USD Magazine Spring 2026

A Dazzling Debut Season Things are finally starting to slow down for Amanda Anders after a whirlwind welcome to campus. The standout forward is coming off a stellar debut for USD Women’s Soccer — aka Las Toreras — a season that culminated with Anders earning a spot on the All-West Coast Conference (WCC) Freshman Team. It’s hard to believe it was just one year ago that she was getting ready to graduate high school. Like all first-year soccer players, Anders didn’t get much time before being called into action on the pitch. Shortly after she settled into her dorm and began learning to navigate college life, Anders was thrust into the ultracompetitive WCC regular season, where she had to keep up with the dizzying pace of Division I athletics. Off the field, she was learning to balance homework and exams with weekly travel. On the field, she was competing against women who were stronger, faster and smarter than any she’d faced before. “At the college level, the speed of play is way faster than anything I'd ever experienced,” Anders said. The adjustment started in the summer. Practicing with her teammates gave her confidence that she could compete at this level — but practices can only do so much. “You never truly know if you’re ready until you step onto the field for a real game,” she said. Anders’ first test came in the season opener against Cal Poly, and she aced it. She came off the bench and scored two goals in her collegiate debut. A few weeks later, she did it again against UC Riverside. Anders hadn’t even taken her first college midterm, and she’d already been named WCC Offensive Player of the Week. Twice. “I just had a sense of pride. I didn’t really know if I could do that in the collegiate setting,” she said. “You can do some cool things in practice, but I didn’t know I was going to go out there and do that.” Her confidence was growing, perhaps no better exemplified than a bold moment on the pitch in October. In a tie game against the University of Portland, Anders found herself with some space about 40 yards from goal. Her teammate, Emma Gonzalez ’26, spotted her and dished her the ball. Anders saw an opportunity and didn’t hesitate. She turned and rocketed a shot at goal. It bounced off the far post and in, giving USD the lead in a game they’d go on to win 2-1. The goal was a bright spot of Anders’ already superb season, but it only got better from there. “Later that night, Greg (LaPorte, USD Women’s Soccer head coach) texted the team group chat, and was like, ‘We got the number one play on SportsCenter,’” Anders said. She was with her teammates, who confirmed that her goal against Portland was getting national recognition. Gonzalez isn’t the only one providing assists for Anders. Tutors help her manage school on top of all the demands of her sports schedule. Her coaches and teammates have created a network of support. Notably, her mom, Sherice (Bartling) Anders ’99 (BA) — who played for USD before going on to play for a star-studded Boston Breakers

He knew the traditions and expectations of USD baseball, and he could convey them to his teammates as one of their peers. “It’s about getting everyone to play for each other, pulling from the same end of the rope,” he said. Now, after all that’s happened since 2020, Frize is back on the mound for his sixth and final season. It’s easy to spot him in the huddle, thanks to the aforementioned mustache. When he started as a first-year player, the team had a strict no-facial hair policy — another thing Frize has seen come and go at USD. Players are now allowed to have clean-cut facial hair, as long as nothing goes past the lips. And he’s all smiles with the finish line in sight. It was 652 days between his elbow injury and his first appearance in 2026. He’s soaking it in, and he’s excited to be pitching again after everything he’s been

through. But he’s more focused on the present and future than the past. “We’ve got a very good

squad around us. I’m excited to compete,” Frize said of what he’s looking forward to most. “I just think it’s fun to get out there with these guys and go toe-to-toe.” — Steven Covella

Anders celebrates with her teammates. As a freshman, she logged nearly 1,000 minutes and scored six goals.

squad in the Women’s United Soccer Association — has helped prepare Amanda for the rigors of life as a student-athlete. There’s a buzz growing around Las Toreras, and Anders is hoping to use the offseason to get stronger and shore up parts of her game. In the meantime, though, she still has to get through her first spring semester. It’s getting busy, and she has a few other things to figure out. “I’m not really sure what I’m going to major in yet,” Anders said. — Steven Covella

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