College Profile: University of Southern California

Most Spirited Team • www.pingpongposse.com

By John McInerney

The Ping Pong Posse is pretty well known on campus, it’s almost a household name. Their presence at this year’s NCTTA Nationals was well known. They have a wonderful outlook on competing and the game itself. Club president Jason Sun said, “People see us as a very fun and hip club. We’re always working hard to get our name out there with flyers, TV commercials on school television and plain word of mouth. Any time we meet someone who plays, even recreationally or for fun, we carry a pen with us to take down their e-mail and send them info on the Posse.” The Posse also does exhibitions in the center of campus right before tournaments and events. They have their own line of club apparel worn by members and non-members alike around campus, who just love the club’s attitude and enthusiasm. The club plans on expanding soon to an exclusive line of Ping Pong Princess apparel for women outfitted with “booty shorts.”

Our most memorable moment in competition was when we won the first NCTTA regional competition over UCSD in the final doubles match when our team was down 2 games to 0 and losing 5-1 in points. Our most memorable moment outside of competition was going to a Honky-Tonk in Texas and watching Imran dance to Usher.

Top Players

Mohammed Imran Pariyani studies computer science as a graduate student here at USC. He was on the state team for the state of Orissa in India at the age of 17. Imran is probably the best rally player on the USC team and is able to retrieve and counter-attack shots from well off the table. His short game and serve-receive game could be better but he makes up for it with his speed. His goals in table tennis are to help the USC team to victory at the collegiate nationals. Outside of table tennis, he hopes to have his own IT service company in a few years ... USC Table Tennis will have a big alumni supporter when he has that.

Vega Shah, USC’s #1 women’s player, said, “My table tennis related accomplishments (significant ones) would be representing my state in the school nationals in India in 2000 and 2002 (team events and singles). Also representing USC at the NCTTA nationals and winning second place in team events and first in women’s doubles!”

Jessica “Jaydi” Samuels, age 19, height 5’2. Jaydi was #1 on her high school varsity women’s tennis team at North Broward Prep in Florida. She started playing table tennis competitively at USC after she tried out for the women’s team and beat everyone. She is a screen and television writing major and also the fundraising chair for her Jewish sorority, Alpha Gamma Gamma. She wants to get good enough to beat Jason “Sunshine” Sun, President of the Ping Pong Posse. Outside of table tennis, she hopes to become well-known within the film industry and maybe win an Academy Award or two!