Good morning! This year, Trojan baseball will begin the season in Arizona at the MLB Desert Invitational. USC will take on BYU, Grand Canyon and Ohio State out in the desert to start the season.

What else can you find in today's Brew?

🏐 Men’s volleyball preview
🏀 Men’s basketball earned the win against Cal
⚔️ And much, much more!

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🔼 Top Ten. After capturing the fourth-straight Pac-12 Championship title last season, USC men’s tennis opens up the 2024 stretch as the No. 7 team in the latest ITA Rankings. Stefan Dostanic and Peter Makk will each look to lead the team following appearances in last season’s NCAA Tournament.

🔼 So It Begins. No. 12 USC men's volleyball will begin play against HBCU opponents Fort Valley State and Morehouse College to start the 2024 season. The Trojans will face off against each team for the first time in program history this weekend.

On Friday, USC will face off against Fort Valley State followed by a Saturday morning match against Morehouse College. Get to know the Trojan men’s volleyball team a bit better with a couple of quick facts:

• The Trojans are ranked 12th in the AVCA/NVA Coaches Poll. It is the same position USC held in the final poll of 2023. This year's poll will include 20 teams for the first time.

• Outside hitter Dillon Klein returns after leading the Trojans in kills (3.60 kps) and points (4.18 pps) with 22 matches in double-digit points in 2023.

• USC's incoming class of freshmen Wes Smith, Jakobi Lange, Jack Ebertin, Brad Pan and junior transfer Josh Friedman was rated the No. 1 recruiting class by VolleyballMag.com. Smith was the No. 1-ranked individual player.

🔼 Strong Start. USC women’s tennis will head into 2024 ranked as the No. 22 team in the country in the most recent ITA Rankings. After successful starts to the season from Emma Charney, Erynn Cayetano and Parker Fry, the Women of Troy will look to open up the spring strong with the return to the court just a week away.

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Looking Back. The Trojans are getting set for a new season of men’s volleyball. Our question today: do you know how many wins USC men’s volleyball finished with last season?

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

⚔️ ONE BIG THING

It was a team effort from the Trojans as they earned their first Pac-12 win of the season in an 82-74 victory over California on Wednesday night. The squad came within one assist away from the program's single-game record of assists after coming away with 29 on the night.

Boogie Ellis led the team in scoring with 15 points with Kobe Johnson adding 14 points, which included four 3-pointers in the second half. Isaiah Collier scored 13 points and assisted seven times while DJ Rodman and Bronny James bolstered the Trojans' double-digit scoring with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

🎥 Check out the Play of the Game from the Trojans’ win

USC will resume their three-game homestand against Stanford on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

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📅 LOOKING AHEAD

*All times Pacific

Friday, Jan. 5

🏐 Men’s Volleyball vs. Fort Valley State @ 10:00am in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | Watch | Live Stats

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Oregon State @ 7:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | Watch | Live Stats

Saturday, Jan. 6

🏐 Men’s Volleyball vs. Morehouse @ 10:00am in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | Watch | Live Stats

🏊️ Swim and Dive vs. UNLV @ 11:00am

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Stanford @ 1:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | Watch | Listen | Live Stats

Sunday, Jan. 7

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Oregon @ 12:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Tickets | Watch | Live Stats

⚔️ Click here to view the full USC Trojan Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 10!

The Trojans came out on top 10 times last season with notable wins against Stanford and UC Irvine.

⚔️ Have a great weekend, everyone!