No more waiting in crowded airport terminals for Desiree Caldwell this year. USC's senior point guard, after three seasons of commercial flights that crisscrossed the Pac-12, got a taste of the high life as the Trojans flew on chartered flights for each conference game. Caldwell steered the Trojans through a coaching change and celebrated by bypassing security lines. She didn't have to empty her water bottles or dig her laptop out of her bag. She smiled for photos as she walked up the ramp into the private planes.
The same perk that has been a sticking point in the WNBA for years was standard practice at USC, where the athletic department made a clear statement to invest in its women's basketball program under first-year coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
But even with private planes and a retooled support staff, the Trojans didn't fully take flight in Gottlieb's first season.
