USD Magazine, Winter 2003

ing a premature and frustrating end to another impressive season for rhe Toreros, who finished with a 14-6 record and saw senior Ryan Coiner named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. Despite the disappointments, the future of USD soccer is promising. T he on-field successes and recent improvements to Torero Stadium are likely to make USD an attractive choice for soccer recruits. "We're very proud of our soccer teams and the success they have achieved," says Tom Iannacone, USD director of athletics. "They are annu– ally ranked among the best in the country and have also received yearly bids to the NCAA Tournament."

T he club, launched last fal l, is now 2,600 stro ng. "It's fun for the students, and it's good for the athletes to have some extra support," Wiebe says. "Ir's great to look into the crowd and see a bunch of enthusiastic fans wearing Torero colors." They're Ba-a-a-ck If you missed the last two West Coast Conference bas-

ketball tournaments at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, fear not. T his March, rhe

Quarterback Eric Rasmussen with USD football. "I have never seen a crowd so large and enthusiastic," he says. "It was a rotten way to end rhe season, but to see the stands so full and people so excited was unbelievable." Soccer Teams Advance, But Exit Early First, the good news: USD's men's and women's soccer teams both advanced to their respective NCAA tournaments. The bad news? Boch teams were eliminated in the first round.

JCP will once again host the

games determining the conference representative to the NCAA Tourn– ament - the "big dance," to basket– ball fans . For WCC Tournament ticket infor– mation, log on to the USD athletics Web site at www.usdroreros.com. PFL Title Slips From Sight T he USD football team had Dayton right where it wanted them - final– ly. In nine games, rhe Flyers were a perfect 9-0 against the Toreros, but USD had the chance to end a decade of futility on Nov. 16 at Alcala Park. Both teams were 3-0 in league play, and a victory meant earning the Pioneer Football League's North Division ride and moving on to play Moorehead State fo r the PFL cham– pionship. A stand ing-room on ly crowd of 6,953 jammed Torero Stadium, but the eager throngs found our, yet again, why Dayton has claimed seven PFL titles since 1993. The Flyers rook a 17-7 lead halfome lead, dominating the rime of possession with 23 minutes to USD's seven. USD narrowed the gap to 20- 17 late in the fourth quarter, but Dayton put together a clock-eating drive culminating in a touchdown char put the game out of reach. The Toreros' season ended with the 27- 17 loss. Despite the rough defeat, Head Coach Kevin McGarry says the game was one of the most reward ing in the 25 years he's been associated

Fashion Statement No, the sears in the Jen ny Craig Pavilion have nor been painted Columbia blue. Bur it might look that way during Torero basketball games, thanks to escalating school spirit spurred by the Srudenr Rewards Club. The club is free - and can pay off handsomely. Srudents receive a Columbia blue Torero T-shirt for

Senior Rebecca Smith

T he women endured what might have been the more painful of the two losses, 1-0 to USC in overtime, the game's lone goal coming on a penalty kick. It was the second time in three years USD lost to USC by a sin– gle goal in a tournament game, as the Toreros also

signing up, and win prizes if their name is drawn at a football or bas– ketbal l game, or at selected games in other sports. "They get Torero gear, food vouchers and dinner and a power card for games at (local arcade) Dave and Buster's," says Renee Wiebe, athletics promotions direc– tor. "The grand prize is the Dave and Buster's Srudent Jackpot. It starts at $ 100. If the club member whose name is drawn is nor in attendance and weari ng his or her Torero Blue T-shirt, the prize rolls over. We recently gave away a $500 prize at a women's basketball game."

dropped a 2-1 match in 2000. The men had a rough rime, too. Appearing in their fifth straight NCAA rournan1ent and the 10th since 1990, they lost to University of Cal ifornia, Santa Barbara, a team making its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. UCSB posted a 2-0 victory, bring-

13

WINTER 2003