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USC BHM STUDENT-ATHLETE PODCAST

The Future of the Trojan Legacy

By USC Athletics Black History Month

February 27^th, 2015

Written and produced by Sarah Bergstrom

As we conclude USC’s celebration of Black History Month, a series documenting the rich African-American history of USC Athletics, it’s important to recognize the equally powerful future.

This month we highlighted great African-American athletes who made a lasting impact on the Trojan legacy. To culminate USCBHM, four current African-American student-athletes sat down to discuss their journeys at USC, the heritage of which they are a part and the future they envision for the next generation of black students.

While the discussion includes their athletic accomplishments, it also highlights their remarkable achievements and passions outside the realm of their sports – an important reminder that student-athletes are much more than what they demonstrate on the field. We invite you to listen as we discuss the importance of black history to USC in athletics and beyond.

- Skylar Dunn, Student Host

about the student-athletes

D.J. Morgan

Morgan is a recent graduate of USC with a major in public policy, management and planning, and is just starting his final year as a hurdler for the USC track and field program. Originally from Pacoima, Morgan was recruited from Taft High School to play football for the Trojans. He battled knee and ankle injuries in his four years on the team and ultimately decided to dedicate his final year completely to track. He finished his football career with 364 yards on 83 carries with one rushing and one receiving touchdown. As a member of the track team in 2012, Morgan recorded a 14.21 wind-aided personal record in the 110 high hurdles.

Growing up with a music producer for an older brother, Morgan remembers playing music and rapping along at an early age. That introduction to music sprouted a passion for writing, and a desire to express himself in a way different from most. He wrote his first poem for a competition his senior year in high school, and has been writing ever since. When injuries began to bother him early in his USC football career, Morgan used pen and paper to work out his frustration. He writes, not to be published, but as a way to process and explain his thoughts and emotions.

Here is an excerpt from one of D.J.’s recent poems, which can be heard in part on the podcast:

It’s crazy to watch every music video and listen to every word that they’re saying
But can’t stay awake in church the night before playing
Our queens aren’t queens and our dads aren’t dads, it’s sad
Our women used to be called beautiful, pretty and gorgeous
And now they’re glad to be called bad
Since when did being bad become good and being a good girl become bad?
Since when could you have a child and not be a dad?
Bad is not good, bad is bad
We chase material things, cars, jewelry and bags
Stop chasing money and fame
But seek the heart and the brain
Because a real man that’s sane
Will express his feelings and show you the road that he came
And help you pave your own lane
But music, TV and media have all of America lost
That’s why this poem is called society’s brainwashed

D.J. Morgan

Akawkaw “Coco” Ncha-Ndip

Ncha-Ndip is a senior at USC just starting her final year as a sprinter for the USC track & field program. Her family is originally from Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, however, she was raised in Corona, and she attended Long Beach Poly High School. She is USC’s record-holder indoors in the 400m and has run on three different 4x400m relays that rank in USC’s all-time Top 10. An All-American at USC, Ncha-Ndip has also competed for the United States in internationally.

The senior is studying global health at USC, a natural fit for her life-long desire to help people. She witnessed immense suffering first-hand, as a child on a trip to West Africa, which inspired her to use her education to better the availability of quality health care internationally. Her uncle recently built a hospital in Cameroon, and she hopes to use her education and her platform to help there when she is finished with track.

Akawkaw “Coco” Ncha-Ndip

Dominique Randle

Randle is a junior at USC, and just finished her redshirt sophomore year of competition as a defender for the USC women’s soccer team. She started in 20 of the Trojans’ 21 games this season, clocking the second-highest number of minutes played on her team (1806). Her hometown is Sammamish, WA, where she attended Skyline High School. She is majoring in human performance and is fluent in French.

She has a passion for travel and for taking part in community service projects both domestically, and abroad. One day, Randall hopes to use her fluency in French to do so.

Her team’s work in the community has been one of her favorite experiences at USC, including her sophomore season when she helped coach a local youth soccer league and had the opportunity to talk to the girls about succeeding in all aspects of life.

“I want to go somewhere different than our culture,” said Randle. “I love helping people, it makes me happy. Even if it means sacrificing something or doing something that might be difficult for me, it’s worth it to help someone else.”

Dominique Randle

Reggie Southall

Southall is a junior at USC, currently competing in his redshirt sophomore year as an infielder for the USC baseball team. He is from Inglewood and attended Serra High School. As a freshman at USC, he batted .250 while appearing in 35 games with 22 starts. He had 17 hits and nine runs for the season. He’s earned a reputation as a talented defensive shortstop.

He is most proud of his accomplishments in the classroom, which complement his skills on the baseball field. As a human biology major, Southall has a 3.5 GPA – an impressive feat that requires him to balance a rigorous academic program with the demands of a top tier baseball program. When his baseball-playing days are behind him, he is interested in attending graduate school to become a physician’s assistant.

“When people find out that I’m a human biology major, they normally are pretty surprised and wonder how I can do it,” explained Southall. “But I’m interested in the body, and I’m very passionate about my academics here.”

Reggie Southall

about the host

Skylar Dunn

Skylar is a senior at USC in the Marshall School of Business, finishing his bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a minor in sports media studies. After graduating this May, he plans to pursue both law school and business school to attain his JD/MBA in a dual degree program. He currently serves as the Co-Director of Diversity Affairs for Undergraduate Student Government and USC athletics’ marketing intern. He is a Black Alumni Association Scholar and recipient of their 2015 Outstanding Scholar Award. Skylar is also the founder of the ‘I, Too, am USC’ photo campaign (@itooamuscampaign) designed to promote diversity on the USC campus.

Skylar Dunn

Footnotes

USC Athletics thanks the USC Black Alumni Association (usc.edu/baa) for its support.

FootNotes

USC Athletics thanks the USC Black Alumni Association (usc.edu/baa) for its support.

© 2026 USC Athletics Black History Month

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