USD Magazine Fall 2019

TORERO ATHLETICS USD MAGAZINE

THOMAS CHRISTENSEN

[ r a h - r a h ]

Leading the charge of getting students to games BOOST I NG SCHOO L SP I R I T

where beaches, nightlife and countless other attractions beck- on to students — it’s hard to make a USD game the can’t-miss destination on a weekend night. “We never want to blame the Pacific Ocean, but that, of course, is always a factor with the beach so close, and so many things going on in San Diego.” Hill and McGillis view their mission to get more students to games as a work in progress. In its current form, the Bull Pit has only been around since 2014. By comparison, Gonzaga Univer-

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by Anderson Haigler ’19

he University of San Diego has it all. Breathtaking views, a pristine campus,

undergone a transformation. Leading the charge is Robbie Hill ’14, assistant director for marketing. He knows all too well the challenges around trying to build energy around USD’s 17 Division I sports. “Obviously it’s tough,” Hill admits. In a city like San Diego —

and administrators are working to address. “It’s front burner for me, every day,” says Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Athletics Bill McGillis. The task has not been easy, but progress has been slow but steady and the Bull Pit — USD’s student section — has

rigorous academics and even a handful of consistently competi- tive Division I sports teams. But historically, there’s been something missing: school spirit. It’s a lack that USD students

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