Former Trojans enter Hall of Fame


USC fans have had a lot to celebrate so far in 2015. Our men’s basketball team pulled off an upset over Arizona State in the Pac-12 tournament. Our football team is no longer under the harsh sanctions of the NCAA, and Sark managed to sign a top ranked recruiting class. The baseball team had a fantastic showing at Dodger Stadium,    beating TCU, Vanderbilt and UCLA and is still ranked in the top 15.

But USC alumni have also given us plenty to be proud of, as a former Trojan has been elected into the Hall of Fame in all four of USC’s big sports in 2015 alone. Junior Seau, Randy Johnson, Lisa Leslie and George Raveling have all been voted into their respective sports’ Hall of Fame.

The late Junior Seau, one of the most iconic names to ever play for USC, was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Jan. 31. Seau was a linebacker at USC from 1988-1990. After going 19-4-1, making two Rose Bowl appearances and earning         All-American first team and  Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors, Seau bypassed his senior season to be the fifth pick in the NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.

Seau spent 20 years in the NFL with the Chargers, Dolphins and Patriots. He played in 12 Pro Bowls, was named All-Pro eight times, and appeared in Super Bowls XXIX and XLII. He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 and 1998 and, in 1994, he was the AFC Player of the Year. For his charitability, he was given the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 1994.

He is also a member of the USC Athletics Hall of Fame and the Chargers Hall of Fame.

Former left-handed pitcher Randy Johnson dominated college baseball at USC from 1983 to 1985 before going on to have a historic professional career. He was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in January.

Johnson’s tenure in the MLB lasted 22 years. During that time, he was a member of 10 All-Star teams, won a World Series MVP in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and won five Cy Young Awards. He is one of only five pitchers to throw a no-hitter in both the National and American League. Johnson ended his career with a 3.29 ERA and logged 4,875 strikeouts.

Though the men’s basketball team has been quiet lately, former USC basketball coach George Raveling was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in February. Raveling coached the Trojans from 1986 to 1994, taking USC to two NCAA tournaments. Raveling was the   Pac-8 conference’s first black coach.

Most recently, Woman of Troy Lisa Leslie was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as well. During her time at Troy, Leslie was a                          three-time All-American and a National Player of the Year. She won National Freshman of the Year in 1991 and was the unanimous choice for the Naismith National Player of the Year in 1994. She is still USC’s all-time leading shot blocker.

After her time at USC, Leslie went on to have a successful WNBA career with the Los Angeles Sparks, winning three MVPs. She led the women’s national team to four Olympic gold medals, winning in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. She is the WNBA’s leader in career rebounds.

In just over three months, four former Trojans have been honored for their decorated professional careers. With so many top teams at USC right now, I can’t help but wonder which current Trojans will receive the same recognition in the years to come.

Regan Estes is a sophomore majoring in public relations and Spanish. She is also the sports editor of  the Daily Trojan. Her column “Wild Wild Westes,” runs on Tuesdays.