Cal Sports Quarterly, spring 2013

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CONTENTS

SPORTS QUARTERLY

ON THE COVER Master of the Crowd

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All eyes will be on Michael Weaver when he steps to the first tee at Augusta in April one day before his 22nd birthday. Weaver, who will become the first person to ever play in the Masters while currently a Cal golfer, became accustomed to the feeling at an early age as a kid hanging out with a sea of professional adults in his hometown of Fresno.

SPRING 2013 Recognized Leader

After missing on the chance to lead her country to the top, Emily Csikos hopes to do so for her college instead. Csikos, Cal’s standout senior women’s water polo player, sat out the 2012 season to train with the Canadian National Team. Now back in Berkeley, Csikos is trying to help the Bears go one step further than they did in 2011, when they lost in the NCAA title match.

From Generation to Generation to Generation

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Ten years ago this September, a monument was unveiled on the terrace of Doe Library that recognizes philanthropists – known as Builders of Berkeley – whose history of giving to the University has reached or surpassed $1 million. Among these cherished donors are 65 families who have made Intercollegiate Athletics a major thrust of their support, in many cases reaching that million-dollar mark through one of their gifts to the department.

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As the only good players of their generation around, Riki and Ben McLachlan spent most of their childhood playing tennis against each other in Queenstown, New Zealand. Although they grew tired of it after a while, they have reunited as teammates for the Golden Bears.

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For Andrew Knapp, the Golden Bears’ first-team preseason All-American catcher, Cal baseball is truly a family affair. Sure, Knapp considers all his teammates his brothers and his coaches like family, but the Blue and Gold runs deeper in his blood than the average Golden Bear and includes his grandparents, father and brother.

Bedrocks Among Builders

Together Forever

Throwing Expectations Out the Window

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Megan Takacs earned MPSF Player of the Year honors in lacrosse last year after setting a Cal record with 53 goals during her junior season. Although a knee injury ended her campaign early, she is back in action this spring, and head coach Ginger Miles is excited about what her star attacker can do now that she’s healthy again.

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DEPARTMENTS LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS .......................... 2 SIDELINE REPORT....................................................................... 4 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ......................................................... 16 SPRING SEASON PREVIEWS .................................................... 18 ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT ........................................................ 22 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT ....................................................... 34 HOME EVENTS CALENDAR ...................................................... 36

SPRING 2013

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LETTER from Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour Dear Friend of Cal Athletics: ust as the Golden Bear teams they support, Cal fans always seem to be up for a challenge, and a three-day period in late March presented one unlike any in recent memory – how to follow all of the Cal Athletics teams in action without missing any meaningful moments? In many ways, March 22-24 was a typical spring weekend, as more than half of our 29 programs were in action with winter sports in their championship seasons, spring sports in the midst of their campaigns and football completing the first set of workouts of the Sonny Dykes era. Picking and choosing the best events to enjoy is a rather common occurrence for all of us who regularly cheer on the Bears.

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But this particular weekend held more than its share of significant events. Across campus and across the country (plus a little jaunt into Canada), the Bears were setting records and attracting attention. Although it was impossible for anyone to be in all places at once or keep an eye on each and every program live, we’d have it no other way. For all that was happening just reemphasized the diversity of our department and the high levels of achievement we’ve come to expect from our wonderful student-athletes and coaches. Friday, March 22 featured a clean sweep for the Bears with home victories by our women’s tennis and softball teams plus a 5-1 baseball triumph at UCLA. Women’s swimming & diving, on the second day of its national championship, saw Rachel Bootsma claim the NCAA title in the 100 backstroke. But Friday was just a precursor to what was to come on Saturday. In the Bay Area alone, men’s basketball met Syracuse in the third round of the NCAA Tournament in San Jose; football fans came out in droves to Memorial Stadium for the Spring Game; softball, women’s tennis and women’s water polo claimed victories in Berkeley; and track & field sent a large contingent to a meet in San Francisco. The day did not stop there – women’s basketball opened NCAA Tournament play with a win over Fresno State to begin its historic run to the Final Four; women’s gymnastics competed at the Pac-12 Championships and Justin Howell was named the conference Coach of the Year; and women’s swimming wrapped up a second-place NCAA team finish that included Elizabeth Pelton’s American record in the 200 back. We barely had a chance to relax on Sunday morning before pitcher Jolene Henderson broke Cal’s all-time wins record with another softball victory over Utah, and rugby secured its seventh consecutive World Cup with a 38-6 decision over the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The image that represents our Cal Athletics brand will get another enhancement in April with our visual identity launch (see page 6 for more information). Having worked for nearly two years with some of the best brand managers in the world at Nike, we have created a set of guidelines that will simplify and unify the look and feel of our entire program, from uniforms and merchandising to graphics and signage. Yet even with these changes intended to feature a more harmonious use of blue and gold across all platforms, one important symbol of our department remains constant and traditional – our iconic Cal script logo. Whether noted by the accomplishments of our student-athletes in competition or by the uniforms they are wearing that proudly proclaim they are Golden Bears, striving for excellence remains a primary component of all who are a part of Cal Athletics. Go Bears, Sandy Barbour Director of Athletics

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SPORTS QUARTERLY

Issue 43 – sprIng 2013 ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS: Sandy Barbour DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS/CHIEF OF STAFF: Teresa Kuehn Gould DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS/COO: Solly Fulp EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE AD/ DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT: Phil Esten SENIOR ASSOCIATE AD/ INTERCOLLEGIATE SERVICES: Foti Mellis HIGH PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR: Keith Power ASSOCIATE AD/BUSINESS: Laura Hazlett ASSOCIATE AD/HUMAN RESOURCES & FINANCIAL SERVICES: Dawn Howard

EDITORIAL STAFF 349 Haas Pavilion Berkeley, CA 94720 EDITOR: Herb Benenson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Scott Ball, Dean Caparaz, Doug Drabik, Miquel Jacobs, Anton Malko, Kyle McRae, Tim Miguel, Jonathan Okanes, Mara Rudolph, Taylor Dutch DESIGN: Evan Kerr PHOTOGRAPHY: John Todd (GoldenBearSports.com), Michael Pimentel, Michael Burns, Richard Ersted, John Dunbar, Evan Kerr, Don Feria, among others

ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE 195 Haas Pavilion Berkeley, CA 94720 (510) 642-2427 bearback@berkeley.edu

ATHLETIC TICKET OFFICE (800) Go Bears For daily updates on Cal Athletics, including schedules, press releases and player profiles, visit the department’s official website at CalBears.com.

ON THE COVER The runner-up at the U.S. Amateur last summer, Michael Weaver is a big reason why the Cal men’s golf program has earned a No. 1 national ranking. Photo by Don Feria (GoldenBearSports.com).

General Manager: Mike Kohler (510) 643-4825 mike.kohler@imgworld.com The Cal Sports Quarterly is published four times per year by the University of California Athletic Department.


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SPRING 2013

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Cal Athletics Introduces New Visual Identity

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he University of California Athletic Department has unveiled an updated visual identity for the Golden Bears, showing a set of graphics, colors and imagery that pays homage to Cal’s historic past and creates a contemporary look and feel for the future. Among the changes fans will see are uniforms that portray a coherent theme throughout all sports, consistent use of Cal’s blue and gold colors across a wide range of platforms from uniforms and team performance gear to signage and advertising, as well as a new Bear logo that comes alive with renewed spark and energy. However, one significant element will not be altered: the Golden Bears’ most enduring and iconic mark - the script Cal - will continue as the primary logo for all of the University’s intercollegiate athletic teams. “We feel we have developed guidelines that respect Cal’s strong tradition and universally-recognized marks,” Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour said. “At the same time, we realize that we need to create a look designed to evolve with our changing world.” Fans can purchase gear with the new identity today online through the Cal Bears Shop, the official outfitter of the California Golden Bears, or on campus at the ASUC Student Store. Most other outlets that offer Golden Bear merchandise will have products available before the end of April. Cal Athletics worked collaboratively with the Nike design team to create the new brand identity. The core elements of the unified identity include logo, color and type usage designed for flexibility and to keep pace with the athletic department’s evolving needs. Cal’s blue and gold colors remain, but will now be used across programs to create consistency among team uniforms where variations have developed over time. An additional third color – gray – will be introduced in some cases to accent Cal’s traditional shades. The distinct Cal script logo will remain the primary mark for the Golden Bears and serve as the main visual identifier. “Our script logo is recognized around the world by alumni and fans, so we felt it

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CAL SPORTS quARTERLY

was important to maintain the equity it has built,” Barbour said. “We have worked to embrace the aspects of our visual brand that are firmly entrenched in our department’s culture, while coming up with new marks in areas where we haven’t been as consistent or developed a strong brand presence.” One example is the Golden Bear logos, where a wide variety of shapes and sizes have been used over the years. In their place will be a new bear mark portraying a powerful, intelligent force that reemphasizes the reasoning behind establishing the bear as Cal’s mascot more than 100 years ago. To help build a coherent look for a wide variety of athletic communications, a custom font has been designed. In addition, unique word marks for California and Golden Bears, using the font, form a clear and consistent identity. Many of the older Cal marks, such as drawings of Oski, are enduring images for Golden Bear fans and will remain available on a wide range of items, such as t-shirt and sweatshirts, but Cal’s team uniforms and performance apparel will use the updated identity. “When it comes to developing our brand, consistency is key,” Barbour said. “This work is crucial to our efforts to not only develop but also advance and leverage the brand that is Cal Athletics. Our student-athletes and coaches are excited about the new look and feel of our department, and we hope our fans will share in the enthusiasm.” For more on the new visual identity, visit CalBears.com/unifythebears.


Women’s Hoops Captures First Pac-12 Title on Way to Final Four

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ith a 17-1 conference record that included a 67-55 win at Stanford and a 15-game winning streak to end the regular season, the Cal women’s basketball team secured its first Pac-12/10 championship since the league began sponsoring women’s sports in 1986-87. The Bears tied with Stanford atop the standings with identical 17-1 marks. Cal’s last conference title of any kind came in 1981-82 with a first-place finish in the old NorCal Conference. The Bears clinched a tie for the Pac-12 crown with a decisive 78-50 rout at Washington with five players scoring in double figures, led by 22 points from senior Talia Caldwell. Lindsay Gottlieb was tabbed the Pac-12 Coach of the Year by media who follow the conference, while Brittany Boyd, Gennifer Brandon and Layshia Clarendon received AllPac-12 honors, and Cal Chief of Staff Teresa Gould was selected the national Administrator of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Clarendon, Leverenz Earn Academic Recognition

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enior guard Layshia Clarendon was named the Pac12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s basketball, while senior and Olympic medalist Caitlin Leverenz earned the honor for women’s swimming. The awards, which are presented in each of the 22 sports the conference sponsors, were established to honor student-athletes who are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline. Clarendon, an American studies major, was a finalist for the national Senior CLASS Award, which is given for excellence in athletics, academics and community service. Twice named first-team All-Pac-12, she has scored more than 1,700 points during her career. Leverenz is majoring in public health and was the 2012

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Pac-12 and NCAA Swimmer of the Meet at the respective championships, as well as the 2012 recipient of the Honda Sports Award as the top female col- Layshia Clarendon Caitlin Leverenz legiate swimmer. Last summer, she captured a bronze medal in the 200-meter individual medley at the Olympic Games in London. Since the conference began the scholar-athlete awards in 2007-08, 10 Golden Bears have earned the honor, including Jana Juricova (women’s tennis), Harper Kamp (men’s basketball) and Tarah Murrey (volleyball) in 2012.

The Best Seats in the House Could Be Yours

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ans are invited to get in on the ground floor of the Sonny Dykes era of Cal football and support the Golden Bears in 2013 by becoming season-ticket holders. Season tickets guarantee a seat to all seven home games, including Northwestern, Ohio State and USC, and start at just $18 per game for youth and seniors in the GoldZone. Season-ticket holders also receive priority over the general public to buy tickets to the Big Game at Stanford on Nov. 23. They also enjoy great benefits, such as savings compared to buying single-game tickets, priority to purchase individual game home, away and bowl tickets, invitations to exclusive events, gifts and much more. For additional details or to order season tickets today, visit CalBears.com/tickets or call (800) GO BEARS (462-3277) and press 3.

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SIDELINE

REPORT Cal Claims First League Swimming Crown since 1981

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al’s men’s swimming & diving team prevailed by 25 points over Stanford to break the Cardinal’s 31-year hold on the conference and give the Bears their first league title since the 1981 season. Cal took the lead after the first night of competition and held onto the top spot through all four days of the meet, finishing with the elusive trophy on March 6. Senior Tom Shields was named the Pac-12 Swimmer of the Meet after winning five individual or relay championships. He finished his career with a total of 17 Pac-12 titles.

Bear Backers Honored at Annual Luncheon

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he annual Bear Backer Luncheon, held on Feb. 19 at the Claremont Resort and Spa, featured presentations to four Cal alumni for their valuable contributions to Cal Athletics. Former Golden Bear quarterback J Torchio received the Cal Spirit Award, while Kirsten Hextrum, a two-time national champion rower, earned the Cub of the Year honor, which is given for volunteer service within 15 years of graduation. The Golden Bear of the Year, which recognizes outstanding volunteer endeavors, went to Bob Lalanne, a member of the JV football team as a freshman, and former tennis standout Stacy Savides Sullivan collected the Bear of the Year award for her “outstanding contributions towards the continuing excellence of Cal Athletics.”

Allen Crabbe Named Pac-12 Player of the Year

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unior Allen Crabbe was named the 2012-13 Pac-12 Player of the Year, becoming the third Golden Bear to claim the honor in the last four years and the seventh since Jason Kidd earned the award in 1994. Crabbe, who paced the team with 18.4 ppg and added 6.1 rpg and a team-high 37 steals, also earned All-America recognition from both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Sporting News. In addition to Crabbe and Kidd, the other Cal players to receive conference honors are: Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996), Ed Gray (1997), Sean Lampley (2001), Jerome Randle (2010) and Jorge Gutierrez (2012). The Bears have had three more players of the year than any other school in the league over the past 20 years.

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J Torchio (above with Carol Kavanagh Clarke) received the Cal Spirit Award, while Bob Lalanne (below) shows off his Golden Bear of the Year honor.



Master of the Crowd By Kyle McRae

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U.S. Amateur Runner-Up Michael Weaver Looks Forward to Playing at Augusta

ll eyes will be on Michael Weaver when he steps to the first tee at Augusta in April one day before his 22nd birthday. Weaver, who will become the first person to ever play in the Masters while currently a Cal golfer, became accustomed to the feeling at an early age as a kid hanging out with a sea of professional adults at Fort Washington Golf and Country Club in his hometown of Fresno. It was the summer of 2001 and the then-10-year-old son of Bill and Joanne Weaver was spending much of his time attending a local church camp, but there was a problem. In order to go on the cov-

eted field trips, campers had to arrive by 8 a.m. sharp, or they would miss the bus and be at church all day. “One night at dinner he was complaining about having to get up so early to go to church camp,” Bill recalled. “I said ‘I’ll tell you what, you can either go to church camp at 8 a.m., or you can sleep in and 8

CAL SPORTS quARTERLY

mom can drop you off at the club when she goes to work around 9:30 or 10 and pick you up when she gets off work in the middle of the afternoon.’ Michael said ‘fine, I’ll go to the golf course’ with obvious displeasure on his face.” But it wasn’t long before Weaver, now a junior for the Golden Bears, was more than happy to be at the golf course, putting in full days hitting a countless number of balls on the driving range, practicing his chipping and putting, coming in briefly to eat lunch, and then going back out to do it all over again in the afternoon Central Valley heat that often eclipsed 100 degrees. “I was beyond blisters,” Weaver quipped. In addition to honing his skills as a young golfer, Weaver was learning how to handle himself around adults, and it also made him a well-known entity around the club. “It’s almost comical,” Bill said with a laugh. “I have people coming up to me all the time saying you’re Michael Weaver’s dad. I like joking with them by saying no, Michael Weaver is my son. Michael is known and well-liked by literally everybody at our club. They have nothing but compliments for him all the time. We are obviously very proud of him.” The experience Weaver gained at a young age has also served him well on the golf course. After a standout junior career, Weaver is now one of the nation’s best collegiate players on the top-ranked Cal men’s golf team that won eight of its first nine tournaments in 2012-13. Weaver has posted a career-best 71.6 stroke average in his first season back in the lineup after redshirting in 2011-12 to successfully gain admission into the Haas School of Business. He earned honorable mention All-American honors as a sophomore in 2010-11 and had the highest individual finish ever by a

Cal player at the NCAA Championship when he placed eighth that season. As a freshman, he became the first Cal player to finish in the top 10 at both the Pac10/12 Championship (sixth) and NCAA Regional (eighth). But Weaver’s biggest golf achievement to date came last August when his runner-up finish at the U.S. Amateur earned him an invitation to the Masters and an exemption for the U.S. Open this year. Weaver admits that it did not sink in that he would be playing at the Masters until a trip to Augusta this past January to play five practice rounds at the famed course. “Getting to play in the Masters at all would be pretty special, but playing it as an amateur means a lot because there’s only six guys that make it in each year as amateurs,” Weaver said. “It’s something a lot of people won’t ever get to do. I realize that, and I feel pretty fortunate that I get to do it.” Both Weaver and Cal golf coach Steve Desimone know he’ll have a few nerves when he steps up to that first tee. “You can’t help but be nervous in that situation,” Desimone said. “The other thing that you can’t help is wondering if you really belong there. When he’s on the driving range, and he’s got Tiger and Phil and Rory all around, yeah, you better believe he’s going to have stars in his eyes. You can read about it and watch it on television all you want, but until you are actually there in that locker room, on that driving range and on those tees with the guys you’ve watched and idolized forever you can’t even begin to understand the emotions you’ll go through.” “I know when I tee off that first day there will be a lot of people around and it will be a pretty emotional deal,” Weaver said. “I don’t get nervous very often, but I’ll be nervous.” Sure he’ll be nervous, emotional and in awe, but definitely not intimidated. He also has a plan. “My goal is to play well and be the low amateur,” Weaver said. “That’s probably a reasonable goal to have. Sure, I hope to win, but I’m not going to go out and say ‘I’m going to win the Masters.’ I want to try to treat it like any other tournament, play well and play smart. I feel like my game’s good enough where if I play four good rounds I should have a pretty good showing.”


“It’s something a lot of people won’t ever get to do. I realize that, and I feel pretty fortunate that I get to do it.” – Michael Weaver

Michael Weaver

Plus, Weaver expects to enjoy the experience far too much to let anything ruin it. “It’s definitely going to be a great experience and I’m going to be doing everything there that I can,” said Weaver, who plans to take part in the annual amateur dinner and nine-hole par-three tournament the week of the Masters before competition begins. “I plan on soaking it all in. It will be a lot of fun.” The only drawback is that he will be missing Cal’s final two regular-season events to participate. “I always want to play in every tournament, but I can’t do both,” Weaver said. “I haven’t really dwelled on it too much. We have excellent depth and our team will do fine without me. One of our other guys will be able to fill in just fine.” “This is such a phenomenal opportunity that as a coach I need to be supportive of what’s he doing,” said Desimone, who will miss the Western Intercollegiate to travel to Augusta to support Weaver. “I need to be there and be a part of it. It is every player’s dream to play at the Masters and when that opportunity presents itself, nothing can get in the way. Michael has earned this, and we are behind him 100%.” Desimone won’t be the only one on hand at Augusta rooting for Weaver. In fact, a large contingent of family and friends are renting a house in the area. “That will be good and help me relax,” Weaver said. According to his dad, that shouldn’t be a problem. “He’s got a very calm personality,” Bill said. “He doesn’t seem to get rattled. He’s just a calm soul, he always has been.” That will surely help when “a tradition unlike any other” continues and Michael’s part of it.

SPRING 2013

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Recognized Leader

By Jonathan Okanes

Veteran Emily Csikos Brings International Experience to Women’s Water Polo

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CAL SPORTS quARTERLY

fter missing out on the chance to lead her country to the top, Emily Csikos hopes to do so for her college instead.

Csikos, Cal’s standout senior women’s water polo player, sat out the 2012 season to train with the Canadian National Team. The Calgary, Alberta, native hoped to help Team Canada qualify for the Summer Olympics in London, but her nation’s squad narrowly missed a spot after losing to Russia during the Women’s Water Polo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Trieste, Italy. Now back in Berkeley, Csikos is trying to help the Bears go one step further than they did in 2011, when they lost in the NCAA title match. “If I could be part of winning a national championship, I think it would be amazing,” Csikos said. “It would be even more amazing because I was part of the creation of the team getting there. It would be awesome to be part of that.” Csikos is a three-time All-American and one of the best players in Canada, if not the world. After graduating from Henry Wise Wood High School in Calgary, she moved to Montreal for two years as a full-time member of Canadian National Team. She arrived at Cal in 2009 and the following year helped the Bears secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. After bringing the program to the cusp of a national championship in 2011, she decided to rejoin her Canadian teammates full-time with the hope of fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming an Olympian. A heartbreaking 7-6 loss to the Russians ended those aspirations. “It will probably be the hardest thing I ever experience in my life,” Csikos said. “Obviously, everyone has regrets on my team, myself included. It’s just tough. I don’t know how else to put it into words. I’ll never forget how I felt. I guess I have to decide at some point, am I going to go for it with water polo, am I going to try hard, or am I just going to pout about what happened? In the end, the Olympics are great, but that’s not why I play water polo.” Csikos isn’t sure whether she plays water polo because she likes it, or because she has become obsessed with it. Like many elite athletes in all sports, Csikos has gone all in with water polo. It was her full-time job for two years immediately after high school, and even while in Continued on page 13


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college, she is frequently required to return to Montreal for a few days to participate in training camps. As soon as she wraps up finals this spring, she will resume her full-time status with the national team. “I think I like it,” Csikos says with a laugh. “I’m pretty sure I like it. I had a conversation with my dad, and he said the elite athletes become obsessed with it. I’ve become obsessed with succeeding and perfection. But I really do like the common drive to some goal and working with other girls and seeing how far you can push yourself.” Csikos’ return to Berkeley last fall provided an interesting dynamic. Since she was away for a year, she not only had to get to know the incoming freshmen, but the current sophomores as well. And because of her time with the Canadian National Team right after high school and in 2012, she is as much as six years older than some of her new teammates. “Because of her experiences internationally and in this country, it puts her in a leadership position,” Cal coach Richard Corso said. “I think she has immediate credibility with the younger players. They know that she knows the game really well and when she says something, they listen. Not only is she giving instruction and encouragement, she does a great job of holding herself accountable and her teammates accountable.” There was never really any doubt water polo would be a big part of Csikos’ life. Her father, John, coached Canada’s Men’s National Team and Junior National Team. Her older sister, Julie, played on Canada’s Youth National Team and went on to play at Senior All-American Emily Csikos is back with the Bears this season York University in Ontario. Csikos was after taking last year off to train with the Canadian National Team. swimming by age 3 and playing water polo at age 8. But at first, it wasn’t just water polo. Csikos schedule. It was definitely nice to not smell of also played soccer, basketball and volleyball as a chlorine for a little while.” Csikos recognizes she has the responsibility of child. As her childhood progressed, she gradually being a leader and role model for the 2013 version dropped all of the other sports. “She really understands the game at the high- of the Bears. She hasn’t been hesitant to offer adest level,” Corso said. “She’s been playing since vice, constructive criticism and encouragement. “I definitely have a different role on the team she was a little kid. She’s a coach’s kid. She’s been around it all the time. She has the physical talent than I’ve had before,” Csikos said. “It took me a little bit of time. I just wanted to kind of observe with the high water polo IQ as well.” With no Olympics to prepare for, Csikos found who everyone was before I really dove right in herself with no upcoming water polo commit- there. But they are a really good group of girls ments last summer, a rarity in the life of a na- and they all genuinely want to succeed and tional team player. Corso told her to go “sit on work hard.” Csikos has had physical problems with her a beach,” and while Csikos stayed out of the water for awhile, it wasn’t exactly a time for hip and shoulder, but says if her body holds up, she’d love to make a run at the 2016 Olympics in relaxation. “I still had the mentality that I had to Rio de Janeiro. That process will begin as soon train,” she said. “I would go for a run, do lit- as she returns to Montreal, which will be five tle random classes. You can never go on days after the NCAA Tournament. “A lot can change in our years, but that’s been vacation or you can never go more than maybe three days at a time without making sure you can my goal forever,” Csikos said. “I wouldn’t want to train somehow. But it was nice to create your own give up on that.”

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From Generation to Generation to Generation All-American Catcher Andrew Knapp Continues a Family Tradition in Berkeley

By Scott Ball

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or Andrew Knapp, the Golden Bears’ firstteam preseason All-American catcher, Cal baseball is truly a family affair.

Bay, Calif., native entered his junior campaign listed among the nation’s top players as one of the preseason players to watch for USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award given to the country’s top collegiate player. Sure, Knapp considers all his teammates his brothers and his All this is pretty heady stuff for a player who entered his coaches like family, but the Blue and Gold runs deeper in his junior season with a career batting average of .253, but the blood than the average Golden Bear. The list starts with grand- accolades are not a fluke. The talented switch-hitting catchparents Ray and Arlene Knapp, who both attended the Univer- er has thrived among the country’s elite during the past two sity and were member of the class of 1957, and goes through summers – first in the Northwoods League, where he was the his father, Mike, a standout catcher for Cal in the mid-’80s, and league’s top hitter in 2011, and then last summer in the prestinow his younger brother, gious Cape Cod League, Aaron, who will be joinwhere he batted .293 ing David Esquer’s squad with 13 doubles, eight in the fall of 2013. home runs and 29 RBI “When we were recruitin 40 games for Chaing Andrew, we knew that tham (Mass.), opening his family had a great the eyes of nearly every affection for the UniverMajor League scout. sity,” Esquer said. “We Part of the saga of knew this is where he Knapp’s career at Cal wanted to be and where has been that he has his heart was.” played behind all-conFrom all indications, ference catcher Chadd this spring is aligning itKrist, a 2012 ninthself nicely for Andrew round draft pick of the Knapp to enjoy his finChicago Cubs. However, est season of the three Knapp was too talented years he has called Evans to sit on the bench and Diamond his baseball has seen action in both home, starting with the the outfield and at first game-winning hit in the base for the Bears over season-opener versus Andrew Knapp has had an impressive career at Cal, starting with the game-winning his first two years with Michigan. The Granite RBI on his first day playing baseball for the Bears. the program. 14

CAL SPORTS quARTERLY


“Andrew has always been next in line to be our catcher,” Esquer said. “But he was so talented, he didn’t have to wait. Andrew was unique as a catcher in that he was such a good athlete he had the ability to play other positions, and we knew having him play other positions would only help him down the line. Now, he is finally getting a chance to be our fulltime catcher, and we expect him to have an outstanding season, go high in the draft and someday join our list of over 50 Cal Major Leaguers.” Coming to Cal to play baseball had been a dream of Knapp’s since he was young enough to play catch with his father Mike and listen to his dad’s adventures of being the starting catcher on coach Bob Milano’s squad in 1985 and 1986.

page sitting in the Evans Diamond dugout dejected and wondering how his college baseball career would unfold. The successful reinstatement of baseball and the ensuing trip to the College World Series is well known in Cal circles. What many people may not realize is that Knapp, in his first day of baseball as a Golden Bear, knocked in the game-winning RBI to capture a 6-5 victory over Utah in the second game of a season-opening doubleheader. Knapp contributions to that magical 2011 season – besides playing in 29 games and starting 15 contests with three doubles, a home run and 15 RBI – was teaming up with fellow freshmen Eric Walbridge and Derek Campbell to create the

Andrew Knapp’s grandparents, Arlene and Ray (upper left), both attended Cal, as did his father, Mike, who was a standout catcher for the Bears. Andrew (right) enjoyed a chat with his father at the Cal Alumni game this past fall.

Mike Knapp

Andrew Knapp

“I started coming to Cal baseball games at Evans Diamond when I was about seven,” Knapp said. “I remember watching future big leaguers like Brett Jackson and Tyson Ross as a teenager and picturing myself playing for Cal someday.” “It was a great day for me and my family when Andrew decided to make Cal his home,” Mike Knapp explained. “Cal is a big part of my family’s life and to have my son attend such a tremendous university is truly a blessing. Not only is it awesome to see my son play on the same field I played on, but also for my parents to be able to see Andrew play on the same field that they watched me play is very special. It was interesting during the recruiting process. I tried really hard not to push Cal too hard because I wanted Andrew to make his own decision. I have to say I could not see myself wearing anything but the Blue and Gold.” Not far into his freshman year, Andrew’s life-long dream started to unravel with the September 2010 announcement that Cal baseball was going to be discontinued following the 2011 season due to pressure on the athletic department’s budget. It was a crushing blow to Knapp, whose photo was featured on the front of the San Francisco Chronicle’s sports

“Save Cal Baseball” rap video that became an internet sensation and expressed the plight of the Cal baseball program in a humorous and creative manner. “The video came about when Eric, Derek and I were bored in our dorm room and decided to make a video,” said Knapp. “It ended up being much more popular than we had intended. We were trying to make a joke out of the situation, but I think that it ultimately ended up giving our situation media coverage and helping raise some money for reinstating the program.” Now fast forward to the 2013 Cal baseball season where Knapp is one of the veterans of the team and is looking to lead the Bears back to the College World Series. He is also projected to be a high pick in the June Major League Draft with the opportunity to someday play with alongside his childhood Cal heroes – Ross and Jackson. “It has been an awesome experience playing baseball at Cal,” said Knapp. “You go through a lot of adversity when your program gets cut and you get to see what kind of character you have as a person and as a player. I think I have gained so much experience from that. I think when you are at Cal, you don’t get stuff handed to you. One reason we have had so many Big Leaguers is that the school really teaches guys how to work for themselves. SPRING 2013

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Justin Forsett, Angie Pressey Build a Family in Texas

J

ustin Forsett is a football player, which is a good thing, inasmuch he’s not a volleyball player.

Had he been a volleyball player, Angie Pressey may not have kept him around. The former Cal stars are happily married and living in Texas with their newborn son, Judah, who joined the world on New Year’s Eve. Their relationship dates back to when each first arrived in Berkeley, a place where Forsett etched his name in Cal’s record books and Pressey left as one of the greatest players ever to don a volleyball jersey. One weekend while they were dating at Cal, Forsett and teammate Brandon Hampton and Pressey and teammate Am’ra Solomon trekked down to Santa Cruz for a little beach volleyball showdown. “He was horrible,” Pressey said. “I wanted to break up with him. I was so turned off.” For the record, Forsett says he has a good serve and plays good defense. He spent most of his childhood in Florida and said he found himself in some pick-up games from time to time in Daytona Beach. But that may not have given him enough experience to compete with his future wife, a two-time All-American who ranks fourth on Cal’s all-time list with 1,725 kills and led the Bears to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA semifinals in 2007. Forsett, meanwhile, came to Berkeley as a lightly-recruited running back and lit up Cal’s record books. He ranks third all-time with 3,220 rushing yards and in 2007 had the third-best season ever for a Cal running back with 1,546 yards. That same year, he tied the school record with 15 rushing touchdowns.

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cal sports quarterly

By Jonathan Okanes So who is the better athlete in the family? “If you talk to my wife, she’ll say it’s her,” Forsett said. “I’ll give it to her. I’ll be a good husband.” Both Forsett and Pressey have gone on to excel athletically since leaving Cal. Forsett is getting ready to enter his sixth season in the NFL, having played with the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. Pressey, meanwhile, played in the U.S. National Team program for four years and professionally in Puerto Rico and Austria before becoming pregnant with Judah. “We’re both competitive. It’s fun,” Forsett said. “We’re always competing at something, which is not always a good thing in a marriage.” Pressey took her final semester at Cal off (she later finished her degree) in 2008 to start training with the U.S. team and spent the next four years in what effectively is a perpetual tryout. About 20-25 players compete in international summer tournaments. Pressey was one of six outside hitters being considered for a spot on the 2012 Olympic team before finding out she was pregnant. Even though he was drafted and has lasted in the NFL five years, Forsett hasn’t stopped feeling like he needs to continually silence the critics. He didn’t receive a single Division I-A scholarship offer before Signing Day of his senior year of high school, and at 5-foot-8, he’s continually had to prove he belongs on the football field. Although she may not be able to fulfill her competitive urges as much anymore, Pressey says she is enjoying using some of her free time to re-connect with family and friends, something that was difficult to do given the rigors and demands of volleyball. And whether Judah becomes an athlete remains in question. “I’m not sure,” Pressey said. “He may be the buffest piano player you’ve ever seen.”



SPORTS PREViEWS

SPRING 2013

al baseball features 2013 first-team preseason All-American catcher Andrew Knapp and eight other members of the Golden Bears’ 2011 College World Series squad. Under the direction of head coach David Esquer, Cal also returns two All-American lefthanders – Justin Jones, a freshman All-American in 2010, and Kyle Porter, a freshman All-American in 2011 – from a squad looking to get back to postseason play after qualifying for NCAA Regionals in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Standout junior first baseman Devon Rodriguez has resumed his spot in the lineup after sitting out the majority of 2012 with a right knee injury. Another top returner is senior right-hander Logan Scott, who is on the watch list for the Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Stopper of the Year Award after recording seven saves last season. With new lights installed at Evans Diamond, the Bears will play several home night games this spring for the first time in school history.

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bASEbALL al men’s crew returns an experienced varsity eight with all but one member back from last season’s fourth-place finish in the IRA Championships. Highlighted by All-Pac-12 performers Ivan Ostojic and Cameron Klotz, the Golden Bears’ top boat has high expectations in 2013. Head coach Mike Teti also welcomes back six rowers and the coxswain from the junior varsity eight as part of a deep squad this spring. Teti, who coached the U.S. eight at the Olympics in London last summer, has added another Olympian to his staff in former Cal standout Scott Frandsen, a member of the Canadian team in 2012. Fans have the advantage of being able to see the Pac-12 and IRA regattas in Northern California, as both events will take place on the Gold River outside Sacramento.

C MEN'S CREW al women’s crew returns a strong contingent from last season’s squad that placed third in the NCAA Championships, and the Golden Bears, who are the five-time defending Pac-12 champions, earned a No. 2 preseason national ranking. All-American Paparangi Hipango heads a list of rowers back in the varsity eight, and she is joined by fellow All-Pac-12 honorees Michelle Leason and Agatha Nowinski. In addition, two-time All-American Kara Kohler, an Olympic bronze-medalist in the women’s quadruple sculls, is back in the boat after redshirting last season to train for the London Games. Head coach Dave O’Neill has earned the past three Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards and is fresh off coaching the USA lightweight women’s double sculls at the 2012 Olympics.

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WOMEN'S CREW al has most of its team intact from a season of firsts a year ago when the Golden Bears reached the NCAA semifinals, won their first NCAA Regional and Pac-12 titles, and set a school record with six victories. The Bears return all five players from their NCAA lineup last season in Brandon Hagy, Max Homa, Pace Johnson, Michael Kim and Joël Stalter. Hagy, Homa and Kim earned All-American honors in 2011-12, and the return of Michael Weaver makes it four returning All-Americans. Weaver, who earned All-American honors in 2010-11, is back after redshirting last season to successfully gain entrance into the Haas School of Business. Weaver was also the 2012 U.S. Amateur runner-up, earning invitations to play in both the Masters and U.S. Open in 2013. Shotaro Ban and Keelan Kilpatrick are back, while Walker Huddy, Andrew Morgan, Cameron Shaw and James Yoon will be in their first season.

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nly a pair of golfers remain from Nancy McDaniel’s lineup that won the 2012 Pac-12 Championship, but those two – senior Jacqueline Williams and junior Nicola Rossler – form a solid nucleus to help guide the youth-oriented Bears in 2013. Rossler is the top returning scorer from both the Pac-12 and NCAA West Region Championships. Gone are All-Americans Joanne Lee and Daniela Holmqvist, but Cal will look for sophomore Morgan Thompson and freshmen Carly Childs and Hannah Suh to help keep the Bears atop the conference standings. Childs is the younger sister of 2012 graduate Emily Childs, the first player in program history to win three tournaments in a single season and the program record holder for total individual medalist honors.

O WOMEN'S gOLF oasting the 2012 MPSF Player of the Year on its roster in senior attacker Megan Takacs, Cal looks to get over the hump from being one of the MPSF’s middle-tier teams to a true contender to win the conference crown in 2013. Second-year head coach Ginger Miles is excited about her squad’s enthusiasm and drive to raise some eyebrows. Before missing the last three games due to injury, Takacs paced the Bears with a school single-season record 53 goals in 2012, and she will be one of the team captains along with senior defender Sarah Milik. Junior Megan McGinnis is back in the cage after posting a goals-against average of 10.91 last season. Another nice advantage for the Bears will be returning to newly renovated Memorial Stadium after calling Witter Rugby Field home for the past two seasons. Miles and the Bears are excited to enjoy a true home-field advantage.

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LACROSSE anked No. 1 in the anchor leg of its regular season, the Rugby Bears put together an undefeated campaign entering their Homecoming game March 30 vs. Utah on Witter Rugby Field, where fans were welcomed back this spring following a twoyear repurposing of the field in support of the renovation of Memorial Stadium. Cal defeated the Utes to win the PAC Rugby Conference, which featured six Pac-12 member universities, before entering an exciting postseason that includes the Varsity Cup championship and the Collegiate Rugby Championship 7s, the latter televised June 1-2 from Philadelphia on NBC Sports.

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Seamus Kelly

RugbY he Golden Bears pick up the 2013 season right where they left off – as the third-ranked team in the country following a historic 2012 season that produced a program-best 58 wins and a Pac-12 Championship title. With a taste of greatness following Cal’s second consecutive Women’s College World Series bid, this season’s squad returns hungrier than ever. Leading the way is twotime Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Jolene Henderson, who was named to the 2013 ESPN Preseason All-America team and NFCA Player of the Year Watch List. Along with returning six position starters, the squad is backed by a quintet of talented freshmen and head coach Diane Ninemire, who is in her 26th season as leader of the squad. Pac-12 coaches tabbed Cal the favorite to repeat as title winners of the nation’s most successful and competitive softball conference.

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SOFTbALL ead coach Peter Wright’s team boasts a nice combination of veterans in senior co-captains Christoffer Konigsfeldt and Riki McLachlan and junior Ben McLachlan along with talented younger players/newcomers, including sophomore Chase Melton, Georgia transfer Campbell Johnson, a junior, French sophomore Gregory Bayane, Danish freshman Mads Engsted, Northwestern transfer Nikhil Jayashanakar and freshman Wyatt Houghton. The McLachlan brothers form one of the best doubles teams in the nation, and the duo captured the doubles title at the USTA/ITA Northwest Regional Championships last fall. Ben McLachlan, Cal’s top singles player, won the singles title at the northwest regional and, like Konigsfeldt and Johnson, is nationally ranked by the ITA. The Bears have reached the NCAA Tournament 13 years in a row and advanced to the round of 16 last spring.

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MEN'S TENNiS

2012 SPRING 2013

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ophomore Zsofi Susanyi leads the Golden Bears into what promises to be another strong spring season, as Cal challenges for the Pac12 Conference title and another postseason berth. An NCAA singles semifinalist as a freshman, Susanyi is one of the best young talents in the nation; she will pair with freshman Klara Fabikova – another rising young star – to form one of the top duos around. Head coach Amanda Augustus has a roster that includes other nationally ranked singles talents in junior Anett Schutting and freshman Lynn Chi, who also combine as a nationally ranked doubles team, seniors Tayler Davis and Annie Goransson, juniors Kelly Chui and Alice Duranteau and sophomores Laura Posylkin and Cecilia Estlander. Cal has reached the NCAA Tournament in all 31 years it has been contested, and the Bears reached the national quarterfinals in 2012.

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WOMEN'S TENNiS al returns four of five Golden Bears who qualified to the NCAA Outdoor Championships last June –Scott Esparza (hammer), Chad Jones (triple jump), Harrison Steed (high jump) and Chase Wheeler (long jump). Steed came through with first-team All-American honors after setting a Cal PR with a clearance of 7-2.50, which was good for eighth place. The Bears also boast a pair of conference champions on the roster. Collin Jarvis won the Pac-12 title in the 3000-meter steeplechase last spring, while Ray Stewart captured the Pac-10 crown in the 110-meter hurdles in 2011. Others to watch include Hammed Suleman, a former NCAA indoor qualifier in the triple jump, and Derek White, who was the league runner-up in the discus last season. Among the newcomers to expected to contribute right away are 400-meter hurdler Randy Bermea, high jumper Noel Frazier, thrower Ethan Cochran and distance runner Leland Later who were all state champions as high school seniors.

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MEN'S TRACk & FiELD he Bears feature one of the top distance runners in the country in senior Deborah Maier, who placed third in the 10,000 meters at last year’s NCAA meet and later was a finalist in both the 5000 and 10,000 at the Olympic Trials over the summer. Her best time of 32:12.47 in the 10K from last April puts her No. 3 on the all-time collegiate list in the event. Cal’s recruiting class was ranked fifth-best in the country by Track & Field News and is highlighted by throwers Shelby Ashe, the U.S. girls’ record holder in the hammer, and Torie Owers, the national prep leader in the shot put from 2012. Returnees Charnell Price (100 meters), Alima Kamara (400 meters), Angelica Weaver (400-meter hurdles), Kristin Rimbach (high jump) and Malaina Payton (long jump) all rank among the Bears’ top five on the school’s best performance lists.

T WOMEN'S TRACk & FiELD he Bears look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament with the return of three-time All-American Emily Csikos, who took the 2012 season off to train with the Canadian National Team. Cal also features a pair of two-time All-Americans in seniors Breda Vosters and Dana Ochsner. Vosters has led the team in scoring in each of the past two seasons. Sophomore Tiera Schroeder was named to the MPSF All-Newcomer Team last year, and junior Ashley Young is a returning All-American as well. Under the guidance of eighth-year coach Richard Corso, the Bears are just one year removed from advancing to the NCAA title match, when they also won the MPSF Championship. Cal began the season as the No. 4 team in the country, and will get a home-pool advantage when it hosts the MPSF Championships at the end of April.

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WOMEN'S WATER POLO 20

CAL SPORTS quARTERLY


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Bedrocks Among Builders

Many Builders of Berkeley Make Intercollegiate Athletics a Priority By Anton Malko

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en years ago this September, a monument was unveiled on the terrace of Doe Library that recognizes philanthropists whose history of giving to the University has, in each case, reached or surpassed $1 million. Known as Builders of Berkeley, this group of dedicated benefactors is joined each year by additional supporters who have reached that benchmark.

representative of the University. That clearly impacts student-athletes and changes their mindset.” The men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs won back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2011 and ’12 and finished as runner-up in 2013, while both water polo programs have remained in the national title conversation. But trophies are not the reason Builders support swimming & diving or any of Cal’s 29 Intercollegiate Athletics teams. “In our Aquatics efforts we kept using the phrase ‘world class,’ but that never meant teams had to win the NCAA Championship all the time, or three-quarters of the time or half the time — that had nothing to do with it,” explained Mr. Cronk. “It’s about the pursuit of world class, both in the pool and in the classroom, and doing it with good character.” It’s a mindset that also expands the community’s support elsewhere on campus. “It’s amazing how athletics bring people to campus and give them the inspiration to diversify their support all over the University,” said Mrs. Cronk. “It’s so important to the whole health of the campus.” Cyrus and Michelle Hadidi, who were recognized as new Builders in 2012, agree. A 1996 graduate with a double

Among these cherished donors are 65 families — and counting — who have made Intercollegiate Athletics a major thrust of their support, in many cases reaching that million-dollar mark through one of their gifts to the department. Their names are set in granite to capture the spirit of the pioneers whose vision and grit helped create Berkeley as “an Athens in the hills of California.” That enduring ethos has ensured Cal’s place as the finest public teaching and research institution in the country. Each year, an elegant ceremony welcomes the newest Builders of Berkeley, recognizing their extraordinary commitment to the University’s continued excellence. Here are profiles of a few of the Builders who have shown remarkable generosity to the campus as a whole and Cal Athletics in particular. Rick Cronk ’65 – a member of the Cal Aquatics “Big Four” with fellow Builders Ned Spieker ’66, the late Don Fisher ’51 and the late Warren CALIFORNIA ATHLETICS BUILDERS OF BERKELEY Hellman ’55 – and Janet Cronk ’69 are campus benefactors whose best-known James K. and Jean S. Dobey The Ralph E. and contribution to Cal Athletics came with Marji and Phil Dunn Marla H. Andersen Family the creation of the Bear Splash Club, David R. Eckles and Allene H. Wong Trudy L. and William F. Ausfahl which launched in 1987 and expanded Kathleen G. Correia and Mel and Vera Bacharach into the Friends of Cal Aquatics in 2002. Stephen A. Evans Dwight and Nancy Barker While the depth of the Cronks’ pasRobert J. and Christine Feibusch Dolores Freeman Cerro sion can be found in the Spieker AquatDoris and Donald G. Fisher Beverly B. and ics Complex, their support, like that of Douglas E. and Lisa M. Goldman Arlington C. Charter many Builders, extends to other campus John L. and Margaret B. Gompertz Alice V. and Michael N. Chetkovich areas. But the Cronks consider today’s Frederick L. and John E. Cook Jr. and Sandra G. Cook campus community, in particular Cal’s Roberta O. Greenlee Janet M. and William F. Cronk student-athletes, to be the true builders Glenn and Robin W. Gulvin Frithjof Jon and Ellen Giusti Dale of the University. Evelyn D. and Walter A. Haas Jr. Milt and Carol David “When they put on that uniform, they Peter E. and Mimi Haas William S. and Mary Jane Detwiler represent the institution,” Mr. Cronk Elise S. and Walter A. Haas Patricia L. and James W. Dieterich Jr. said, “and wearing the blue and gold uniform comes with a responsibility as a 22

CAL SPORTS quARTERLY


Clockwise from left: Rick Cronk, David Eckles, Cyrus and Michelle Hadidi, and Ellen and Joffa Dale

major in rhetoric and history, Mr. Hadidi and his wife have generously supported Arts & Humanities, the Chancellor’s Office and the UC Berkeley Foundation in addition to Athletics. “We all share a sense that athletics provides a common forum for bonding the Cal family together,” Mr. Hadidi said. “My best friends that I have to this day are from my undergrad years at Cal, and one of the reasons we have stayed close for so long is that we come back to the campus for football games and basketball games. We relish the highs, we commiserate in the lows, and that’s a profoundly bonding experience for us. Athletics is a great way to encourage a building of community.” Joffa and Ellen Dale, who became Builders in 2006, are examples of how athletics can serve as a gateway to further support of the University. They both received their undergraduate degrees in 1966, with Mr. Dale obtaining his Berkeley MBA the following year. Twenty years after that, when their son, Jeffrey, became a member of the Cal Band, they became regulars at Cal football games. As the Dales evolved into dedicated supporters who marched with the band on Saturdays to Memorial Stadium, their support as donors to Athletics also grew. They made a conscious decision to balance that commitment with proportionate donations elsewhere on campus. “It began with our support for the Haas school, giving equal amounts to academics and Athletics, and it grew from there,” Mr. Dale said. For the Dales and many other Builders of Berkeley, commitment is a key word. Among the Dales’ leading priorities is the men’s golf program, and Mr. Dale routinely travels with the team. Frequent hosts of team fundraisers, the Dales have seen how student-athletes keep their focus and composure despite busy schedules. “For them to be successful students, athletics helps them, because they learn how to manage all the things they have to do. They can only do this if they are very organized, and Colleen and Robert D. Haas Michelle and Cyrus Hadidi The Hellman Family William A. and Sally M. Hewlett Russell D. and Lydia P. Hogan Thomas R. and Ruth Ann Hornaday Judith Woolsey Isaac Jeffrey A. and Deni D. Jacobs The Stephen F. Keller and Sarah Mage Keller Family E. Floyd Kvamme and Jean Kvamme Irving and Shirley Loube William and Iona Main Brian L. and Jennifer A. Maxwell Clara B. and Daniel B. Mulholland

we’ve seen for ourselves: they are organized,” Mr. Dale said. For Mrs. Dale, remaining accountable to a team “is one of the biggest commitments a student can make on this campus.” Builder David Eckles MBA ’73 believes that the pursuit of a sound mind and body — the Athenian origin of the student-athlete experience — buoys Cal Athletics. To witness student-athletes engaged in that pursuit, he explained, is what motivates many supporters to acknowledge the benefits of their own Cal experience. “It’s an appreciation for the education, both in the classroom and on the campus, that we received at Cal, the excitement that a first-class University provides,” Mr. Eckles said. “As a group, we give to the schools we attended within the University, to Zellerbach, to the library and all over campus. We are not one dimensional.” This September, another ceremony will mark the next “class” of inductees to the Builders of Berkeley. While the scope of their support will likely remain multi-dimensional, their focus is singular — to do everything possible to ensure the University’s continued excellence. To learn more about the Builders of Berkeley, please contact Nancy McKinney, Director of Donor Stewardship for University Relations, at (510) 643-7664 or nlmckinney@berkeley.edu. To deepen your commitment to Cal Athletics, contact the Office of Athletic Development at (510) 642-2427 or email calbearbackers@berkeley.edu.

S. Victor and Leta H. Nelson Kent and Patricia Newmark Robert G. and Sue Douthit O’Donnell Lawrence E. and Mary Peirano The Edward H. and Barbara B. Peterson Family Kenneth B. Rawlings Linda Erickson Rawlings T. Gary and Kathleen Rogers Richard V. and Ellen Sandler Frank J. and Mary Schlessinger Barclay and Sharon Simpson Barbara C. and Larry W. Sonsini Carol and Warren E. Spieker Jr.

Catherine and Tod Spieker Paul H. Stephens and Elle McAdam Stephens John P. Stock The Tahir Family Michael and Nancy Torres Charles T. and Louise H. Travers Charles N. and Elizabeth H. Travers Tomas S. Vanasek Paul F. White and Linda D. White Jan and Buzz Wiesenfeld The Witter Family Robert W. Witter and Marilyn A. Witter

SPRING 2013

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It’s perfectly clear that

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Gary and Michelle Storm

hen Gary Storm ’92 was joined by his two children and wife, Michelle, to cheer on the men’s basketball team in 2012-13, their family’s spirit was represented on the court by sophomore forward Christian Behrens, the most recent recipient of the J. Michael Storm Memorial Scholarship. Mr. Storm called the scholarship in the name of his father, who played for two seasons in the late ’50s, “a great way to honor my father and also support Cal Athletics, something my family has being doing for many years now.” Gary was born and raised by parents who met at the University and, he said, “I'm continuing the tradition today with both of my kids.” Remembering the men’s team’s run into the third round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, Storm especially relished how “these individuals really started to play as a team.” He said he looks forward the 2013 football season with equal excitement. “The new stadium is amazing, really one of the best venues in the country to watch a college football game,” Storm said. “The new Club Rooms aren't too shabby either.”

Geoff WonG

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eoff Wong’s graduation from the University in 1962 followed those of his sister, father and grandfather, and has been followed since by degrees attained by his nieces and nephews, making him part of four generations of Cal history. His cousin, Meme Fanner, was a starting point guard during her career on the women’s basketball team from 1986-89, which happened to overlap with the career of the future mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson. In early April, Wong and fellow members of the Sacramento Grid Club welcomed new head football coach Sonny Dykes to their annual Tiny Bates Banquet, held in honor of the right end for the Bears in 1916 and 1917 under Andy Smith who co-founded of the club in 1947. Every year since Bates’ death in 1968, members of the football team who hail from the Sacramento area eligible for the Tiny Bates Award in his honor. Wong supports a broad range of sports from the hardwood and diamond to the gridiron and track. And he’s just as big of fan of their achievements away from the competition arena. “One thing that really excites me right now is the reemphasis on the academic side of things,” Wong said. “Cal student-athletes are great students and great athletes. There is no contradiction in the term.”

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Connor, Kevin and Jeanette Kennedy

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Gary Storm

CAL SPORTS quARTERLY

Geoff Wong

Kevin Kennedy

evin Kennedy lived a block from Memorial Stadium during his first year at the University as a law school student in 1988 and went on to enjoy winning times for football that included the 1992 Citrus Bowl. He continued to live a block from campus after graduation in 1991 until 2000, an era that, he said, “washed out its fair-weather fans.” Kennedy’s wife, Jeanette, holds an MBA from the University and has only missed one football game in the past seven years. Their son, Connor, hasn’t missed one in five years, which, Mr. Kennedy said, “takes some coordination.” When Cal faced Fresno State at Candlestick Park for the 2011 opener to the football season, Kennedy arranged for 150 tickets to allow Rally Committee members to attend, along with three buses to get them to and from the game. “I thought it would be a good way to get fans out to the game,” he said. “I’m also a big believer that the teams are really for the students.” Last season he took his son to the 2012 bonfire, which he also co-sponsored, before the Oregon game. Said Mr. Kennedy of Connor’s impressions, “He thought it was the greatest thing he had ever seen.”


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SPRING 2013

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Together

R

iki and Ben McLachlan spent most of their a junior. They have been mainstays on Cal’s perennial postseacontender since they joined the Bears. childhood playing tennis against each other, son “Riki and Ben bring so many positive qualities to the team,” and they grew tired of it. Wright said. “Riki’s maturity and leadership stand out, as well

The sons of Yuriko – a Japanese immigrant – and Craig McLachlan, the brothers grew up in Queenstown, a resort area of New Zealand. They participated in a variety of sports, including rugby, basketball, swimming, Riki McLachlan Ben McLachlan golf, cricket and tennis, which they began playing at around ages 7 and 8. The burgeoning talents focused more exclusively on tennis at roughly 13 and 14. As the only good tennis players of their generation around, they were forced to work out together. “We never really got the chance to practice with a lot of people; it was just me and Riki all the time,” Ben said. “We’d practice against each other every day. You’d get kind of sick of it.” The siblings finally got the opportunity to hit with different players several years later when both joined the Cal men’s tennis team. Riki McLachlan, 22, is a senior for head coach Peter Wright’s squad, while Ben McLachlan, who turns 21 in May, is 28

CAL SPORTS quARTERLY

as his positive attitude and incredible play during critical moments. Ben has grown incredibly during his time at Cal. He’s always been an incredible athlete, but adding discipline to his game has made the difference. He has developed into one of the top players in the USA.” As fate would have it, they were coached in their formative years by former Cal tennis assistant coach Lan Bale – a onetime professional tennis player who moved to Queenstown after his stint in Berkeley ended. The McLachlans learned that college tennis would give them another way to continue playing beyond what they could accomplish in Queenstown. “If you don’t go pro, there are no opportunities in tennis in New Zealand,” Ben said. “To play tennis in college in the States, it’s a great opportunity to get an education and play a high level of tennis. It was just perfect for us to come here.” The brothers did their research on Cal and other schools. Riki considered Boise State and Louisville among others before joining Wright’s team in 2009. Bringing Ben to Berkeley was not a done deal; he considered playing for Texas. But after visiting Cal, his brother and the rest of the team, Ben followed his heart and signed with the Bears. Ben is currently the Golden Bears’ top singles player, and, as


Forever

By Dean Caparaz ’90

McLachlan Brothers Bring Tennis Talents from New Zealand to Berkeley

The McLachlans turned tour guide when Cal took a winter training trip to New Zealand, where the Bears participated in a variety of outdoor activities.

of March 12, was ranked No. 57 nationally by the training trip during the January 2013 ITA. In 2012, he was an All-Pac-12 second-team winter break. Ben and Riki turned selection, and last fall, he captured the singles tour guide for their teammates, as did title at the USTA/ITA Northwest Regional “Riki’s maturity and lead- their father, a hiking guide in QueenChampionships. ership stand out, as well stown. The Bears took part in a myr“It’s been really good,” Ben said of his iad of activities, including jet boating, as his positive attitude and bungee jumping and climbing the ReCal career. “Coming into college I knew I incredible play during crit- markables, a mountain range near the had a lot of growing to do through my ical moments. Ben has McLachlans’ hometown. tennis. I think the last two years I’ve been improving a lot, constantly.” “That was just incredible,” Riki said. grown incredibly during Riki is a Cal co-captain, and his leadhis time at Cal. He’s “I’ve always talked about my homeership was on full display on Jan. 26 town and my home country. It was realways been an ally cool to be able to show it off.” against then-No. 20 Michigan. Hosting incredible athan ITA Kick-Off Weekend event at the Once back in Berkeley, Cal had a lete, but adding good start to the dual-match seaHellman Tennis Complex, Cal vied with the Wolverines for the title that would discipline to his son, including an upset of then-No. 4 send the Bears to the prestigious ITA Nagame has made Duke on March 10 at home. The Bears tional Men’s Team Indoor Championship. earned a No. 24 ITA ranking as of the the difference.” end of March. With the overall match tied at 3-3, the - head coach result came down to Riki’s match After this season, the McLachlans’ on court five. After losing the first Peter Wright paths will diverge for perhaps the first set, Riki surged back to win the time. Ben has his senior season and match, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4, and clinch then possibly the pro game to look forCal’s trip to nationals. ward to, whereas, Riki– who will gradThe brothers’ natural chemistry uate at the end of the spring semester made them one of the top doubles – wants to pursue coaching. teams in the nation, and that also led On Ben, Wright said, “Ben has always to the doubles title at the USTA/ITA Northwest had special talents in tennis. This has, at Regional Championships. Earlier this season, times, created unrealistic expectations in the ITA ranked the tandem as high as No. 7 – but terms of the timing of his development. His time then an early February leg injury sidelined Riki. in college has been good for him. He has grown each As of March 12, the ITA still ranked the brothers’ year in terms of his understanding of the game and doubles team at No. 42, even though Riki hadn’t played his maturity. He has a very positive future in terms since Feb. 8. of professional tennis and in terms of representing While Ben has since paired with other doubles partNew Zealand. If he is able to stay injury free, I think ners, Riki faces the possibility that his college career is he’ll be No. 1 in New Zealand in the next few years.” over. The team hopes to have him back for the postseaOn Riki’s future, Wright remarked, “He has alson, and Riki spends two to three hours a day rehabbing ways been a smart player, and I think he will have the injury. He still comes to practice “to show he’s not goa lot to contribute as a coach. He is well liked and ing to fade away,” Wright said. well respected by his peers for his intelligence “Riki’s injury has been a tremendous shock to the and competitiveness, and that goes a long way in team,” Wright added. “It’s a horrible way to finish his colterms of being able to help develop players in the legiate career. But it has also inspired our guys to reach future.” higher. Riki has been there every step of the way for us, Whatever the future brings, Riki McLachlan has cheering on the guys and being an incredibly positive inenjoyed his ride at Cal. fluence. Not one moment has he felt sorry for himself. He “It’s been just incredible,” he said. “Everything wants our guys to win, and he’s our most inspirational has been amazing, the way you get treated, getting voice on the sidelines.” to play tennis, getting to travel, and the academics Prior to the injury, the brothers earned an extra visare just incredible here. Just being around the kind of it home when Cal took its team to New Zealand for a great people we have has made it a lot of fun here.” SPRING 2013

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Throwing Expectations Out the Window Back from a Knee Injury, Megan Takacs Looks to Return to MVP Form

By Tim Miguel

M

egan Takacs earned MPSF Player of the Year honors last season after setting a Cal record with 53 goals during her junior season on the Golden Bear lacrosse squad.

lacrosse

california golden bears

Megan Takacs

30

Taken apart or together, both are noteworthy accomplishments. What makes them even more remarkable is that her 2012 campaign ended early due to a severe knee injury with the regular-season finale against Stanford and the MPSF Tournament still on the Cal slate. Clearly, she could have easily added to her scoring total, yet the conference accolade came as the

biggest surprise. “It was an incredible feeling to receive that award,” Takacs said. “I honestly wasn’t expecting it because I had just ended my season about a week before the [awards’] banquet. I felt so honored that the MPSF coaches picked me to be the MPSF Player of the Year even after missing a conference game. I have a lot of respect for every single student-athlete in our conference, and I’m happy that our team had a few individuals representing some of the conference awards.” Following eight months of rehab, Takacs was back in the starting lineup when the Bears took to the field for their season-opener at James Madison. Although she did not find the back of the net against the Dukes or in Cal’s next match at Maryland-Baltimore County, she scored four times in the Bears’ home opener, an 18-9 romp over Saint Mary’s. Given Takacs’ drive to succeed, second-year head coach Ginger Miles is excited to see what her star attacker can do now that she’s healthy again. “She blew the lid off of our expectations last year,” Miles said. “With the confidence she’s bringing into this season, she’s going to blow the lid off of it again. She has the want, the hunger and the determination every single day to help this team. She’s a very selfless player. She just wants to help this team win any way she can, and she’ll step into any role that we need her to. She’ll have a huge impact on our success this season.” Added Takacs about recovering from the injury: “It really tested my mental game, and I learned a lot while playing a sideline role. I am 100 percent and feel even stronger now. Being off for eight months has made me love the sport even more, which seems almost impossible.”

CAL SPORTS quARTERLY

If Takacs wants to repeat her feats of 2012, she will also have to deal with opposing defenses targeting her as the player to watch this spring. It’s a challenge and attention level that Takacs relishes. “I like when someone is guarding me tightly because I have learned different ways of using my speed to get around them and therefore creating a clear lane to goal,” Takacs said. “I also like messing with their heads in the sense of telling my teammates something I will be doing and making sure my defender can hear me and then Continued on page 33




Continued from page 30

“It really tested my mental game, and I learned a lot while playing a sideline role. I am 100 percent and feel even stronger now.” – Megan Takacs

doing the complete opposite. I toy with my defender and play sort of a cat-mouse game; I have fun with it.” In a way, Takacs has been fooling players and coaches for much more than her time here at Cal. As a high school freshman back in Ohio, she participated on a club lacrosse program. When the 11th grade team did not have enough players to participate in a tournament, the coach asked Takacs to join the squad. Takacs immediately earned the attention of NCAA schools, Cal being one of them, not knowing she was only a freshman. Over time, Takacs researched Cal and always kept the idea of trekking to the Bay Area in the back of her mind throughout her recruiting process. After being courted by multiple top-10 lacrosse programs, Takacs decided she wanted to be a Bear and join the up-and-coming Cal team. “I realized that Cal fit my personality and needs in every way,” Takacs said. “I chose Cal because of the girls on the team, the academic excellence, and more broadly speaking, the Bay Area in general. I wanted diversity and I wanted to get a four-year academic and athletic experience that would help me grow in the best way possible. Cal has exceeded my expectations.” Takacs wasted no time in taking advantage of her time in Berkeley. After a productive freshman campaign when she ranked fifth on the team in scoring, Takacs earned first-team All-MPSF notice as a sophomore in 2011 with her team-leading 48 points. But it wasn’t until just before the start of her junior campaign when Takacs received her biggest opportunity to shine. Just before the season opener, Cal lost one of its season captains and key attacker, Tara Arolla, to a season-ending injury. Miles and her staff decided to move Takacs from midfielder to attacker. “We knew that our offense had to make some adjustments,” Takacs said. “The coaches then decided to move me down to attack so I could solely focus on the offensive piece of the game. I was excited because my favorite part of the game is offensive sets, assisting and scoring goals.” Takacs went on to have a monster season that included being named to all-region, All-MPSF team, MPSF All-Academic and, of course, MPSF Player of the Year. She finished the year as Cal’s leader in goals (53), draw controls (63), game-winning goals (4) and free-position goals (11 of 16 attempts). “I wouldn’t have had the year I had if it wasn’t for our attacking coach, Allison Comito,” Takacs said of the Bears’ assistant who was a two-time first team All-American at Maryland. “She specializes in attack, and I learned moves that I never even knew existed in lacrosse. She made me see the big picture of the attacking side of the game and the importance of utilizing the skills individuals bring to the attack. With that [knowledge], my teammates and I used our best skills in order to have a fluid attack.” Although her Cal career will come to an end at the conclusion of this season, there is still plenty more in Takacs’ lacrosse future. Because her mother was born north of the border, Takacs will be able to represent Canada at the World Cup over the summer. Following her international experience, Takacs, an American studies major, hopes to return to the Bay Area and start her postcollegiate career. Given some of the numbers Takacs has posted for the Bears, she’ll also be sticking around in the Cal record book for years to come. SPRING 2013

33


ACADEMiC ACHiEVEMENT Distance Runner Anna Corrigan Is No Ordinary Newcomer By Herb Benenson

A

environmental engineering school in the country.” Corrigan was also intrigued by research being conducted by Kara Nelson, an associate professor in the engineering school who was studying ways to design better drinking water treatment for Third World countries – which matched her interest exactly. “That was my main reason for coming to Cal before I even knew I had track eligibility left,” Corrigan said. One week after she signed her fellowship papers to join the master’s program in Berkeley last March, Corrigan received the results of an MRI test that revealed a stress fracture. With her final spring season on hold, she realized that could still compete a year later, but this time as a Golden Bear in 2013. “I was just lucky that this was a program that had produced world-class athletes and we had a wonderful coaching staff,” Corrigan said. It also helped that Virginia head coach Brian Fetzer is a former Cal assistant, and all it took was one phone call to connect Corrigan with director of track & field Tony Sandoval and the Golden Bears. Soon enough, Corrigan settled into her new environment in the Bay Area and was back training again. Coincidentally, her Cal debut came against her former Virginia colleagues in an April 6 tri-meet with Michigan at Edwards Stadium. Once Corrigan completes her master’s requirements in May, she has several options to consider. She may continue her education for a Ph.D., but more than likely will first find time to put her studies to work either here in the United States developing water systems or working on the ground oversees. Like so many students who come through Cal, Corrigan hopes to make the world a better place to live.

nna Corrigan is not your ordinary newcomer to the Cal track & field team. A graduate student in environmental engineering, she came to campus this past fall already armed with her undergraduate degree and several years experience competing at one of the nation’s more prestigious universities.

Yet the drive to learn at the No. 1 public institution in the country and compete alongside world-class student-athletes brought her to Berkeley just the same. Under NCAA guidelines, a student who wants to pursue a graduate degree program not offered at his or her original school may transfer and compete immediately. Such was the case with Corrigan, but she is not the only Golden Bear to take advantage of the rule. Teammate and fellow distance runner. Joseph Greenspun arrived at Cal this season after earning a degree in electrical engineering from Boston University to work as an M.S./Ph.D. student in electrical engineering. Last year, middle-distance specialist Dylan Isaacson studied for his master’s in public health after receiving his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Columbia. Corrigan, meanwhile, compiled an impressive list of credentials during her four years at Virginia. An Academic All-American and three-time member of the ACC honor roll, she was the conference runner-up in the indoor 3000 meters and earned all-region honors in cross country. She also finished her requirements for a degree in systems engineering with a minor in civil engineering. As an academic senior last year, Corrigan looked ahead to graduate schools without any indication she would have remaining athletic eligibility. Cal quickly rose to the top of her list. “Cal had the most interesting research by far of all the programs,” Corrigan said. “To start with, it’s the top civil and

Virginia transfer Anna Corrigan is studying for her master’s degree in environmental engineering at Cal.

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CAL SPORTS quARTERLY


ACADEMiC ACHiEVEMENT Taking Every Opportunity to Make a Difference

By Taylor Dutch ’13

B

eing a student-athlete at Cal means many things. It means accomplishing comprehensive excellence in both academic and athletic pursuits. It means constant growth towards one’s full potential. But one of the most important qualities that makes a Cal student-athlete is the ability to create a positive, lasting impression on the community. With her zero-waste initiative, senior Annie Goransson of the women’s tennis team exemplifies what it means to be a true Cal student-athlete.

research on the reuse of tennis balls since 300 million of them produced worldwide eventually end up in landfills. She explored whether the material used to make tennis balls was recyclable, and eventually found that the material is in fact reusable, prompting another question: why are there no programs to recycle them? “There are just small things, little the trash,” Goransson said. “It’s good to “It would be interesting to send this things you can do everyday for the com- increase some awareness, which eventu- report to some organizations in the U.S. munity, for the environment, for other ally changes behavior.” like the USTA and maybe get the word people that are really important,” said Goransson’s passion for environmen- spread since it’s possible (to recycle),” Goransson, “and it can make a big differ- tal issues started in the fall of 2011 with said Goransson, pausing in thought. ence in the long run.” a simple question asked by her land- “I think it’s important that at (tennis) In September 2012, clubs they have a place Goransson led a zero-waste to throw old tennis balls program for the Cal Nike away, because so many Invitational at the Hellman people just don’t know Tennis Complex and Chanwhat to do with them and ning Tennis Courts. The goal they end up in the trash for the weekend was to procan.” mote zero waste, meaning In the four years she has all discarded materials are been a Golden Bear, Goransrecycled, composted or reson has certainly made her used, and nothing is sent to mark at Cal. Although she the landfill. will be graduating in May, In order to accomplish Goransson wishes to conthe goal for the tournament, tinue to explore and create Goransson applied for a more opportunities for susgrant from Campus Recytainability. In June, she will cling and Refuse Services travel to Tanzania to work in the spring of 2012. The The Cal tennis teams set a tone at the Hellman Tennis Complex with their with African Immigrants’ CRRS accepted her appli- sign: Don’t be trashy. Recycle. Social and Cultural Services cation and gave Goransson to help build solar panels funds to set up bins for compostables, scape architecture professor: how can and give the local school electricity. recyclables and waste, as well as bring we make the campus more sustainable? “I’m so grateful,” Goransson said. “I feel in student volunteers to identify what It was this query that prompted Gorans- like with what I got here (at Cal), I have product goes where. son to consider how the Cal tennis pro- an obligation to take these opportunities “You just have to start thinking and be- gram, and tennis worldwide, could be when they come, because not that many ing a little bit aware of it and once you’re more sustainable as a sport. people have these opportunities.” aware of it, you notice how wrong it feels Goransson has since expanded her Spoken like a true Cal studentto put something that is recyclable in approach this year by conducting athlete. SPRING 2013

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home events 2013 SPRING caleNdaR a P R Il 1

LAX vs. Stetson

5

WTN vs. Oregon

6

SB vs. Oregon (DH) T&F vs. Michigan, Virginia

7

WWP vs. Loyola Marymount SB vs. Oregon

10

SB vs. Saint Mary’s

12

MTN vs. Utah BAS vs. Oregon

13

BAS vs. Oregon RUG vs. Saint Mary’s MTN vs. Arizona

14

BAS vs. Oregon

16

BAS vs. San Francisco

BAS CRW LAX RUG SB MTN WTN T&F WWP

M ay

17

SB vs. Santa Clara

19

SB vs. Oregon State WTN vs. Stanford WWP vs. Stanford LAX vs. Denver BAS vs. Washington State

20

Baseball (Evans Diamond) Men’s & Women’s Crew (Redwood Shores) Lacrosse (Memorial Stadium) Rugby (Witter Rugby Field) Softball (Levine-Fricke Field) Men’s Tennis (Hellman Courts) Women’s Tennis (Hellman Courts) Track & Field (Edwards Stadium) Women’s Water Polo (Spieker Pool)

3

SB vs. Stanford

4

SB vs. Stanford CRW vs. Stanford

SB vs. Oregon State BAS vs. Washington State

5

21

10

SB vs. Stanford

SB vs. Oregon State BAS vs. Washington State

BAS vs. Arizona State

23

BAS vs. Arizona State

BAS vs. Cal Poly

26

T&F in Brutus Hamilton Open WWP in MPSF Championships

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LAX vs. Stanford RUG vs. TBA Varsity Cup semifinal T&F in Brutus Hamilton Challenge WWP in MPSF Championships

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WWP in MPSF Championships

11 12

BAS vs. Arizona State

17

BAS vs. Stanford

18

BAS vs. Stanford

19

BAS vs. Stanford

20

BAS vs. Gonzaga

For a complete schedule, pick up a Cal schedule card at any home event or visit the official Cal website at www.CalBears.com.

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