Biggest moments in USD sports history
Chris Spiering / Sports Editor / The USD Vista
The University of San Diego isn’t really known for its athletics. There are a ton of reasons that make this university what it is today, but sports aren’t the main reason why students chose to attend USD.
Despite this, throughout the years, the Toreros have had many bright moments in sports. Here are five of the biggest moments related to sports in USD history.
1992 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament
The Toreros started the tournament playing Stanford University in the first round, winning easily 3-0. Next was top-four ranked UCLA and the Toreros defeated the Bruins 2-1, to advance to the third round for just the second time in school history. USD shut out the University of Indiana 2-0 which advanced them to the semi-finals — USD had never made it to the final-four. Next was Tournament host Davidson University, and the Toreros needed overtime to beat the Wildcats 3-2.
San Diego faced the No. 1 team in the country, Virginia in the Championship game. This would be the first time the Toreros would be held scoreless as the Cavaliers won 2-0 to win their third National Title.
Although USD lost, the run they had was very impressive as you don’t see many low-ranked seeds advance to the title game. This was the only chance USD has ever had to win the championship but this game set a standard for the future of Torero soccer players.
Jackson’s jumper with 1.2 seconds left in OT knocks out No. 4 UConn in NCAA Basketball Tournament
In 2008, the Toreros finished the regular season at 22-13 and won the West Coast Conference (WCC) Championship after defeating Gonzaga University 69-62. That win advanced them to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history.
San Diego guard De’Jon Jackson hit the biggest shot in school history and the 13th-seed beat No. 4 seed Connecticut 70-69 in the first round of the NCAA’s West Regional. The NCAA Tournament is made up of 68 teams and USD advanced to the round of 32 for the first and only time in program history. They went on to lose to No. 12 Western Kentucky 72-63.
The impressive season fell short, but that tournament run has been a huge accomplishment for the men’s basketball program. The Toreros have yet to win the WCC tournament since that season but have come close a few times. The NCAA Tournament is one of the most-watched sporting events in America and that defeat over UCONN helped put USD on the map. The 2008 season is considered the most successful year in USD men’s basketball history.
The resignation of Lamont Smith
On Sunday Feb. 25, 2018, the University of San Diego head basketball coach Lamont Smith was arrested on domestic violence charges after preparing to return from a game in San Francisco. The team played the University of San Francisco the night prior and Smith was arrested at the Oakland International Airport the next morning.
Smith played basketball at USD from 1995-1999 and then later became the head coach in 2015. The Toreros’ record was 18-12 when this incident happened. The team had just played its regular season finale and was getting ready for the WCC tournament. Smith resigned as head coach on March 8, and finished with an overall record of 36-52, in three seasons. Assistant head coach Sam Scholl took over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season and then was hired as head coach in 2018.
This moment was a huge one for USD athletics as this broke national news. The team responded well in the following season as they finished 21-15 and advanced to the semi-finals in the WCC Tournament.
Kris Bryant’s Legacy
Chicago Cubs superstar third baseman and now outfielder Kris Bryant attended USD from 2011-2013 where he broke numerous records and was considered one of the best college baseball players in the nation.
Right away as a first year, Bryant was named to the “Freshman All-American Team” and was the “Co-Freshman of the Year” as well as “Co-Player of the Year,” shared with Gonzaga’s Marco Gonzales. Bryant led the nation in home runs in his junior year with 31, and amounted to more home runs than 223 of 296 Division I teams hit that season.
After earning multiple awards and honors, Bryant declared for the 2013 MLB draft where he was one of the top prospects. He was chosen second overall in the first round to the Chicago Cubs as he was rated the best hitter in the draft.
2015 was the year where people really started to find out who Bryant was. He was invited to Spring Training and hit a league leading nine home runs in just 40 at-bats. Despite a batting average of .425 and the impressive performance, he started the regular season in the minor leagues. It wasn’t long until he was called up to the Cubs and he took the league by storm, winning National League (NL) Rookie of the Year and leading Chicago to the playoffs.
His 2016 season was even more impressive as he finished the season winning the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and led the Cubs to become World Series Champions after a 100-year World Series drought. Bryant is known for making the final out of the game as he is shown smiling when fielding a ground ball at third base and throwing out the baserunner.
Bryant quickly became the top third baseman in the game and one of the best hitters in the big leagues. His superstar status has reached many fans all over the world and he has left a huge mark at USD. Every season, when the Cubs come to San Diego, the Padres host “Torero Night” in honor of Kris Bryant and tons of USD students are able to attend the three-game series.
Bryant has opened the door for many college baseball players wanting to play baseball for San Diego. Every baseball player knows who Bryant is and his legacy will only continue to be a positive for the Toreros.
Zuzana Lesenarova
The impact Zuzana Lesenarova made on USD athletics will be remembered forever.
A four-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American, Lesenarova is USD’s only NCAA Division I national champion.
During her junior season she won the 1999 NCAA Division I National Singles Championship with a win over Stanford’s Marissa Irvin in the final. That ended her impressive season as the No. 1 ranked player in the nation.
In 1999 she won three of the four Grand Slam events, and won 37 Grand Slam matches in her career. Lesenarova was named the 1999 ITA National Player of the Year, and was rewarded with an invitation into the 1999 U.S. Open Championships. Additionally, she held the No. 1 singles ranking twice (1999, 2000) and the No. 1 doubles ranking once (2000, with Katrina Valkyova). Lesenarova is also a three-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year; and a three-time WCC All-Academic selection.
Her Torero career finished with an overall record of 202-55 (139-25 in singles; 63-30 in doubles).
Lesenarova was inducted into USD’s Chet & Marguerite Pagni Family Athletic Hall of Fame on May 2, 2009 as part of the USD Alumni Honors program that will be held in the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
Her legacy at USD has left a mark for women wanting to play tennis in San Diego. Lesenarova is currently the only National Champion in USD athletic history.