce Furniss and Rod Strachan.
Ron himself was a six-time All-American, meaning he finished in the top eight at the NCAA meet six times, including second place finishes in the grueling 1,650-yard freestyle in 1975 and 1976. Today, however, he has another big challenge ?raising money for the athletic department, a big job in an era of some 260 $30,000 scholarships and a $28 million budget.
Now 44, Orr joined the development office in 1984 and is the associate athletic director in charge of all annual giving (Scholarship Club, The Committee, Cardinal & Gold, Women of Troy and Trojan Club). In annual giving, he works with assistant athletic directors Cameron Smith, Mark Long and Brian Luft and assistant director of development Teresa Verbeck.
Ron also founded Swim With Mike, the annual swim-a-thon that raises money to enable disabled former athletes to attend USC on scholarships. This remarkable charity, now in its 20th year, has raised nearly $3 million.
Q--As a fund-raiser, what is your main objective each year?
A--"My main charge is raising money for scholarships. All of the money from our support groups, except for the Trojan Club, goes to pay for scholarships. Trojan Club dues go toward recruiting.
"It costs the department nearly $7 million a year for scholarships, and we're doing what we can with annual giving to cover that cost. Each year it goes up, so more has to be raised. We work hard at recruiting new donors and, of course, retaining the ones we have."
Q--The athletic department has had three record-breaking fund-raising years in a row. Why has annual giving grown so much?
A--"I think we're telling our story better. I don't think all of our donors understood that we have to pay the university for our scholarships. I also think we make people feel a part of our program better than we used to.
"Putting credibility in the football ticket system has helped, too. When people join at higher membership levels, they're able to purchase better seats. You don't want somebody sitting next to somebody else who isn't at the same membership level. We've made it more credible."
Q--What do you find exhilarating in your job?
A--"Graduation day. Walking around campus and seeing the student-athletes and Swim With Mike recipients with their families.
"Graduation day is what it's all about. It reminds you what we're here for. It's wonderful to watch the student-athletes grow up and create a future for themselves.
"Wins and championships are great. But the day that means the most to me is graduation day."
Q--What's the most frustrating thing about your job?
A--"The most difficult thing is communicating to everyone that we're being as fair as we can. We believe everyone is important. Every dollar that's donated to the department is important?from the $75 or $125 donation all the way to endowed scholarships or buildings.
"At times, the number of phone calls can get a little overwhelming, too. But I'm glad they call. I wouldn't want to be in a job where nobody called. If they call, it means they care."
Q--When you first graduated from USC, you were an assistant swimming coach. Did you ever consider coaching as a career?
A--"It was a way of supplementing my income?I was a full-time assistant and worked in the university's development office at the same time?but I didn't think coaching was where I would end up. Athletic administration, I think, was always my future.
"When I had those two jobs, neither employer ended up happy, because I was torn in different directions. I didn't have time to devote to both jobs. It was a great experience working for Coach [Peter] Daland, but it was double duty and it was tough to do."
Q--You also competed for four years for Daland, who won nine national championships. What did you learn from him?
A--"He taught us that not only are you representing yourself, you're representing the swim team and USC at all times. And wherever you work in the future, you represent a lot more than just yourself. It takes the selfishness out of it.
"We also learned to treat everyone equally. There were no stars. There was no favoritism between John Naber and the guy who walked on. Everyone had a fair shot. If you played by the rules and came to practice, you were treated equally. He was very good at that, which made a team sport out of an individual sport.
"Peter also believed you win and lose with dignity. You didn't throw him in the pool. You could put him on your shoulders and walk around the deck, but you didn't throw him in the pool. You wouldn't pour Gatorade on him either."
Q--Do you still work out?
A--"Not enough. I swim a couple of days a week and work out a little bit with weights. I lose my attention very easily in the water now. I mean, I did it five hours a day, six days a week for many years, and now a half hour of swimming and I'm done. I get bored."
Q--You discussed how you once had two jobs. In a way you still do?working in development, and managing Swim With Mike. What motivated you to start Swim With Mike?
A--"I grew up with Mike Nyeholt?from the seventh grade on. We went to elementary school and high school together. We were roommates at USC and members of the same swim team. That's why his injury [Nyeholt was paralyzed from the chest down in a motorcycle accident in early 1981] was so devastating to me.
"All of his friends and teammates were frustrated. We had to do something. Driving home from the hospital one day, I clearly remember that I thought, 'Let's do a fund-raiser, a swim-a-thon, to get him a specially equipped van.' The next day I went in to tell him about it.
"Now, of course, it's grown into an event that's helped dozens of people."
Q--Has its growth stunned you?
A--"It's overwhelming. Mike and I together came up with the idea to set up a scholarship fund, but we had no idea it was going to be this big and help this many people. The number of people who have supported us is overwhelming.
"Each time we named another scholarship recipient [a disabled former athlete], we had to keep raising money to pay for that scholarship. So all of the frustration about Mike's accident turned into, 'We've got this need that's out there,' and we just kept going. Each recipient brings in a whole new group of concerned people to help the fund continue. It's a ripple effect.
"I'm not sure it could be successful anywhere else. This is what USC is all about."
Q--Looking down the road, would you like to be an athletic director someday?
A--"I've thought about it. But right now, I think development is where my
strengths are. This is where I can make the biggest difference. It also
enables me to work with Swim With Mike at the same time, and that's very
rewarding."
?Jim Perry
NEWS TO NOTE...
Recruiting Class for Women's Volleyball Team Ranked No. 1
When women's volleyball coach Jerritt Elliott announced his new recruiting class last winter, he said, "I feel we have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country."
Volleyball magazine agrees.
The sport's leading publication ranked USC's four-woman class of recruits first in the nation in its May issue. The four freshmen, who are all from California, include Katie Olsovsky (Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance), April Ross (Newport Harbor High, Newport Beach), Kelli Lantz (Centennial High, Bakersfield) and Toni Anderson (Esperanza High, Anaheim).
All four players are members of the magazine's "Fab 50," an annual list of the country's top high school seniors.
"With these four, we look forward to taking the USC program back to the forefront of collegiate women's volleyball," Elliott said. "Our goal is to bring home a fifth national championship for USC."
Elliott will also welcome back seven players, including six full- or part-time starters, from last year's team that went 21-9 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Salute to Troy Scheduled for August 19
Football season comes early this year?and so does Salute to Troy.
Since the Kickoff Classic with Penn State is scheduled for August 27, Salute to Troy will be held on Saturday night, August 19. As usual, the annual season-opening event will be held on Dedeaux Field. It's open to all USC fans.
Salute to Troy will honor the 2000 football team, along with the 25- and 50-year anniversary teams (1975 and 1950).
On Wednesday afternoon, August 16, there will be a private scrimmage in the Coliseum for all patrons of Salute to Troy. If you would like to be a patron, please call the development office at (213) 740-4155.
Make Your Trip to the Coliseum a Group Outing
A USC football game is the perfect place for your company party, church or school group, social club or class reunion?and it's economical, too.
Groups of 25 or more will receive $8 off the price of each reserved seat for every home game next season, except Notre Dame. Group ticket prices for the first six home games are $29 for Colorado and $19 for San Jose State, Arizona, Oregon, California and Washington State.
Each member of your organization will also receive complimentary posters and pocket schedules, and the group will be saluted on the Coliseum message board.
For further information, please call the USC Ticket Office at (213) 740-GO SC and ask for the group sales department.
USC's Erik Vendt Wins 1,500 at NCAA Swim Meet
USC swimming coach Mark Schubert is optimistic about both his men's and women's teams for next season, and one of the main reasons?at least for the men?is freshman Erik Vendt.
The powerful 19-year-old from Massachusetts won the short course 1,500-meter freestyle event in the recent NCAA Championships and shattered the American record in the process. In winning the race in 14:31.02, Vendt knocked nearly 13 seconds off the old record. He also defeated three-time defending champion Ryk Neethling of Arizona, who finished third.
"At Pac-10s, I took it out early to stay with Ryk and it cost me toward the end," said Vendt, who finished second to Neethling in that race.
"Tonight, I wanted to swim my race and see where I was at around the 700 or 800 mark and go from there. I saw my teammates cheering and going crazy and I just went for it."
"Erik swam a perfect race," Schubert said. "He felt out the first half and when he sensed Ryk wasn't going to go, he took off."
Vendt finished second in two other events? the 400-meter freestyle and the 400 individual medley?as USC finished sixth as a team.
In other highlights, junior Leonardo Costa finished second in the 200 backstroke, and junior Ryosuke Imai finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke and fifth in the 200.
The women's team sent only seven competitors to the nationals, but still finished seventh as junior Corrie Murphy had the highest finish, a second in the 400 individual medley.
Freshman Asa Sandlund was third in the 1,500 freestyle, setting a Swedish national record with her time of 16:14.77, and sophomore Kristin MacGregor was fourth in the 200 individual medley and tied for sixth in the 100 breaststroke. Sophomore diver Kellie Brennan took fifth place in the 3-meter springboard event and seventh in the 1-meter event.
Earlier in the season, USC athletes won three events in the Pac-10 Championships.
Imai won both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke races, setting school records in both, as the men's team finished third overall. Imai took the 100 in 53.83, shaving .61 of a second off the school record, and won the 200 in 1:56.58, just over a second under the old mark. The 200 record was 10 years old.
In the women's meet, Brennan won the
1-meter springboard diving event for the second year in a row as the Women of Troy finished fifth.
Eight USC Head Coaches Will Host Summer Camps
Eight youth instructional camps will be conducted by USC head coaches this summer. A quick look at sports, coaches, dates, age level of campers and phone numbers to call for more information:
Sport/Coach Camp Dates Ages Phone Numbers
Baseball June 28-30 grades 9-12 Call Andy Nieto at:
(Mike Gillespie) July 2-4 ages 6-10 (213) 740-8447/day
July 10-12 ages 11-14 (323) 278-1225/night
Men's Basketball June 25-30 grades 9-12 (213) 740-3815
(Henry Bibby) July 30-Aug. 4 ages 5-17
Women's Basketball June 26-30 ages 8-18 (213) 740-7204
(Chris Gobrecht)
Football June 10 grades 9-12 (213) 740-4204
(Paul Hackett) June 17 grades 9-12
June 25-28 ages 8-18
Women's Soccer July 10-13 ages 10-18 (213) 740-8444
(Jim Millinder) July 23-27 ages 12-18
Men's/Women's June 11-16 ages 8-18 Call Joke (Yoka)
Swimming June 18-23 ages 8-18 Schubert at:
(Mark Schubert) June 25-30 ages 8-18 (562) 592-3424
July 2-7 ages 8-18
Men's/Women's July 24-27 ages 12-18 (213) 740-4201
Track and Field
(Ron Allice)
Women's Volleyball July 13-17 grades 7-12 (213) 740-4151
(Jerritt Elliott)
Dates, Locations Set for Hackett's Speaking Tour
Following are the dates and locations for coach Paul Hackett's five pre-season football talks. For further information, please call (213) 740-4155.
Tuesday, May 16 ? Hyatt Regency Irvine (Trojan Clubs of Orange County and Long Beach).
Thursday, May 18 ? Ventura Club in the San Fernando Valley (Trojan Clubs of San Fernando, Conejo and San Gabriel Valleys).
Thursday, June 1 ? Mission Valley Doubletree (Trojan Club of San Diego).
Wednesday, June 7 ? Manhattan Beach Marriott (Trojan Clubs of San Pedro, South Bay, Manhattan Beach and West Los Angeles).
Thursday, June 15 ? San Francisco Airport Marriott (Trojan Club of Northern California).
