Our First Partnerships of 2024

The Olé Foundation, USD's premier NIL collective, was established with a clear vision: to elevate the student-athlete experience and secure USD athletics' long-term competitive edge. Thanks to our generous newsletter subscribers, we've started to build a fund that's already making a difference for our teams and student-athletes.

We're thrilled to announce a game-changing initiative: connecting our talented Toreros with local and regional businesses for mutually beneficial partnerships. These collaborations will allow businesses to showcase their support for USD athletics through exciting advertising campaigns and personal appearances featuring our star athletes. In turn, our student-athletes will earn valuable income to offset educational costs while gaining real-world experience in brand representation, business negotiations, and financial management.

Four trailblazing Toreros have just inked the first-ever NIL deals through the Olé Foundation! These groundbreaking partnerships include:

• Grant Sergent (Football) with Cozy Corner Waffles

• Jayden Soukoulis (Rowing) with Passion Fit, LTK, and Libre Coffee

• Steven Jamerson (Men's Basketball) exploring opportunities with Doble Filo Barbershop and Zab Linda Vista

• Kate Sealy (Women's Soccer) and Passion Fit

This is just the beginning of an exciting new era for USD athletics. Stay tuned for more updates on how these partnerships will transform our community and empower our student-athletes!

We invite our subscribers, local business owners, and USD supporters to get involved! If you're interested in partnering with our talented student-athletes for your business marketing or events, we'd love to hear from you. Your support can make a significant impact on our athletes' lives while also promoting your brand

PARTNER WITH A TORERO TODAY

🏈 We can’t wait for kickoff this Saturday as we take on Cal Poly at Torero Stadium @ 5 p.m. PST! Our staff hopes to see you there, and we’d love to connect!

The University of San Diego men's soccer team has started their 2024 campaign in exciting fashion, showcasing their new offensive prowess in their first two matches.

Battling #20 Duke At Home

The Toreros opened their season with a thrilling 2-2 draw against nationally-ranked Duke at Torero Stadium. In a back-and-forth affair, USD demonstrated its resilience and offensive capabilities.

Oliver Rhoades opened the scoring with a spectacular long-range strike in the 26th minute, giving the Toreros an early lead. After Duke fought back to take a 2-1 advantage in the second half, USD's persistence paid off.

Samy Kanaan drew a penalty which Simon Duus Muller calmly converted to level the score in the 70th minute. Goalkeeper Luis Ludosan made several crucial saves, including a spectacular stop in the final minute, to secure the draw against the formidable Blue Devils.

Dominant Victory in Crosstown Rivalry

Building on their strong start, USD showcased their dominance in a convincing 3-0 victory over crosstown rival San Diego State. The Toreros' offense was firing on all cylinders, with goals coming from Simon Duus Muller, Luca Fava, and Cesar Bahena.

Duus Muller opened the scoring with a well-taken penalty in the 13th minute. Fava then doubled the lead with a stunning 30-yard strike that found the top corner. Bahena sealed the victory in style, chipping the Aztecs' goalkeeper from 40 yards out in the 60th minute.

Looking Ahead

With a draw against a ranked opponent and a dominant win in the city rivalry, USD men's soccer has set a strong foundation for their 2024 season. The team will look to continue their momentum as they face Lipscomb in their next match on August 29th at Torero Stadium.

As the back-to-back WCC champions aim for a third consecutive conference title, these early performances suggest that the Toreros are well-equipped to compete at the highest level once again. Fans and donors have much to be excited about as the season unfolds.

New Leadership at the Helm

Greg LaPorte takes over as head coach, bringing valuable experience and familiarity to the program. He's joined by assistants Jackie Altschuld, a former Torero player, and Matt Hall, adding to the strong USD connections on the coaching staff.

Roster Refresh

The Toreros welcomed 17 newcomers this season, including both transfers and freshmen. Key additions include:

• My Haugland Sørsdahl (UCLA transfer)

• Molly Quarry (Montana transfer)

• Margaret Rabbitt (George Washington transfer)

• Ella Callanan (freshman with Portland Thorns FC training experience)

These players join returning standouts like leading scorer Lexi Zandonella-Arasa, Sara Evans, and Mikayla Abrenica.

Early Season Results

The Toreros faced some challenges in their first three matches:

1. Cal State Fullerton (Away): A tough 3-0 loss to open the season

2. Long Beach State (Home): Another 2-0 defeat in the home opener

3. UC Irvine (Away): The team secured their first point with a 1-1 draw

Signs of Progress

While the results haven't gone their way yet, there are positive signs for USD:

• Olivia Jandreski scored her first collegiate goal in the draw against UC Irvine

• Goalkeeper Ilise Medrano has made some impressive saves

• The defense, led by Sorsdahl and Jenn Hashimoto, showed improvement against UC Irvine

Looking Ahead

Fans can catch the team's next home game on August 29th against UC Santa Barbara at Torero Stadium. Come out and support USD as they look to notch their first win of the 2024 campaign!

BANK SIMPLY

We're excited to feature Frederick Polzer, a 2020 graduate with a double major in Psychology and Communication Studies, in this month's alumni spotlight. Frederick's journey from Germany to USD as an international student-athlete exemplifies the unique opportunities our university offers.

Highlights from Frederick's USD Experience:

• Played soccer while earning his degree

• Enjoyed the cultural exchange as an international student

• Favorite memory: Beating UCLA at home in a thrilling match

Life After USD:

Frederick now works in Marketing for a Software Company in Germany and continues to play soccer for a local team. He credits his time as a Torero for teaching him valuable life skills:

• Organization

• Prioritization

• Discipline

• Striving for greatness

Advice for Current Toreros:

"Strive for excellence on the field and in the classroom. And even though it seems redundant to say, enjoy San Diego and everything this beautiful campus has to offer."Frederick stays connected with USD through social media and follows the soccer team's recent successes. His parting wisdom? "Time flies so fast. My four years in San Diego went by way too fast. So enjoy every day and every moment."We're proud to have alumni like Frederick representing USD around the world!

Want to be featured in our next alumni spotlight?

Hit the Links with Us for a Great Cause

There’s still time to register!

The Olé Foundation is partnering with USD Baseball to support the program's growth. We're excited to announce the First Annual Sandbagger Golf Tournament on November 4th at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club.

This event, created by Coach Brock Ungricht and donor John Gentillon, aims to raise funds and bring the Torero community together. Join us for a day of golf and support USD Baseball's future success.

WHERE TOREROS OWN THEIR FUTURE…

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!

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