A Day in the Life of Jayden Soukoulis: USD's Stellar Junior Rower

This week, we're excited to kick off our original content series with our Torero student-athletes. We will be regularly making content with athletes to take you behind the scenes of USD athletics and provide a clearer window into how your contributions are helping our student-athletes thrive!

The Olé Foundation is proud to spotlight Jayden Soukoulis, a dedicated D-1 rower and exemplary student at the University of San Diego.

Jayden embodies the essence of a well-rounded student-athlete, excelling both in the classroom and on the water.

Her commitment to excellence was recently on display at the 2024 West Coast Conference Rowing Championship in Gold River, CA, where the USD women's rowing team finished second overall, just two points behind Gonzaga with a total of 38 points.

USD's performance at the championship was nothing short of impressive, with a first-place finish, two second-place finishes, and a third-place finish.

The Toreros' Second Varsity Eight, which included Jayden, brought home the gold with a time of 6:51.39, marking their first win in the event since 2021. Several of the seniors in that boat, including Jayden, were also part of the crew that won in 2021, making this victory a fitting end to their collegiate careers.

In celebration of this special week and the team's success, we're releasing an exclusive "Day in the Life" video featuring Jayden Soukoulis.

In this recently released video, donors and fans were given a glimpse into the typical day of a USD athlete like Jayden. From early morning training sessions to rigorous classes and study sessions, the video showcases the unwavering commitment and discipline displayed by USD's student-athletes.

To support Jayden and other student-athletes like her, make sure to check out our live donation page now to give to a specific team of your choice!

The Olé Foundation is thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Andi Xu, a local talent from Rancho Santa Fe who has made the University of San Diego community proud with his outstanding performance at the 2024 NCAA Men's Golf Rancho Santa Fe Regional.

Andi's exceptional three-round performance earned him a second place (tie) finish out of 75 participants, securing his spot in the NCAA National Championship at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.

Andi's success is a testament to his dedication, hard work, and the unwavering support of the USD athletics program.

His achievements, along with the accomplishments of his teammates, highlight the importance of investing in our student-athletes and providing them with the resources they need to excel both on and off the course.

The USD men's golf team has consistently demonstrated their talent and commitment, earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and clinching their first WCC Championship since 2008.

Under the guidance of WCC Men's Golf Coach of the Year, Chris Riley, and with the stellar performances of All-WCC First Team selections Craig Ronne and Andi Xu, the team has reached new heights.

As we celebrate Andi's success and the team's remarkable season, we call upon our generous donors to support these exceptional student-athletes directly.

Your contributions to the USD men's golf team will help cover the living and tuition expenses of players like Andi, ensuring that they can continue to pursue their academic and athletic dreams without financial barriers.

Join us in congratulating Andi Xu on his remarkable achievement and the USD men's golf team on their successful season.

The opportunity for student-athletes to earn money for use of their name, image, and likeness is obviously a complicated one. However, there are many inspirations that drive NIL compensation across the industry.

Naturally, some athletes are more marketable than others. The sport played, general appearance, unique trait(s), productivity, social media presence, and more can determine an athlete’s fair market value. However, the adage of something only being worth what somebody is willing to pay for it definitely applies here. Donors can decide to compensate a student-athlete for whatever activity or service that is mutually agreed upon.

The price and terms of any NIL deals conducted with Olé Foundation will be reported to USD's compliance office to ensure the student-athlete's interests are protected, especially ensuring that no amateurism or NCAA rules are violated.

Many universities have fully committed to supporting the NIL interest of their athletes. However, results are not guaranteed. Michigan, for example spent millions of dollars on the NIL interests of their student-athletes and won a national championship in football while also having their worst basketball season in 60 years. NIL compensation is very helpful, but does not guarantee athletic success.

Plainly stated, across the entire collegiate athletics landscape, whoever wants to be most competitive against the teams in their conference, and especially for any team seeking national success, NIL will only continue to be an increasingly urgent priority.

J.T. Rogan

Olé Foundation Executive Director

A very special thank you to John Matthews ‘08 for his generous gift to Olé Foundation last week.

John is the Olé Foundation Donor or the Week!

That’s All For Now!

We hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter! You can follow us @olefoundation on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Please help us in continuing to spread the word, and thank you for supporting the Olé Foundation!