Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Drake Lee
Two women killed in early morning shooting in South Louisville
Two women are dead after a shooting on E Southland Blvd in South Louisville, near the airport. It happened at around 4:15 a.m. Saturday at the Americana Apartments. As of right now, LMPD does not know how old the women are. Officers tried life saving measures, but the women were pronounced dead by EMS. Police don't know what led up to the shooting, and they're still looking for a person of interest.
Two women killed in early morning shooting in South Louisville
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two women are dead after a shooting in Louisville Sunday morning. Officers responded to reports of a shooting on E Southland Blvd in South Louisville, near the airport. It happened at around 4:15 a.m. Saturday at the Americana Apartments. Despite life saving efforts, EMS pronounced both women dead at the scene. As of right now, LMPD does not know how old the women are. Officers tried life saving measures, but the women were pronounced dead by EMS.
At just 17, Caleb Blanchette is playing beyond his years
In a spacious gymnasium, a 16-year-old boy held his left arm in front of him with a volleyball in hand. He took in the sights and sounds of the arena. The stands were packed and roaring, fit for a youth league national championship game. The stadium was lukewarm, a reprieve from the unforgiving summer heat of the Las Vegas air. But the boy wasn’t focused on any of that. He was focused on winning the match in front of him. In the stands sat USC men’s volleyball head coach Jeff Nygaard.
Is grafitti on the rise in Downtown LA?
Graffiti has been a hot topic in Downtown LA. However, are graffiti numbers really rising? Street art frequently appears in the news. Most recently, over a dozen artists took over the Oceanwide Plaza skyscraper development, according to multiple news outlets. However, a report by Jon Regardie, a researcher from Crosstown LA shows that graffiti is not on the rise.
Supreme Court hears social media arguments
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments today regarding a First Amendment case about whether social media companies have the right to limit what users may say on their platforms. The case centers on two bills in Florida and Texas that limit the ability of companies like TikTok, YouTube and X to curate their content. Jeff Cohen directs the USC IT Directory Law Clinic. He says the Florida and Texas laws are trying to prevent conservative voices from being censored.
USC lacrosse puts aside ‘Pride’ to rout Hofstra
With the sunlight breaking through the clouds, all 12 Trojans on the field stood ready for the first draw. Banners reading “USC Lacrosse” hung on the field’s fences. Fans wearing cardinal and gold roared in anticipation. Dignity Health Sports Park felt like home for USC. And the Trojans played like they were at home, routing the Hofstra Pride 15-6 for their third straight victory to start the season.
Students speak to Annenberg Radio News about torrential rain
An atmospheric river has placed USC under a flash flood warning. Since yesterday, more than six inches of rain have drenched Los Angeles, flooding streets and causing power outages. Sharon Taggese is a freshman studying cyber security. She’s not from here and says she is used to torrential downpours.
USC lacrosse to face familiar foes in new places
As the final buzzer rang across Peter Barton Stadium in the Rocky Mountains of Denver, the women wearing cardinal and black uniforms knew their season was over. But despite losing a 10-7 battle with the Denver Pioneers, USC won the 2023 season. The team finished with a 16-4 overall record and a Pac-12 Tournament Title. Now, USC lacrosse looks to defend its conference title one last time before moving to the Big Ten for the 2025 season.
London calling: How the youngest player has the greatest impact
A 17-year-old girl looked up at the formidable arches of Heritage Hall, where familiar USC women’s volleyball greats like Debbie Green, April Ross, Alex Jupiter and Samantha Bricio are forever enshrined in history. She looked to add her name to the list. Just a few months ago, she was a junior in high school. Now, she is a member of one of the most prestigious volleyball programs in the country. “USC has always been my dream school,” freshman outside hitter London Wijay said.
USC graduate student workers reach tentative deal
USC and the Graduate Student Workers Organizing Committee (GSWOC) reached a tentative agreement Sunday, according to GSWOC’s Instagram. Starting in August 2024, the deal will last three and a half years and includes provisions regarding minimum wage and workplace protections.
The battle for the bell returns to USC as rivalry week kicks off
Rivalry week has officially begun. With UCLA and USC football playing each other on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., both schools are gearing up for the most anticipated game of the season on Saturday. To prepare, Trojans are starting rivalry week traditions. One long-time tradition, which was created because of the Victory Bell, is the taping of the Hecuba and Tommy Trojan statues. USC currently holds the touted Victory Bell.
Grinch’s termination sparks reactions from the USC community
After USC Athletics fired Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch Sunday, students voiced their opinions on what the future of USC football looks like with new defensive coordinators and how this may impact the Trojans’ performance against Oregon and UCLA. Grinch was fired after less than two years with USC. Now, defensive line coach Shaun Nua and linebackers coach Brian Odom are the co-defensive coordinators for the rest of the season.
Student Union fourth floor reopens after renovations
Construction on the fourth floor of the Student Union has finally wrapped up, and the newly renovated space has opened its doors to students. After five months of renovation, the Student Union held a grand re-opening Tuesday afternoon of its new spaces for the LGBTQ+ Center, Latinx/Chicanx Center for Advocacy and Student Affairs (La CASA), Asian Pacific American Student Services (APASS) and more.
Viral video shows people removing posters of kidnapped Israeli hostages
Days after posters of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas were posted on and around USC’s campus, demonstrators and DPS officials were filmed removing them. ATVN reported Thursday several students from the USC Chabad House put up those posters on and around campus. The posters were placed around Jefferson Avenue, 28th Street, Troy Hall and other locations around campus.
California Sen. Laphonza Butler won’t run for 2024 Senate
California Sen. Laphonza Butler announced on Thursday that she will not campaign for the 2024 California Senate seat race, citing the difficulties of running a campaign in a statement. Her announcement comes less than three weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Butler on October 1 to the seat after Sen. Dianne Feinstein died at the age of 90 on September 29, according to NPR.
Women’s volleyball to face Washington schools
After losing against Stanford and UC Berkeley in the Bay, USC will return to Galen Center to face Washington State and Washington this weekend. After a nine-game winning streak lasting almost a month, the Trojans are 1-3 in their last four games.
Women’s volleyball battles in the Bay
After splitting the Arizona series last weekend, USC (11-5, 5-1) will face No. 3 Stanford and UC Berkeley when it travels to Northern California this weekend. Offensively, outside hitter Skylar Fields leads the Trojans with 321 kills, three times more than the player with the second-most kills, middle blocker Lindsey Miller. In the previous game against Arizona, Fields led everyone with 23 kills. Fields is fourth in the nation with an average of 5.02 kills per set.
Death toll in the Israel-Hamas conflict reaches 1,500
At least 1,500 people have died in Israel and the Gaza Strip since Hamas, a Palestinian militant group and U.S.-recognized terrorist organization, launched surprise attacks against Israel on Saturday, as reported by CBS News. The conflict began early Saturday when Hamas fired missiles towards Israel from the Gaza Strip, a region more than twice the size of Washington D.C. that has been under Hamas control since 2007.
Men’s water polo rematches top teams
After routing Pacific 16-6 at Uytengsu Aquatics Center Sunday, the No. 3 Trojans will play their second and third Mountain Pacific Sports Federation games against No. 5 Stanford and No. 2 UC Berkeley this weekend. USC (10-2, 0-1 MPSF) has outscored opponents 166-98 this season with an average of 13.8 goals per game. “Everybody’s stepping in when it’s needed,” said Head Coach Marko Pintaric in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “Of course, we would always love to have a perfect record.
PHOTOS: Los Angeles Tenants Union, La Unión de Vecinos, protest in the streets of Boyle Heights
The Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU) took to the streets of Boyle Heights on Sunday to protest against the Los Angeles County Department of Housing’s proposed 9% rent increase and demand the reinstatement of the Los Angeles eviction moratorium, which had expired on March 31. “The evictions – we’re not going to be able to win all of them in the courts,” said Leonardo Vilchis, co-founder of the LATU, in a speech. “The courts are there to evict us.
USC hosts Academic Integrity Week
USC’s Office of Academic Integrity (OAI) celebrated the launching of their new program during Monday’s destressing workshop in the Student Union’s newly-opened Sustainability Hub, where clinical instructor Olivia Wills discussed the effects of internalized pressure on students’ academic choices. Academic Integrity Week will go through October 6.
USC recognizes National Hazing Prevention Week
Content warning: The article briefly refers to a death by suicide. Following several cases of hazing violations from student organizations in recent years, USC is hosting a series of events between September 25 and September 29 to recognize National Hazing Prevention Week. On Monday, USC Hazing Prevention and Leadership coordinator Ashley Westbrooks hosted a workshop in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center (TCC) on how to recognize and report hazing.
Body camera footage on police reactions to Seattle student Jaahnavi Kandula’s death sparks community outrage
Body camera footage was released last week showing Seattle police officer Daniel Auderer joking about how much the city would have to pay for the death of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian student who was killed by another officer on Northeastern University’s Seattle campus. Officer Kevin Dave was responding to a 911 call on January 23 when he struck and killed Kandula. His patrol car was going 74 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to the Associated Press.
USC cooks Big Ten at Boilermaker Challenge
Head Coach Brad Keller entered the away team’s locker room, where several players dressed in gold waited anxiously for what their coach had to say. Keller slammed his clipboard to the ground and said just two words: “Hell yeah!” His team defeated two future conference rivals in Illinois and No. 17 Purdue at the Boilermaker Challenge. After starting the season 1-4, the Trojans have won five straight games.
Women’s volleyball looks to stay hot
After winning the Trojan Invitational, a red-hot USC will travel over 2,000 miles to play Illinois and No. 17 Purdue, two future conference opponents in the Big Ten. When asked about facing teams that will become familiar foes in the future, Head Coach Brad Keller chuckled a little before answering. “You know, it’s funny when people are asking me that, and it doesn’t cross my mind,” Keller said in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
ROTC remembers 9/11: ‘It’s very personal to me’
Bright and early Monday morning, dozens of members from the USC ROTC ran up and down Webb Tower to commemorate the first responders who ran head-first into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The participants climbed the 14-story landmark eight times for a total of 110 flights of stairs. Jonathan Brahim, a senior studying neuroscience, said that the climbing hit close to home.
PHOTOS: Sustainability Hub grand opening marks milestone for campus sustainability
Los Angeles, CA - The doors to USC’s new Sustainability Hub swung open Wednesday, marking a historic moment for the university. President Carol Folt, alongside members of the Presidential Working Group (PWG) on Sustainability, inaugurated the event by cutting the yellow ribbon, accompanied by the triumphant melodies of the Trojan Marching Band. The Sustainability Hub provides both a physical and symbolic space where diverse ideas and capabilities from all disciplines unite.
USC dealt mixed results in Houston
Heading into the first matches of the season, USC women’s volleyball had to find some way to replace the offensive production from senior opposite hitter Emilia Weske and freshman outside hitter Jordan Wilson. The two combined for 642 kills last season, but Wilson departed for Arizona, and Weske left for Rice. After a three-game series in Houston, the Trojans provided mixed offensive results without the duo after a 1-2 start to the season.
Women’s volleyball faces first challenge
After a promising offseason that featured several new additions, No. 22 USC women’s volleyball will start the season by facing three formidable opponents this weekend in Texas. “This is the first year … where we were able to train during the Spring and then build upon our culture,” said Head Coach Brad Keller in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
USC braces for Tropical Storm Hilary
USC staff and students are bracing for torrential rain and wind from Tropical Storm Hilary. The full force of the storm is not expected to hit Southern California until late Sunday, just as classes are scheduled to begin Monday. USC Facilities Planning and Management has been checking power generators, clearing storm drains, deploying sandbags and taking other precautionary measures. The school is also open to rescheduling classes and activities, according to a note sent to students Friday.
Women’s volleyball hunts for a curtain call
In its final season in the Pac-12, USC women’s volleyball looks to add to its successful 2022 campaign. The Trojans went 22-11 last year and won their first NCAA tournament game since 2019. Here’s what to look out for and expect from the team this season. The Trojans will lean on graduate outside hitter Skylar Fields to lead the offense. A first team All-American last season, Fields had the second most kills in the country with 598.
Water Polo prepares for year-end tourney
After going 25-1 during the regular season and 6-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, USC will look to defend their No. 1 Seed in the conference tournament. The Trojans last won the tourney in 2021, defeating Stanford in the final round. That was also the year when they won their seventh national championship. “Right now, this is where the real season starts,” said Head Coach Marko Pintaric.
Water polo faces crosstown rival
After picking up two more wins last week, No. 1 USC women’s water polo will close the regular season with an away match against No. 3 UCLA. A Trojan victory would give USC their second one-loss regular season in the past three years. “It’s a complete team effort and we are super deep in each position and determined to play defense,” said Head Coach Marko Pintaric.
Lacrosse prepares for crucial games
Coming off a 10-7 victory over Stanford, No. 20 USC lacrosse will look to add to their two-game win streak as they travel to Colorado and Oregon this week. The Trojans have improved since their 14-3 opening-day loss to Boston College, going 11-2 since their defeat at Fish Field House. “[We’ve improved] tremendously across the board,” said Head Coach Lindsey Munday in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
USC overcomes Stanford on Senior Day
As the final seconds came to a close, so did the Trojans’ adventures on McAlister Field. On an Easter-Sunday Senior Day, the Trojans celebrated their last home game of the season with a fitting 10-7 victory over Stanford. USC improved to a perfect 8-0 at McAlister Field on the season and honored graduate defender Emma Wightman, senior attacker Ella Heaney, graduate midfielder Katie Ramsay, senior defender Olivia Dooley, senior defender Danielle Carson and senior midfielder Sloane Murphy.
No. 21 lacrosse battles familiar foes
After facing UC Berkeley and Stanford last week, USC will host the same two teams at McAlister Field this week. The Trojans will face the Golden Bears Friday ahead of a rematch against the Cardinal Sunday. Throughout the season, the Trojans have prided themselves on their stalwart defense. The Trojans are currently No. 11 in scoring defense in the nation, and are the highest-ranked team on the West Coast in the IWLCA Division I Poll.
USC’s winning streak ends against Princeton
With a four-game winning streak coming into Friday’s match, No. 20 USC was confident that it could subdue No. 16 Princeton for the first time in series history. Instead, the Tigers got the jump on the Trojans, defeating them 11-8. It’s just the second time this season USC has scored in single digits. A major reason for the Trojans’ offensive struggles was Princeton’s freshman goalie Amelia Hughes who blocked 14 shots. “We have to be ready to put shots away,” head coach Lindsey Munday said.
USC faces tough task against the Waves
At first glance, USC’s 8-7 men’s volleyball record isn’t all that noteworthy. After all, the Trojans have already tied its number of losses from last season. However, underneath the surface, the Trojans have played nine matches against ranked opponents and are the 10th-best team in the country, according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association. “The iron sharpens iron,” said Head Coach Jeff Nygaard in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
USC stifles Villanova at the Soni McAlister Field
USC picked up its fourth win in a row by routing Villanova 15-4 at McAlister Field Sunday. In the four-game stretch, the Trojans have outscored their opponents 63-27. With 4 points, the Wildcats scored the lowest number of points against the Trojans since 2019. Villanova attempted just 15 shots compared to USC’s 28. Coming into the game, Wildcat sophomore attacker Sydney Pappas was the reigning Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association co-offensive player of the week.
USC defeats Arizona State in a nail-biting, senior night victory
After losing against Arizona, USC knew it had to bounce back against Arizona State. A second loss in a week at Galen Center might have jeopardized the Trojans’ chances of making the NCAA tournament. Instead, the Trojans narrowly escaped the Sun Devils’ second-half comeback in a 68-65 victory. “It was a great win for us,” head coach Andy Enfield said. “I can’t say enough about the improvement this team has made.
USC earns second place at Invitational
USC women’s water polo had another successful tournament over the weekend, defeating Loyola Marymount, Arizona State and UCLA before losing to Stanford in the final round. Redshirt junior 2-meter Tilly Kearns led the offensive effort by scoring 12 goals in the tournament. Redshirt senior utility Bayley Weber added 9 more to the tally. Overall, the Trojans outscored their opponents 57-32. On the defensive side, senior goalie Carolyne Stern recorded 33 saves over the weekend.
USC prepares for home opener vs UC Irvine
The Trojans started the season with eight straight wins after winning the Triton Invitational last weekend beating UCLA in the final. (Eli Masket | Daily Trojan file photo) After winning eight straight matches in two tournaments combined, No. 2 USC will play its home opener against No. 6 UC Irvine (7-5) at Uytengsu Aquatics Center Saturday. During USC’s 8-0 start, the Trojans have outscored their opponents 123-43. Redshirt senior utility Bayley Weber scored a team-leading 16 goals in that span.
USC baseball teeming with optimism heading into the 2023 season
As Stanford put USC’s 2022 season to a close by routing the Trojans 12-5, it also marked the end of an era. During the offseason, USC and then-head coach Jason Gill mutually agreed to part ways. A month later, the athletic department hired Andy Stankiewicz, the man who guided Grand Canyon to its first-ever NCAA Division I postseason appearance in 2021. With Stankiewicz, the team hopes to reclaim its reputation of being one of the most prestigious programs in the country.
USC Lacrosse’s Offense Struggles to Boston College in Season Opener
As graduate midfielder Katie Ramsay stared down her Boston College opposite in the opening draw, the anticipation was building. After a long offseason, opening day had finally arrived. The Trojans made their excitement clear, shouting words of encouragement that echoed in the indoor stadium of Fish Field House. However, at the end of four quarters, the Trojans were all quiet as they lost to Boston College 14-3 on Saturday.
USC sets sights on Oregon schools
Coming off a double-overtime loss against Arizona, USC aims to get back on track when it faces Oregon on Friday and Oregon State on Sunday. With their defeat against the Wildcats, the Trojans are 2-2 in their last four games with a 1-2 record against ranked opponents in that span. Graduate guard Destiny Littleton scored 21 points in each of the last three games, and is third on the team with 13.5 points per game.
USC falls in double-overtime thriller to Arizona
Graduate forward Kadi Sissoko looked at her fellow graduate teammate, graduate guard Destiny Littleton. “Over here!” Sissoko called. Hearing faint “U of A” chants, Sissoko received the ball from Littleton, with the Trojans down two points. She leaped, trying to tie the game, but failed to make the jumper. A few minutes later, the game was over. Arizona won 81-75 in double overtime on Sunday afternoon at Galen Center. “We’re on a progression towards March,” said head coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
USC head to San Diego for Triton Invitational
No. 2 USC will journey south this weekend to participate in the Triton Invitational where they could face many top-ranked opponents. No. 3 UCLA, No. 5 University of Hawai’i, No. 6 UC Irvine, No. 8 Long Beach State and No. 9 Fresno State are all going to be competing, and the Trojans could run into at least two of these teams on the way to the final.
USC hosts Arizona, ASU this weekend
After defeating then No. 25-ranked Colorado last Sunday, the Trojans will try to bolster their resume for the NCAA Tournament against unranked Arizona State on Friday and No. 22 Arizona on Sunday. The Trojans are projected as a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, per ESPN. A weekend win against another ranked team would move them up even higher. “We knew that our growth trajectory should be steeper than most teams,” said Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
No. 10 Trojans look for CSUN sweep
After emerging victorious from a tug-of-war against No. 14 UC Santa Barbara Thursday, No. 10 USC will look to continue its momentum against CSUN on Wednesday. Under Head Coach Jeffery Nygaard, the Trojans have a 5-2 overall record heading into the match against the Matadors. Two brothers, CSUN’s Kyle Hobus and USC’s Luke Hobus will clash. “[We want to get] their setter uncomfortable,” said sophomore opposite hitter Luke Hobus in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
Trojans subdue Cougars behind Sissoko’s dominant return
Having not played since late December, USC graduate forward Kadi Sissoko shook off any notions of rust, putting together 19 points in a 51-44 victory Friday night on the road against the Washington State Cougars. “Our offense was a little bit out of rhythm, but Kadi provided a great skill set for us,” head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. Along with Sissoko, sophomore guard Rayah Marshall collected nine points and 13 rebounds. Junior guard Kayla Williams added eight more points of her own.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Drake
Contact Drake, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack