CLUTCH UNDER PRESSURE

USD Football Delivers Second Consecutive Walk-Off Victory at Home

For the second consecutive week, San Diego Football engineered a thrilling comeback, this time at home in Torero Stadium, defeating St. Thomas 30-27 on a walk-off field goal as time expired to open Pioneer Football League play at 1-0.

Facing a daunting 17-point deficit late in the third quarter, the Toreros refused to fold. Junior quarterback Dom Nankil orchestrated the comeback, connecting with graduate receiver Josh Heverly for 149 yards and a touchdown, while senior wideout Cole Monach added 117 yards and another score. Senior running back Adam Criter powered through for 120 yards on the ground with a touchdown of his own.

The USD defense delivered when it mattered most, blanking the Tommies for the final 22 minutes of play. This set the stage for sophomore kicker Emiliano Salazar, who had already drilled field goals of 42 and 34 yards earlier in the game. With the season on the line, Salazar buried the 25-yard game-winner as time expired, sending Torero Stadium into pandemonium.

This marks the second straight 30-27 walk-off home victory for the Toreros, who are now receiving votes in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for the first time under Coach Moore.

🔉 GIVEAWAY ALERT 🔉 

One lucky donor will score big with an exclusive prize: a football signed by USD Football legend Josh Johnson! The former Torero football star, who earned PFL MVP honors during his time at USD, is now quarterback for the Washington Commanders!

COMEBACK VICTORY

Resilience Rewarded: Toreros Overcome Two-Set Deficit to Claim Thrilling WCC Win

The best wins don’t come easy, and Saturday's thrilling reverse sweep of Loyola Marymount proved exactly that.

Facing a 2-0 deficit at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, our Torero volleyball squad refused to quit. Led by Nemo Beach's match-high 24 kills, USD (9-4, 2-0 WCC) clawed back to win three consecutive sets and complete the comeback, defeating the Lions 3-2 (14-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-14, 15-11).

Kylie Munday orchestrated the offense brilliantly, recording her sixth double-double of 2025 with 46 assists and 18 digs. Olivia Bennett anchored the defensive effort with 21 digs, helping the Toreros weather the early storm and find their rhythm when it mattered most.

Freshman Ava Durgan made a crucial impact in the comeback effort, delivering eight kills while hitting an impressive .429 to go along with two digs and a solo block, earning her WCC Freshman of the Week honors, marking the first conference accolade of her young college career.

Beach's dominant weekend performance, which included 16 kills in Thursday's 3-1 road victory at Pepperdine, earned her WCC Offensive Player of the Week recognition, her second such honor this season.

The victory marks USD's second straight WCC win to open conference play and extends the team's impressive run to six wins in its last seven matches.

HONORING A TORERO LEGEND

Celebrating the Life of John “JC” Cunningham

HONORING A TORERO LEGEND

The University of San Diego will honor the extraordinary life and legacy of John "JC" Cunningham with a Celebration of Life on Friday, October 3, at 2:30 p.m. at The Immaculata Church on campus.

Coach Cunningham, who passed away earlier this month at age 88, was more than a legendary baseball coach; he was the heart and soul of Torero Athletics for over six decades. As the architect of USD baseball, he guided the program for 35 remarkable years, amassing 843 victories and earning induction into multiple halls of fame while coaching numerous players who reached Major League Baseball.

But the numbers only tell part of the story. Coach Cunningham's true legacy lives in the countless student-athletes he mentored, the lives he touched through selfless service, and his unwavering devotion to the University of San Diego.

Per the family's request, donations may be made to the Torero Dugout Club.

SCHOLAR ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Sealy’s Success Story: Get to USD Women’s Soccer Star

USD Women's Soccer defender Kate Sealy discusses the challenges and rewards of being a student-athlete. The all-star defender opened up about balancing her demanding schedule with her rigorous accounting coursework, while also sharing how her coaches have been instrumental in supporting her pursuit of a competitive internship alongside her full course load.

UPCOMING EVENTS 📆 

The USD Basketball Tip-off Dinner is coming up on Thursday, October 16th, and the USD Baseball Golf Tournament at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club is happening on December 1st. Sign up today!