College Sports Established
1912
Location
Los Angeles, California
College Name
University of Southern California
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1912 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
Conference History
2024 - Present / Big 10 Conference
2010 - 2024 / PAC 12 Conference
1978 – 2010 / Pacific 10
1964 – 1978 / Pacific 8
1959 – 1964 / Athletic Association of Western Universities
1912 – 1959 / Pacific Coast Conference
Nickname
Trojans - Regarding college sports, few teams have as much history and tradition as the Southern California Trojans. The team’s iconic nickname had existed since 1912 when Los Angeles Times sportswriter Owen Bird first referred to them as “the Fighting Men of Troy.” But what is the origin of this famous moniker?
The answer lies in Greek mythology. In Homer's epic poem, The Iliad, a group of warriors from the ancient city-state of Troy fought against an invading force from Greece during a 10-year siege known as the Trojan War. As legend tells it, these brave soldiers were so fierce that they earned themselves an enduring reputation for courage and bravery—hence their association with USC athletics today!
In addition to its mythological roots, there is also some practical reasoning behind why USC chose this particular name for its athletic program: It was easy to pronounce and spell (unlike other nicknames such as "Quakers" or "Gophers"), plus it had strong ties with both classical literature and Hollywood films like Brad Pitt's 2004 blockbuster hit Troy—making it perfect for marketing purposes too!
From their humble beginnings over 100 years ago until now, one thing remains true: No matter where you go or who you talk about, everyone knows exactly who you are talking about when they hear those two words - “Southern California Trojans."
NCAA Championships
Baseball 12
1998, 1978, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970, 1968, 1963, 1961, 1958, 1948
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 2
1984, 1983
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1907
- 1922
- 1984
- 1998
- 2004
- 2007
-
The first basketball team is formed by Arthur Carroll
In 1907: The first basketball team is formed by Arthur Carroll, who also founded the football team. The team wins its first game against Occidental College 18-15. -
The team joins the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC)
In 1922: The team joins the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) and adopts the nickname “Trojans”. -
Trojans Womens NCAA Champs 1984
The 1984 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament began on March 16 and ended on April 1. It featured 32 teams, four fewer than the previous year. Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Cheyney, and Southern California were the Final Four, with Southern California defeating Tennessee, 72-61, for its second straight title. USC’s Cheryl Miller was named the Most Outstanding Player of the ... -
1998 Trojans Baseball Champions
The 1998 CWS was infamous for producing several high-scoring games, which was termed by media covering the Series as “Gorilla Ball” (or “Geaux-Rilla Ball” among LSU fans), which placed a premium on home runs. LSU, which won the 1996 and 1997 national championships and set an NCAA record in 1997 by hitting 188 home runs, hit eight home runs in ... -
The Trojans team wins its tenth national championship
In 2004: The team wins its tenth national championship, finishing with a 13-0 record and defeating Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. Matt Leinart wins the Heisman Trophy, joining Carson Palmer as back-to-back Trojans to win the award. -
The Basketball team wins its first Pac-10 tournament title under coach Tim Floyd
In 2007: The team wins its first Pac-10 tournament title under coach Tim Floyd, defeating Oregon 81-57. The team also reaches its second Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament, losing to North Carolina 74-64.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Trojans
The Trojans began playing football at USC’s Bovard Field, where they quickly made themselves known with wins against several major programs like Stanford and Cal-Berkeley. They eventually joined the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) formed by UCLA, Oregon State, Washington State, Montana, and Idaho Universities. During this period, USC won 17 PCC titles between 1926-1958 before joining forces with other schools to form what is now known as the Pac-12 Conference today.
As part of their continued success during this time frame from 1955 - 2008, USC had seven undefeated seasons, including winning four national championships under legendary coaches John McKay (1967 & 1972), John Robinson (1978 & 1979), and Pete Carroll (2003 & 2004). The Trojan's dominance on the field has also translated off it, too has produced some outstanding players that have gone on to become Pro Football Hall Of Famers, such as Marcus Allen and Ronnie Lott, among many others.
The current era has seen more success for SC, with head coach Clay Helton leading them to two Rose Bowl victories since 2016 while producing NFL talent like Sam Darnold, who was selected 3rd overall by New York Jets in the back 2018 draft. With all these accomplishments, it's no wonder Southern California is considered one of the top collegiate programs not just within PAC 12 but the entire country!
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