Good morning! In light of recent news, we thought it would be important to remind everyone that former Trojan national champion, Pete Carroll, is one of the greatest to ever do it. After nine seasons with USC and 14 seasons in the NFL, he is the only head coach in the CFP/BCS era to win a national championship and a Super Bowl.

What else can you find in today's Brew?

🏀 Watkins selected to Wooden Award Midseason List
🏈 Branch wins The Jet Award
⚔️ And much, much more!

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🔼 Watch Out For Watkins. Freshman phenom Juju Watkins is drawing national attention once again. Watkins was selected as one of 25 players named to the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List. Each nominee is chosen by national college basketball experts with selections made based on their performances during the 2023-24 season. Thus far, Watkins is among an elite group of frontrunners for the sport's most prestigious honor.

The nation’s second-leading scorer is averaging 26.1 points per game and has already accumulated five 30-point performances. She also leads the Trojans in assists (3.7 per game), steals (2.4 per game), and 3-pointers made (28).

🔼 On The Grind. USC men’s basketball put up a valiant effort against Washington State but was not able to finish the fight after falling 72-64 on Wednesday night. Boogie Ellis led the Trojans with 18 points and Isaiah Collier racked up 12 points before leaving the game due to an apparent injury. Against his former team, DJ Rodman finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

The Trojans will now enter a tough stretch with a three-game road trip. USC will travel to Boulder to face Colorado on Saturday, then head to Tuscon to face off against No. 8 Arizona on Wednesday, and then finish in Tempe against Arizona State on Jan. 20.

🔼 Run It Back. USC women’s basketball will take on No. 2 ranked UCLA on Sunday afternoon as the Women of Troy look to avenge their only loss of the season thus far. Last time out, the Trojans fell short in a 71-64 loss in rival territory. This time, USC will serve as hosts against UCLA for the first-ever meeting between two top-10 teams at the Galen Center.

📚️ Check out the team’s massive achievement that happened off the court

Today’s trivia question is brought to you by Smart & Final. With more than 3,000 club-sized items and an assortment of quality, value-priced products, including farm-fresh produce, dairy, deli, meat and seafood, as well as grocery and household essentials. Smart & Final has your every need covered — all without a membership fee!

First Time. USC football has a long and storied history, but this season, Zachariah Branch accomplished something that had never been done. Do you know what Branch achieved for the first time in Trojan football history?

Think you got it? Scroll down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

⚔️ ONE BIG THING

Return specialist Zachariah Branch became the second Trojan to win The Jet Award, an honor that goes to the nation's most outstanding return specialist. A media panel made up of members of the Football Writers Association of America and former Jet Award winners selected Branch as the 2023 winner.

The freshman superstar was one of the nation's most electric returners. He finished the 2023 season leading the nation in punt returns (20.8 avg.) and was No. 2 in punt return touchdowns, No. 3 in combined kick returns (774 yards), and No. 6 in kickoff return touchdowns.
 
Branch scored a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown vs. San Jose State on Aug. 26, then captivated the nation in his performance against Stanford on Sept. 9 when he returned a punt for a 75-yard score. He became the first Trojan since Adoree' Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown, as well as at least one receiving touchdown, in the same season.

📬 STICK WITH US

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📅 LOOKING AHEAD

*All times Pacific

Friday, Jan. 12

🏊️ Swim and Dive @ Bruin Diving Invitational in Los Angeles, CA

👟 Track and Field @ Cougar Classic in Spokane, WA

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ Cal Winter Invitational in Berkeley, CA

🏊️ Swim and Dive vs. UC San Diego @ 2:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Watch

🏊️ Swim and Dive vs. Utah @ 2:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Watch

Saturday, Jan. 13

🏊️ Swim and Dive @ Bruin Diving Invitational in Los Angeles, CA

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ Cal Winter Invitational in Berkeley, CA

⛳️ Women’s Golf vs. Texas A&M in Rancho Santa Fe, CA

🎾 Men’s Tennis @ Sherwood Collegiate Cup in Sherwood, CA

🤽‍♀️ Women’s Water Polo vs. UCLA @ 9:30am in Los Angeles, CA

🏐 Men’s Volleyball vs. Lincoln Memorial @ 7:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | Watch | Live Stats

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Colorado @ 7:00pm in Boulder, CO | Watch | Listen | Live Stats

Sunday, Jan. 14

🏊️ Swim and Dive @ Bruin Diving Invitational in Los Angeles, CA

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ Cal Winter Invitational in Berkeley, CA

🎾 Men’s Tennis @ Sherwood Collegiate Cup in Sherwood, CA

⛳️ Men’s Golf @ The COpper Cup in Maricopa, AZ

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. UCLA @ 2:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Watch | Live Stats

⚔️ Click here to view the full USC Trojan Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: The first-ever true freshman First Team All-American!

Branch earned a First Team All-American selection as a true freshman. It’s the first time in USC football history that that has happened.

⚔️ Have a great weekend, everyone!