Good morning, Trojan Family! USC women’s basketball is in the lab in preparation for the season opener against Ole Miss on Nov. 4. Listen in to a recent practice as head coach Lindsay Gottlieb gets mic’d up while getting her team ready for its highly anticipated return.

What else can you find in today's edition of The Three Torches?

🏀 A pair of Trojans selected to the Preseason All-America Team
⚽️ Sampaio named to a weekly award
⚔️ And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Prime Pairing. As last season's national power forward and shooting guard of the year, Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins set up to combine forces as teammates at USC, the two Trojans have picked up honors as AP Preseason All-Americans. This is the first AP Preseason All-America honor for both Iriafen and Watkins, and they are the first pair of teammates selected to the All-America team since the 2017-18 season.

🔼 Down To The Wire. The 16th-ranked USC women's volleyball team closes out October home matches with visits from Michigan State and third-ranked Penn State at the Galen Center this week. The Women of Troy look to extend a nine-match home win streak when they tangle with the Spartans on Thursday night where USC holds a 7-1 all-time series lead.

🔼 No Doubt. After scoring a dramatic game-winner against No. 16 Penn State and helping to lead the No. 9 USC women's soccer team to a victory over No. 15 Ohio State at BMO Stadium, Helena Sampaio was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Sampaio fired home a free kick from 25 yards out in the final minute against Penn State to clinch a 2-1 victory for the Trojans and keep USC atop the conference standings heading into this week's regular season finale.

👻 SPOOKY SPENDINGS

Halloween's here, and Smart & Final's got everything you need to party, from drinks and candy, to masks, candles and dry ice! Smart & Final. Where Else?

Today’s Top Tier Performance presented by ARCO goes to USC track and field alum, Rai Benjamin. The 2024 Olympian was recently nominated for the World Athletics Men’s Track Athlete of the Year following his impressive performances this summer in Paris where he won two gold medals and helped set an Olympic record in the 4×400m relay for Team USA.

🗣️ SPREAD THE WORD

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📅 THE WEEK AHEAD

*All times Pacific

Wednesday, October 23
No scheduled events

Thursday, October 24
🏐 Volleyball vs. Michigan State @ 8 p.m. in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | BTN

Friday, October 25
🏈 Football vs. Rutgers @ 8 p.m. in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | FOX | Listen

⚔️ Click here to view the full USC Trojan Athletics Calendar

⚔️ Have a great Wednesday, everyone!