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Volume 62 Issue 17
Thursday, April 3, 2025
THE USD VISTA VISTA
The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Diego since 1968
USD debuts new softball complex
Stadium honors Reggie Smith and ushers in a new era for USD softball CHERISHANN DIAMZON CONTRIBUTOR The University of San Diego has officially opened the Reggie Smith Softball Complex, a stateof-the-art facility that marks a new chapter for the Torero softball program and highlights the University’s growing investment in women’s athletics. The stadium is named after Reggie Smith, a longtime member of the USD community. For more than 50 years, Smith has supported student-athletes and helped build strong programs across the University. Smith also helped start the Mulvaney Center, which connects students with local and global service work. Naming the stadium in her honor celebrates the impact she has had on campus and in the community. The $14.5 million project was made possible by a generous gift from an anonymous donor. USD Head Coach MJ Knighten, who has led the program for the past five years, explained how the facility represents more than just a playing surface — it symbolizes recognition and commitment. “I think the girls deserve it,”
The ribbon cutting event occurred last Thursday and honored Reggie Smith.
Photo courtesy of Tom Christensen
Knighten emphasized. “When you invest in women’s sports, it’s really going to show up for you as an athletic department and as a community. I think they feel that every single day now that they see the stadium.” The complex includes a 4,500-square-foot team building with a locker room, sports medicine facility, equipment room, coaches’ offices and a lounge where players can study, eat and review game footage. The field itself features new dugouts and bullpens equipped with restrooms. A press box and expanded concourse with concessions and spectator bathrooms complete the experience for fans. For USD Assistant Coach Shay Knighten, the new stadium goes beyond upgraded turf and new bleachers. She described the impact it’s had on the players, especially in how they see themselves and their place in the program. “Their voices are being heard, they’re feeling seen and their hard work is actually paying off,” Knighten expressed. “It’s really cool that we finally get a home to call our own.” Knighten emphasized
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SLP cultural nights spark controversy INSIDE Students question USD Dining’s culture-themed nights CADEN HAYNOR ASST. NEWS EDITOR This semester, USD Dining has hosted multiple culturallyinspired food events in the Student Life Pavilion (SLP). At the events, they serve various dishes at the food stations, bring in live bands, play music on speakers and decorate the cafeteria in order to reflect the theme of each event. Celebrations for the Lunar New Year, Black History Month, Holi and a night for New York have all been held in the SLP. Toreros, specifically underclassmen, flocked to each of these events, forming lines reaching as far back as the SLP entrance to feast on the dishes written in the menus shared through email and on Instagram before each night. USD Dining’s decision to dive into the vast intricacies of representing a culture’s food through various dishes has
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USD admits Class of 2029 See News, page 3
‘Severance’ recap See A&C, page 5
April Fools’ See Feature, pages 6-7
‘It’s okay to be alone’ See Opinion, page 10
SLP’s Lunar New Year celebration featured dancers performing a traditional Chinese dragon dance. Photo courtesy of Auxiliary Services at USD/Flickr
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Women’s basketball coach See Sports, page 12