Delving into the exciting landscape of spring sports, expectations are high for a number of Trojan squads, especially here at the Daily Trojan. Vibes may be riding steady now, but nonconference schedules don’t last forever. 

So, with long seasons ahead, here is a look at the USC coaches who have the most on the line. This is by no means a list of leaders who could be sitting at home on their couches next season, but rather one identifying those whose Trojan coaching trajectories could be greatly impacted by their squad’s 2025 campaign. 

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Jeff Nygaard, Men’s Volleyball

Head Coach Jeff Nygaard, an all-time great UCLA Bruin, betrayed his Westwood roots to take the top job at USC in 2016. He has had mixed results in the near-decade that has followed, leading the Trojans to an overall record of 102-129. Nygaard has consistently been able to attract elite talent to USC, but his squads have not always delivered on their talent. 

In nine seasons with the former Olympian at the helm, the Trojans have played in just one NCAA Tournament game — a loss to Lewis in 2019. With veteran stars like junior outside hitter Dillon Klein returning and a full season under the belt of the nation’s top recruiting class in 2023, there’s a perfect storm brewing for Nygaard to finally steer his squad toward a deep tournament run. If not, Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen may go searching for a new leader to get the most out of an incredibly talented group.

Casey Moon, Women’s Water Polo

If Head Coach Casey Moon had some time off Sunday and happened to tune into the exciting AFC Championship, he may have seen a bit of himself in Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott. Buffalo’s top man has led his team on five consecutive deep playoff runs, only to see his team fall short before the Super Bowl each time — at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs all but once. 

In Moon’s case, the women’s water polo team has made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, all of which ended in defeats to rival Stanford. To be fair to Moon, he was only promoted to head coach ahead of the 2024 season, but he has been on the coaching staff for nearly two decades.

Moon’s job is almost certainly safe, but if the Trojans are once again unable to overcome the Cardinal, he may need to seriously consider his approach, tactics and the roster’s construction. 

Andy Stankiewicz, Baseball

Head Coach Andy Stankiewicz, a four-time Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in his previous gig at Grand Canyon University, has led a remarkable turnaround of USC’s once-storied baseball program. In two seasons, he has led USC to a 65-51-1 record overall — bringing the Trojans within two runs of just a second trip to NCAA regionals since 2005.

Stankiewicz’s job should be just about the safest at USC, with the exception of beach volleyball Head Coach Dain Blanton and maybe one or two others. He has no chance of ending up anywhere near the hot seat, but Stankiewicz made the list because this season could mark a huge turning point for his program.

Top-of-class renovations to Dedeaux Stadium and a new locker room, batting cages, and pitching lab for the Trojans are underway. USC baseball, while underwhelming in the 21st century, is extremely successful historically. Its 12 national titles — 11 of which came under the watch of their stadium’s namesake, Rod Dedeaux — are the most of any school. 

If Stankiewicz can lead the Trojans back to the postseason this year, it will be no surprise if interest from recruits and further investment from the school starts flying in rapidly. The blueprint to bring glory back to a struggling yet historic USC program has been shown by the next person on this list, and with a big spring, Stankiewicz can follow in her footsteps.

Lindsay Gottlieb, Women’s Basketball

Now, if Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s rebuild was so perfect that other coaches should be attempting to emulate it, it’s definitely fair to argue that she should not be on this list. The truth is that the fourth-year head coach has turned the Trojans into a national powerhouse so quickly that mammoth expectations now lie on her shoulders, fair or not. 

USC’s renewed status as a national powerhouse in collegiate women’s basketball is very real, and the Trojans have every chance to win a national championship. But the landscape of women’s college basketball is brutal, and facing off with coaches in March who have been playing in Final Fours for decades is no joke. 

In the Elite Eight last year, UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma outcoached Gottlieb, and the Trojans arguably experienced the same in their loss to Head Coach Niele Ivey and No. 3 Notre Dame earlier this season. 

Gottlieb has a chance to do something truly special at USC, but if she wants to sustain dominance like Auriemma and South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley have, she needs to start beating them. If Gottlieb and USC can’t win a national championship in superstar sophomore guard JuJu Watkins’ time at the school, the next Watkins will not take her talents to SoCal.