USC Hailed 2003-04 Lexus Gauntlet Champion

Prized Trophy Returns to Troy Today

LOS ANGELES, June 9 -- For the second time in three years, USC has claimed the Lexus Gauntlet trophy winning the all-sports competition against cross-town rival UCLA. The Trojans clinched the trophy and city championship by a score of 57.5 to 52.5.

The Southern California Lexus Dealers Association will present the trophy -- recognizing USC as L.A.'s top athletic university -- to Trojan athletic director Mike Garrett today at Heritage Hall. The presentation ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on the USC campus.

Once again the battle for the Lexus Gauntlet trophy and rivalry bragging rights came down to the wire. The Trojans and Bruins competed against each other in 18 sports in the annual year-long contest. Five points were awarded to the winner of each sport's season series or, for those sports that did not meet head-to-head, the team that placed higher in the conference championship. A total of 10 points were awarded in football, men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball.

USC captured the inaugural Gauntlet championship in 2002 but UCLA won the title last year bringing the 150-pound, pewter-gilded trophy to Westwood. In the previous two Gauntlet competitions, a tiebreaker was needed to determine the winner.

The Southern California Lexus Dealers are proud to be the leading sponsors of both the UCLA and USC athletic departments. Since 1919, these champion rivals have competed for the ultimate city-wide title of number one. In the fall of 2001, the schools signed a four-year contract making Lexus the exclusive title sponsor of every USC-UCLA athletic competition.

Now, based on the practice of knights who challenged each other to duel by throwing their armored gauntlets to the ground, Lexus has issued the absolute challenge -- the Lexus Gauntlet competition.

              Two Legendary Teams.  One Legendary Challenge.
  The Lexus Gauntlet.  Thrown By Your Southern California Lexus Dealers.

   Lexus Gauntlet Standings
   Sport                Pts.     Winner
   W Volleyball         10       USC
   M Water Polo         2.5      Tie
   W Soccer             5        UCLA
   W X Country          5        UCLA
   Football             10       USC
   M Basketball         10       USC
   W Basketball         5        Tie
   M Volleyball         5        UCLA
   W Tennis             5        USC
   M Tennis             2.5      Tie
   W Water Polo         5        USC
   W Swim/Dive          5        UCLA
   Baseball             2.5      Tie
   M Golf               5        UCLA
   W Golf               5        UCLA
   W Crew               5        USC
   M Track              5        UCLA
   W Track              5        UCLA

                        Score
   USC                  57.5
   UCLA                 52.5

                    2003-04 Lexus Gauntlet Highlights

   10 Gauntlet Points ...
   *  No. 1-ranked Women of Troy volleyball sweeps season series vs. UCLA.
      (Nov. 21)

   *  Second-ranked USC football defeats UCLA at the Coliseum, 47-22.
      (Nov. 22)

   *  USC men's basketball defeats UCLA in overtime; sweeps series second
      straight year. (Feb. 25)

   5 Gauntlet Points ...
   *  Third-place UCLA women's cross country outdistances seventh-place USC
      at the Pac-10 championship. (Nov. 1)

   *  Third-ranked UCLA records five points with 2-0 win over USC in women's
      soccer. (Nov. 2)

   *  No. 3-ranked UCLA men's volleyball upends USC, 3-0 (Jan. 29); Bruins
      netters zip Troy, 3-0. (Jan. 10)

   *  Top-ranked USC defeats No. 3 UCLA, 9-4 (Mar. 11); No. 2 USC women's
      water polo routes No. 1 UCLA, 12-4. (Feb. 8)

   *  No. 7 UCLA women's swim & dive team ends 10-year losing streak to
      No. 11 USC. (Feb. 14)

   *  UCLA women's basketball comes back to defeat USC, 68-64; splits season
      series. (Feb. 29)

   *  No. 13 USC defeats UCLA in women's tennis, 5-2, to sweep season
      series. (Mar. 3)

   *  USC sweeps UCLA in three women's crew races, 6-0. (Mar. 28)

   *  UCLA women's golf team is crowned champion at the Pac-10 championship
      at Saticoy Country Club to claim five Gauntlet points awarded for the
      sport.  No. 8-ranked USC finishes tied for second. (April 21)

   *  UCLA sweeps USC in men's and women's dual meet at Drake Stadium.
      (May 1)

   *  No. 3 UCLA men's golf defeats No. 11 USC, 4-2, in a dual match at the
      Bel Air Country Club. (May 19)

   2.5 Gauntlet Points ...
   *  Top-ranked USC men's water polo avenges earlier 6-5 OT loss at UCLA
      (Oct. 26) with thrilling 7-6 double overtime win against No. 4-ranked
      Bruins. (Nov. 22)

   *  No. 6-ranked UCLA men's tennis edges No. 19 USC, 4-3 (Jan. 30).
      Seventh-ranked USC edges No. 10 UCLA, 4-3, to spilt season series.

   *  UCLA baseball takes two of three against USC to win Pac-10 season
      series and even the six games played to date at three apiece. (May 3)

  For recaps of the year-long competition visit: www.GauntletTrophy.com.