USD Baseball Celebrates Four MLB Draft Picks Following Stellar Season

The University of San Diego's baseball program has capped off one of its most successful seasons with an impressive showing in the 2024 MLB Draft. Fresh off their NCAA tournament regional round appearance, four Torero standouts heard their names called on Monday, marking a significant milestone for the program.

Leading the pack was Josh Randall, selected 85th overall by the Detroit Tigers. The San Francisco Giants then tapped Jakob Christian with the 149th pick, closely followed by Ariel Armas, who went 153rd overall to the Chicago Cubs. Rounding out the quartet was Jack Costello, chosen 300th overall by the hometown San Diego Padres.

This draft success serves as a testament to USD's player development and the strength of its baseball program. As these four athletes embark on their professional careers, they carry with them the pride and best wishes of the entire USD community.

We thank you for all your continued support!

USD Star Joins Puerto Rico Olympic Roster

Former University of San Diego men's basketball standout Isaiah Pineiro is set to represent Puerto Rico at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. This historic achievement follows Puerto Rico's triumphant performance at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament held at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

On July 7, Puerto Rico ended a two-decade Olympic absence by defeating Lithuania 79-68 in the tournament final. Puerto Rico's journey to qualification included victories over Bahrain and Italy in Group B, followed by a semi-final win against Mexico.

Pineiro, who excelled for the Toreros from 2017 to 2019, contributed significantly to Puerto Rico's Olympic-clinching victory. In 21 minutes of play, he recorded four points, three rebounds, and one assist, while maintaining an impressive +17 plus/minus rating.

During his tenure at USD, Pineiro achieved numerous accolades, including:

• Two-time All-West Coast Conference First Team selection

• Led USD to its first NIT appearance (2018-19)

• Spearheaded back-to-back 20-win seasons (2017-18 and 2018-19), a program first

• Ranks third in USD's all-time career scoring average (17.3 PPG)

• Holds fifth place in all-time career rebounding average (7.9 RPG)

• Set the USD single-season scoring record with 677 points (2018-19)

Pineiro will become the second Torero to participate in the Olympics. He follows in the footsteps of the late Mike Whitmarsh, a USD Athletics Hall of Fame inductee who competed in the 1996 Atlanta Games, winning a silver medal in beach volleyball.

At the Paris Olympics, Puerto Rico will compete in Group C alongside defending champions USA, Serbia (led by NBA MVP Nikola Jokic), and first-time Olympians South Sudan.

The 2024 Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament is scheduled to begin on July 27 in Lille, France, with the final and bronze medal games taking place at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 10.

WHERE TOREROS OWN THEIR FUTURE…

From Portal to Pitch: Toreros' New Talent Haul

Head Coach Greg LaPorte and the University of San Diego women's soccer program are pleased to announce the addition of Margaret Rabbitt to the 2024 roster. Rabbitt, a graduate transfer from George Washington University, will join the Toreros for her final season of eligibility.

Her career highlights include:

• Rabbitt brings extensive experience to San Diego, having played in 37 games with 27 starts during her tenure at George Washington University.

• Throughout her collegiate career, she has demonstrated her offensive capabilities as a defender, contributing three goals and three assists for a total of nine points.

• In her final season at George Washington, Rabbitt participated in 11 games, including five starts, and recorded one goal and one assist.

• Notably, Rabbitt gained national recognition when her spectacular bicycle kick goal against Saint Joseph's was featured as the top play on SportsCenter's nightly top-10 highlights.

• One of her standout performances came in 2022, when she contributed a goal and an assist in a victory over Saint Peter's.

• Rabbitt retains an additional year of eligibility after missing her freshman season due to injury.

Women’s soccer is also pleased to announce the addition of Molly Quarry to the 2024 roster. Quarry, a graduate transfer from the University of Montana, will join the Toreros for her final season of eligibility.

Her career highlights include:

• Quarry brings a wealth of experience to San Diego, having participated in 63 collegiate games, including 45 starts, totaling 3,880 minutes of playing time.

• Throughout her career at Montana, Quarry made significant contributions, recording five assists and playing a crucial role in the team's qualification for two NCAA Tournaments.

• In her final season with the Grizzlies, Quarry appeared in all 19 games, contributing to the team's impressive 13-3-3 record and undefeated run in Big Sky Conference play.

• Quarry's outstanding performance during a weekend sweep against North Dakota and North Dakota State, where she provided two assists, earned her the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honor on August 21, 2023.

• As a freshman and sophomore, Quarry made valuable contributions in consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including a full 90-minute start against South Carolina in her freshman year.

• Excelling both on the field and in the classroom, Quarry is a four-time Academic All-Big Sky team honoree and a two-time recipient of the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District award.

Coach LaPorte and the Toreros are excited to welcome Margaret and Molly to the University of San Diego. Their extensive experience will make them a valuable addition to the team as they prepare for the 2024 season.

BANK SIMPLY

For our next alumni spotlight, we caught up with USD Football Alum, Josh Sutchar (‘09)!

Here’s a breakdown of our conversation:

What is your favorite memory as a Torero athlete? 

We went 11-1 my freshman year, only losing to Princeton in New Jersey. We got to meet Steve Mariucci and Jerry Rice on separate occasions, and the entire year was filled not only with winning but dominating each and every week.

I remember Harbaugh talking to us before a game and reminding us that “this does NOT need to be close,” suggesting that we could blow that team out. He told us, “You do not have to do anything special. Your best is good enough.”

I think about those words all the time and how that mentality changed how I approach competition.

What piece of coaching or lesson taught through football sticks with you most to this day? 

We were lucky enough to have Coach Jack Harbaugh coach the running backs during training camp when I was a freshman. And like Coach Jim Harbaugh, Coach Jack could teach lessons through stories that tended to stick with the team and become thematic to a practice, a game week, and even a season.

At the end of a hot summer practice a couple of weeks into camp, Coach Jack gathered the team and asked if any of us had seen a newcomer by the name of Frederick P. Soft...

Coach Jack couldn’t find him but needed to make sure that if any of us saw Freddie Soft, we would recognize him.

We were confused. Nobody knew or had heard of Mr. Soft, and puzzled faces could be found on all 100 guys as they stood on one knee staring into the sun, sweat beading down their faces.

Coach Jack explained that Freddie Soft was about two inches tall and typically hung out on your shoulder pads, right behind your ear, telling you that you should take a play off. He told us that Freddie hung out in the training room quite a bit and in shady areas, away from the sun. He reminded us that because of where Freddie typically placed himself on your shoulder, he was hard to see for yourself, but easy to spot on your teammates’ shoulders, and he demanded that if we saw Freddie lurking on a teammate’s shoulder, we’d swipe Freddie off.

The puzzled faces turned to smiles and a theme was born amongst that group.

There was no place for Freddie Soft, and we made sure to let each other know when he was getting too comfortable—swiping Freddie from their shoulders.

That lesson, not to listen to the voice on your shoulder telling you to take it easy, take a day off, or take your foot off the gas, is a lesson I think about quite often and share with friends and family.

What spots did you frequent most on campus as a student? 

If I wasn’t in class at Olin Hall or crushing on my cute coworker at the computer lab, I’d be eating with teammates at the café.

Who are some of the teammates you remain closest to from your time at USD?

I’ve been lucky to stay close with many of the guys I played with at USD.

I played with my brother Averill, so he’s at the top of that list, but I stay in touch with Alex Rice, JT, Joe Staab, Brandon Espy, Hanner Hart, Jerad Roberts, and a handful of non-football USD alumni like Ben Crookston, Bryce Prodanovich, and Gabe Nakashima.

What advice would you have given yourself upon graduating from USD?

I would have told myself to plan a trip with my teammates and to appreciate all the time and memories. I would have told myself to slow down, to remind myself that I have the rest of my life to jump into the working world and to recognize that these moments and this time in your life will be gone before you know it.

What USD sport other than softball did you most enjoy watching or attending?

I always loved going to the JCP to watch the men’s basketball team.

What was your favorite food spot/spots when you went to USD?

JV’s was #1, #2, and #3.

Tell us about your family and what you do now professionally?

I graduated from USD in 2009 and started a business with Ben Crookston called TrainHeroic in 2012.

The company brought me from Chicago to Colorado in 2014, and that’s where I reunited with that cute coworker from the computer lab who is now my wife, Silvana DelPiccolo.

We’ve got two amazing boys, Nico and Matteo, and live in Golden, CO.

We thank Josh for his time and all he’s done to support USD!

That’s All For Now!

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