USD Magazine Fall 2026

“I was having conversations with people all across campus, and the stars aligned when Christopher Nayve ’98 (BA), ’06 (JD), ’07 (MBA), said ‘I think there’s some synergy here because they’ve been wanting to have a sports lens in Jamaica for a really long time. They just didn’t know how they’re going to do it,’” Johnson recalled. “We talked to John, and he was like, ‘Absolutely. Let’s do it.’” Loggins and Johnson felt it was important that the student-athletes be immersed in the community they were working in; to show them what it was like to live in Duncans, and also to show the community how invested they all were in its success. They wouldn’t be staying at a resort and driving in. They got a home in the heart of Duncans. Once the team of Toreros got to Jamaica, they’d spend 10 days doing service. Leading up to the trip, they’d organize a drive to get athletic gear, and donate that to local children along with USD clothing. While they were there, they’d spend most days at the school, interacting with the kids and helping teachers in the classroom. The whole trip would culminate with a field day organized by the student-athletes. With plans for the program coming together, the next step was getting student athletes on board. It was easy in one sense — students jumped at the opportunity.

Athletics got dozens of applications. The hard part was narrowing down all the great applicants to eight students. “The process was very competitive, and we had an incredible group of applicants. Toreros Go Global is a scaffolded opportunity, and we want to make sure students are prepared to fully engage in an immersive experience like this,” Loggins said. “We had so many wonderful applicants, which made the process difficult, but it was also a great reflection of the students we have at USD.” After a review of the applications and rounds of interviews with students, the team was set. There were a couple pairs of student-athletes from the same teams, but most of them didn’t know each other. At the first meeting, Johnson could sense some awkwardness. She told them, by the end of the trip, they’d all be best friends. Universal Connection It took two flights and an hour-long drive to make it to their destination. A local named Melvin “Taxa” Thompson, who’d worked with Loggins for years, picked everyone up from the airport and shuttled them to their home for the next week and a half. They

arrived exhausted from travel, but heard some music coming from town. Since they were staying in the neighborhood, they decided to go check it out. What they found was a celebration of life following a funeral. There was music, along with food and people of all ages. At first, some of the student-athletes weren’t sure how to break the ice. They were in a foreign country dropping by a local gathering. After a few moments, one of them had an idea. They ran back to the house to grab a football. When they came back, they started throwing it around with some of the local children. That immediately got everyone into a comfort

zone, and they were able to start forming connections with the people of Duncans. “Sport is just a universal connector. It’s the language that everybody can speak without even actually speaking,” said junior Mathias Bauer, defender for men’s soccer. “Because you can just have fun, and that’s what connected us. We were just having a good time together.” That night was an important start to the trip.

“As soon as they started connecting with the kids, and parents saw that they were willing to spend time with them, it opened the door,” Loggins said. “It’s like, ‘They’re showing up for our kids. They’re not just tourists.’” After settling in, the student-athletes got some time to explore. Tamia Graham, senior forward for women’s soccer, has family roots in Jamaica, and, along with Taxa, was excited to show her fellow Toreros some of her favorite Jamaican foods — beef patties were a big hit. Beyond that, the team toured a local museum, learning about the region’s history and how it was affected by the transatlantic slave trade.

Above: Tamia Graham chats with students at Duncans All Age. Right: Mathias Bauer, Chloe Walls and Khalil Cueva during recess at Duncans All Age.

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