USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz discusses the Trojans' NCAA Tournament berth
On Monday, it was announced that USC baseball is officially headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. The Trojans will be the No. 3 seed in the Corvallis Regional, where they will join top-seeded Oregon State, No. 2 seed TCU, and No. 3 seed Saint Mary's. USC's first game will be against TCU, but the path is likely to go through former Pac-12 foe Oregon State if the Trojans want a spot in the NCAA Super Regionals in June.
Making the tournament represents the first step in head coach Andy Stankiewicz's effort to return the Trojans to national prominence. After narrowly missing the field in each of Stankiewicz's first two seasons, USC finally broke through in Year 3.
Following the news, USC posted a clip to social media featuring Stankiewicz's initial reaction to his team's inclusion in the field.
"Excited and proud of this ball club," Staniewicz said. "We haven't had a home for two years. But just proud of the boys.
"It's USC. We feel like it's a big step as we move the program forward . . . big challenge in front of us, but we're excited.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle
"It's gonna be an interesting weekend [in Corvallis]. But if we play our game . . . I think we can be competitive. It's just a matter of us settling—just relaxing, slow heartbeat, and playing good Trojan baseball. And if we do, I think we'll be ready."
The Trojans will open tournament play on Friday at noon against TCU. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN+.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
39 minutes ago
- New York Times
Chicago may be ‘the place quarterbacks go to die,' but Cubs pitcher Cade Horton is thriving
Cade Horton did not cross paths with Caleb Williams at the University of Oklahoma, where the future Chicago Cubs pitcher was once recruited by the football program and as a two-way baseball player. Horton, though, did hear the recent buzz about Da Bears, how Williams' father is quoted in a forthcoming book saying, 'Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die.' Advertisement Sitting at his Wrigley Field locker the other day, Horton laughed and understood the reference. Williams starred for the Sooners in 2021, the same year that Horton underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire baseball season. Williams then transferred to USC and won the 2022 Heisman Trophy, months after Horton led Oklahoma to the championship round of the College World Series, emerging as the No. 7 pick in the Major League Baseball Draft. How about Chicago for a pitching prospect? 'It is a really good environment,' Horton said. Indeed, the Cubs have made so much progress in several areas that the point is no longer up for debate. Before and after Horton made his major-league debut in New York last month, established pitchers such as Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele sent him text messages offering encouragement and support. Once acclimated, Horton observed how players follow their routines and listened to teammates share perspectives from their introductions to The Show. Cubs players enjoy talking ball and studying the little details within the game. This is not a clubhouse of 26 guys, 26 Ubers, to paraphrase Peter Gammons. The atmosphere is conducive to playing without the fear of making mistakes. Just throw strikes and Gold Glove defenders will run all over the field to make plays. When MVP candidates are stacked in the everyday lineup, giving up a couple of runs in the early innings isn't crushing. By early June, the Cubs had already notched 17 comeback victories and 12 wins that saw the offense score double-digit runs. 'If you're a young starter,' Taillon said, 'it does feel like a great spot.' Cubs manager Craig Counsell developed a strong reputation for handling young pitchers with the Milwaukee Brewers, taking a careful, open-minded approach that helped Corbin Burnes and Josh Hader land huge contracts as free agents. Tommy Hottovy, the longtime Cubs pitching coach, was a key behind-the-scenes coordinator for the 2016 World Series team. Hottovy later became an important figure in the merger of the organization's major- and minor-league pitching groups into a more unified program. The Cubs are 5-0 in Horton's five outings since he was promoted from Triple-A Iowa to replace All-Star pitcher Shota Imanaga, who remains on the injured list with a strained left hamstring. In order to keep playing into October, maintaining enough pitching depth is essential. Cade Horton has appeared in 5 games this season. The Cubs have won all of them. ✅NYM✅CWS✅MIA✅COL✅WSH — Chief Cub (@ChiefCub) June 4, 2025 While president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer would always be reluctant to give up the organization's highest-drafted pitcher in a generation, trading Horton ahead of the July 31 deadline becomes virtually impossible when he's a fully functional part of a first-place team. Counsell, a straight shooter who does not speak in hyperbole, gave Horton one of his highest compliments, describing the traits of a 'clear-headed competitor' who can put maximum focus on the moment, and then honestly assess each performance, separating the good from the bad. Advertisement 'He wants to be great,' Counsell said. 'Despite being this highly thought of prospect, he went through some big adversity last year. And I think that's a good thing. Growth comes from those places. But he's still new at this job — being a professional baseball player. You have to realize that and acknowledge that. In the long run, that's a good thing for us. There's a lot of room for growth left here.' That will come through repetition. Horton already has a solid foundation of athleticism and ability, but last year was largely a wasted season. The pain and discomfort he felt around his right shoulder due to a subscapularis muscle strain limited him to only 34 1/3 innings in the minors last season. The Cubs, however, are not putting a hard cap on his innings this year, believing that they can use data and insights from different departments to make collaborative decisions as the season unfolds. So far, Horton has covered 25 2/3 innings for the Cubs, posting three wins, a 4.21 ERA and only five walks against 108 major-league batters. It is a small sample, but it is also impressive given the gaps in his experience. The Cubs can afford to be patient. 'It's all about just slowing the game down and taking it one pitch at a time,' Horton said. 'It's just like anything else you do. The more you do it, the more comfortable you're going to feel. It comes from the preparation I put in. My bullpens, my routine, that's what gives me confidence to go out there and pitch.' Unless a 'Hard Knocks' camera crew gets access to the building, those types of moments are difficult to capture and appreciate. Ultimately, the Cubs, Bears and every other professional franchise will be judged by their record. But perception often matters, and players can tell when things are headed in the right direction. 'There's a winning culture,' Horton said. 'Everybody in here is pulling for each other. It's a special group.'
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
College baseball tournament super regionals: Ranking the 16 teams left in the field
College baseball tournament super regionals: Ranking the 16 teams left in the field Show Caption Hide Caption 5 men's NCAA baseball tournament players to watch The Mongomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Tennesseean's Aria Gerson break down the top players to watch in the men's NCAA baseball tournament. With the NCAA baseball tournament field now whittled down to 16 teams, it's natural to ask which of the regional champs have the best chance to bring home the title in Omaha, Nebraska, at the end of the month. In all honesty, given that half the national seeds have already been eliminated, your guess is probably as good as ours. Nevertheless, we shall take a stab at ranking the 16 remaining teams. First and foremost, a few caveats are in order. This ranking is completely unscientific. Poll positions and seeds are taken into account, but recent performance and historic postseason success are also factors considered. Home field in the upcoming super regional round is an edge, but it's anything but a guarantee of success as we've already seen in this tournament. With all that out of the way then, here's how we rank the 16 survivors. No. 1 Arkansas Is this finally the Razorbacks' year? Arkansas was a win away in 2018 but has yet to claim a national championship. In addition to being the highest-seeded team still in the tournament, this year's squad would appear to have the necessary combination of pitching depth and timely hitting for a long stay should it make it to Omaha. But the Hogs have a tough assignment against the defending champion Volunteers. No. 2 North Carolina The Tar Heels look to have the best position of the ACC's sizable five-team contingent in the round of 16 after getting past Oklahoma in an elimination game to advance. UNC is also seeking its first title, but Gavin Gallaher has been on an absolute tear at the plate in the postseason, and Jake Knapp is a true staff ace. No. 3 Auburn The Tigers rebounded in a big way from a subpar 2024 campaign thanks to a significant roster overhaul. They swept their regional while several of their SEC brethren weren't nearly as successful, and now they seek a return trip to Omaha after a two-year absence. Their last obstacle, however, is significant (see below). No. 4 Tennessee The Volunteers weren't the most consistent bunch in SEC play this season, particularly in the latter half of the campaign. The offense gets a lot of the headlines but there are enough arms to weather what should be an electric atmosphere at Arkansas. They've had success against the Razorbacks before, and if they find a way to reach Omaha they'd have a solid chance to repeat. No. 5 LSU Though the Bayou Bengals had to work a little harder than expected to get past a pesky group of Trojans from Little Rock, they'd be a popular choice to add to their seven championship banners if they reach the College World Series. LSU isn't as reliant on offense as years past with Anthony Eyanson and Kade Anderson giving the pitching staff two elite starting options. No. 6 Oregon State Perhaps it was the shock of losing to Saint Mary's in the opener last week, but the Beavers' bats woke up in time for them to avoid elimination in their home park. It won't hurt that they get to stay in Corvallis while their opponent must travel across the continent, but maintaining the hit parade against Florida State's accomplished hurlers will be a challenge. No. 7 Louisville After sweeping their regional that included top overall seed Vanderbilt, the Cardinals can't be counted out. Their matchup against Miami guarantees at least one ACC squad will be represented next week at the CWS, though Louisville did not encounter the Hurricanes during the regular season. No. 8 UCLA The Bruins broke through for their first baseball title in 2013. Somewhat surprisingly, they haven't been back to Omaha since. This year's group is happy to be home after accumulating many more travel miles in its first Big Ten season. Balance is a big part of their success with excellent defense supporting a solid hitting and pitching group. No. 9 Florida State As long-time Seminoles' fans are well aware, getting to Omaha has not been the issue. They've been there 24 times without a title. But first things first, as they'll need to win a series on the west coast before dealing with the inevitable questions about all the years of CWS futility. Starting pitchers Jamie Arnold and Joey Volini will be asked to lead the way in slowing down Oregon State. No. 10 Coastal Carolina We admit we might have the Chanticleers too low here. They rank second in ERA (3.22), which certainly gives them a chance to cool Auburn's hot bats. The offensive firepower in the Sun Belt top to bottom doesn't match the SEC, of course, but Coastal faced its share of major conference competition during the season as well. The offense relies less on the long ball than manufacturing runs. No. 11 Duke Even Duke's meager College World Series history comprising three appearances, the most recent in 1961, is more than that of its opponent this weekend. We'll say this much – the Blue Devils' series against Murray State should be quite entertaining, especially if you like to see a lot of runs scored. No. 12 Arizona The Wildcats flew under the radar a bit this season as they negotiated their new conference, but they still won the Big 12 tournament and got through regionals - albeit with the benefit of not facing host Oregon. There's no shortage of history in the program that claims four national championships, but this group has a difficult road assignment in Chapel Hill. No. 13 Texas-San Antonio The Roadrunners are sailing in uncharted waters. But now that they've cracked the super regionals for the first time – at the expense of their state's flagship school no less – they won't be bothered by the increasingly bigger stage. UTSA has scored more runs than any of the remaining 16 teams, so their bats should provide a test for UCLA's solid pitching staff. No. 14 West Virginia "No lead is safe" might be a cliché, but it definitely applies to this scrappy bunch of Mountaineers after thrilling comeback victories against Clemson and Kentucky that got them through their regional in three games. They also perform well away from Morgantown, but overcoming the home environs in Baton Rouge will still be a major challenge. No. 15 Miami (Fla.) The Hurricanes are arguably the shakiest of the handful of ACC squads to reach this point even thought they worked their way through both Alabama and Southern Mississippi for their first super regional since 2016. As mentioned above, they did not meet Louisville earlier, though their results against the conference's upper tier would suggest winning twice on the road is a tall order. No. 16 Murray State Perhaps we should pay more attention to the Missouri Valley tournament on an annual basis. The Racers' run through Mississippi's regional means an MVC squad has reached the super regionals in four of the last five seasons. Murray State will undoubtedly have to continue its high run production to keep up with Duke, but the Racers will enjoy the ride regardless.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Big Ten hoops analyst expects a 'breakout season' for MSU starting PG Jeremy Fears Jr.
Big Ten hoops analyst expects a 'breakout season' for MSU starting PG Jeremy Fears Jr. Is Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. in for a breakout season? One Big Ten basketball analyst has already called his shot for this outcome. Former Purdue star and current Big Ten Network analyst Rapheal Davis believes Fears is in store for a breakout season in 2025-26. On Wednesday morning, Davis sent out a simple post on social media platform X: "Jeremy Fears Jr. - Breakout Season." Check out the post from Davis below: Fears stepped in as the Spartans primary staring point guard this past season after suffering a season-ending injury in the middle of his Freshman campaign. Fears started all 36 of the Spartans' games this past season, averaging 7.2 points, 5.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. Fears also became one of the clear leaders for Michigan State and was critical beyond the stat sheet in the Spartans winning the Big Ten title and reaching the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. There are parts of Fears' game that will need to improve during this offseason -- primarily his shooting from mid-range and outside. But if he can improve upon that part of his game, I too would expect a breakout season from Fears next year. It will be needed if Michigan State is going to contend for another Big Ten title. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
