✌️ House of Victory athletes spent last Friday night preparing and serving dinner to those in need at The Midnight Mission — an organization offering a path to sufficiency to men, women, and children experiencing homelessness since 1914.

⚽️ Congratulations to our very own Women’s Soccer athlete Zoe Burns on being drafted in the 3rd round of the NWSL draft to the Utah Royals.

🏉 House of Victory congratulates USC QB Caleb Williams on declaring for the NFL Draft. Williams remains ESPN’s projected #1 overall pick later this spring.

🏀 Several Trojans earned national accolades after Women of Troy top No. 2 UCLA in front of a record Galen Center crowd.

• Juju Watkins — AP National Player of the Week

• Coach Lindsay Gottlieb — National Coach of the Week

DRIVING HOUSE OF VICTORY FORWARD

Own Your Game

By Kobe Johnson

Sports have always played a significant role in my life, bringing joy and pushing me to grow. Every moment on the court is a reflection of who I am. Each bounce of the basketball has contributed to shaping my character, instilling resilience and pride.

Following in the footsteps of my well-known brothers, I discovered strength at USC to create my own path and tell my unique story. High school comparisons and recruitment letters served as motivation, guiding me to embrace my individual journey.

At USC, I realized that my progress is defined by my own strides, not by trying to fill others' shoes.

Playing games with my brothers taught me early lessons in understanding my strengths and weaknesses, fostering personal growth. On challenging courts, I absorbed the values of hard work and dedication. Wearing USC's team colors embodied the motto "Always Earned, Never Given," propelling me into relentless practice.

My journey exemplifies that skills are honed through perseverance and determination. Challenges and doubts played a crucial role in building my character and teaching me to face obstacles with composure — something that’s often forgotten in today’s culture.

Embracing teamwork now as a college athlete has imparted vital lessons in collaboration within me. As team captain, leadership means setting an example, igniting a spark in others to overcome barriers, foster resilience, and grow stronger together.

Every step leading to today has brought a difficult balance of expectations and aspirations.

But here, at USC, I've learned to play with my own true style.

Being authentic is transformative, creating an unstoppable momentum and propelling us to far exceed our limits and achieve the extraordinary. The journey is marked by personal and collective victories, lessons learned, and setbacks faced.

To me, the greatest accomplishment in life is inspiring others to find their rhythm and sparking a shared drive toward something greater than themselves.

SETTING THE FOUNDATION

11th NIL Congressional Hearing Is Not Going to “Move the Needle”

The 11th NIL-related Congressional hearing, titled “NIL Playbook: Proposal to Protect Student Athletes’ Dealmaking Rights,” featured NCAA President Charlie Baker and UCLA quarterback/NIL entrepreneur Chase Griffin. Griffin criticized Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ legislation, stating it codifies an outdated NCAA business model and lacks emphasis on freedom, growth, innovation, or Title IX. Griffin advocated for a true revenue-sharing model, stating athletes should share in the value they create, aligning with core American principles.

Witnesses included Missouri Valley Conference commissioner Jeff Jackson, Radford volleyball player Meredith Page, Arizona State Associate Clinical Professor of History Victoria Jackson, and Michigan softball player Kaitlin Tholl.

Bilirakis expressed urgency in saving college sports amid significant changes, including potential multi-billion-dollar payments to athletes and NLRB cases questioning athletes' employee status. Griffin emphasized momentum favoring athlete compensation and suggested that, based on time and effort, athletes operate as employees.

Baker presented Project D-I, proposing in-house NIL activity, a subdivision for highly resourced schools, and limited antitrust protection, urging Congress to address external threats to college sports. Baker argued that converting all college sports to an employment model would result in lost opportunities due to insufficient funding, without addressing the impact on Power Four schools.

Griffin and legal experts noted that granting an antitrust exemption and codifying non-employee status is not necessary for Baker's proposal. Page highlighted concerns about the employment model leading to cuts in non-revenue sports and affecting Title IX considerations, urging action before implementing a new model.

FUELING THE TROJANS FORWARD