Latest news with #USCTrojans
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
USC Coach Eric Musselman's Wife Danyelle Turns Heads on Social Media Saturday
USC Coach Eric Musselman's Wife Danyelle Turns Heads on Social Media Saturday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The USC Trojans entered the Big Ten Conference last season and failed to make the NCAA Tournament one year after the departure of Bronny James from their hoops program. Advertisement It was a disappointing season for Trojans head coach Eric Musselman, whose team struggled for most of the season and failed to recapture their past glory in a new conference. On Saturday, a picture of Musselman and his wife Danyelle Sargent began turning heads on social media as Musselman shared a photo of the couple preparing to head out for the night. The late night date (by East Coast standards) included a photo of Musselman and his wife cleaning up for a night on the town. Eric Musselman (R) reacts to a play against UCLA in March 2025. © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images "Manhattan Beach," Musselman wrote on X as he shared a picture of himself and his wife, Danyelle Sargent. The couple wed in 2009 and have a daughter named Mariah Musselman. Advertisement The Musselmans' date night had fans reacting on X with joy and excitement. "Awesome," one fan said with a thumbs up. "Nice @Nike gear, coach," they added with a thumbs up emoji. "You 2 look great coach!" another fan said. "Couple of teenagers having a date night at the beach," another fan added. "Y'all clean up nice coach," another said with a 'fire' emoji. The Trojans' Class of 2025 will be led by Alijah Arenas, a five-star shooting guard and son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, and four star shooting guard Jerry Easter. The Trojans will look to improve on a 17-18 season last year which included a 7-13 Big Ten Conference record. Advertisement Related: Bronny James' Rookie Mixtape is Turning Heads This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ethan Hedges homers twice to lift USC baseball past Saint Mary's in NCAA tournament
USC's Augie Lopez hits a home run against Saint Mary's at the Corvallis Regional of the NCAA baseball tournament on Saturday night. The Trojans won 6-4. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) Saint Mary's coach Eric Valenzuela knew who he didn't want to beat him. Valenzuela said before Saturday night's matchup with USC that Ethan Hedges is the scariest hitter in the Trojans' lineup even though the midseason All-American hadn't played to the same standard in the second half. Hedges was hitting .415 with 22 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, and 39 RBIs through USC's first 32 games. But since April 8, Hedges had lacked the same electricity. Over a 25-game span, he had batted .247 with just five extra-base hits and 17 RBIs. Advertisement Still the fear was there for opposing coaches. Hedges showed why Saturday. USC's Adrian Lopez (5) forces out Saint Mary's Diego Castellanos out at first base on Saturday. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) He broke out with a two-homer performance, including the go-ahead long ball, to power USC to a 6-4 victory and into the Corvallis Regional final. The Trojans are one win away from their first super regionals appearance since 2005. USC left-hander Mason Edwards pitched an efficient 5⅓ innings, needing just 64 pitches before he was removed after giving up his sixth hit. Two of those left the yard, giving Saint Mary's a 3-1 lead early, but USC showed the resiliency that has been a key element of the program under third-year coach Andy Stankiewicz. Advertisement With two outs and seemingly no momentum in the fourth inning, USC's Abbrie Covarrubias got on base by beating out a high chopper to shortstop. Freshman Augie Lopez tied it two pitches later when he demolished a fastball, putting it on top of the scoreboard in right-center field. USC pitcher Mason Edwards delivers against Saint Mary's in the Corvallis Regional on Saturday. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) Hedges' second blast gave USC a 4-3 lead an inning later. The Trojans led 5-3 heading into the eighth when things got dicey. Saint Mary's loaded the bases with a pair of soft singles to right field and a four-pitch walk. A sacrifice fly brought Gaels three-hole hitter Aiden Taurek to the plate. USC ace reliever Brodie Purcell got Taurek to ground into a fielder's choice, but then Stankiewicz made the intriguing decision to pull the right-handed Purcell, the Trojans' workhorse out of the 'pen all season, in favor of left-hander Caden Hunter despite a right-handed hitter due up. Advertisement Hunter, who had worked as a starter until the last couple weeks, struck out Saint Mary's cleanup hitter Ryan Pierce on a 95-mph fastball after pumping multiple 96- and 97-mph offerings — his hardest pitches of the season — earlier in the count. The Trojans added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning before Hunter dismissed Saint Mary's final three batters to collect his first Division I save. USC advances to the Sunday night regional final at 7 p.m. where it will await the winner of Sunday afternoon's 3 p.m. matchup between top-seed Oregon State and No. 4 seed Saint Mary's. If USC were to lose Sunday night's game, a winner-take-all game would be played Monday. USC's Abbrie Covarrubias tags out Saint Mary's Cody Kashimoto on a stolen base attempt on Saturday. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) Sign up for more USC news with Times of Troy. In your inbox every Monday morning. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
US Women's Open: 'Home Break-In' has Golfer Using Gabby Ruffles' Clubs
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Amari Avery is living proof that overcoming adversity is part of the winning process. The former USC Trojans star is at the center of one of the most bizarre storylines of the U.S. Women's Open, yet she is making the most of her time at Erin Hills. In an incredible turn of events, Avery could not use her set of clubs for the second round of the US Women's Open. She had to play Friday with the clubs of her former Trojans teammate, Gaby Ruffels, who even loaned her a cap. Journalist Paige Mackenzie reported on the event firsthand during the Golf Channel broadcast: "Amari Avery had a really unfortunate and scary situation overnight where someone was trying to break into her rental home," Mackenzie reported. "So they had to pack up all their stuff quickly in the middle of the night and go to a hotel." "She put all her stuff in her travel bag. She and her boyfriend [current USC golfer Gavin Aurilia] have the same travel bag and he took hers by mistake this morning and flew back to LA. So today she's using Gabby Ruffles' entire set after Gabby played her round this morning. She didn't even have a hat." An unfortunate situation led to Amari Avery having to play her second round at the U.S. Women's Open with Gabriella Ruffels' set of clubs. — Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 30, 2025 According to Mackenzie's report, Aurilia's mother is flying to Wisconsin on Saturday to deliver Avery's golf clubs, hopefully before her third round at Erin Hills begins. However, Avery was one of the players unable to finish the second round due to darkness with two holes to play. She resumed play on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, dropping a shot over her final two holes. Avery probably wasn't thrilled about having to play with borrowed clubs, but the truth is that the Ruffels set has served her well. During the second round, she had two birdies and two bogeys on the first 16 holes, giving her an even-par score for the round and a 1-under score for the tournament. Amari Avery of the United States walks off the 18th green during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open presented by Ally 2025 at Erin Hills Golf Course on May 30, 2025 in... Amari Avery of the United States walks off the 18th green during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open presented by Ally 2025 at Erin Hills Golf Course on May 30, 2025 in Erin, Wisconsin. MoreUnfortunately, her third round is not off to the start she was hoping for. Avery is 2-over through four holes, leaving her at 2-over for the tournament. It is unknown whether she is playing her own set of clubs or not. If so, she might want to ask Ruffels for hers back. Nevertheless, what she accomplished on Friday is no small feat, as it is her debut in major championships. This result would be doubly significant for her, as not only would she achieve an important milestone by making the cut at the highest level, but she also would do so while overcoming the enormous difficulty of playing with borrowed clubs. More Golf: The Memorial: Max Homa implodes as US Open berth slipping away
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
USC Trojans Take Shot at Dan Lanning With 5-Star Commitment Announcement
USC Trojans Take Shot at Dan Lanning With 5-Star Commitment Announcement originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The USC Trojans landed a major commitment on the recruiting trail Friday afternoon, picking 5-star tight end Mark Bowman, who is rated as the No. 1 TE and No. 16 player in the 2026 class. Advertisement While the addition is huge for Lincoln Riley and his staff to improve their roster, it was also an opportunity to fire a shot up north and troll Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks, who were also in on Bowman's recruitment. In a video posted to X right after the announcement from USC football's official account, Trojans alum Will Ferrell is shown jumping into the pool in a clip from "Anchorman." Shots fired right at Lanning. For those who remember, it was earlier this spring that Lanning celebrated a commitment from 5-star EDGE Richard Wessley by ripping his shirt off and jumping into a pool. That commitment hasn't gone very smoothly for the Oregon Ducks, though, with Wessley recently coming out and having his name removed from the Ducks' commits list as he continues to weigh his options. Advertisement This is a fun ribbing from USC to Oregon, and likely one that won't be received well by the Ducks as they continue to try and build momentum on the recruiting trail. Of course, we've seen over the years how Lanning uses past occurrences in his pregame speeches and motivational tactics against teams, so it will be interesting to see this fall if any other cannonball-related content comes out, especially with USC traveling up to Eugene to face the Ducks on November 22. Related: Nittany Lions Make Major Announcement About Oregon Ducks vs. Penn State Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
College football recruiting thoughts: Clemson's surge, QB dominoes, New York's elite prospect
It may be the heart of the offseason for college football, but recruiting never stops. And starting Friday, things are about to get fun. Welcome to June official visits. Outside of December, June is the most chaotic, exciting month of the year for recruiting as prospects across the country head off to official visits and start to narrow down their lists. Commitments are coming. Dominoes are falling. And the drama is just getting started. Advertisement With that in mind, some recruiting thoughts as we head into Friday and kick off the summer. Note: All rankings are from the 247Sports Composite. 1. It's a big year for USC coach Lincoln Riley as the Trojans look to bounce back from a 7-6 record in 2024 and prove that they can still be relevant on the national stage. Riley has been recruiting like someone who knows what's at stake. The Trojans currently have the nation's No. 1 class, with 16 four-stars among their 26 commitments. They have their quarterback in place after flipping four-star Jonas Williams from Oregon in February and have found some early success with top prospects on defense — by far their biggest need. Of USC's six top-100 commits, four play defense — corners Elbert Hill and Brandon Lockhart and defensive linemen Jaimeon Winfield and Simote Katoanga. Now it's Riley's job to hang onto them. Hill and Winfield are from Ohio and Texas, respectively. 2. The dominoes have started to fall at quarterback, with seven of the nation's top 10 QBs already committed. Five-star California native Ryder Lyons and four-star Alabama native Landon Duckworth are the highest uncommitted prospects at the position. Lyons has kept a low profile but is expected to officially visit USC, Oregon and BYU this month. Duckworth has a top five consisting of Auburn, Florida State, Ole Miss, South Carolina and North Carolina. 3. Speaking of North Carolina, it was fascinating to see Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick go on his inaugural tour of high schools across the state at the beginning of the year as he got acclimated to recruiting for the first time. But since then, UNC has had almost no traction with in-state prospects. Of the Tar Heels' 15 commits, only two are from North Carolina. Three are from California. One high-level in-state coach said Belichick and UNC came through his high school in the spring, but otherwise, it has been 'radio silent on their end, honestly.' Maybe it's too early to question arguably the greatest football coach of all time. And if UNC wins games, Belichick can recruit however he wants. But the Tar Heel state has a decent amount of talent this year, and UNC does not appear to be in position to take advantage of it. Advertisement 4. One team that has resonated with talent in North Carolina? Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish have landed commitments from three of the top 11 prospects in North Carolina, more than any other program. 'It definitely is a trend that I've noticed,' said four-star linebacker Thomas Davis Jr., a Matthews, N.C., native and the son of former Carolina Panthers legend Thomas Davis. 'It really just goes to show what kind of program (Notre Dame) is and when you can just truly show a kid what you want to bring to the table and why you think they're a fit for your school and they get the opportunity to choose that on their own, Notre Dame is a special place. So a lot of these kids, I think, see that and want to be a part of it.' 5. Davis, who committed to Notre Dame in November, recently landed an offer from Georgia — where his father starred in the early 2000s. The younger Davis is heading to Athens on Friday for an official visit with the Bulldogs — the only other school he plans to visit outside of Notre Dame — and knows how much that will mean to his dad. 'I know (Georgia) has been coming after me,' he said. 'But I still feel pretty locked in with Notre Dame.' Blessed to receive a scholarship to Georgia.🐶 Thank you @CoachSchuUGA !@andycapone_whs @BigDubFootball @RivalsFriedman @Rivals @samspiegs @ChadSimmons_ @On3Recruits @247Sports @247recruiting @AnnaH247 — Thomas Davis Jr (@ThomasDavisJr14) May 8, 2025 6. Clemson is hot again, both on the field — the Tigers are viewed as a likely College Football Playoff team — and on the recruiting trail. Dabo Swinney currently has 15 commits in the Class of 2026, including 10 blue-chippers, for an average player rating of 90.65. The Tigers have five top-200 prospects and two quarterbacks already committed in four-star Tait Reynolds and three-star Brock Bradley. Don't be surprised if there are more fireworks in the coming days. Clemson's only official visit weekend of the summer begins today. Advertisement 7. Looking for an interesting prospect to follow? How about four-star wide receiver Messiah Hampton? Hampton is the nation's No. 100 recruit, No. 11 receiver and the highest-rated prospect out of New York since 2019. He is committing on June 13 and is down to seven schools: Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan, Miami, Syracuse and Georgia. Fran Brown and the in-state Orange may be fighting an uphill battle considering the rest of Hampton's contenders, but kudos to Brown for making the final cut for a rare top-100 in-state prospect. 8. What's going on with LSU and Alabama? The two SEC powers lead the nation in average player rating at 95.18 and 94.28, respectively, but LSU has just nine commits in its class and Alabama has just five. Neither has a quarterback, either. Expect Brian Kelly and Kalen DeBoer to change that, but the pressure is especially on for Kelly, who lost out on five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood at the last minute a year ago and didn't sign a quarterback in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The Tigers are in good shape this year with Garrett Nussmeier, but Kelly knows he'll need to start looking ahead soon. 9. Ohio State, the reigning national champ, also doesn't yet have a quarterback in its 2026 class. The Buckeyes are in good shape for the foreseeable future with former five-stars Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair both on the roster, but most programs like to take a quarterback every year. The Buckeyes have the nation's No. 3 class with 13 commits, 11 of whom are blue-chippers. 10. It has long been presumed that Billy Napier's recruiting has helped the Florida coach keep his job, especially after he signed five-star quarterback DJ Lagway in the Class of 2024 and finished the 2025 cycle with five top-100 prospects. Coaches can always sell hope. But the Gators have been largely nonexistent in this 2026 cycle so far. Florida has more decommits (three) than it does commits (two). The class right now consists of four-star quarterback Will Griffin from Tampa, Fla., and three-star defensive lineman Jamir Perez from Cleveland. 11. Only two of the top 20 players in Florida are currently committed to an in-state program: four-star linebacker Jordan Campbell and four-star cornerback Jaelen Waters have both given Miami a verbal pledge. Florida State has three of the state's top 50 players, but only one in the top 30, four-star athlete Efrem White. 12. Arizona State appears to be receiving a nice little bump from its College Football Playoff appearance a season ago. Coach Kenny Dillingham's 2026 class has an average player rating of 87.75, which is on pace to be the program's highest since the Class of 2021. Four-star quarterback Jake Fette, the No. 107 prospect overall and No. 10 quarterback, threw for nearly 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns against just one interception as a high school junior in El Paso, Texas. He also rushed for 589 yards and 11 touchdowns on a 7.6-yard average. 13. Typically, the earlier a recruit issues a commitment, the harder it is for a school to hang onto him. But that doesn't seem to be the case with Texas and five-star quarterback Dia Bell, who has taken on the role of helping recruit talent to Austin around him. Bell, from South Florida, is likely the heir apparent to Arch Manning and committed to the Longhorns almost a year ago. He hasn't wavered in that commitment and is expected to take just one official visit, to Austin in three weeks. Advertisement 14. Five-star offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho, at No. 6 overall, is the nation's highest-rated uncommitted prospect. Iheanacho plays high school football at Georgetown Preparatory School in Baltimore and is down to seven schools: Maryland, Oregon, Penn State, LSU, Alabama, Texas A&M and Auburn. He has most recently teased Oregon and LSU on social media, but he isn't announcing a decision until August. Just how good is he? The 6-foot-6 1/2, 345-pounder casually squatted 600 pounds a month ago. 600lb Squat PR @EOLiddy — Immanuel Iheanacho ✭ (@immanueli24) April 30, 2025 15. For those of us who love to follow recruiting, welcome to one of the most fun months on the recruiting calendar. But good luck to all the recruiting, personnel and coaching staffers who, starting Friday, will be consumed by visit itineraries, photo shoots and campus tours. They probably won't sleep until July. As one staffer put it after the chaos of last June: 'I was a tired dude.' (Photo of Dabo Swinney: Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
