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Volume 61 Issue 9
Thursday, November 9, 2023
THE USD VISTA VISTA
The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Diego since 1968
‘The carl’ causes controversy
Students facing housing uncertainty in alum-owned building ANJALI DALAL-WHELAN NEWS EDITOR For college students, finding housing, reasonable rent prices and communicating with landlords can be a new and difficult experience. After the two-year requirement of living on-campus, many USD juniors and seniors shift to off-campus houses and apartments. Two apartment buildings “the carl,” located on Riley St. and “the carl on Lauretta,” located on Mollie St., house many USD students, within a walkable distance to campus. However, this semester, students have experienced issues in the newly built apartment: “the carl on Lauretta” This summer, some USD students who leased independently of USD were scheduled to move into the newly developed building “the carl on Lauretta.” However, the initial move-in date they were promised of July 11, was pushed back multiple times, until the end of August — leaving them to rely on their friends and family for housing, students said. USD senior Olivia Wiley explained her annoyance with the delayed move-in.
A building near campus called ‘the carl on Lauretta’ houses some USD students who are leased independently of USD. Lili Kim/The USD Vista
“It was really frustrating because I was staying with my friends for almost two months extra, which is crazy,” Wiley said. A series of emails from Edward
Gomez, then Leasing Manager of “the carl on Lauretta” and Sam Nucum, the Assistant Director of Operations and Acquisitions at Southwest Equity Partners, sent
residents emails delaying the move in time over the summer. In an email, Nucum updated residents about these delays of their new move-in day.
addresses Former USD Quarterback sues school Harris lawsuit at
Over negligence, hazing and emotional distress COLIN MULLANEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ABIGAIL CAVIZO ASSOCIATE EDITOR
TW: This article discusses hazing and sexual assault. Allegations of hazing against USD’s football program first emerged in August. However,
new details about the allegations have now become public in a lawsuit filed on behalf of Quarterback AJ Perez, a transfer student from Utah Tech who joined USD’s football team this year. Perez alleges in the lawsuit filed Oct. 23 against USD that he was subjected to “negligence,” “hazing,” “violation of the Bane Act” and “intentional infliction of emotional distress.” According to the 14-page
A lawsuit filed by former Quarterback alleges hazing by USD’ s football team. Spencer Bispham/The USD Vista
lawsuit filed by Perez’s attorney, two separate hazing incidents reportedly occurred not long after the team arrived on campus for preseason training — the first “on or about August 9” and the second “on or about August 17.” In the first incident of Aug. 9, the lawsuit states, “players were required to get naked and press their genitals up against the window so the upperclassmen inside could see them naked.” In the second incident on Aug. 17, the lawsuit states, “The upperclassmen required all ‘rookies’ to perform a routine naked and to include acts of a sexual nature in their performance… If the upperclassman did not approve of the routine, players would get ‘spooned’ where spoons would be thrown at them, or they would be hit… with a large wooden spoon… As [Perez] was desperately trying to avoid these attacks, he heard his underwear tear and felt several people grabbing him. He then tried to cover his genitals
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See lawsuit, Page 2
@USDVista
ASG meeting ABIGAIL CAVIZO ASSOCIATE EDITOR
During the Associated Student Government (ASG) senate meeting on Oct. 26, USD President James T. Harris III addressed the details of hazing allegations made public in a lawsuit against USD and an article by the San Diego Union-Tribune (U-T). The entire meeting was recorded and posted to their YouTube channel “USD ASG” on Oct. 26. At the ASG meeting, Harris denied the lawsuit’s claim that Coach Moore had any prior knowledge of the alleged hazing and discussed what the school has done so far to investigate hazing allegations. “In the [U-T] article this morning, the individual who’s suing the university over this hazing incident suggested that the football coach knew what was going on. We know that to not be true. Not at all,” Harris stated. “On the morning of Aug.
See Harris speaks, Page 2
@theusdvista
theusdvista.com
“Due to unforeseen challenges during the construction process including elevator and fire alarm inspection delays, we are writing to provide you with an update on the new tentative move-in date.” The email acknowledged the inconvenience created for residents. “We recognize the frustration and inconvenience that arise from such delays.” Aug. 24, Nucum indicated to residents she was uncertain if move-in would take place. “The city is contacting ownership tomorrow morning for a walkthrough before we are handed our certificate.” The next day, Aug. 25, Edward Gomez informed residents by email that they could move in, starting at 11 a.m. Residents received this email at 11:03 a.m. This email also noted that shower doors hadn’t yet been installed. “We’ve received the green light to move everyone into the Carl on Lauretta today at 11 AM. A warm welcome awaits,” Edward Gomez said in an email. After move-in day was delayed almost two months, USD senior Ashely Sutton said that, when she actually moved in, the construction appeared rushed. “When I walked into my
See ‘the carl’, Page 3
INSIDE More on football hazing See News, page 2
Tu Merc tampons See Opinion, page 4
Thanksgiving at USD See Feature, page 6
RIP Matthew Perry See Arts & Culture, page 9
USD basketball kicks off See Sports, page 11
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The USD Vista
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November 9, 2023
NEWS
Former Quarterback AJ Perez sues USD From Lawsuit, Page 1
with a towel, which again was ripped off by other individuals.” The San Diego Union-Tribune (U-T) published an article on Oct. 25 about the hazing allegations and lawsuit against USD but did not include the more graphic details of the lawsuit’s allegations. The USD Vista also opted not to include more graphic details. Perez explained to the U-T his concerns at the time and how social pressure contributed to the situation: “‘The pressure was so immense that I didn’t want to be excluded and not be part of the team and be looked at as an outcast,’ [Perez] said. ‘I’m a new player on the team. As a quarterback, you rely so much on other players to help you out. I didn’t want to be ostracized from the team,” the U-T reported. According to the U-T, Perez has not been back to campus since the alleged Aug. 17 incident, except to “retrieve his personal belongings.” Further, the U-T reported, “Perez discussed a return to campus with school and
USD Athletic Director leaves position
team officials but was told the university couldn’t ‘guarantee’ his protection. Perez said he asked to complete the semester remotely via online classes but was not accommodated.” The lawsuit filed on Oct. 23 states that Perez was initially motivated to attend USD due to the USD coaching staff’s comments that he showed NFL prospect potential. “In 2023, he made the decision to transfer to the University of San Diego after discussion with USD coaches indicating that he was on a NFL track to success,” the lawsuit states. Since Perez has left the USD football team, the lawsuit says that he has lost potential playing and earning opportunities: “Plaintiff AJ Perez has been unable to attend college and pursue a football career all to his damage for loss of earnings and loss of earnings capacity to be stated according to proof.” Perez is quoted by the U-T as saying that he believes he is the only player from the team who is no longer participating
in
the football program: “I’m the only one not playing football. I want to play football again. I want to be in school again. I just want to have a normal life again. It’s so upsetting. It’s been a lot,” Perez said, according to the U-T. The lawsuit against USD also states that some members of USD’s coaching staff “knew or had reason to know or should have known about the hazing practices of the USD student organization, but took no steps to stop the hazing practices, thereby accepting, authorizing, participating in and/or ratifying the hazing,” the lawsuit states. The U-T reported that, “Perez said at least two alums on the coaching staff told him similar incidents happened when they played there,” according to their Oct. 25 article. Further, NBC 7 reported that, “the lawsuit [against USD] alleges USD’s head football coach Brandon Moore had ‘knowledge of many of these offending acts.’” Coach Brandon Moore, who became Head Coach in
April 2023 after the departure of Head Coach Dale Lindsey, denied prior knowing about the alleged hazing in a statement, also reported by NBC 7: “I want to be clear that I had no prior knowledge at any level about these activities before they were reported to me by AJ Perez,” Moore said in his statement. “This was not anything I’d heard before and certainly doesn’t represent my vision for USD Football. The events reported to me were counter to the directive I issued to our players and coaches about hazing not being tolerated in any shape or form in my first team meeting.” USD President James T. Harris III made a statement supporting Moore in an email addressed to the USD community on Oct. 26. “I want to reiterate that Coach Moore had no advance knowledge of the alleged hazing… It was Coach Moore’s alarm and quick action that prompted the entire investigation,” Harris wrote in the email. Harris made a similar
comment and addressed further details at an Oct. 26 Associated Student Government (ASG) meeting, described in a concurrent article of The USD Vista, below. USD’s Public Relations department responded to USDtv/Student Media saying an inquiry is still under way and refused further comment. Ron Fowler, namesake of USD’s Fowler Park, told the U-T that he was “shocked and disgusted” by the news of the allegations against USD’s football program, saying “in my mind, the [consequences] should include any coaches who were aware of this behavior. They should throw the ringleaders out of the school.” Since the news first broke about the hazing lawsuit against USD, former Athletic Director Bill McGillis announced he was departing from USD, addressed in an online article published by The USD Vista on Nov. 2. He did not mention the lawsuit when he said that he was stepping away from USD to pursue “exciting new opportunities.”
Harris addresses hazing lawsuit at ASG Senate meeting USD President discusses allegations in San Diego Union-Tribune
From Harris speaks, Page 1
18, Coach Moore told the athletic director, ‘I knew by 2:00’ and we suspended all football activities by the afternoon, and Coach Moore was fully supportive of all of that. So, I think that was an untrue statement that was said.” Harris also maintained that the university took appropriate, punitive action regarding the studentathletes involved in hazing activities alleged in the lawsuit. “We suspended a number of student-athletes. They had athletic suspensions, and some were permanently suspended from the team for their actions
in what happened, in regard to the hazing,” Harris stated. “Anyone found in violation of our university code of conduct, our student policy, will go through student code of conduct procedures and will be handled. And of course, if there’s anything illegal or anything criminal, then the police will have their own ways that they will deal with that,” Harris said. Harris explained that, after Coach Moore’s initial report to former Executive Athletic Director Bill McGillis, the school immediately involved the police. Harris acknowledged the police’s role in the incident,
and described the process of the investigation so far. “The police are doing their own investigation. This is one of the most frustrating parts when something serious like this happens. The police do not move quickly, so they can take their time,” Harris said. Harris also said in the ASG meeting that USD has hired an independent law firm to move forward with the investigation; this independent law firm is “outside of USD and their legal counsel… [and] are doing their own interviews. But remember on a football team, we have coaches, staff and football players. We
Harris spoke about the hazing lawsuit and press coverage at an ASG Senate meeting on Oct. 26. Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista
“These are also young men that are participating. We don’t expect everyone to make the best decisions, always.” - President James T. Harris III have over 100 people. All of them are having interviews. Each one is being interviewed individually, so it takes time to go through that.” Further, Harris discussed restorative justice options for students who allegedly participated in hazing activities. “There’s another side of it, and this is that these are also young men that are participating. We don’t expect everyone to make the best decisions, always — and so we do work with our students, in any situation they have,” Harris said. “For example: restorative justice circles. We have a Center for Restorative Justice on campus. They will be helping us with this as well.” According to USD’s Office of Ethical Development and Restorative Practices website, the focus of the “Restorative Circle” is that it “seeks to generate increased understanding and agreements for how to best move forward in a positive way,” to get students to see the other perspective, if they are in conflict with one another. Another form of restorative justice
USD offers is the “Restorative Justice Conference,” which gives students who are responsible for misconduct a space to express “remorse about the impact they had on other community members and desire to apologize and repair, to the best extent possible, any harm caused.” Harris closed his discussion about the hazing lawsuit against USD and the information reported on in the Oct. 25 U-T article by recognizing the students who reported the incident, and he apologized to the USD community for the article’s potentially surprising revelations. “Know that we take [hazing] seriously, we don’t want this to happen, and I’m appreciative and grateful that those students who came forward and reported immediately. They’re courageous young men to do that. And I’m horrified about what I’m hearing. And so, I can’t validate what was in the paper [U-T article] until we have the final investigation done, but I’m sorry that you had to read this about your school,” Harris said.
Volume 61 Issue 9 •
NEWS
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The USD Vista
Alum-owned building receives notices Toreros struggle with off-campus housing issues
From ‘the carl’, Page 1
room, people were still fixing the Wi-Fi, doing final touches like setting up the AC and there were construction marks left in our bathroom and our hallways. It was dusty everywhere. So we had to clean that ourselves. And it was very last minute.” Sutton also noted that the elevator in the building has never been functioning since their move-in. Despite the issues moving in, USD senior Elle Kallsen was happy with the apartment when she moved in. “The apartment itself seems like it was rushed a little, but it’s still a great place to live, and for college students it’s perfect. I wouldn’t say it’s any more structurally different than oncampus housing,” Kallsen said. However, on Sept. 22, residents received a notice from the City of San Diego Code Enforcement Division — on their units’ front doors. Nucum emailed residents the next day: “If you happen to find a notice on your door dated Friday 9/22/2023, please disregard it. We have already contacted the relevant parties and confirmed the information on the notice is not accurate,” which led to confusion and concern from some residents about the correct course of action for them to take. Then, on Oct. 13 residents received another notice which said they were required to “immediately vacate.” This notice said that tenants had to vacate, “until a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) or Temporary CO had been issued and all required inspections have been received and passed final inspections.” This notice posted by San Diego Code Enforcement also identified “the carl on Lauretta” building’s owner as “The Mogaford Capital Group, LLC.” According to Bizapedia, USD alum Michael Crawford is the “Chief Executive Officer” and “Manager” at the Mogaford Capital Group LLC. Also, Opencorporates.com identifies Crawford as the “agent” of Mogaford Capital Group LLC, with the same registered company address as the one written on the City’s notice to vacate. According to a 2022 article posted by USD News Center entitled “Hard Work Works,” “the carl” buildings were developed by “Crawford Design and Development” and the USD alum Dr. Michael Crawford. The new “the carl on
Residents of ‘the carl on Lauretta’ have received three notices from the City of San Diego, leaving some students confused. Colin Mullaney/The USD Vista
Lauretta” was finished earlier this year and has 14 apartment units, according to the building website, https://thecarlsd.com. Crawford is also currently an adjunct professor of psychology at Point Loma University. Last semester on May 11, 2023, the USD Vista printed an ad in Volume 60 Issue 22, for “the carl on Lauretta.” The USD Vista made two attempts to contact Dr. Michael Crawford via email, and has not received a response, as of Nov. 7. The USD Vista has also not received a response from any emails associated with “the carl” and listed on their advertisements and website.Since the initial notice to vacate on Sept. 22, residents of “the carl on Lauretta” have received a total of three rounds of messages to vacate from the City of San Diego, but Nucum repeatedly told occupants they didn’t need to move out immediately, including in an email dated Oct. 6: “It had come to our notice that the city mistakenly sent out a notice to our residents, indicating a potential issue or requirement that does not apply to our community,” Nucum stated in the email.
Then, on Oct. 16, Nucum informed residents that they had not been able to contact the property owner of “the carl on Lauretta” about the ongoing issues: “We have made multiple attempts over the last several days to contact the property owner, to no avail,” Nucum wrote. Sutton, a student leased with “the carl on Lauretta,” explained the confusion she experienced with conflicting messages from the city and the building’s management. “According to the management company, we don’t have anything to worry about. So I try not to stress too much about that. But, you get these official documents from the city and you’re kind of like, ‘are we in the wrong right now?’ I’m just gonna keep living here.” The USD Vista also contacted the City of San Diego Development Services Department on Nov. 7, at the number listed on the notice. The department said they could not provide more information on the issues at “the carl on Lauretta,” because it had been moved to the Nuisance Abatement Unit. The carl’s website states that “the carl is designed by USD alumni for University students.
The USD Vista Colin Mullaney - Editor-in-Chief Abigail Cavizo - Associate Editor Spencer Bispham - Managing Editor Maria Simpson - Copy Editor Khushi Patel - Art Director Anjali Dalal-Whelan - News Editor Jackie Marquez - Opinion Editor
Katie Foreman - Feature Editor Satvika Nitya - Arts & Culture Editor Lauren Ceballos - Sports Editor Aidan Freis - Distribution Manager Demili Pichay - Social Media Manager Emma-Kate Squires - Photo Editor Anna Hallock - Finance Manager
We believe that providing the best all-inclusive student housing in a stress-free environment will help you achieve your most successful academic career.” However, Wiley explained how the notices to vacate have impacted her stress. “It’s definitely stressful, because if we get kicked out, then we don’t have anywhere to live. Hopefully our friends or family would help us out, but other than that, if you don’t have those resources, then where are you going to live?” According to Elena Gomez, USD’s Associate Director of Media Relations, no USD students were housed off-campus at “the carl on Lauretta” directly by USD Housing; however some students were housed by USD in other buildings affiliated with “the carl” this semester, and they have since been moved out by USD. Elena Gomez described the three buildings and USD’s partnership with “the carl.” “USD’s master lease with ‘the carl’ included three properties under the same owner, [on] Mollie Street, [on] Riley Street, [and on] Lauretta Street. The new building is [actually] on Mollie Street
Editorial – 619.260.4584 Business – 619.260.4714 www.theusdvista.com / @TheUSDVista Emma Holliday - Advertising Manager Gina Lew - Student Media Advisor Marie Minnick - Operations Advisor
and is referred to as ‘the carl on Lauretta.’ USD did not assign any students to live in ‘the carl on Lauretta’ ([located on] Mollie Street), but some students may have taken a lease out directly with the management company.” Students like Sutton and Kallsen are examples of students leased with “the carl on Lauretta” independently of USD. At an ASG Senate meeting on Oct. 26, Vice President of Student Affairs Charlotte Johnson commented on USD’s partnership with “the carl.” A recording of the full Senate meeting can be found on ASG’s YouTube channel, “USD ASG.” “Given the housing crunch that we were experiencing in the summer, we knew we were going to be experiencing in the fall, we did enter a partnership with ‘the carl’,” Johnson said. Johnson also explained that USD has since found an issue with “the carl” which caused them to require the students housed in these buildings through USD to move out. “‘The carl’ is owned by a USD alumni,” Johnson said. “We had 16 students in a building recently that we discovered and we were concerned with the safety issues… We requested that those students move to Pacific Ridge, because we were concerned about those safety measures... We thought it was the best thing to do for our students until ‘the carl’ is able to resolve some of the issues it has with the City of San Diego.” Elena Gomez did not have additional information about the specific circumstances that required students housed by USD at “the carl” locations to move out. While the students who leased with the “the carl on Lauretta” independently of USD Housing were not moved out by USD, Elena Gomez stated that, if they needed assistance with housing, USD would be there to help: “USD will always offer support for students who face housing issues and work to accommodate them while ensuring the least amount of disruptions,” Gomez wrote. Some students who are leased with “the carl on Lauretta” independently from USD, still have not moved out — despite the notices from the city. These independentlyleased students continue to wait on answers from the building’s owner, management or the City of San Diego for their next course of action.
The USD Vista publication is written and edited by USD students and funded by revenues generated by advertising and a student fee. Advertising material published is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an expressed or implied endorsement or verification of such commercial venues by the staff or University. The USD Vista office is located on the fourth floor of the Student Life Pavilion in room 403B. All inquiries should be sent to: The USD Vista 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego or of its student body. Letters to the Editor can be submitted to The USD Vista office. Letters should be limited to 300 words and must be signed. For identification purposes, USD identification numbers and writer’s year must be included in the letter. The USD Vista reserves the right to edit published letters. Any content sent to the editor will be considered for publication unless otherwise stated.
The USD Vista
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November 9, 2023
OPINION
Tampons are out of reach for students Tu Merc’s new layout makes a bad week worse JACKIE MARQUEZ OPINION EDITOR Starting your period is never fun. Not only do you have to deal with potential symptoms like cramps, mood swings and a lack of energy, but you also have to buy menstrual products. Ideally you could go to a store, grab a box of your preferred product, pay at selfcheckout and get back to bed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, procuring your tampons or pads of choice isn’t always this simple; it certainly isn’t if you’re trying to buy feminine hygiene products on campus at USD. For students who live on campus without a car or students who find themselves suddenly in need of menstrual products during the school day, Tu Mercado (Tu Merc) is the only place on campus where you can buy tampons or pads. There are free menstrual products in most on-campus bathrooms, but for students who want tampons with non-paper applicators (or higher quality products) Tu Merc is the only option. The experience of buying said commodities there isn’t ideal, to say the least. Two years ago, former Opinion Editor Olivia Synek criticized Tu Merc for their up-charge of menstrual products. In her opinion article, “Broke college kids can’t afford tampons,” she argued that Tu Merc’s tampon prices are significantly higher than the prices you can find at a convenience store or comparable college to USD. At the time, a box of tampons at Tu Merc was $11 for 16 tampons — about 69
Tu Mercado is the only place on campus where you can buy menstrual products; however, it can be difficult to access their pads and tampons behind the counter. Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista
cents a tampon. Today, a box of eight tampons at Tu Merc costs $4.00; that’s 50 cents a tampon. While the prices have dropped a little, the way that Tu Merc sells tampons is still far from perfect. Over the summer, Tu Merc rearranged its aisles. As part of this new floorplan, over-the-counter medications, feminine hygiene products and personal necessities like toothpaste and razors were moved next to the checkout
counter. In the past, these items were against the frontmost wall of the market, and easily accessible to all. This new location is nowhere near accessible; it forces students to have employees retrieve period products for them, making the process of buying menstrual products uncomfortable and inconvenient. There’s nothing embarrassing about buying menstrual products — it’s something that nearly half
Tu Merc’s period products are difficult for shoppers to peruse because of their location behind the register. Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista
the population has to do. However, our cultural taboo around periods can make the process of purchasing tampons or pads uncomfortable. According to a poll reported by The New York Post, 42% of women have experienced period-shaming, 58% have felt embarrassed by their period and 73% hide their menstrual products on the way to the bathroom. All of these statistics point to the fact that periods can still be an uncomfortable topic. Tu Merc’s new layout only exacerbates the discomfort that can come with buying menstrual products. Asking the cashier to grab you a box of tampons feels like you have the words “I’m on my period” written across your forehead. The fact that Tu Merc is primarily staffed by students doesn’t help either; the last thing I want to do on my tampon run is ask a guy from my 9 a.m. class to fetch me my feminine hygiene products. The situation only gets worse when the cashier grabs the wrong box. Having to tell one of your peers that you need a box of super absorbency tampons rather than regular absorbency isn’t something anyone wants to do, but sometimes it’s necessary to get the product you need. Putting tampons and pads behind the counter forces you to share personal information that most people don’t want to disclose, making the process of buying period products feel invasive. On top of this, some students may not feel comfortable correcting workers, if they grab the
wrong product. Ultimately, this can inhibit students from getting the menstrual products they need. While the new layout makes the process of buying pads or tampons more inconvenient, this was not its intended goal. According to Loryn Johnson, USD’s Auxiliary Services’ director of marketing, the purpose of the layout change was to improve the shopping experience. “We often reorganize Tu Mercado to improve the flow for customers, line, access to merchandise, etc,” Johnson said. While the intentions were good, it’s evident that this layout change hasn’t achieved this goal. Tu Merc lines still get long, and because of this there are times when you can’t even see the shelf of menstrual products without waiting in line. So, you wait in line to see what’s available. Then, when you get to the front of the line, you can’t access the prices yourself, so you have to ask the worker to check the price for you. If you want to compare prices, you have to ask them to check multiple prices. Because of this, not being able to directly access menstrual products is inconvenient for the cashier, the customer and anyone else waiting in line. Overall, Tu Mercado’s new layout change has negative impacts on students in need of menstrual products. It inconveniences them timewise and it makes the process of buying pads or tampons more uncomfortable. They need to return the period products to the shelves front wall, where they used to be.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.
Volume 61 Issue 9
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Opinion
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The USD Vista
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OPINION
‘Diet talk’ should be left off the menu The recipe for Thanksgiving joy doesn’t include shame LILY ANDERSON ASST. OPINION EDITOR November is in full swing. While many of us are already counting down the days until winter break and the end of the semester, we must make it through Thanksgiving first. If you’re a foodie, Thanksgiving is probably your favorite holiday in the calendar year. Personally, I can already smell the deepfried turkey my family always makes and the sickly sweetness of pumpkin pie wafting through the air. However, for some people, Thanksgiving can bring about an abundance of stress. Though I’m a huge fan now, I spent multiple years absolutely dreading Thanksgiving. I had an unhealthy relationship with food and could not fathom the idea of celebrating a day that revolved around it. Many of my fears concerning Thanksgiving were exacerbated by how other peoples’ comments and the media portray the holiday. “Diet talk” and general negative food talk have become too normalized, and they harm everyone who is involved. As explained in Psychology Today, “‘diet talk’ is when you spend time talking about calories, what you ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ eat and shaming your body. [It] tells yourself, and others, that your body is somehow wrong or undeserving of food.” While diet talk occurs yearround, it is especially prevalent during the holiday season, when celebratory dinners increase in frequency. It includes saying things like, “I’m going to need to start a diet after this meal,” “I’m being bad; I shouldn’t be eating this,” or “This has so many calories, I’ll have to skip breakfast tomorrow.” Many people don’t even realize they are participating in diet talk, because our society constantly perpetuates the idea of “good” and “bad” foods. Not only that, but our culture also prioritizes physical appearance over a positive relationship with food. This fall, I nearly forgot that I used to have a negative mentality around food because I had worked hard to avoid reinforcing diet talk to heal my mindset. However, early last week, before November even began, it all got brought back up to the surface as I was signing up for a Turkey Trot race in my hometown. Their primary marketing strategy was to emphasize you should participate in the race to counteract the food you will eat later that day. They claim the race provides “assurance that you can eat your
Turkey Trots provide a fun form of exercise for Thanksgiving participants, but their marketing can perpetuate diet shaming. Photo courtesy of @danapointturkeytrot/Instagram
Thanksgiving meal without guilt.” Reading that statement made me beyond angry. Exercise should never be about burning enough calories to deserve food. You always deserve to eat. Thanksgiving shouldn’t be concerned with the actual food on your plate but the opportunity to practice gratitude. Holiday meals shouldn’t add stress to people’s lives because they’re “breaking their diet.” Holidays are about spending time with the people you love. There is no such thing as “bad” foods unless it’s something you genuinely don’t like the taste of. Thanksgiving dinner may be different from usual eating habit, but it is also just one singular meal that does not have the power to have substantial negative effects on your health. It makes me devastated for my past self and everyone struggling with food to imagine them running on Thanksgiving morning just so they feel like they deserve to eat, or silently adding up the calories of their meal on their plate later that evening. If Thanksgiving is a holiday
that gives you anxiety because of the food involved, I urge you to reach out to someone who can help you work through your fears. Student Wellness here at USD has counselors who are available to talk and many other resources if you need extra support. Timely Care, which all students can access, also has guided meditations tailored to body positivity, mindful eating and nourishment that you can quickly access from home. When dealing with diet talk, remember that someone else’s words reflect their own thoughts, not yours. They are simply projecting their internalized issues, and you do not have to make them your own. Sometimes, it is also helpful to just blatantly change the subject when food comes up or leave the conversation if it is going to have a negative impact on your experience. If you feel comfortable doing so, let the people around you know if they say something you think is harmful. This provides a learning opportunity for both parties and may prevent future
instances from occurring again. If you feel yourself getting anxious about food while you are eating, try focusing on the way things taste and the aspects you enjoy rather than negative attributes like calories and nutritional facts. You may unintentionally participate in diet talk and want to break free from this habit. Luckily, there are steps you can take to end the cycle. First, selfawareness is critical. Recognize when you’re about to comment on calories, “good” or “bad” foods, or body shaming. Then, consciously redirect the conversation towards more positive and inclusive topics. Encourage discussions around the joy of shared meals, cherished family moments and the gratitude that Thanksgiving represents. Second, educate yourself about the harms of diet talk and the importance of fostering a healthy relationship with food. Understanding the impact of such conversations on yourself and others can motivate you to change. Last, surround yourself with like-minded individuals who support your journey toward a
healthier relationship with food. This holiday season, one of the things I am most grateful for is the way that I have been able to turn my mindset toward food around. I now can be thankful for the food on my plate instead of fearful. I can participate in a Turkey Trot with my friends because I am healthy and fueled instead of exercising on fumes as punishment. A couple of years ago, I would have assumed this change was impossible, but I promise you that it isn’t. With hard work and support, anyone can achieve a healthier mindset, too. Thanksgiving should be a time of celebration, gratitude and togetherness rather than a source of stress or guilt related to food. It’s an opportunity to cherish the people we love and the moments we share. Let’s collectively work to shift the focus away from diet talk, embrace a positive connection with food and ensure that this holiday season is genuinely joyful for everyone. Remember, you deserve to enjoy the festivities without judgment or guilt.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.
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Thanksgiving celebr The USD Vista
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November 9, 2023
Friendsgiving in SD “I’m from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and it’s a pretty far flight, so I’ve actually never been home for Thanksgiving. But luckily I have two friends who go to school in San Diego too, from there [U.S. Virgin Islands]. So we are gonna do a ‘Virgin Islands Thanksgiving dinner’ here at our house… we’re gonna make dinner and make turkey and ham, and try to just make it as family as possible here, so we have a home away from home… I think the history we are taught in school is very different from the accurate history. There was genocide and things we don’t ever talk about.” -Madi Wyatt, senior
Thanksgiving is coming and for man trip home to see family or celebra friends. Turkey, mashed potatoes, s on your mind, but the true histo forgotten. While many of us were moment between the Native America very different than that. English colo out a majority of the Native populat and cruelty to the Native Americans a yet the holiday is presented as a d together. In addition to sharing thei provided their knowledge o
Thanksgivin
“My family's gonna be host we're here in San Diego… I stems from the pilgrims an with the Native American uniting moment with the b have a beautiful tradition in the same thing, [we] gathe just share beautiful momen -Daniela Reyno
Photo Courtesy of www.thebutlercollegian.com
Thanksgiving Milkshakes “My plans for Thanksgiving are I’m going back home to see the family and seeing my friends, I’m going back to the Bay Area… either the Thursday, the actual Thanksgiving day, or that Friday, me and my two older brothers go out and get milkshakes… I don’t know the exact history but I think it’s just fascinating how everyone comes together on this day and celebrates it.” -Kerolos Khalil, senior
Photo Courtesy of www.masalaandchai.com
Big Family
Photo Courtesy of @em
“I know I’m going to do a fr of my friends from back celebrate Thanksgiving din family, so there’s probably there… we’re a big Italian f be a lot of us… we set out and just honestly go [Thanksgiving] kind of a pe Native Americans and -Anthony De Benede
brations and history
or many, that means preparing for the celebrating here in San Diego with toes, stuffing, ham and more may be e history of Thanksgiving is often s were taught that it was a unifying mericans and pilgrims, it was actually h colonizers spread disease and wiped opulation during this time. Genocide icans also occurred (Potawatomi.org), as a day of celebration and coming ng their Thanksgiving plans, students edge of the holiday’s history.
iving Dinner
Volume 61 Issue 9
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FEATURE
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The USD Vista
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Turkey Trot
“I am actually the youngest of seven siblings. So all of my siblings are coming into town in Dallas, Texas. We're going to run the turkey trot, which is a cute little marathon run in downtown Dallas, and [we] all just spend time together… I'm so excited. We do it every single year.” -Cameron Russ, senior
be hosting for Thanksgiving, ego… I know [Thanksgiving] rims and they had a supper mericans. It was just a little h the both of them… now we dition in which we kind of do ] gather with loved ones and moments and beautiful food.” Reynoso, senior
mily Buffet
of @emilywelchstyle
do a friendsgiving with some m back home. We always ng dinner with my extended obably gonna be like 50 of us talian family. There’s gonna et out a huge buffet of food stly go to town… was it of a peace thing between the ns and the colonizers?” Benedetti, sophomore
Photo Courtesy of www.activenetwork.com
Friendsgiving at Home “I am going back to Missouri to visit my family. My friend group always gets together, and we have a friendsgiving where we have a potluck, which is really super cute and something we’ve been doing since we graduated high school… I think that Christmas can start the day after Halloween, because I don’t really feel like Thanksgiving is really a holiday to celebrate… there’s not much to celebrate about colonial occupation.” -Elvarea Bennett, junior
Photo Courtesy of www.pillsbury.com
Spread by Khushi Patel/The USD Vista: Content by Katie Foreman/The USD Vista
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The USD Vista
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November 9, 2023
FEATURE AR TS &
Sharing stories of the silenced USD Professor John Halaka’s Oceanside exhibition
John Halaka’s exhibition in Oceanside. On left, “Landscapes of Resistance-Hearts that Drive Us” (2022). On bottom right, “Landscapes of Resistance-Spirits that Guide Us”(2021). Photos courtesy of John Halaka LILI KIM ASST. NEWS EDITOR Art is an opportunity to learn. This idea lies at the forefront of USD visual arts professor John Halaka’s artistic process. Halaka, who has been teaching at USD since 1991, has inspired students in countless drawing and painting classes. Yet, outside of the classroom, Halaka has been addressing human rights and justice issues in personal art projects since the 1980s. Beginning in Sept. 2023, his exhibition titled, “Listening to the Unheard, Drawing the Unseen: Meditations on Presence and Absence in Native Lands” is on display at the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA), which will run through Feb. 18, 2024. As an emigrant from Egypt to the U.S. and the son of Palestinian and Lebanese parents, Halaka feels personally connected to the experience of living in a colonized world. Specifically, he became interested in the 1948 Palestinian displacement as a graduate student and began to research and create artwork that directly addressed resistance and displacement in the late 80s.
At first, Halaka’s work tackled these issues broadly and figuratively, drawing naked figures rather than identifiable people. “I wanted to emphasize that this crisis is not unique to one person but a global issue,” Halaka said. This idea is evident in “Stripped of their Identity and Driven from their Land” (1993), his 42x29 piece depicting displaced refugees using only rubber stamps of the words “forgotten” and “survivors”. “It speaks of the process of being invisible… but also reappearing and asserting one’s presence,” Halaka said. Wanting to create work that was more informed and personal, Professor Halaka traveled to Gaza, Palestine and Lebanon in the early 2000s to listen to the stories of the displaced people there. Living abroad transformed his work from anonymous figures to images of real people he interacted with, which directly inspired “Forgotten Survivors,” one of the projects on exhibit in the OMA. The project consists of portraits of Palestinian survivors, on which Halaka layered ink and rubber stamps to
create an emotional and intimate experience with the viewer. The detailed line work and miniscule text of the stamped words, such as “RETURN,” allows the viewer to step into the story and share in the duality of pain and strength of the displaced population. “These folks have lived their whole lives in refugee camps in utter despair, profound poverty, and deep humiliation,” Halaka said. “Yet they still maintain a tremendous amount of dignity and love for their families and communities. Yes, there’s bitterness, but they still manage to survive.” Featured alongside “Forgotten Survivors” is another of Halaka’s projects titled, “Landscapes of Resistance,” which honors the work of Native American, African American and Palestinian scholars, artists, activists and migrant workers. The two drawings are composed on maps, including both the “road maps” of America and the “partition plan” maps of Palestine originating from the 1947 partition of Palestine. “[The artwork] is about reasserting the presence of folks that have been made invisible on the land that has been
stolen from them,” Halaka said. The project speaks to not only the history of colonization in the U.S. and Palestine, but the current state of the world. In a world laden with conflict, violence and war, Halaka explained that his aim is to challenge the viewer, and push them to dig deeper. “The hope is that the viewer will become curious, moved and engaged enough to find out more. My work is not going to give answers. At most, it will challenge preconceptions and [the viewer] will leave with a little anxiety, thinking, ‘Why didn’t I know about this? Who are these people?’” Professor Halaka often shares with his students his mantra of art as a form of learning about oneself and the world around them. He explained, however, that this applies to not only the viewer, but the artist as well. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve accepted the fact that I’m not going to change the world, but I can change as me, expanding my ability to analyze a topic with clarity, honesty and rigor, and then make work that may get others to reflect on the topic in their own way.” Some of Halaka’s students
have already taken the drive up to see their professor’s work. One of these students is USD senior and visual arts major Melina Van Fleet. “My first reactions to his work were that they are very emotional,” Van Fleet explained. “The technique is amazing… but it’s really about the power of the emotions that he captures and showing the trauma these refugees have been through.” The exhibition is open to the public, Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. (and 8 p.m. on Fridays). The OMA will be hosting an exhibition celebration on Nov. 18, which Van Fleet encourages all USD community members to attend. “I think everyone should see it and go into it with an open mind and understand that these are real people, and they deserve compassion.” Art can be a way to express one’s own sentiments, such as Halaka pouring his family’s background and personal connections into his fight for human rights. But he shared his true intention is to share the stories of the silenced, and carry this conversation forward to other artists and art appreciators.
Volume 61 Issue 9
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ARTS & CULTURE
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The USD Vista
Arts & Culture
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‘I’ll be there for you’
‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry dies at 54
Perry told People magazine that his favorie thing about himself was his creativity. He said, “If you’re uncomfortable or feeling anxiety, one of the ways to get out of that situation is to be creative.” Photo courtesy of @mattyperry4/Instagram
SATVIKA NITYA ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR The world was taken aback by the news of AmericanCanadian actor Matthew Perry’s death last week. Known best for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom “Friends,” Perry’s charismatic sense of humor provided levity to everyone who met him or watched him perform. On Oct. 28, Perry’s assistant found him unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home, and at 4 p.m., authorities responded to the scene where they confirmed his death. The cause of death has not been declared yet, but it was confirmed by LA authorities that there were no signs of foul play involved. Perry, the son of actor John Bennett Perry and the onetime press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Suzanne Marie Langford, was born in 1969. He stepped into Hollywood as a child actor but his big breakthrough was when he was cast in “Friends” in 1994. At the height of its viewership, the show was being viewed live by over 50 million people. Cast alongside Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox, Perry made his place in the ensemble as a comfort character for many,
through his sarcastic delivery and wise banter. Despite his bubbly and sarcastic personality on screen, Perry struggled heavily with addiction. In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry talked about his relationship with alcohol and opioids that began at the age of 14. Perry recounted that he did not spot the signs of alcoholism until he was 21 and had a rocky journey with rehab and relapses since going sober in 2001. He wrote that he had relapsed over 60 times and his substance abuse also led to a number of serious health issues, including a five-month hospitalization in 2018 following a colon rupture that left him with a 2% chance to live through the night. After 2018, Perry started writing his memoir and made it a point to mention that he wanted his story to connect him to other sufferers of addiction and help them through their journey. So when the news of Perry’s death surfaced on the internet, especially that he was found in his own hot tub, many were concerned over the involvement of drugs. Though there were no illicit drugs found at the scene, according to police reports, there were prescription drugs obtained at his home. According to Fox News, toxicology reports released following Perry’s death
revealed that there was no fentanyl or meth found in his system at the time of his death. Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City and a forensic pathologist said that based on the information released so far, the possibility of the death occurring because of natural causes, especially enhanced due to Perry’s history with surgeries and drugs, is highly probable. “The fact that he was found in a hot tub raises issues immediately about drowning or even heat stroke,” Baden said. USD first-year Isabella Braun talked about Perry and his relationship with drugs. “I feel like his death was expected, which is a terrible thing to say,” Braun said. “I think a lot of people expected it, and that’s really sad. And I know that he wouldn’t want to be remembered that way, but he struggled with drugs for so long and it just goes to show how hard the struggle against addiction can be. Even the after-effects. Knowing that your body has been through so much because of drugs. It’s really sad but for me I kind of expected it.” Perry was laid to rest last Friday in a private ceremony attended by his family and friends. His co-stars and friends from “Friends” were also seen attending the ceremony at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. USD sophomore
Sofia Quinonez discussed how hard it must have been for the cast to hear about Perry’s death. “If that was me, and I spent over ten years with someone and I knew about their struggles, I would be very upset,” Quinonez said. “Questions about ‘What if I could have done more?’ or ‘What if I was there for him more?’ would always be there. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a dear friend die, especially when they’ve all been there since the beginning of his journey with addiction and already been through the life-threatening situations where they all would have been scared of losing him.” Perry’s career is defined by his time playing the role of Chandler Bing on the show “Friends.” The show’s writers often consulted with Perry to come up with witty one-liners and jokes and also brainstormed ideas for delivery. People all over the world related to his character and after the news of his death, took to the internet to share their favorite clips and dialogues by Perry from the show. Warner Brothers Studios, the show’s distributor, and NBC, the platform on which the show first aired, both released statements expressing their condolences to Perry’s family and close ones. The show is now airing on Max, and in honor of Perry’s dedication and work for the show, a tribute card that read “In loving memory of
Matthew Perry 1969-2023” was added to the beginning of every season’s first episode. USD junior Emily Nguyen watched “Friends” growing up and talked about the loss of Matthew Perry. “He played such an iconic role and he was such a big part of my childhood, it’s just really sad,” Nguyen said. “Chandler was always my favorite character, honestly. He’s just so funny and Matthew Perry is such a talented actor. He was the best part of the show and after hearing the news it just sort of feels like losing a part of my childhood.” In an interview with The Times in April, Perry said that he hoped to be known as someone who lived life, loved well and helped people. When asked how he would like to be remembered, Perry said that he hoped that “running into me was a good thing and not something bad.” Before his death, Perry was making plans to establish a foundation to help those with addiction issues, a decade after he founded Perry House, a men’s sober living facility which ran for two years. Matthew Perry’s memory is carried out through those who knew him deeply and his life is celebrated by the courage he showed by talking about his addiction and the joy he passed on through his work as an actor.
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The USD Vista
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November 9, 2023
A$AP Rocky collabs with F1
The rapper joins the F1 race as the newest Creative Director CAMERON TRAYLOR CONTRIBUTOR
When you imagine the world of Formula 1 (F1) racing you might imagine aerodynamics, checkered flags and glorious victories. You imagine the sound of engines roaring and cars flying past racegoers in the crowd. However, there comes a new creative visionary entering the race, this time racing toward a different goal. This one lasts longer than 305 kms (109 miles), perhaps a race that will live on forever. American rapper Rakim Athelaston Mayers, known professionally as A$AP Rocky, recently scored the title of Creative Director for F1 x Puma: the sportswear brand’s newest collaboration with F1. Both F1 and Puma have been working hand in hand since May 2023, when the companies announced their exclusive innovative partnership. This exclusive ship gave Puma the ability to design and create F1 apparel, accessories and fanwear. Founded in 1948, Puma is one of the world’s largest sportswear brands. The German multinational brand is working alongside F1, the elite international automobile racing series that’s been around since 1950. Puma announced that A$AP Rocky would lead the creative
production of the apparel, emphasizing the blending of streetwear and sports through clothing, accessories and more. Rocky is also in charge of visuals, in-person activations and overseeing future campaigns as the F1 audience continues to grow. Statements revealed that A$AP Rocky will work alongside F1 x Puma, with 2025 being the year he will fully be in control of all race worn items and ready to wear items for fans to snag. However, “Flacko” isn’t the only celebrity to have striking collaborations with Puma. His significant other, singersongwriter and Fenty business owner Rihanna, is a Barbados native known for collaborating with Puma on several ideas such as the Puma x Fenty line, consisting of inclusive sportswear. Matthew Saffari, USD sophomore was thrilled by the news. “I’m excited about A$AP Rocky becoming the Creative Director in partnership with Puma x F1,” Saffari said. “I think his unique talent will make the sport and the Puma brand more interesting in a fashion sense. Both A$AP Rocky and his wife Rihanna have a creative mind that is beyond incredible, it’s so unique and rare especially in today’s day and age.” A$AP Rocky told Puma in an interview, “working with brands as iconic as PUMA, and
as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring. When the world sees what we’re doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brand’s approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.” Rocky’s first capsule will be released on Nov. 18, 2023, at the star-studded Las Vegas Grand Prix F1 Race. Rocky is known for his creative vision, artistic pull and trendsetting style, as well as several appearances in the fashion world. From collaboration projects with brands like Dior, Guess, Under Armour and even releasing his own line, A World Gone Evil (AWGE) — which has gained positive recognition — it’s evident that the “Praise The Lord” rapper can produce unique and appealing clothes to several different audiences. Lyla Kim, USD Senior agreed with Rocky’s ability to bring together a combination of various crowds: “Knowing who A$AP is I’m really excited to see how the collaboration turns out because I think it brings together many different niches that I would never expect together but it makes so much sense,” Kim said. “I think Puma made a great decision in choosing A$AP to lead this collection because he is always thinking outside of the box and is creating new iconic trends. I’m excited to see how everything will turn out and for all the new dope
A$AP Rocky’s involvement has many excited for the introduction of his fashion into F1. Photo courtesy of @asaprocky/Instagram
The partnership is set to span across lifestyle apparel, visuals and in-person activations. Photo courtesy of @asaprocky/Instagram
A campaign photo designed by A$AP Rocky for a collab between Puma and F1. Photo courtesy of @holographicwrld/Instagram
posters I can hang up from the pictures that will be taken at F1.” Rocky has also gained global praise and recognition outside of the U.S. in places like Japan and Europe. Along with being the creative brain behind campaigns, Rocky’s also been on the other side of the camera. The rapper was also a model for the Dior Homme 16-17 winter campaign. USD senior, Jackson Lambros was impressed by the announcement: “I think Rocky’s a solid choice, he’s always big on cars, and was actually just a major part of Need For Speed’s latest game. I think he can really help Puma bring out the right vibes of the sport,” Lambros said. “But I think it goes to
show just how dang far this sport has come in the past few years. Circuit of the Americas’ owners were considering selling the track due to low attendance and after DTS, the track has had sellout after sellout. Tell me five years ago A$AP Rocky is getting paid by F1, and I would’ve told you to pinch me.” A$AP Rocky being crowned the Creative Director of Puma x F1 creates a new horizon for two different worlds while commencing a new race. The world of racing and the world of fashion mixed together through the vision of Rocky will excite fans, whether it’s die-hard F1 racing fans or other creatives interested in what A$AP Rocky is cooking on and off the track.
Volume 61 Issue 9
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SPORTS
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The USD Vista
SPORTS
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Meet the USD basketball teams for 2023-24 The new season is underway
LEVI COOVERT CONTRIBUTOR The USD men’s and women’s basketball teams began play this past Monday, and now it’s time to meet the teams for the 2023-24 season. The men’s team, led by Head Coach Steve Lavin, finished 2022 with a record of 15-16. They held their own in a very competitive West Coast Conference (WCC), and in Lavin’s second season as head coach, they will look to build on last season and finish with a winning record. Lavin had success when coaching for UCLA, his previous job, where he compiled 226 wins and took his team to the Sweet 16 five times. The team is very young this season, featuring only two seniors, PJ Hayes and Deven Dahlke. Hayes is a transfer this year from Black Hills State University, where he played the past three seasons, while Dahlke is a returner from last year’s team, where he played 21 games. Leading the junior members of the team is guard Wayne McKinney III. McKinney started 24 games for the Toreros in 2022, and was the team’s top defender, finishing first at USD in steals with 34 and blocks with 12. Fellow junior guard Deuce Turner transferred from Bucknell to USD last year, and played in all 31 games, compiling an impressive 80.4% free-throw percentage. The team also features juniors Bendji Pierre, Steven Jamerson II and Dominic Muncey. All three came off the bench for the Toreros last year, and will likely see more playing time now that they are more experienced. The team also features two sophomores. Guard Neel Beniwal played in 12 games for USD in 2022, averaging two points per
game, and Guard Emmanuel Callas who was on the team but didn’t appear in any games last season. Finally, the nine first-years, who make up half the team. David Simon, a 6’11” forward, arrived at USD this year after growing up in Canada. As the tallest player on the team, he could make a real impact defending the rim and scoring in the paint. The second tallest player on the team is also a first-year, the 6’10” Argentinian Santiago Trouet. Trouet has competed in the FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, World Championships for Argentina with interest from many major universities, including Clemson and Grand Canyon University. Trouet commented on his decision to come to USD, telling 247sports, a website that posts recruiting content and college sports as one of CBS’ platforms, that, “I committed to San Diego because I flew out there to meet the staff… I think coach Lavin is going to add way more people to the program, and I’m trusting it’s all going to go up…. The staff is really nice, it’s a good campus, and it looks like they’re investing in the basketball program.” Dragos Lungu is another international student, who attended high school at NBA Global Academy in Australia. “I committed to San Diego, because I think it’s the perfect place for me to develop,” Lungu said. “They have a great coach, staff [and] people around the program and play in a good conference with a lot of European players. San Diego is also a very good academic school,” Lungu told 247sports. The team also features six more first-years from the
The USD men’s team won after coming back from a 19-point deficit, resulting in a final score of 68-64. Photo courtesy of @usdmbb/Instagram
state of California, including former California State Champion Jimmy Oladokun Jr. Junior Dom Muncey discussed the team’s goals and expectations for the season. “This group has a lot of potential to be special. I am expecting us to turn a lot of heads this season. We have a lot of talent and we will compete with all of the big teams we play,” said Muncey. The women’s team is coming off a 17-15 season in 2022, and is “super excited for the season to
USD women’s basketball scored 92 points in their home opener with a final score of 92-38. Photo courtesy of @usdwbb/Instagram
start,” according to first-year Malia Tharpe. “A collective goal of ours is to get better everyday.” Longtime Head Coach Cindy Fisher, who has a career record of 330-224, is entering her 19th season with USD. The women’s team is mostly made up of juniors and sophomores, and looks to build off of a successful year from 2022. Five juniors include Courtney Wristen, Jess Finney, Hasimran Kaur, Kylie Horstmeyer and Claire Gallagher. Finney transferred to USD last season after spending 2021 at the University of Washington. She played 31 games for the Toreros last year, missing only one. Horstmeyer averaged 5.4 points per game last season for the Toreros and will likely play a major role in their offense this season. Gallagher makes her return to court for USD after missing all but one game last season, due to an injury. She previously played at Lafayette University, where she averaged 6.8 points per-game during her first year. The sophomores on the women’s team are also looking to contribute a lot to the Toreros’ success this season. “I am so excited for this year and looking forward to seeing what we can do,” USD sophomore Veronica Sheffey said, who was named the WCC Allfreshman team last year and will look to build on that in 2023. Melesungu Afeak, 6’2” forward, played 25 games for the Toreros last season, tallying 162 total minutes. Guard Maddie Vejsicky is a new arrival to USD, after playing for Virginia Tech last year. There are only two seniors on the team. Dylan Horton, a graduate student, joins USD as her third
school. She played two seasons with Virginia and spent the next two at Florida A&M, where she averaged 15.8 points-per-game in 2022. With the Toreros she can bring leadership and experience to a younger team. The other senior, Kasey Neubert, has been a Torero her whole collegiate career, and played an impressive 2022 season. She was an All-WCC Honorable Mention, averaging 9.2 points-pergame and 8.2 rebounds-per-game. Of the three first-years on the team, two come to USD from Australia. Mila Wawszkowicz and Malia Tharpe are both from the land down under, and the latter won the 2022 School Sport Championship MVP. Lauren McCall is from Boise, Idaho, where she was the 2023 5A Defensive Player of the Year in Idaho. The Women’s Basketball team began play on Nov. 6 at home versus Chapman and won. The final score was 92-38, earning their most amount of points in a game since 2020, resulting in six players reaching double figures. Their next game is at home on Saturday, Nov. 11, when they host Portland State. Sheffey commented, “We have a great group of girls and we work hard and work together and I’m excited to see where that can take us this year.” The men’s team also began play on Nov. 6 in the Jenny Craig Pavilion, when they took on Sonoma State and won. The final score was 68-64, after coming back from a 19-point deficit. They also hosted Jackson State on Nov. 8. Their next game is on Nov. 11 at UC San Diego, and their next home game will be on Nov. 17 against Le Moyne.
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The USD Vista
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November 9, 2023
Former Torero Paul Sewald makes the World Series: Third Torero to make the Fall Classic LUKAS BLANKENSTEIN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
The score is 4-2. Game seven of the National League Championship Series. Bottom of the ninth. Two outs. Closer Paul Sewald has worked himself into a 1-2 count against pinch hitter Jake Cave. One strike away from the Diamondbacks’ first World Series in 22 years. Sewald waits a moment, then delivers the pitch, an 87 mileper-hour sweeper down the middle of the plate. Cave makes contact, but is not able to get enough power behind it. The ball falls into the waiting glove of right fielder Corbin Caroll, securing the Diamondbacks as the National League Champions, and guaranteeing them a spot in the baseball playoff finals. In getting the save for the Diamondbacks, Sewald has also secured himself a spot in USD sports history, becoming the third Torero to make the World Series, after catcher John Wathan in 1985 and third baseman Kris Bryant in 2016. At age 33, this was only Sewald’s second time in the playoffs, having also made the playoffs last season as a member of the
Seattle Mariners. Sewald was traded to the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline. A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Sewald attended Bishop Gorman High School. During his senior year of high school in 2008, he put up a 1.57 Earned Run Average (ERA), meaning for every nine innings pitched, Sewald only gave up 1.57 runs. He also had a 7-0 record to earn first-team All-State honors. Despite this, Sewald went undrafted out of high school, opening him up to attend USD. Former USD baseball coach Rich Hill, who was the coach during Sewald’s time at USD, agreed to an interview with The USD Vista. Hill talked about the recruiting process for Sewald, who was approached by University of Southern California, University of California, Irvine and Santa Clara University. “The Catholic school, the commitment to education and the success of the baseball program all in one was very appealing to Paul,” Hill stated. At USD Sewald struggled as a first-year, finishing with a 9.14 ERA. Hill commented jokingly on how he attempted to fix Sewald’s struggles. “In my brilliance, we tried
Paul Sewald played at USD before the Diamondbacks. Photo courtesy of usdtoreros.com
COMING UP THIS WEEK
USD MXC and WXC vs NCAA West Regional Friday, Nov. 10 Sacramento, CA
USD WVB vs San Francisco 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9 San Diego, CA
USD MSOC vs Gonzaga Friday, Nov. 10 7 p.m. San Diego, CA
The Diamondbacks celebrated their victory after securing their spot in the World Series. Photo courtesy of @dbacks/Instagram
to drop him down and make him a submariner [a form of pitching where the pitcher throws underhanded instead of overhand like most pitchers]. I thought that he would be really effective. I don’t think he liked it too much,” Hill remarked. The submarine style didn’t end up sticking, but neither did his struggles. Sewald soared in his junior and senior years, putting up a 3.63 ERA as a junior and a 3.09 ERA as a senior for the Toreros, with a 8-4 record in 15 games. His improved numbers were enough for the New York Mets to take a chance on him in the 10th round in the 2012 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. Hill spoke on what it was like to coach Sewald in college. “[Sewald was] always high motor, got along great with his teammates. Always the life of the pitching staff. Great personality. Real loud in the dugout, just a great college player, a great guy to have in the dugout.” Being drafted in the 10th round, Sewald faced poor odds of making it to the MLB. Of the 30 players drafted in the 10th round in the 2012 MLB draft, only five made the big leagues. Of those five, Sewald is
USD WVB at Pepperdine Saturday, Nov. 11 12 p.m. Malibu, CA USD FB vs St. Thomas Saturday, Nov. 11 1 p.m. San Diego, CA
the only one to play more than 100 games, and the only one to record a positive career Wins Above Replacement (WAR), a common stat for measuring the value of an MLB player. Despite the long odds, Sewald persevered, making his first career MLB game in 2017 for the New York Mets. Sewald would play parts of four seasons in New York before signing for the Seattle Mariners in 2021. In Seattle, Sewald put up a 3.06 ERA and threw a career best of 104 strikeouts. Sewald was a major part of the Diamondbacks’ run to the World Series. As the closer, he was expected to come in when the team had the lead, in the last inning and close the game out. In the Diamondbacks’ first three series, he did just that, allowing zero Earned Runs in eight innings pitched with 11 strikeouts. USD’s baseball coach Brock Ungricht spoke on the importance of Sewald’s run to the World Series. “It’s a great representation of our program,” Ungrict stated. “To be able to pitch at the pinnacle, in the World Series is something that we are all proud of and thankful for.”
USD WBB vs Portland State Saturday, Nov. 11 2 p.m. San Diego, CA USD MBB at UCSD Saturday, Nov. 11 7 p.m. La Jolla, CA
Ungricht spoke on how the team reacted to seeing a former Torero on the biggest stage in baseball. “Our guys were following Paul very closely,” Ungricht remarked. “He is very supportive of our program so our boys were pretty pumped to follow him.” Sewald has also remained connected to the Torero baseball program. Last year, Sewald threw the honorary opening pitch for USD’s first game of the season. Ungricht is already prepared for Sewald’s return to San Diego. “Paul said he’s going to come back out and be around the team, once he gets settled this offseason,” Ungricht said. “We look forward to definitely celebrating when he’s able to decompress from all of this and come back to San Diego.” Sewald’s season would come to an end, as he and the Diamondbacks would lose in the World Series to the Texas Rangers. According to a report by the Arizona Republic, Sewald stayed in the dugout to watch the Rangers entire celebration. Sewald is expected to remain the Diamondbacks closer next year, as he has one more year left on his contract. Sewald continued to represent the Toreros this season and beyond.
USD WROW and MROW vs San Diego Fall Classic Sunday, Nov. 12 San Diego, CA USD WBB at Arizona Tucson Tuesday, Nov. 14 6:30 p.m. Tuscon, AZ