Cal Sports Quarterly - Spring 2008 by Cal Media Relations

What will your kids remember?

A neighborhood in touch with nature. Coming soon.

orindawilder.com

925-254-9900

SPORTS

CONTENTS

QUARTERLY

FEATURES

RAISING THE BAR

30 6

Each year, Jeff Rogers, head track coach at St. Mary’s High School in Berkeley, heads to the basketball court at the start of freshman practice in search of the next great high jumper. When he discovered Ed Wright, he not only found a future state champion, but someone who could break the Cal record Rogers set as a Golden Bear senior 18 years ago.

The Write Stuff

Through the grind of a collegiate softball season that can reach up to 75 games and extend from early February until mid-June, senior third baseman Katie Vickers has found the perfect diversion to keep her centered in her busy life – writing. This summer, Vickers hopes to get a start on her postgraduate career by interning for Cal alum and Yahoo! Sports columnist Mike Silver.

The Many Deeds of Mary Dee Karp

Qualities you find in many Bear Backers seem to be universal – drive, determination, loyalty, excellence – but there are some supporters of Cal Athletics who make you realize you may not have understood what those words mean. Mary Dee Karp, a season-ticket holder, major donor and devotee of many of Cal’s 27 sports, is one of those Bear Backers.

Football Haul Benefits Both Sides of Ball

Five high school All-Americans highlight the 21-player recruiting class head coach Jeff Tedford announced on National Signing Day in February. Addressing needs on both sides of the ball, 11 of the signees will bolster the offense, while nine are defensive players and one is a specialist.

From Pigskin to Pitch

When Bryan Van Meter scored a try against Oregon at the UCLA Tournament in January, the newcomer to rugby did more than add five points to the scoring column for Cal – he also started the latest chapter in what once was a common tradition of footballers who earned a second letter representing their University on the rugby pitch.

DEPARTMENTS LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

SIDELINE REPORT

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

SEASON PREVIEWS

ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

HOME EVENTS CALENDAR

6 SPRING 2008

LETTER from Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour Dear Friend of Cal Athletics:

pring is in full gear, and as I write this we are in the midst of our winter championships and heading to the heart of our spring sport seasons. Once again we stand atop the NACDA Directors’ Cup fall standings and have our sights set on strong winter and spring finishes, for our customary place in the final top 10.

Our coaches and student-athletes are able to construct these performances because, as a community, the Cal family has stepped forward and supported their excellence. That support takes many forms. Of course, your financial contributions enable us to acquire uniforms, provide medical care, make tutoring and other academic assistance available, fund competitive trips and provide the best coaching and support in America! Your gifts, large and small, make THE difference in our ability to field nationally competitive programs at Cal. We know you would want it no other way – because dozens of you tell me every day. Please know that literally, every dollar makes a difference.

SPRING 2008 ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS: Sandy Barbour DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS: Steve Holton DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS/SWA: Teresa Kuehn Gould SENIOR ASSOCIATE AD/INTERCOLLEGIATE SERVICES: Foti Mellis ASSOCIATE AD/HUMAN RESOURCES & FINANCIAL SERVICES: Dawn Whalin

We are 8,500 Bear Backers strong! Many other schools are envious of our robust and generous group of donors. However, with a living alumni base of over 400,000, there are far too many of your fellow alumni who are currently not participating as Bear Backers. We all know that we have more than 8,500 individuals and families that care passionately about success in our athletics programs and the experience of our 900 student-athletes.

349 Haas Pavilion Berkeley, CA 94720

So why aren’t they Bear Backers? My guess is that a large number of them think that their ability to contribute is so minimal (in their minds!) that their donation wouldn’t have an impact, so why bother. Nothing could be further from the truth.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Scott Ball, Dean Caparaz, Chris DeConna, Anton Malko, Tim Miguel, Anna Oleson-Wheeler, Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, John Sudsbury

Every dollar helps us to provide appropriate conditions for success for each of our 27 programs. I ask that, as proud Bear Backers, you help us to encourage and solicit new members to join in the effort to make our intercollegiate athletics program the very best in the country. No matter the capacity, each of them has an ability to make a difference for a student-athlete. As we come to the finish in the 2007-08 year in California Athletics, I thank your for your support, encouragement and steadfast commitment to helping us achieve our mission of athletic excellence while maintaining high academic and character standards. Your phone calls, e-mails and letters bolster my confidence every day. Thank you for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Go Bears!

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR: Herb Benenson

DESIGN: Evan Kerr PHOTOGRAPHY: John Todd (www.goldenbearsports.com), Michael Pimentel, Michael Burns, Kellie Cox, Don Faria, Mollie McClure, John Dunbar, Evan Kerr, Ray Anderson, Phillip Colla, 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 www.CalBears.com. ON THE COVER Senior high jumper Ed Wright, the 2007 Pac-10 champion, is trying to break the Cal record in the event, which just happens to be held by his high school coach, Jeff Rogers. Cover photo by John Todd

Sandy Barbour Director of Athletics

cal sports quarterly

VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER: Solly Fulp (925) 472-6585 sfulp@ispsports.com

SIDELINE REPORT

Spring Is Championship Season for GOLDEN BEAR Athletics

his spring, Golden Bears fans will have the opportunity to witness three championship events hosted by Cal Athletics – Pac-10 men’s golf, MPSF women’s lacrosse and NCAA women’s rowing. The first title to be contested will be men’s golf, which will be held April 28-30 at the Meadow Club in nearby Fairfax. The course is home to the Bears’ annual Alister MacKenzie Invitational in the fall, an event Cal has captured three times since 2003. The Pac-10 championships feature teams from all 10 schools in the conference, and past individual medalists have included Charlie Wi of Cal (1995), Tiger Woods of Stanford (1996), Phil Mickelson of Arizona State (1990) and Corey Pavin of UCLA (1982). Taking place almost simultaneously, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation lacrosse tournament will run April 30 through May 3 in Memorial Stadium on campus. Stanford has won the last three crowns, while Denver entered the year ranked 16th in the country. Cal, now led by first-year head coach Teresa Sherry, reached the final match in both 2004 and ’05. Finally, Cal will serve as the host school for the NCAA women’s crew championships May 30 through June 1 at Lake Natoma just outside Sacramento. The Bears claimed their first of two back-to-

Summer Camp Enrollment Open Now

n-line registration is now available for all 2008 Cal summer camps through CalBears.com. Space is limited, so make sure you reserve a place now. This summer, camps for boys and girls ages 6-19 are offered in baseball, basketball, soccer, football, field hockey, crew, volleyball, rugby, softball, strength & conditioning, lacrosse, water polo, swimming, tennis and more. Directed by Golden Bear coaches, team and individual camps run during the months of June, July and August, with day and resident options available. Information, including dates, prices, registration forms and all other details, is available at Calbears.com/camps. For questions, contact the Cal Summer Camps office at calcamps@berkeley.edu.

back national titles at the site in 2005, which also serves as the home course for the Pac-10 regatta each spring. More information, including schedules, ticket information and directions, will be posted on CalBears.com. Looking ahead, the NCAA women’s basketball tournament will be coming to Haas Pavilion in both 2009 and 2010. Cal will host the regional semifinals and final next year and first- and secondround games in 2010.

Kat Reilly

Natalie LaRochelle

Krystie Piscopo

Justin Pollard

Ryan Taylor

Emily Verdin

New SAAC Officers Chosen

at Reilly, a sophomore on the Golden Bear volleyball team, has been chosen to serve as the new president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. The other officers in the student-athlete-run organization are Krystie Piscopo (lacrosse), Ryan Taylor (rugby), Natalie LaRochelle (swimming), Emily Verdin (swimming) and Justin Pollard (swimming), who is also vice-president of Pac-10 SAAC. Among SAAC’s areas of responsibility are providing student-athlete feedback to the department administration, fostering student-athlete welfare and organizing community service efforts. Among the projects it has undertaken are Bears Give Back, the Faculty Feast and College Sports Day.

SPRING 2008

SIDELINE

REPORT

Football Tickets on Sale Now for 2008 Campaign

CALIFORNIA

2008 Cal Football Schedule Aug. 30 Michigan State Sept. 6 at Washington State Sept. 13 at Maryland Sept. 27 Colorado State Oct. 4 Arizona State Oct. 18 at Arizona Oct. 25 UCLA Nov. 1 Oregon Nov. 8 at USC Nov. 15 at Oregon State Nov. 22 Stanford Dec. 6 Washington

GOLDEN BEARS

ickets for the 2008 Cal football season are now available through the Cal Athletic Ticket Office, and if past sales provide any indication, high demand means the best seats will disappear quickly. Golden Bear fans have broken the school season-ticket record each of the last four years, topping out at 41,336 last season. To ensure your place in Memorial Stadium, order today by logging on to Tickets link at CalBears.com or calling (800) GO BEARS. This year’s seven-game home schedule kicks off with Michigan State Aug. 30 and includes Colorado State, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon and Washington, in addition to the Big Game vs. Stanford Nov. 22. Season tickets are priced at $360 for reserved seats and $298 for both faculty staff and young alumni. All seats in both the Blue Zone and the Gold Zone are reserved for the first time this year (no general admission) and are $185 for adults and $107 for youth (grade 12 and lower) and seniors.

Home and away single-game tickets will go on sale at the dates noted below, and there are maximum tickets allowed per category.

June 3

Donor season-ticket holders at Pappy Waldorf level and above ($7,800+)

June 10

Donor season-ticket holders at Coaches Club level and above ($2,100+)

Donor non-season-ticket holders at Pappy Waldorf level and above

June 24

Donor season-ticket holders at Cal Club level and above ($75+)

Donor non-season-ticket holders at Coaches Club level and above

July 8

All season-ticket holders

July 15

General public

Campus’ Annual Open House – Cal Day – Set for April 12

al fans won’t want to miss the campus’ annual open house — Cal Day — on Saturday, April 12. From 9 a.m.-4 p.m., visitors of all ages can take in lectures by top faculty, hear performances by the Cal Band, and try hands-on activities including finding fossils, manipulating robots and handling reptiles. Sports fans can get a glimpse of the 2008 football team at a spring practice session in Memorial Stadium, and can cheer on the Bears at softball vs. Oregon State, men’s tennis vs. Washington, and track & field in the Big Meet vs. Stanford. 4

cal sports quarterly

Labs, sports facilities, and libraries will be open with special tours offered at many venues. Admission is free for the day to University museums, including the Lawrence Hall of Science, the Berkeley Art Museum and the Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Younger fans can play games and have their photos taken with Oski at “OskiLand.” Shuttle buses will ferry visitors from the Downtown Berkeley BART station and motorized cable cars provide tours throughout the day. A complete schedule of activities is online at calday.berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2294 for more information.

SIDELINE

REPORT

ophomore forward Ryan Anderson looks on as freshman center Max Zhang, a native of Yantai, China, reads Green Eggs and Ham in Mandarin to a group of students at Holy Rosary Elementary School in Antioch. Several members of the men’s basketball team visited the school to read stories as part of Dr. Seuss Activity Day on Feb. 27.

Cal Athletics Can Be Found on YouTube

All Access link on CalBears.com. The University, as a whole, has been recognized for its innovation in taking advantage of YouTube capabilities (youtube.com/ucberkeley) by posting such videos as class lectures and campus events, and Cal is one of the first athletic departments in the country to have an official YouTube presence. eceives ifetime Through its broad reach, YouTube is able to contact a chievement onor far greater audience than is ormer Golden Bear basketball standcurrently available for Calout Kevin Johnson received the John R. Bears.com. Among the mostWooden Lifetime Achievement Award at watched athletics videos so the 17th annual Sports Legends Awards in Los far are a one-on-one interview Angeles in February. with men’s basketball’s DeVon An All-Pac-10 guard at Cal from 1984-87 and a Hardin, a behind-the-scenes member of the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame, Johnson feature with the volleyball was honored for his work with the St. Hope Founteam at the NCAA final four dation, an organization he founded in his hometown and an interview with Ashley of Sacramento to assist the inner-city community Walker of the women’s basof Oak Park. Today, St. Hope serves more than ketball team. 2,000 children, and in the last 15 years has been New videos will be uploadresponsible for renovating nine buildings, providing ed continuously, so check back 282 jobs through 14 new businesses and opening often to see the latest on the multiple charter schools with a total of more than Golden Bears. For additional $11 million in development. exclusive video, such as live The Sports Legends Awards are sponsored by games and radio broadcasts, the Paralysis Project of America and benefit spinal also sign up for an All Access cord research. pass through CalBears.com.

n an effort to expand the visibility of Cal Athletics, the department recently developed its own site on YouTube, the leading online video community that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. Found at youtube.com/calathletics, the site includes game highlights, commercials and video board features, as well as player and coach interviews, many of which can also be viewed through the

KJ R A

L H

SPRING 2008

FEATURE

Raising the Bar Senior Ed Wright Continues Cal’s Strong Tradition in the High Jump

By Herb Benenson

n the first day of freshman basketball practice at Berkeley’s St. Mary’s High School, Jeff Rogers knows exactly where he needs to be.

Ed Wright

cal sports quarterly

Although he serves as the school’s track & field coach, he is right there in the gym, studying aspiring players as they run through layup drills. At this point, whether the ball goes through the hoop doesn’t concern him much. Instead, he’s carefully analyzing the players to see if they have the right spring in their step. His goal? Uncovering the next great high jumper. “They jump off of one foot and reach up to lay it in,” Rogers said. “That mimics a high jump motion as well as you are going to get in another sport. Some kids you can see that they are going to naturally get off the ground pretty easily. High jumpers have a bounce to their step. You can just spot them.” Rogers speaks from experience. A high jumper himself, he starred at Cal and set the still-standing school record with a leap of 7-5 3/4 in 1990. And almost eight years ago, he found just the person who could break his Golden Bear mark – current Cal senior Ed Wright. Wright was a skinny 5-7 freshman when he tried out for the St. Mary’s basketball team his first year at the school. But right away, Rogers noticed something special. “I looked at him and said, ‘That’s my guy,’” recalled Rogers, who had just lost 7-foot high jumper and 2000 state champion Ebon Glenn (younger brother of former Cal offensive lineman Tarik Glenn) to graduation. Wright was initially hesitant to leave the court for the track. But after a little coaxing from Rogers, he decided to give high jump a try. Results came slowly. As a freshman, he managed to reach only 5-4, and frustration set in.

“I didn’t even like the high jump, to be honest with you,” Wright said. “The technique was just too hard to grasp at the time. I didn’t have the patience to do it. All I wanted to do was play basketball.” Wright decided that he’d had enough of the high jump and would return to basketball fulltime. Rogers, though, convinced him to come out again for his sophomore season, and soon, everything began to click. As he began to accept the discipline required of the high jump, Wright’s burning desire to win and, according to Rogers, outperform his predecessors, also helped fuel his improvement. Wright qualified for the state meet as a sophomore, leaping 6-4, and after an injury-filled junior campaign, returned as a senior, clearing 7-feet at the league championships and winning the state meet with a jump of 6-10 1/4. “Some of the best high jumpers in the world don’t have basketball backgrounds,” Wright said. “They’re very technical. The technique of the high jump is probably the biggest thing to conquer to be an elite high jumper. That’s something I’ve struggled with for years. And I’m still learning. I haven’t even jumped for 10 years, so this is still new to me.”

conference champion indoors (7-3) and looks to maintain his momentum as he heads into the outdoor season. Wright credits his rapid improvement to his competitive nature, a trait he developed at an early age. “I’m pretty hard on myself,” he said. “I don’t like losing, and I’ll do whatever it takes to win. That stems from basketball. Late in ballgames when you’re losing, you want to take the ball to the basket ever time. It’s kind of the same with high jump. You just have to be a little careful that you don’t press because it is such a technical event. Having the will to want to win every time and wanting to be the best – that type of confidence is definitely important to have. You want to have a positive and confident attitude.” Miller, a member of the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame for his exploits as a decathlete, believes that Wright has both the mental and physical abilities to make the U.S. Olympic team someday, perhaps even as soon as this summer if everything – and a little luck – comes together. He has become a consistent 7-foot jumper and has raised the bar each season he has been in Berkeley. “Athletic ability is a major factor, of course, but high jumping consists of a lot of physics,” said Miller, who is in his 25th season coaching the Bears. “You have to understand the positions to get “Having the will to want to win every time into to jump high. It’s not just running and jumping. It’s leaning into and wanting to be the best – that type of the turn. It’s developing centrifugal confidence is definitely important to have. force, which is really loading into You want to have a positive and confident the ground at the right angle. It’s going vertical at the takeoff, not attitude.” sliding into the pit. You have to trust that you can jump straight up – Ed Wright

Following graduation from St. Mary’s, Wright soon found himself in a Cal uniform, jumping for the same coach – Ed Miller – who mentored Rogers during his schooldays in Berkeley. “It’s a neat little family circle,” Wright said. The relationship between Miller and Rogers was a guiding factor in Wright’s decision to remain close to home for college. During the recruiting process, Miller presented the history of the high jump at Cal – one that included 10 conference champions and 20 AllAmericans, Rogers among them – to demonstrate how much the school cares about the event. Almost right away, Wright found success as a Bear. As a freshman, he tied for third at the Pac-10 championships, jumping 6-11 3/4, and he matched his place and height as a sophomore. In 2007, Wright broke through with league titles and All-American honors both indoors and outdoors, setting a personal-best with a leap of 7-3 1/4 when he won the NCAA West Regional crown. Wright has gotten off to another strong start in 2008 as the repeat

in the air out of a turn and then let this somersaulting effect pull you into the pit. Ed has athletic ability and he’s a bright kid, so he has all of the components.” During his tenure at Cal, Miller has coached six All-Americans and four Pac-10 champions in the high jump, and Wright’s bigmeet results have surpassed them all. His fifth-place finish at last year’s NCAA meet was the best for a Bear since Bill Carter tied for fifth in 1965, while Wright’s leap of 7-3 at the 2007 Pac-10 championships not only made him Cal’s first league titlist in 13 SPRING 2008

CALIFornia HIGH Jump History Outdoor All-Americans Ed Wright

Brick Muller

1922

Brick Muller

6-1 1/2

1925

Oather Hampton

6-2

1946

Chuck Hanger

6-4

T5th

1948

Chuck Hanger

6-6

T3rd

1960

Eureal Bell & Dick Daily

6-4

T7th

1962

Gene Johnson

6-9

T2nd

1963

Roger Olsen

6-9

2nd

1964

Gene Johnson

6-10

2nd

Roger Olsen

6-9

1965

Bill Carter

6-8

T5th

1968

Clarence Johnson

6-10

T8th

1970

Clarence Johnson

6-10

T7th

1988

Jeff Rogers

7-1 1/2

11th

1990

Jeff Rogers

7-3

1994

Kevin Keane

6-11

1997

Greg Walker

7-0 1/2

T7th

1998

Greg Walker

7-0 1/2

T9th

2003

Teak Wilburn

7-1 3/4

T12th

2004

Teak Wilburn

7-2 1/2

7th

2005 David Glasgow

7-1 1/2

11th

2007

7-2 1/2

T5th

Ed Wright

5th

7th T19th

Outdoor Conference Champions

Chuck Hanger

Teak Wilburn

1919

John Jackson

6-1 3/8

1927

Oather Hampton

6-1

1938

Bob Law

6-4

1939 Mel Long

6-2

1948

Chuck Hanger

6-4

1964

Gene Johnson

6-7 3/4

1965

Bill Carter

6-9 1/4

1987 Mike Harris

7-2 1/2

1993

Kevin Keane

7-0 1/2

1994

Kevin Keane

7-1 1/2

2007

Ed Wright

7-3

Jeff Rogers

Mike Harris Kevin Keane David Glasgow Clarence Johnson

3rd T1st

cal sports quarterly

years, but also set a school record for the conference championships. Though he won’t necessarily admit it, Wright almost seemed predestined for a career in track & field. Wright’s father is Mal Whitfield, one of the most accomplished runners in U.S. history. An Olympic goal medalist in the 800 meters at the 1948 and 1952 Games, Whitfield also won a bronze in the 400 meters in 1948 and was part of two other medal-winning relays. The 1954 Sullivan Award winner as the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States, he was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1988. Following his competitive days, Whitfield began a distinguished diplomatic career, mostly in Africa. In 1986, he and Harriet Wright welcomed a son, who was born in Nairobi, Kenya. Harriet Wright soon returned to her Oakland home with Ed, where she raised him with the help of her father, who provided a strong male presence in his life. “I don’t think my dad’s success in track & field inspired me to be a track athlete,” Ed Wright said. “When I was younger, I used to run the 400. Everyone thought, he’ll be like his dad. But it wasn’t an event that I really enjoyed, and I really didn’t have a passion for track & field. I just wanted to be active and play basketball. When I picked it back up in high school, I wanted to create my own legacy. What my dad has done for the sport is phenomenal. It would be hard to duplicate that. If I have the opportunity to create my own legacy in track & field, I want to do it in the high jump.” Because of their continental separation, Wright and Whitfield haven’t built a strong relationship, staying in touch via occasional letters to each other. Instead, Wright credits his mother and grandfather as the most positive influences on his upbringing. He mostly kept his relationship to his famous father quiet. “I didn’t know about his dad until he was in school here,” Miller said. “He never mentioned it, and his mother is the dominant person in his life. She’s a wonderful person and has done a great job with him.” Since he has been at Cal, Wright has matured in all aspects of the high jump. He has filled out to a full 5-10 in height and increased his knowledge of his specialty. At Edwards Stadium, that includes observing how other high-caliber athletes approach their events, including 2007 NCAA 800-meter champion and fellow senior Alysia Johnson. “One way I get psyched up for meets is by watching other people and their preparation, seeing how seriously they take it,” Wright said. “Alysia is my hero, my role model. I’ve picked up a lot from her. She is one of those people to look at and admire because she’s so focused and so intense.” Wright has come a long way from his early workouts with Rogers at St. Mary’s, realizing that he must completely devote himself in order to succeed at the highest levels. He has learned that he cannot wait until the day of the meet to start preparing mentally for

Senior Ed Wright stands with his high school coach Jeff Rogers (left), the Golden Bear record-holder in the high jump, and Ed Miller, who coached both Rogers and Wright at Cal.

competition. Just as he does with his physical training, he begins priming himself emotionally well before the schedule even begins. “A month before the season starts, I’m already thinking about my first meet,” he said. “I’m already thinking about height progressions. I’ve always been an intense competitor. I’m always thinking about my next move. “It’s just like golf when someone has to putt,” he added. “They have to visualize. They have to find where the break in the green is. In the high jump, we have to visualize our approach before we run it. There is preparation before each jump.” Wright, whose love for the sport has grown tremendously since his arrival at Cal, continues to take advantage of the opportunities presented to him. In addition to training daily with Miller, he still regularly checks in with Rogers and leans on him for additional advice. “He’s the first person I call after any track meet,” Wright said of Rogers. “His record is still intact, and I definitely want to become the school recordholder. For someone who has kind of weaned me into this event, I want to stay in touch with him as much as possible. He kind of made all this happen.” And to think, it all started with a simple layup at freshman basketball tryouts. SPRING 2008

cal sports quarterly

ISP REPORT Marketing, ISP Team Up for Come to College Days

he Cal Marketing Department and ISP are working to expand the Come to College Program throughout the academic year. The goal is to reach out to local youth in the Bay Area and give them the opportunity to see the University by way of an athletic event. For many of these youngsters, it will be the first time they have set foot on a college campus. More than 3,000 youth attended the football Come to College Day, which was held during the Louisiana Tech game on Sept 15. Approximately 600 participants came to the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball Come to College Day, with 1,000 attending a womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball game and 400 going to a volleyball match. Plans include adding programs to have studentathletes interact with the participants, leading a guided campus tour, providing Come to College t-shirts and creating special pregame areas with youth activities. The program is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance, Odwalla, DonJoy and RBC Dain Rauscher. For more information about the Come to College program, please contact Gina Leslie at (510) 643-0840 or gleslie@berkeley.edu.

SPRING 2008

FEATURE

The

e t i r W

Stuff Putting Pen to Paper Helps Katie Vickers Explore Her Imagination

hrough the grind of a collegiate softball season that can reach up to 75 games and extend from early February through mid-June, senior third baseman Katie Vickers has found the perfect diversion to keep her centered in her busy life.

Katie Vickers

“Writing helps me escape,” she said. “It is a great platform for me to be original and imaginative.” A San Diego native who arrived at Cal after a brief stopover in Georgia, Vickers wants to turn her writing into more than just a leisure activity. This summer, she plans to work with Michael Silver, a 1988 Cal graduate, former senior writer at Sports Illustrated and current columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Vickers will spend time with Silver learning the profession, honing her writing skills and building contacts, while hopefully securing an internship sometime in the near future. “He has been out to a lot of our games,” said Vickers. “And that is how my mom introduced me to him. During my sophomore year, he was really close to Haley Woods’ family, so I got to know him better that way, too. “I’ve always wanted to break into sports media, and I would always go online and read his articles on Sports Illustrated and Yahoo! He is a definite inspiration.” Although he has never technically “mentored” anyone before, Silver has groomed others in the

By Chris DeConna 12

cal sports quarterly

industry, most notably ESPN anchor Josh Elliott. At the same to- position where I can write creatively and use my own style with ken, Silver explained that he has absolutely no reservations guid- no restrictions.” On the field, Vickers has used her resourcefulness to become a ing someone, especially like Vickers, who he has closely followed solid contributor to the Bears’ success. In her first season at Cal, throughout the years. “I hope that she can learn that there is a work-ethic component she saw action in 60 games and produced 41 hits and 28 RBI. She that blends itself with an interpersonal component.” Silver said. followed up in 2007 with an even better campaign with 49 hits, 19 “It’s about building relationships and bonding. It’s about getting runs and 37 RBI, and she has returned for her senior year as the into people’s worlds and getting to the heart of the story. I think all Bears’ third baseman this spring. “She’s been a great person comof that helps a journalist. I really feel that Cal, ing into our program,” said head and the Cal mentality, really lends itself perfectcoach Diane Ninemire. “She came ly to that concept. We (Cal alumni and students) in and was an immediate impact are the type of people that are going to throw player for our program. She didn’t themselves out there in this world. Katie is skip a beat when she came in and someone that has had to fight and claw her way quickly earned a starting role at to get where she is at today. She has a chance to third base. This year, she is doing be a step ahead of everyone else. Anyone who is a great job offensively for us with that fired up about being in this profession, I’m her hitting and RBI production. willing to make that dream happen.” She has just been an outstanding Adding to his enthusiasm is the fact that Silver addition to our program.” will be helping a player from his favorite college Vickers’ decision to transfer to team, although it didn’t start out that way when Cal was two-fold: one was to be he was editor of the Daily Californian. While nearer to her San Diego home, and writing for the school newspaper, Silver often the other was to be at an institupoked fun at the softball program until one day tion that was more tailored to her when a member of the team marched into his ofpersonality. fice and took the time to explain how great of a “I’m very happy with the move sport softball really is. Something in that converto Cal,” said Vickers. “I’m sation changed his perception, closer to family and I can feel and he has been a loyal fan ever great about receiving a desince. gree from Cal. It has meant Now, Silver gives the Golden everything to be here. EveryBears a presence on the national one – coaches and teammates stage almost weekly with regu– greeted me with open arms lar items in his column, a trawhen I transferred. I love dition he started several years Berkeley. It is the perfect fit ago when he was at Sports for me. I love the culture, the Illustrated. diversity and the freedom to “I think working with Mibe you and express how you chael this summer will help me feel. I know that not only am develop an appreciation for the I a better athlete, but a better profession and learn things I person because of my time probably never knew existed,” here. ” Vickers said. “I’m looking Like most student-athforward to the challenge no letes at Cal, free time does matter how big or small the task may be. This is what I’m Katie Vickers has been involved in many off-field activities, including a visit with not come often because of the hours put into practice passionate about, and I’m just Special Olympics softball players in San Jose. and the classroom. As a really excited that he is taking time out of his schedule to help me get started on the right foot in student, Vickers said that Cal has challenged her in ways she never thought possible. the industry.” “The curriculum and coursework at Cal is strenuous,” she said. Vickers, who transferred from the University of Georgia in 2006, hit a slight speed bump when she got to Cal because it does “You can’t just get by – especially in my major. The professors not offer journalism as an undergraduate major. However, she did know how push you to be the best you can be. I’ve learned how to not let that deter her spirits by taking other classes that can help her improve my writing skills, among other things. “It’s hard to have outside interests away from softball and the reach her dream. She is currently an American studies major with classroom,” Vickers added. “Those two things take up a large an emphasis in media and pop culture. “I love to write,” exulted Vickers when describing what attract- part of my life. But when I do find myself having some free time, ed her to this profession. “And just being an athlete and what I I just love to read and write. They serve as outlets for me to think have gone through as an athlete is special in itself. I think both of and be creative and explore new ways of thinking I never thought those things will help me succeed in life. I would love to be in a possible.” SPRING 2008

STAY WITH A WINNING TEAM! At Doubletree, we have an eager, attentive staff that is genuinely friendly and always willing to oblige. We’ll do whatever it takes to make the most out of your getaway. Located right on the Berkeley Marina just minutes from the campus and close to all of the amenities of the East Bay, San Francisco and the Wine Country. Enjoy the spectacular views from the Bay Grille and the Bay Lounge while dining on regional specialties. So just kick back and enjoy comfortable surroundings, a caring staff and a warm cookie at check-in. And Hilton HHonors® members can earn hotel points and airline miles for each stay!

A Member of the Hilton Family of Hotels.

200 Marina Blvd., Berkeley, CA 94710 Reservations: 1-800-222-TREE Hotel Direct: 510-548-7920 www.berkeleymarina.doubletree.com Hilton HHonors® membership, earning of Points & Miles®, and redemption of points are subject to HHonors Terms and Conditions. ©2006 Hilton Hospitality, Inc.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

All-American Coming into His Own as a Pro Former Cal Star Charlie Wi Is Competing on the PGA Tour

By John Sudsbury

ot to discount the value of physical skills and natural ability, but golf is a game that takes patience, persistence and tremendous mental fortitude. To reach his current level of success, PGA Tour golfer and Cal graduate Charlie Wi has displayed all of those characteristics, and not just while making shots on the course.

be able to make some money doing it.” The first 10 years of his professional golf career included stops on the European Tour, Asian Tour, Japanese Tour, Korean Tour and the Nationwide Tour back in the States. He has seen monkeys steal balls, cows on courses and fires scattering ash across fairways. Wi is in his third year of full-time action on the PGA Tour, an Through it all, he persevered and excelled, winning multiple impressive accomplishment considering that only 125 players earn tournaments, including his first career win at the 1997 Kuala Tour cards per year. In that time, he has had 14 top-25 finishes Lumpur Open in Malaysia. (through Mar. 10), including four in the top 10 and a second-place “As a first-team All-American, people may have expected me showing at the U.S. Bank Championon the PGA Tour right away,” Wi ship in Milwaukee in 2007. said. “But everybody has their own Despite that success, Wi did not path. How I got there, the path that I go straight from collegiate star to took, I learned so much; I got to see PGA Tour standout. A first-team so much. I would never trade those All-American, Wi captured the Pacexperiences.” 10 individual championship in 1995 Now in action at the highest level – the only Cal golfer to have ever of professional golf, Wi has the opwon the league title. In addition, the portunity to enjoy more than just Westlake Village, Calif., product led the well-groomed courses with limthe Golden Bears to a sixth-place naited varmints. He also hears familiar tional finish in their first NCAA ficheers. nals appearance that season. “It’s great playing in the U.S.,” he Born in South Korea and raised in said. “(Earlier in February,) playing Southern California from the age of at Pebble Beach, I had the opportuFormer Cal greats (from left) Charlie Wi, Michael Wilson and 10, Wi initially attended the Univer- Peter Tomasulo pose with Golden Bear head coach Steve nity to see a lot of Cal people. And sity of Nevada, but transferred to Cal Desimone prior to competing in the 2008 AT&T National Proit’s really cool to hear people yelling, after his freshman season. Following Am Tournament at Pebble Beach. ‘Go Bears!’ I get to hear that a lot evhis collegiate career, he continued erywhere I go.” his nomadic ways on route to the ultra-challenging PGA Tour. And as far as the future, Wi simply plans on continuing with his “I’ve been through it all,” Wi said. “South Africa, all over Eu- patient attitude and enjoying his current success. rope, the Middle East, all over Asia. Golf has taken me all over the “I don’t want to think too far ahead,” he said. “I feel like life’s world. It’s been great; I feel blessed to do something I love and to going by so fast, I’m just enjoying it right now.” 16

cal sports quarterly

L E A D I N G

T H R O U G H

I N N O V A T I O N

Delivering World-Class Executive Education in Leadership Strategy Open Innovation Entrepreneurship Product Management Negotiating

Visit: http://execdev.haas.berkeley.edu Email: execdev@haas.berkeley.edu Call Toll-free: 1-877-UCB-EXEC (822-3932)

sports previews Baseball 2008 Outlook

Cal, owner of a No. 23 preseason ranking, features three preseason All-Americans in pitchers Tyson Ross and Matt Gorgen and first baseman David Cooper. The Golden Bears also return seven other starters, including third baseman Jeff Kobernus, a 2007 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American.

Head Coach

David Esquer, 9th year at Cal (230-215, .517) Esquer, the 2001 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, has seen 39 of his Cal players go on to the professional ranks and his latest recruiting classes have been ranked among the tops in the nation. In his playing and coaching career, Esquer has been involved in nine NCAA Regionals, two College World Series appearances and one national championship.

Players to Watch

Tyson Ross, right-handed pitcher, JR – 2007 first-team All-Pac-10 choice is a member of the U.S. National team ... David Cooper, first base, JR – like Ross, a first-team Pac-10 pick last year and on the Wallace Award Watch List as potential national player of the year … Josh Satin, second base, SR – a 2006 and 2007 Cape Cod League All-Star and a Freshman All-American in 2005.

Spring 2008

Cal’s Director of Athletics from 2001-04, has guided Cal to seven Pac-10 championships.

Rowers to Watch

Marko Marjanovic, SR – member of 2006 IRA and Pac10 championship varsity eight boat ... Charlie Smith, SR – won IRA titles in varsity eight in both 2005 and ’06 ... Gordon Getsinger, SR – member of junior varsity eight that took fifth at 2007 IRAs and second at 2006 IRAs.

Key Recruit

Jovan Popovic, FR – HS (Belgrade, Serbia) Medaled in the four and pair at World Championships

Important Home Dates

April 26 vs. Washington Cal is 6-3 vs. UW since 1999 May 3 vs. Stanford Bears have won last 17 duals against Cardinal

2007 Review

Cal’s varsity eight took fifth place at the IRA Regatta in Camden, N.J., though the Bears won national titles in the freshman four, varsity four and freshman eight. Cal also placed second at the Pac-10 Championships. The freshman eight finished the season undefeated for the second time in school history.

Did You Know?

48 Golden Bears have rowed in the Olympics, dating back to the 1928 Games.

Key Recruits

Mark Canha, outfield, FR – Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose, CA) MVP of the West Catholic League last spring Brian Guinn, infield, FR – Berkeley HS (El Sobrante, CA) 10th-round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox in ’07 Kevin Miller, right-handed pitcher, FR – Valley Christian HS (San Jose, CA) 13-1 with 102 strikeouts in 82.0 innings as a prep senior

Important Home Dates

April 4-6 vs. Oregon State Cal hosts two-time NCAA champion Oregon State May 2-4 vs. Arizona Wildcats are coaches’ pick to win Pac-10

2007 Review

Cal just missed qualifying for the 2007 NCAA Tournament, finishing with a 29-26 record and alone in fourth place in the Pac-10 with a 12-12 mark. The Bears won six of their final eight games, including a sweep of USC. In addition, Cal won series against College World Series qualifiers UC Irvine and Arizona State and shut out Oregon State, 4-0, on the road.

Did You Know?

2008 Outlook

With a veteran team led by seniors Mara Allen, Onna Poeter, Ali Seders and Candice Rediger, Cal looks to return to the NCAA medal stand this spring. The Bears, who captured championships in both 2005 and ’06, will host the NCAA Regatta May 30-June 1 at Lake Natoma near Sacramento on the same course they won their first crown three years ago.

Head Coach

Dave O’Neill, 10th year at Cal Under O’Neill, the Bears have advanced to the NCAA Championships every year. He had guided Cal to two national titles, as well as three Pac-10 crowns. The Bears also placed among the NCAA’s top three in both 1999 and 2002. This past summer, O’Neill coached the U.S. team at the Under-23 World Championships.

Rowers to Watch

MeN’s Crew

Mara Allen, SR – 2007 All-American was a key component of Cal’s NCAA championship teams in 2005 and ’06 ... Taryn O’Connell, SO – took sixth as a part of the U.S. pair at the Under-23 World Championships last summer … Candice Rediger, SR – member of second varsity eight that took second at the last three NCAA regattas.

2008 Outlook

Key Recruits

Bob Melvin, the 2007 National League Manager of the Year for the Arizona Diamondbacks, was a catcher on Cal’s 1980 College World Series team.

With a promising group of rowers, Cal looks to get back into the national title hunt again this spring. The Bears, who last won the varsity eight IRA title in 2006, feature a strong senior class that will be pushed by a talented group of sophomores. The freshman boat hopes to maintain its spot high in the standings after placing in the top two each of the last five years.

Head Coach

Steve Gladstone, 20th year at Cal Over his illustrious career, Gladstone’s crews have captured 11 IRA national titles – most in the history of collegiate rowing. Since 1998, Gladstone, who served as

Women’s Crew

cal sports quarterly

Bridget Moran, FR – Mother Theresa Catholic Secondary (London, Ontario) Fourth in the pair (with Sartor) at World Juniors Sam Sartor, FR – E.L. Crossley Secondary School (Foothill, Ontario) Member of eight that won the Peabody Cup at Henley in 2007

Important Home Dates

April 26 vs. Washington Cal has won the last four battles with the Huskies May 3 vs. Stanford Bears own a five-year win streak in series

2007 in Review

After being the runner-up at the Pac-10 Champi-

onships, Cal took seventh at the NCAA meet. The Bears’ second varsity eight won the conference title, with the varsity eight claiming third. At NCAAs, the second eight finished second and the varsity four was third.

Did You Know?

The first time Cal hosted the national championship regatta, it was held on Lake Merritt and the Bears won the varsity four title.

Men’s Golf 2007 Outlook

Head coach Steve Desimone brings a strong mix of experienced and talented players to the links in 2008. Senior Brandon Beck needs to return to form after battling illness, and a strong freshman class, including Stephen Hale and Eric Mina, hope to contribute immediately. Steady veterans George Gandranata, Evan Derian and Andrey Mindirgasov are expected to anchor the lineup.

Head Coach

Steve Desimone, 29th year at Cal Under Desimone’s guidance, the Bears captured the 2004 NCAA championship, coming from six strokes behind on the final day of competition. Cal has qualified for 10 NCAA Regionals and has advanced to the NCAA championship rounds five times since 1995.

Players to Watch

Brandon Beck, SR – all-conference selection returning to the lineup after missing the fall due to mononucleosis … George Gandranata, SO – led Cal with a 71.7 stroke average in the fall … Stephen Hale, FR – highly-touted freshman, averaged 72.2 during the fall campaign.

Key Recruits

Stephen Hale, FR – Garces Memorial HS (Bakersfield, CA) Averaged 69.55 during his senior season at Garces Eric Mina, FR – Bellarmine Prep (Fremont, CA) One of the top-rated junior golfers in the nation

Important Home Date

April 28-30 – Pac-10 Championship Cal hosts the event at The Meadow Club in Fairfax

2007 Review

Cal battled its way back to the NCAA regionals, finishing 15th to narrowly miss a return to the NCAA Championship. Senior Michael Wilson tied a school record by winning his third career individual title, while junior Michael Jensen (who is redshirting in 2008) paced the team with a 72.1 stroke average.

Did You Know?

Sophomore Andrey Mindirgasov, who was born in Moscow, is the son of Sergei, an Olympic silver medalist and a six-time world champion in fencing.

Women’s Golf 2008 Outlook

Led by returning All-Pac-10 performers in junior Allison Goodman and sophomore Sofia Janer, Cal entered the spring ranked No. 10 by Golfweek. Shannon Yocum is in the middle of her best season to date, and sophomore Roseanne Niven led Cal at two fall tournaments. Niven and freshman Pia Halbig topped Cal with 74.3 fall stroke averages.

Head Coach

Nancy McDaniel, 13th year at Cal McDaniel has directed the Bears to NCAA regionals

eight times and qualified for the NCAA championships on six occasions. She coached the Bears to three consecutive top-five national showings from 2004-06 and was the 2003 National Coach of the Year.

Players to Watch

Allison Goodman, JR – a 2007 honorable mention All-Pac-10 who was an all-region pick in 2006 … Roseanne Niven, SO – tied for the team scoring lead in the fall (74.3) … Shannon Yocum, JR – won the Ram Fall Classic for her first collegiate title.

Key Recruits

Pia Halbig, FR – Albert Einstein Gymnasium (Maintal, Germany) Placed third at the 2006 German Ladies Championship

2007 Review

Cal placed fifth at the Pac-10 championships for its sixth straight upper-division finish in the conference. The Bears strong showing at Pac-10s helped them earn their eighth consecutive NCAA regional selection. Allison Goodman was Cal’s top scorer in eight of 11 tournaments.

Did You Know?

Former Bear Sofie Andersson, who now plays professionally, has her own website for fans to follow her career – SofieAnderssonGolf.com.

Lacrosse 2008 Outlook

With the graduation of an important senior class in 2007, new head coach Theresa Sherry will look to the younger Bears to contribute and give Cal a deeper bench than in past years. Cal still boasts some veteran talent in senior attackers Danni Zuralow and Brittany Aungier and senior midfielders Cristen Andrews and Mary Downs.

Head Coach

Theresa Sherry, 1st year at Cal Sherry has a fresh outlook on the Bears buoyed by a playing career that included two NCAA championships at Princeton, an Under-19 World Championship and U.S. National team success. A three-time All-American, Sherry was a finalist for the prestigious Tewaaraton Trophy as a senior in 2004.

Players to Watch

Danni Zuralow, SR – Cal’s top returning scorer (27 goals, 13 assists, 40 points) will look to lead a young team … Cristen Andrews, SR – the veteran will anchor the midfield … DennaFaye Herald, SO – already a key player, Herald started 14 of 16 games played as a freshman.

Key Recruits

Allie Shropshire, FR – Shawnee HS (Medford, NJ U.S. Under-19 goalkeeper was prep All-American Emily Abbood, FR – Moses Brown School (Jamestown, RI) All-American was a prolific scorer in high school

Important Home Dates

April 26 vs. Denver MPSF seeding on the line in last regular-season game April 30-May 3 – MPSF Championship Cal hosts the conference tournament at Memorial Stadium

2007 Review

Cal completed this past season with a 7-10 record after reaching the MPSF tournament third-place game. Laura Cavallo earned her third straight appearance on the AllMPSF team in her final season as a Bear. Jill Malko, Cal’s only head coach in the program’s first nine years of existence, retired after the season to take a university post.

Did you know?

Head coach Theresa Sherry, who sang the National Anthem before home games as a player at Princeton, repeated her performance for a Cal game last year.

Rugby 2008 Outlook

The Bears are anchored in the forwards by a back row considered among the strongest units in American college rugby, with three-time AllAmerican Louis Stanfill at No. 8, senior Joe Welch at one flanker, and team captain and three-time All-American Rikus Pretorius at the other flank. The 2007 national championship MVP, Colin Hawley, returns at outside center, as well.

Head Coach

Jack Clark, 25th year at Cal (416-65-5, .856) Only the sixth head coach in the program’s 126-year history, Clark took the helm after a successful football and rugby career at Cal that was followed by post-collegiate rugby campaigns on the USA National Team. The Bears’ success under Clark has included 19 national titles (including 12 in a row from 1991-2002).

Players to Watch

Louis Stanfill, forward, SR – three-time All-American scored two tries for the United States at the 2007 Rugby World Cup … Eric Fry, forward, JR – All-American has been valuable at several positions … Colin Hawley, center, JR – MVP of the 2007 national championships and son of 2007 Cal Hall of Fame inductee Loren Hawley.

Key Recruits

Drew Hyjer, Flanker/No. 8, SO – Miramonte HS (Orinda, CA) Lamorinda RFC transfer notched one year with SFGG U-23s Connor Ring, Scrumhalf, FR – Acalanes HS (Lafayette, CA) Leading scorer in the Diablo Football Athletic League Rob Sullivan, Lock, SO – Miramonte HS (Moraga, CA) Lamorinda RFC transfer earned a football scholarship to Nevada

2007 Review

The Bears swept all collegiate competition, losing their only match when they fell six points short to the 2006 Rugby Super League champion OMBAC. Cal beat its postseason opponents by the combined score of 166-10 en route to its 23rd national championship, a 37-7 victory over BYU. Seventeen ruggers were named scholarathletes and eight received All-America honors.

Did You Know?

The national collegiate playoffs are in Albuquerque, N.M., this year, with the Rounds of 16 & 8 taking place April 18-20, followed by the national championships at Stanford May 2-3.

Softball 2008 Outlook

Cal, which has earned 22 consecutive bids to the NCAA Tournament, returns six position starters plus two starting pitchers. Three seniors – catcher Julie Meyer, outfielder Erika Racklin and infielder Katie Vickers – provide veteran leadership. Cal should pack a formidable offensive punch after boasting school records in home runs (49), runs (322) and RBI (278) last season.

Head Coach

Diane Ninemire, 21st year at Cal (889-430, .673) Ninemire directed the Bears to seven straight appear-

ances in the Women’s College World Series from 19992005, winning the title in 2002 and finishing as national runner-up in 2003 and ’04. Under her watch, Bears have earned All-America honors 34 times and All-Pac-10 on 134 occasions.

Players to Watch

Gina Leomiti, OF, JR – batted a team-high .354 with five home runs and 30 RBI last year ... Erika Racklin, OF, SR – stole 18 bases in 20 attempts and scored a team-high 39 runs in 2007 ... Vernae Sevilla, IF, SO – honorable mention All-Pac-10 pick hit .280 with seven doubles as a freshman.

Key Recruits

Valerie Arioto, UT, FR – Foothill HS (Pleasanton, CA) East Bay Player of the Year hit .556 and was 19-1 in the circle as a senior Sanoe Kekahuna, UT, FR – Baldwin HS (Maui, HI) Two-time all-state player batted .688 last year

Important Home Dates

April 20 vs. Stanford Cal took two-of-three from the Cardinal last season April 27 vs. Washington Final Pac-10 home game for Bears in ’08

2007 Review

The Bears finished the 2007 season with 34 wins and a 22nd consecutive berth in the NCAA postseason – the longest active postseason streak in the Pac-10 and second longest in the nation. With a lineup featured seven freshman, Cal posted eight wins against Top 25 teams. Alex Sutton, who batted .306 with 12 home runs, was named second-team All-Pac-10.

Did You Know?

Former Golden Bear Kristina Thorson was named the 2007 National Pro Fastpitch Rookie of the Year after finishing the season with 115 strikeouts and 14-5 record. She will play for the Chicago Bandits this year.

Men’s Tennis 2008 Outlook

Cal returns four players to the court who each had 20 or more wins last season, including senior captain Ken Nakahara. Fellow senior Pierre Mouillon was named the ITA’s Northwest Region Player to Watch heading into this season, while sophomore Kallim Stewart is poised to make a big impact for the Bears.

Head Coach

Peter Wright, 15th year at Cal (190-137, .581) Wright entered the season just 10 victories shy of reaching the 200 and looks to take the Bears to a ninth consecutive postseason appearance in 2008. A two-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year, he has guided Cal to the NCAA Tournament 13 times overall and a No. 4 ranking in 2003.

Players to Watch

Pierre Mouillon, SR – first-team All-Pac-10 choice in 2007 who opened the fall ranked 14th in the nation ... Ken Nakahara, SR – second on the team with 22 singles victories last season ... Kallim Stewart, SO – was a team-best 5-2 in Pac-10 dual matches as a freshman.

Key Recruits

Jonathan Dahan, FR – Institut National du Sport (Paris, France) Helped France to the semis at the European Championships Bozhidar Katsarov, FR – Nordhoff HS (Ojai, CA) Went 13-4 and won two singles titles for the Bears in the fall

Important Home Dates

April 11 vs. Oregon Bears try to keep perfect record intact vs. Ducks April 19 vs. Stanford Cal swept the Cardinal in a 7-0 win last season

SPRING 2008

2007 Review

The Bears finished 2007 with a 14-10 overall record in dual matches and tied for third place in the Pac-10 with a 4-3 mark, reaching as high as No. 18 in the ITA rankings. The team tied a school record with its eighth consecutive trip to postseason play, making the visit to Stillwater, Okla., for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Did You Know?

Freshman Zach Gilbert is the son of former tennis pro, television commentator and current tennis coach Brad Gilbert, who has mentored the likes of Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray.

Women’s Tennis 2008 Outlook

The team is loaded with experience as it returns five seniors, led by 2006 NCAA singles champion Susie Babos. Fellow seniors Cristina Visico and Stephanie Kusano are joined by a pair of stellar juniors in Claire Ilcinkas and Bojana Bobusic to give Cal formidable depth down through court six.

Head Coach

Amanda Augustus, 1st year at Cal Augustus, who won a pair of NCAA doubles titles as a player, returns to her alma mater this season as head coach, inheriting the reigns from her mentor, Jan Brogan. She previously served as head coach at Michigan and guided the Wolverines to a 17-8 record and the second round of the NCAA Tournament last spring.

Players to Watch

Susie Babos, SR – All-American won the Riviera AllAmerican title for the second straight year in the fall ... Bojana Bobusic, JR – compiled a team-high 14 singles wins in the fall ... Stephanie Kusano, SR – teams with Babos to form one of the nation’s Top 20 doubles tandems.

Key Recruits

Marina Cossou, FR – Jeanne d’Arc (Azereix, France) French national team veteran played in European Cup twice Rachael Dillon, FR – Dublin Tutorial (Dublin, Ireland) Member of Ireland’s Federation Cup team from 2005-07 Bobbie Englert, FR – St. Francis HS (Atherton, CA) Four-time all-league choice in high school

Important Home Dates

April 4-5 vs. UCLA & USC Bears host Pac-10 powerhouses in back-to-back matches April 18 vs. Sacramento State Cal will honor its seniors at the final home match

2007 Review

The Bears advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the sixth time and completed 2007 campaign with a 23-7 overall record. Cal tied for fourth in the Pac-10 with a 5-3 conference mark and held the nation’s No. 5 ranking in the final ITA poll. Susie Babos and Zsuzanna Fodor were named All-Americans in both singles and doubles for the second consecutive year.

Did You Know?

Associate head coach Cordell Ho is a classical music composer, who has written film scores, theater pieces and opera. His music has been performed in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Men’s Track & Field 2008 Outlook

Cal will be armed with a number of top athletes in 2008. Leading the way are seniors Ed Wright, an Olympic hopeful in the high jump, and mile record-holder David Torrence. Cal has a strong corps of throwers that includes senior Craig Kent and newcomer Martin Maric, a junior who transferred to Cal from Georgia.

cal sports quarterly

Head Coach

Tony Sandoval (Interim Director) After spending numerous years at Cal as an associate director of track & field and the cross country head coach, Tony Sandoval enters the 2008 campaign as the interim director of the Bear program. Among athletes Sandoval has coached include 2000 Olympian Bolota Asmerom, six-time All-American Richie Boulet and ’07 NCAA champion Alysia Johnson.

Athletes to Watch

David Torrence, 1500m, SR – set the school record in the mile last year, winning in 3:58.62 to break Cal’s 50year-old record … Ed Wright, HJ, SR – 2007 Pac-10 and NCAA West Regional champion in the high jump … Thomas Mack, 110HH, SR – ran a lifetime-best in the semifinals in the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA championships.

Key Recruits

Martin Maric, JT/DT, JR – Univ. of Georgia (Split, Croatia) Competed at the World University Games last summer Nick Porter, Sprints, FR – Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, CA) Won 2007 league titles in 100, 200, 4x100 and 4x400

Important Home Date

April 12 vs. Stanford (Big Meet) Cal and Stanford renew their rivalry on the track

2007 Review

Cal finished a program-best eighth place at the NCAA outdoor championships. Alysia Johnson won the NCAA title in the 800 in the NCAA outdoor and indoor meets. Kelechi Anyanwu also claimed the outdoor national title in the discus. Johnson and Anyanwu were two of five Bears to earn All-America honors in the outdoor season.

Did You Know?

Freshman pole vaulter Veronica Stimson spent last summer as an assistant teacher in an autistic summer school program.

Important Home Date

Women’s Water Polo

April 25-26 Brutus Hamilton Invitational Cal hosts annual meet honoring its former coach

2007 Review

At the NCAA indoor meet, Cal’s distance medley relay of Kevin Davis, David Torrence, Nestor Solis and Francis Gadayan finished as the national runner-up in a schoolrecord 9:33.77, while Ed Wright placed sixth in the high jump. Wright later won the Pac-10 outdoor title and leaped 7-2.50 at the NCAA championships to take sixth place, earning All-America honors.

Did You Know?

Freshman Austin Jett comes from a family full of athletes. His father, Darrell, was an All-American swimmer at Cal State East Bay; his mother, Stacy, ran track and cross country at San Diego State; and his grandfather played for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s.

Women’s Track & Field 2008 Outlook

Olympic hopefuls senior Alysia Johnson (800 meters) and junior Inika McPherson (high jump) highlight a Cal team that looks to capitalize off the success that it earned in 2007. The Bears are also strong in the sprints with talented and experienced runners such as senior Brook Turner, juniors Kandi Bonty and Evelyn Smith, and freshman Cherrelle Garrett.

Head Coach

Tony Sandoval See men’s track & field

Players to Watch

Alysia Johnson, SR – the two-time NCAA champion and five-time All-American looks for more glory in the 800 … Brook Turner, SR – ran on the 4x400-meter relay that posted a time of 3:36.62 for third at the NCAA West Regional in 2007 … Inika McPherson, JR – AllAmerican in the high jump competed in the USA championships and the Pan Am Games last summer.

Key Recruits

Kristen Meister, HJ, SO – Davidson Univ. (Toledo, OH) Earned All-America honors in the high jump at Davidson in ’07 Cherrelle Garrett, Sprints, FR – Mount Eden HS (Hayward, CA) League champion in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay

2008 Outlook

Cal, which lost just one senior to graduation, will rely on a core of young but experienced players. The Bears were tabbed to finish third in the competitive MPSF by a preseason coaches’ poll. Cal returns 16 letterwinners, including the top three scorers from last season in sophomores Grace Reynolds, Meghan Corso and senior Molly Hayes.

Head Coach

Richard Corso, 3rd year at Cal (30-20, .600) Corso, who has served as head coach for both the U.S. Men’s Olympic team and the Canadian Men’s National team, is in his third season at Cal. While overseeing the U.S. men’s squad, he led teams to a seventh-place finish at the 1996 Olympics and to a gold medal at the 1995 Pan American Games.

Players to Watch

Grace Reynolds, two-meter, SO – scored team-high 43 goals last season, which was 11th in the MPSF ... Molly Hayes, driver, SR – second on last year’s team with 32 goals ... Heather Stuart, goalkeeper, SR – was eighth in the MPSF last season with 158 saves as Cal’s leading keeper.

Key Newcomers

Coral Kemp, two-meter defender, FR – El Segundo HS (El Segundo, CA) Holds HS record for career goals, assists and steals Alyssa Peterson, two-meter defender, FR – Newport Harbor HS (Newport Beach, CA) Named first-team All-CIF and All-Sunset League

Important Home Date

April 12 vs. CS Bakersfield Home finale for Bears before MPSF tournament in San Diego

2007 Review

Cal finished 12-11 overall and 6-6 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for the program’s 12th consecutive winning season. The Bears took fourth place at two competitive tournaments – the Stanford Invitational and UC Irvine Invitational, where they upset No. 4 Hawaii in an overtime thriller. Cal went 2-1 at the MPSF Tournament to take ninth place.

Did You Know?

Both senior Molly Hayes and sophomore Grace Reynolds have brothers on the two-time national champion Cal men’s water polo team.

Athletic Development Bear Backer News

n Feb. 11, Bear Backers gathered at the Claremont Hotel to catch up with fellow supporters of Cal Athletics. The luncheon was a special opportunity to honor Monte Upshaw with the Golden Bear Award and Kent and Patricia Newmark as Bears of the Year. Far right, interim director of track and field Tony Sandoval (left) smiled for the camera with Mike and Joanne Wood; right, Oski poses with Chet Curtis.

n December, Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour made a trip to the East Coast, where she gathered with Bear Backers from the Cal Alumni Club of New York at their football headquarters, MJ Armstrong’s Public House in Manhattan’s Stuyvesant Town. Clockwise from left: Club president Natasha Derivi and vice president Cindy Gold; Sandy with members of the Cal Alumni Club of New York; Sandy with Natasha and Rob McGovern, manager of MJ Armstrong’s.

SPRING 2008

Athletic Development Bear Backer News

Competition in the Classroom Kent and Pat Newmark Endow Awards for Highest and Most Improved Team GPAs

Men’s gymnastics and women’s cross couns the 2007-08 academic year approaches its end, studenttry became the first recipients of the Newathletes from all 27 sports are still in season, competing marks’ generosity in September 2007, when with each other in the classroom for a great honor. they won the honors for highest overall team

cal sports quarterly

GPA based on their performance during the 2006-07 They’re after the recognition and resources made possible by academic year. Kent and Pat Newmark, who’ve made generous pledges that go “It was really great for us to let our kids decide what they wanted to the heart of the student-athlete experience at the University of to do with the money,” men’s gymnastics coach Barry Weiner said. California. “They decided to upgrade equipment, have posters made and buy In addition to establishing gifts of $15,000 annually until 2011 more team apparel. Not only do they benefit from the things they to be split by the men’s and women’s teams that achieve the highpurchased, but the generations that follow will benefit from them, est GPA at the end of each academic year, the Newmarks have too.” added an exciting new award of $10,000 to the team with the mostThe 2007 Most Improved GPA award, which compares a team’s improved cumulative GPA during the previous academic year. GPA in an academic year to its average GPA from the previous two “I’ve seen the daily program student-athletes undertake and years, went to men’s golf. it’s just unbelievable,” said Kent, who lettered in tennis for three Longtime supporters of women’s golf through their Patricia and years, threw the javelin for one year and graduated from Cal in Kent Newmark Endowment Fund, the Newmarks have seen those 1960 with a degree in philosophy. He later returned to Berkeley student-athletes take note of the chance to match the academic perafter his military service to earn his MBA in 1964. formance of their male counterparts. “When I was in school, the varsity had organized tennis prac“We’ve seen the women’s golf team get real excited about it,” tices three days a week, from 3-5,” he added. “No weight training, said Kent, who retired in 2002 after a long career as a bond portjust come out and play. It was pretty much the same on varsity folio manager at Loomis Sayles and Company in San Francisco. track my senior year. We worked very hard, but I don’t think we “They really want to win it. I think it will energize the kids to work worked as hard as the kids today.” even harder.” Teams have long been honored for having the highest GPA every “We greatly appreciate the support of the Newmarks in celebratspring at the Honors Luncheon. Now, those winners and the teams ing the academic accomplishments of our intercollegiate teams,” with the greatest cumulative improvement in their GPA receive said Derek Van Rheenan, Director of the Athletic Study Center. monies as well as recognition, with the winning student-athletes “To reward teams for their performance in the classroom sends the able to elect how to spend the prizes on their right message at a place like Berkeley.” programs. By Anton Malko

VELUX

MARVIN

INTEGRITY

TRUSTILE

MILGARD

MARVIN

VELUX

MILGARD

MARVIN

MARVIN VELUX

MILGARD

VELUX

MARVIN

INTEGRITY

1831 Second Street Berkeley, CA 94710 phone (510) 649-4400 www.truittandwhite.com

MILGARD

The Products • The Service • The People

TRUSTILE

INTEGRITY

TRUSTILE

INTEGRITY

Featuring windows and doors as unique as your home!

TRUSTILE 23

SPRING 2008

Athletic Development Bear Backer Spotlight

The Many Deeds of

MaryDee Karp

Businesswoman and Mother Defines the Cal Experience

ualities you find in many Bear Backers seem to be universal – drive, determination, loyalty, excellence – but there are some supporters of Cal Athletics who make you realize you may not have understood what those words mean. Mary Dee Karp is one of those Bear Backers. A season-ticket holder to football and basketball, a major donor to capital campaigns for Haas Pavilion and Memorial Stadium, and a devotee of many of Cal’s 27 sports that don’t always garner front-page headlines or financial support, Karp has made gifts to the Athletic Department approaching seven figures. Recently, she was also instrumental in facilitating a gift in excess of $2 million from her friend Dolorous Knight. Karp received her B.S. in business administration with a minor in Spanish from the University in 1944. Since becoming a prominent member of the Bay Area real estate community, she has helped to create some great opportunities for student-athletes at Cal to pursue their dreams and be recognized for their accomplishments. Her scholarship for women’s basketball is designed to be granted with special consideration to Hispanic student-athletes, with freshman Rachelle Federico the current recipient. And the Dink Artal Scholarship, named in her brother’s honor with similar considerations, is currently awarded to footballer Brian De La Puente. Artal, who died of leukemia in his first year as a student at Cal, is further honored with an annual award, also in his name, for the football player “best exemplifying Cal spirit.” The 2007 recipient was outgoing senior John Allen, a political science major from Los Gatos, Calif. “We have always appreciated her unwavering support,” said head football coach Jeff Tedford. “She is a great friend of the program and we are proud to honor a player each year in memory of her brother.” Two of her children have also received their degrees from Cal, with Terry getting his B.A. in psychology in 1981, and her older son, Richard, receiving a master’s degree in public health in 1992 after earning a pre-med degree from UCLA and his medical degree from

Head softball coach Diana Ninemire with Mary Dee Karp.

By Anton Malko 24

cal sports quarterly

Athletic Development Bear Backer Spotlight Albany Medical College. Karp also has a daughter, Maria Schroder, who received her B.A. in psychology from UC Davis in 1988. A first-generation American, Mary Dee Artal was raised in Sunnyvale, one of four daughters of Maria, an immigrant from Malaga, Spain, and Cirilio Artal, who arrived in California from Barcelona and jumped ship on the heels of the Gold Rush before starting a trucking company in San Francisco. Mary Dee’s baby brother was born while she and her sister Anita were at the cinema seeing “Dinky,” starring Jackie Cooper. “Dink” stuck as a term of endearment for little Constantino. Although she grew up close to San Jose State and Stanford as the crow flies, Karp chose to attend Cal after her graduation from Fremont High School. The challenge of a degree in business administration wasn’t enough on her plate. She also lettered for four years on the basketball team. One of very few women in the business administration program at the time, Karp shared classrooms with members of the military. “It was during the war and I had all the Navy guys in our classes,” she recalled. “I don’t remember too many women.” Karp supported the war effort in the Women’s Army Corps after her undergraduate studies were complete, working at Percy Jones Hospital in Michigan with amputees pursuing their high school equivalency diplomas. After her mother passed away, Karp became her brother’s legal guardian, and she was, of course, proud when Dink, the top cadet in his senior class, chose Cal after graduation from San Rafael Military Academy. “He had several Pac schools wanting him to attend their schools,” Karp remembered. “Dink went out for Cal football. A physical exam was necessary before the first football game and a spot was found on his chest.” Head coach Pappy Waldorf visited Artal at Cowell Hospital to offer his support, but Dink died four months later of leukemia. Although she earned her Real Estate Brokers License after graduation, Karp opted to join Richmond High School to teach physical education classes to girls during and after school. But after going through a divorce, she steered her course back into real estate, and in 1969 founded Mary Dee Karp & Associates, a commercial investment real estate agency and investment taxation advisor in Walnut Creek. “A woman has an uphill battle,” Karp said, but the qualifications began to accumulate as she raised three children on her own after her marriage to Charles Karp was over. She became a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) in 1972 and pursued her Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) and Certified Real Estate Broker (CRB) credentials through coursework with the California Association of Realtors (CAR). She was one course away from obtaining her GRI designation when she was approached with an offer that was both flattering and challenging: to teach the material rather than sit in the class as a student. Of course it was a challenge that Karp accepted. “There is always something that can be done if you’re willing to do it,” she said. Karp became a CAR director and has since been made a direc-

tor for life. Years later, in the early 1980s, she wrote the materials for two different Real Estate Investments courses taught by the Community Colleges of California and UC Berkeley Extension. In 1985, she was elected Honorary Director for Life by the Boards of Realtors for Marin; East, West and District 5 Contra Costa; Berkeley and San Jose. “Nobody in history had ever had all those boards support them,” Mary Dee said. In 1987, she was elected to the Contra

Left: Mary Dee Karp with (from left) sons Terry and Richard, and daughter, Maria. Mary Dee has endowed scholarships currently used by Rachelle Federico and Brian De La Puente (below).

“There is always something that can be done if you’re willing to do it.” — Mary Dee Karp Costa Association of Realtors. Karp also served as Director of the National Association of Realtors from 198890, and rose to president of the Northern California chapter of the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute (CIREI) in 1997. A member of the board in the Chicago headquarters of the Certified Commercial Investment Members, Karp endowed the first scholarship under the CCIM’s Education Foundation, of which she is a founding member, in 2003. Always keen to help empower people, Karp recently helped cement tremendous gifts to the Athletic Department through her friend Dolorous Knight. The Kenneth and Dolorous Knight Women’s Athletics Equipment Fund, together with football, softball and women’s basketball scholarships in the Knights’ name, have brought over $2 million into the department. Karp’s drive to assist Cal Athletics is enough to leave any Bear fan almost speechless. Almost. SPRING 2008

cal sports quarterly

EVERYTHING SHORT OF DRESSING-UP LIKE THE TEAM MASCOT

Get the latest Cal gear at your Cal Student Store

SPRING 2008

0554SC021308A

FEATURE Recruiting Haul Benefits Both Sides of the Ball

Tyler Rigsbee

Five high school All-Americans highlight the 21-player recruiting class head coach Jeff Tedford announced on National Signing Day Feb. 6. The Golden Bears have added 19 high school stars, as well as two junior college transfers. Eleven of the signees will bolster the offensive side of the ball, while nine are defensive players and one is a specialist. Two members of this year’s class have already enrolled at Cal for the spring semester. “We are very excited about this class,” Tedford said. “It addresses all of our needs. While individual recognition is nice, what we look for are young men who will fit in with our program and with the university. We are excited about all of our signees and confident that they all have the potential to succeed as student-athletes at the University of California.” In addition to the All-America signees, 14 of Cal’s newcomers were rated in the top 50 in the nation at their respective positions. The recruits include four from the Bay Area, five Central Valley players, three standouts from Southern California and one signee from the northern section of the state. The most prolific position in the class is at wide receiver with five standouts signed. As a group, the receivers are rated in the top 10 in the nation by Rivals.com. The other offensive additions include two offensive linemen, two tight ends (giving the Bears the fifth-rated tight-end class in the country), a running back and a quarterback. Defensively, the Bears have inked four new defensive backs, three defensive linemen and two linebackers.

Trevor Guyton

Marc Anthony, CB

Rivals.com tabbed him as the No. 14 cornerback prospect in the country and fourth-best overall prospect in Arizona … Scout.com rated him at No. 40 in the nation at cornerback … selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine … first-team allstate selection as a senior … posted 77 tackles, four interceptions and a sack his senior campaign … played in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Miami.

Covaughn DeBoskie, RB

A SuperPrep Magazine All-America choice … listed as the 27th-best all-purpose running back in the nation by Rivals.com … also considered the 12th-best prospect in Arizona by Rivals … rushed for 821 yards with 13 touchdowns while adding 362 yards and five TDs through the air as a senior … as a junior, compiled 1,304 yards and 22 touchdowns, as well as 434 receiving yards and two scores … enrolled at Cal in January after graduating from high school early.

Dominic Galas, OL

Selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine … rated as the No. 6 center in the nation by ESPN.com … listed as the 43rd-best prospect in California and the ninth-best center prospect in the country by Rivals.com … a CalHiSports.com firstteam all-state selection … helped his high school team average over 10 yards per carry and outscore its opponents, 663-211 … father, Tim, played on the line for Cal from 1979-82.

Trevor Guyton, DT

A SuperPrep Magazine All-America choice … listed as a four-star recruit and No. 18 defensive tackle in the country, according to Scout.com … also rated as the 43rd-best defensive tackle in the country and seventh-best prospect in the state of Washington by Rivals.com … had 70 tackles (14 for losses), six sacks, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries as a senior … selected to play in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Miami … finished his junior season with 80 tackles and four sacks.

cal sports quarterly

Josh Hill, DB

A first-team all-district selection at Klein Forest HS after tallying five interceptions, 45 tackles, two forced fumbles and 17 passes defensed as a senior … helped the Golden Eagles to a 9-2 record before a loss in the second round of the state playoffs … from the same high school as fellow signee Kendrick Payne.

J.P. Hurrell, LB

Selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine … touted as the No. 29 outside linebacker in nation by ESPN.com … rated the 47th-best linebacker in the country and the No. 83 prospect in California by Rivals.com … registered 50 tackles and three sacks as a senior and had 80 tackles and three sacks during his junior season … selected as the Western Catholic League Linebacker of the Year.

Marvin Jones, WR

A SuperPrep Magazine All-America choice … ranked as the No. 23 wide receiver prospect in the country by both Rivals.com and Scout.com … a CalHiSports.com second-team all-state selection … hauled in 81 receptions for a league-high 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns … played in the OffenseDefense All-American Bowl in Miami … caught 63 passes for 1,309 yards and 12 touchdowns his junior campaign,earning first-team all-state honors.

Mychal Kendricks, LB

Listed as its 45th-best outside linebacker recruit in the nation by Rivals.com … Scout.com listed him as the No. 28 weakside linebacker … selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine … a CalHi-Sports.com third-team all-state choice … as a senior, led Hoover HS with 175 tackles and four sacks, while also registering a team-best 742 rushing yards on 103 carries and six touchdowns.

Spencer Ladner, TE

A SuperPrep Magazine All-America choice … listed as its 15th-best tight end prospect in the country by

Scout.com … Rivals.com listed him as its No. 4 prospect in the state of Missouri and the nation’s 16th-best tight end … posted 28 receptions for 279 yards and three scores his senior year for the Raiders … hauled in 31 receptions for 575 yards and seven touchdowns his junior season … earned all-league, all-area and allmetro honors as a junior and senior.

Chris Little, S

Listed by Rivals as the 62nd-best recruit in California and the No. 42 outside linebacker prospect in the nation … signed as a safety by the Bears … named to the Contra Costa Times’ Cream of the Crop list for 2008 … for his senior season, had 83 tackles, 26 hurries, 8.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and a pick … recorded 45 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries as a junior … on offense, caught 37 passes for 537 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Anthony Miller, TE

Rated the 18th-best tight end prospect in the country by Rivals.com and the No. 53 tight end in the country according to Scout.com … selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine … a CalHiSports.com third-team all-state choice … first-team all-league selection as a junior as well as a San Jose Mercury News all-league choice ... had 18 catches for 310 yards and five scores his senior year … posted 12 receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown for a rundominated offense his junior campaign.

Kendrick Payne, DT

After missing much of his junior season with a hip pointer, returned his senior season to put up 44 tackles (13 for losses), seven sacks and four hurries … Co-Defensive MVP of his district … posted a gamewinning sack against rival Aldine HS … helped the Golden Eagles to a 9-2 record before a loss in the second round of the state playoffs … from the same high school as fellow signee Josh Hill.

2008 Golden Bears Football Recruiting Class

Name Marc Anthony Covaughn DeBoskie Dominic Galas Trevor Guyton Josh Hill J.P. Hurrell Marvin Jones Mychal Kendricks Spencer Ladner Chris Little Anthony Miller Kendrick Payne Tyler Rigsbee Matt Rios Charles Satchell Jarrett Sparks Beau Sweeney Aaron Tipoti Verran Tucker Joseph Washington Kamaron Yancy

Pos CB RB OL DT DB LB WR LB TE S TE DT OL LS WR WR QB DE WR WR DB

Ht 6-0 6-0 6-2 6-4 6-1 6-0 6-3 6-0 6-6 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-1 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-2 6-1 6-0

Wt 185 190 275 280 182 195 185 215 225 210 240 275 280 230 195 200 200 265 183 185 185

Hometown/Last School Chandler, AZ/Chandler HS Chandler, AZ/Hamilton HS Modesto,CA/Central Catholic HS Redmond, WA/Redmond HS Houston, TX/Klein Forest HS SanMateo, CA/Junipero Serra HS Etiwanda, CA/Etiwanda HS Fresno, CA/Herbert Hoover HS KansasCity, MO/Pembroke Hill HS Oakland, CA/Castlemont HS SanJose, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS Houston, TX/Klein Forest HS Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley HS Phoenix, AZ/North Canyon HS Milpitas, CA/Milpitas HS Merced, CA/Merced HS Fresno, CA/Clovis West HS Honolulu, HI/Word Of Life Academy Torrance, CA/El Camino CC Stockton, CA/Stagg HS Woodland Hills, CA/Pierce JC

Marc Anthony

Tyler Rigsbee, OL

Considered one of the best long snapper prospects in the country … listed as a top 25 prospect in Arizona and the No. 2-ranked long snapper in the nation … earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors from the Arizona Republic … registered 116 tackles and seven sacks with a blocked punt and field goal from the linebacker position in 2007 and recorded 86 tackles and three sacks on the defensive side of the ball in 2006.

Charles Satchell, WR

A three-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout. com … also listed by Rivals as the 61st-best recruit in California and the No. 61 wide receiver prospect in the country … finished his senior season with 22 receptions for 409 yards and eight total touchdowns … recorded 67 tackles, a sack and an interception as a safety … selected as Senior of the Year in the DeAnza League.

Jarrett Sparks, WR

A four-star prospect by Rivals.com and its 41stbest wide receiver recruit in the country (No. 37 overall prospect in California) … selected to the AllFar West team by SuperPrep Magazine … named to the CalHiSports.com first-team all-state squad … posted 42 receptions for 934 yards and 14 touchdowns his senior season … finished 2006 with 862 yards receiving and eight touchdowns as a tight end to earn all-district and all-area honors.

Miller Safrit/Scout Photo

A SuperPrep Magazine All-America choice … selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine, as well … rated a four-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com … Scout grades him the 21st-best offensive tackle in the nation, while Rivals lists him as the No. 29 offensive tackle prospect in the country (and the No. 40 prospect in California) … helped pave the way for a Pleasant Valley HS rushing attack that registered 2,428 yards on the ground.

Matt Rios, LS

Anthony Miller

Josh Hill

Beau Sweeney, QB

Rivals.com listed him as the 13th-best “prostyle quarterback” prospect in the country … rated the No. 32 quarterback prospect in the country by ESPN.com and No. 39 by Scout.com … selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine … as a senior, threw for 1,168 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,063 yards and 12 scores … led the Golden Eagles to consecutive Division I championship games … played in the Offense-Defense AllAmerican Bowl in Miami … totaled nearly 1,300 yards passing and 15 touchdowns his junior season.

Aaron Tipoti, DE

Selected to the All-Far West team by SuperPrep Magazine … a three-star prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com … Rivals also lists him as the seventhbest recruit from Hawaii … first-team all-state choice by the Honolulu Star Bulletin and first-team all-state selection by the Honolulu Advertiser … also plays basketball for Word of Life Academy.

Verran Tucker, WR

Listed as the 57th-best junior college prospect by Rivals.com … tabbed as a SuperPrep Magazine Juco 100 player (No. 56) … earned all-conference honors as a sophomore, helping the Warriors to a

Beau Sweeney conference championship … hauled in 23 receptions for 388 yards and five touchdowns with a 16.9 yards per catch average as a freshman, helping El Camino CC to the state title … only played one year of high school ball at Fairfax HS, snagging 16 touchdown passes.

Joseph Washington, WR

A three-star prospect by Scout.com … led the Central Section with 1,144 yards on 63 receptions along with 18 touchdowns while averaging 18 yards per catch … a CalHiSports.com third-team all-state selection … also excelled as a safety with 56 tackles … played in the Valley vs. Capital All-Star Classic after his senior year … saw action at running back, cornerback and on returns during his career … nickname is L.J.

Kamaron Yancy, DB

Earned all-conference honors at Pierce JC in 2006 and did not play this past year ... the 2006 season, his first season of organized football in three years, saw him record 45 tackles, 10 pass breakups and five interceptions along with a fumble recovery … all-league corner as a senior at Fairfax HS in 2002, while also starring in basketball, and played in the Cali-Florida Bowl.

SPRING 2008

FEATURE

From Pigskin to Pitch

Bryan Van Meter Continues Tradition of Gridiron Ruggers at Cal

By Anton Malko for the United States, including Charlie Tilden, Matt Hazeltine Sr. and Ed “Mush” Graff. In the modern era of rugby, starting roughly with the birth of the U.S. National team in 1975, Cal footballers have continued to figure prominently on the international rugby scene, not the least of whom was Clark, who played for his country before serving as both head coach and general manager for the USA Eagles (see sidebar). In the mid-1970s, Clark was a high school football prospect in Huntington Beach when Cal football coach Mike White made a visit to Orange County to meet the lineman. Clark recalled, “I walked in the room of his suite and the very first thing that Mike White said to me is, ‘Kid, you’d make a good rugby player.’” Clark didn’t know at the time how intertwined the two sports were in his future football coach’s mind. White lettered in football and track and field from 1955-57, and was an all-star flanker on “Doc” Hudson’s 1957 varsity rugby team. As Clark learned, student-athletes could flourish at Cal in both sports, as White had done before him. And flourish they certainly have, with 11 of the 14 ruggers in the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame also having played football for the Bears (see sidebar). “On my rugby teams at Cal, I

hen Bryan Van Meter scored a try against Oregon at the UCLA Tournament in January, the newcomer to rugby did more than add five points to the scoring column for California – he also started the latest chapter in what once was a common tradition of footballers who earned a second letter representing their University on the rugby pitch.

“It’s definitely a good feeling when you get that first try,” said Van Meter, who was a backup quarterback and starting holder in 2007 for the Golden Bear football team, earning his second varsity letter under coach Jeff Tedford before making the decision to join the Bears rugby team this spring. “I wanted to try something new and coach Tedford was really supportive.” “We appreciate and respect the great success that Jack Clark and the rugby program have enjoyed,” Tedford said. “We have been excited to have some of our players make the transition from football to rugby and make any contribution to help further their success.” Van Meter was known as someone who knew the playbook inside and out, but as a new rugby player, he’s the one asking all the questions now. “It’s starting to slow down a little, but there are still so many things I need to learn,” Van Meter said about his comfort level in the 15-a-side game. “Being a quarterback, a lot of the footwork has helped me out. The level of skill on this team is pretty incredible, and they’re great guys to be around as I get acclimated to the team.” Van Meter is the only member of the football team also to participate in rugby this season under head coach Jack Clark. But not too long ago, the gridiron signal-caller would have been one of many to suit up for the Rugby Bears when the football season was over. The list of luminaries who have donned blue and gold to play both rugby and football reaches back to the early years of Cal Athletics. The last two Olympic Games that included rugby, in 1920 and 1924, featured several Cal footballers who brought home gold 30

cal sports quarterly

would say more than half of the starters and more than half of the guys on the team would have been football players,” said Clark. Among Clark’s rugby teammates was future NFL place kicker Mick Luckhurst. “Mick could drop-kick goals from midfield,” Clark said. “We virtually sent Mick down to the football staff and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a guy that you might want to look at.’ It didn’t take long for Mick to become not just Cal’s football kicker, but one of the really good kickers in college football and have a storied NFL career.” Clark carried on the two-sport mindset when he became rugby’s head coach at Cal, welcoming future rugby gems from the football team such as Gary Hein. The 1986 football co-captain starred as a rugger and went on to become one of only three former Bears to earn his “Blue” playing rugby for Oxford University. Clark estimated the rugby team “still had six, seven, eight starters from the football team” in the mid-’80s, “starters on the football team, starters on the rugby team” before things changed. “It became an odd occurrence of the odd guy from the ’90s on,” Clark went on. “The why has to do with this desire for more sport specificity with respect to training.” One exception was Shaun Paga, who played both sports during his college career, was invited to the Minnesota Vikings’ training camp in 2000 and played one preseason in the NFL before settling into a professional rugby career, currently playing in Germany for Frankfurt 1880. An all-state linebacker and league champion wrestler coming out of Menlo-Atherton High School, Paga had also played two rugby seasons prior to entering Cal. “Shaun was just the most explosive rugby player that you could ever imagine. He was almost a guy that could not be tackled,” remembered Clark. Paga, in an e-mail from Germany, said, “I wanted

Golden Bear Gridiron Ruggers in the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame Jon Baker - Football, Rugby 1944-48 (Inducted 1991) Jim “Truck” Cullom - Football 1947-49, Rugby 1948-50, Rugby Assistant Coach 1950s-70s (Inducted 1995) Matt Hazeltine - Football 1951-54, Rugby 1952-55 (Inducted 1988) Loren Hawley - Rugby 1961-64, Football 1962-65 (Inducted 2007) Gary Hein - Rugby 1984-87, Football 1983-86 (Inducted 1997) Harry Liversedge - Men’s Track & Field 1915-17, Rugby 1914, Football 1916 (Inducted 1996) Ben Lom - Football, Rugby 1927-29 (Inducted 1991) Mick Luckhurst - Rugby, Football 1979-81 (Inducted 2005) Clarence “Nibs” Price - Men’s Basketball Coach 1924-54, Football Coach 1926-30, Rugby 1914 (Inducted 1986) Les Richter - Football 1949-51, Rugby 1950-52 (Inducted 1987) Carl Van Heuit - Football 1949-50, Rugby (Inducted 1992) Mike White - Football, Rugby 1955-57, Football Head Coach 1972-77 (Inducted 2007)

Cal Rugby/Football Lettermen with Appearances on U.S. National Rugby Team* (football letter years in parentheses) Rick Bailey (1974) Dave Bateman (1972, 73, 74) Jack Clark (1976, 77) Whit Everett (1974, 75) Don Guest (1965, 66) Gary Hein (1983, 84, 85, 86) Don James (1981, 82, 83, 84) Jim “Bo” Meyersieck (1983, 84) Shaun Paga (1997, 2000) Brian Surgener (1997, 98, 99, 00) Eric Swanson (1970, 71) Marc Vera (1994, 95, 96, 97) Jacob Waasdorp (1997, 98, 99, 00) Blane Warhurst (1972, 73, 74) Ron Zenker (1983, 84, 85) *U.S. National rugby team founded 1975 Bottom to top from opposite page: Mike White, Matt Hazeltine, Mick Luckhurst, Les Richter, Jacob Waasdorp, Shaun Paga, Jack Clark and Gary Hein

to play football but I was also very impressed with coach Clark and his program prior to coming to Cal, and entering my freshman year I was keen to succeed in both.” Paga took a hiatus from football after the 1997 season to focus on rugby, striving as a rugger to make the U.S. National team and represent his country at the 1999 Rugby World Cup before returning to the gridiron for the 2000 Cal football season. Clark said he was in his office when “Shaun came in one day and said, ‘I want to keep playing rugby, but I’ve got unfinished business on the football team.’ And I’ll be darned if he didn’t go out for the football team again at the end of his eligibility and become a starter.” Another Bear football alumnus and NFL prospect who enjoyed a successful stint as a Cal rugger was Garrett Cross, the former tight end who spent time at training camp with the Green Bay Packers. Cross returned to Berkeley in 2006-07 to finish his studies and contributed what many believe was an All-America-caliber season in one year with the rugby program. Van Meter, someone who is not on the NFL’s radar screen, has decided to end his football career and make rugby a two-year commitment, which gives him and the Cal coaching staff a better opportunity to strengthen his rugby skills and deepen his roots. “Coach Clark made it seem that it was attainable thing to make the transition from football to rugby,” Van Meter recalled of their initial discussions. “His confidence and willingness to give me a shot made me feel more secure in the decision to join the team.” Said Clark, “It’s about having those life experiences under your belt.” SPRING 2008

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

On the Air with Katie Felber By Dean Caparaz ’90

roducing. Directing. Writing. Lacrosse. Katie Felber loves it all.

An aspiring filmmaker, Felber is also a Lacrosse also runs in her family; she had cousins who played sophomore attacker on the Cal lacrosse team at Hofstra and San Diego State. Felber played a variety of sports, who boasts a 3.65 grade-point average. While including softball, soccer and basketball, growing up, but she her hopes for a good start to the 2008 season dropped the others to concentrate on lacrosse. were curtailed by a foot injury, she has been When it came time to pick a college, Felber didn’t let the abunbusy in front of and behind the camera. dance of film schools in Southern California distract her from her When Felber interest in a school that combined acisn’t rehabbing, atademic excellence, the chance to play Katie Felber tending games or Division I lacrosse and a unique engoing to class, the native of Westlake vironment. Cal won out over Brown Village, Calif., finds the time to proand Stanford. duce the occasional movie and work at Cal’s interdisciplinary studies field CalTV, UC Berkeley’s online TV station major (ISF) was a selling point; she’s at caltv.berkeley.edu. Felber works on considering a double major with “The CalTV Show,” a comedic view of rhetoric. news and events in and around campus. “The ISF program is great because She wrote shows in February and March it’s so flexible,” she said. “It allows that focused on her search for love via me to address different issues. I’m an “ElimiDATE”-style contest. into the individual search for meanA member of GIANT Film, Cal’s stuing in literature and film, and I’m dent filmmaking group, Felber also crealso interested in philosophy, sociolated a five-minute movie called “Fool’s ogy, maybe some psychoanalysis.” Paradise” for Campus Movie Fest, a The opportunity to help grow lanationwide competition that reached crosse, a predominantly East Coast Cal last fall. sport, in the west is another big reaEntertainment runs in the family for son she enjoys being at Cal. the Southern California product, whose “I’ve helped coach some kids in father, Jim, previously worked in televimy community, and having them sion production at Disney. Her younger realize they can keep playing at the brother, Bryan, also hopes to work in the D1 level, especially in California, film industry. is great,” Felber said. “With a lot of Katie Felber chose California over Brown and Stanford. The siblings began their foray into younger girls right now, it’s really incinematography when Katie was in the third grade, making hor- spiring for them to see that. ror films, comedies and adventure movies with a handheld video “Lacrosse was an incentive to get me up to Berkeley,” she added. camera. She graduated to making documentaries, including one “But I probably would’ve chosen it anyway because it’s so distinct. called “The 1968 Summer Olympics: An Encounter Between Black Cal is academically and socially stimulating, and it’s culturally and Athletes and Authority” that she made while at Agoura High School. athletically stimulating. Cal was the perfect fit for me.” 32

cal sports quarterly

ESCAPE TO YOUR ISLAND PARADISE Nonstop Service to Hilo, Honolulu, Kona, Lihue and Maui ATA Airlines connects you to more Hawaiian destinations nonstop from Oakland International than any other airline. With our flexible online search tool, you can always find our lowest fares. All it takes is one click to escape to paradise. Visit ata.com today!

ATA Airlines is a proud par tner of CAL Athletics.

SPRING 2008

- ACME

2/5/07

12:00 PM

Page 1

cal sports quarterly

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Justin Pollard Knows How to Get Things Done By Scott Ball

t’s a wonder Justin Pollard has any time to sleep.

Not only does he compete in a sport – “Justin is someone whose success is geared to how hard he swimming – that demands 6 a.m. practices works,” said Thornton. “And I am sure he is the same way with followed by afternoon workouts, but he is his academics. He is the type of guy who will make a list and get intimately involved in Cal’s Student-Athlete things done. He is the type of guy coaches love.” Advisory Council (SAAC) and has mainA two-time Pac-10 All-Academic selection, Pollard has also tained a 3.9 GPA as an economics major. been honored twice with the Alumni Leadership Scholarship and A senior from San Jose, Pollard is consid- the swim team’s Golden Bear Award for having the highest GPA on ered one of the the squad. Over the course of his Cal Justin Pollard hardest-workcareer, he has received all As, except ing members of the team and last for a B in Math 1B his first semester season had the team’s second-fastest as a freshman and a B+ this past fall time in the 200 butterfly (1:46.53), in one of his favorite classes, Interbehind only NCAA champion Patnational Monetary Economics. rick O’Neil. Pollard narrowly missed Even with a full plate of athletics qualifying for the NCAA meet, but and academics, Pollard is equally as still earned the team’s Most Improved passionate about his involvement Award. This year, along with the other with SAAC. Embracing SAAC’s 10 seniors, he has helped usher in new community service efforts, he is one head coach David Durden. of the program’s leading organizers “David (Durden) is a great coach,” for this spring’s College Sports Day. said Pollard, who was recently cho“College Sports Day will be on sen as the Pac-10’s representative to April 6 at Maxwell Family Field and NCAA SAAC to discuss issues that it will have a carnival-like theme,” affect student-athletes. “He is great said Pollard. “As many teams as we at communicating and motivating. I can get will set up booths and allow wouldn’t be telling you the truth if I the local youths to try their hand at said I wasn’t a little nervous when we those sports. The kids will also get a were going through the hiring process chance to have autographs signed and ... but now there is no question the to interact with the players. This is a program is doing really well.” win-win situation for both the local Pollard joined the squad in 2004, youth of the East Bay and Cal Aththen led by Nort Thornton, on the adletics, as well as for the whole uniWhether diving into the pool or his school work, Justin Pollard vice of Gerald Macedo, whose son, aims for high performance. versity. A lot of the projects SAAC Matt, was an All-American swimmer is in involved with are working with at Cal from 1999-02. Pollard swam for the elder Macedo at the children. Another part is promoting student-athlete awareness and Almaden Swim and Racquet Club. building a good reputation for student-athletes on campus.” SPRING 2008

home events BAS MBB CRW MGY

Baseball (Evans Diamond) Men’s Basketball (Haas Pavilion) Men’s & Women’s Crew (Redwood Shores) Men’s Gymnastics (Haas Pavilion)

WGY LAX RUG SB T&F

Women’s Gymnastics (Haas Pavilion) Lacrosse (Memorial Stadium) Rugby (Witter Rugby Field) Softball (Levine-Fricke Field) Track & Field (Edwards Stadium)

MTN WTN WWP MGF

Men’s Tennis (Hellman Courts) Women’s Tennis (Hellman Courts) Women’s Water Polo (Spieker Pool) Men’s Golf (Meadow Club)

M arch Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

LAX vs. Ohio State WWP vs. Long Beach State

RUG vs. Texas A&M

WGY in Tri-Meet BAS vs. Loyola Marymount

BAS vs. Long Beach State WWP vs. Brown WWP vs. Hartwick CRW in Windermere Invitational SB vs. Arizona

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

5 RUG vs. Santa Clara

6 WTN vs. William & Mary SB vs. North Dakota State

MTN vs. Penn11 BAS vs. SF LAX vs. PennSB vs. Sac. St.

MTN 18 vs. UNLV BAS vs. Sacramento St.

SB 25 vs. UC Riverside

BAS vs. Stanford

SB vs. Pacific

LAX vs. George 20 Washington RUG vs. Durham University

WTN vs. Arizona State

Saturday

MBB vs. Washington RUG vs. New Mexico WWP vs. UC Irvine

WTN vs. Arizona WWP vs. USC

LAX vs. Quinnipiac BAS vs. Loyola Marymount

BAS vs. Loyola Marymount (DH) MGY vs. Penn State

WTN vs. BYU

WWP vs. CS Northridge

BAS vs. Long Beach State MTN vs. Arizona SB vs. Arizona State

BAS vs. Long Beach State CRW in Windermere Invitational MTN vs. Arizona State SB vs. Arizona

April Sunday

Monday

BAS vs. Oregon State

BAS vs. Stanford

Tuesday

SB vs. Oregon State

BAS vs. Washington SB vs. Stanford

SB vs. Washington

MGF 28 in Pac-10 Championships

Wednesday

Thursday

BAS 2 vs. Fresno State T&F in Cal Multi Event

T&F 3 in Cal Multi Event

Friday WTN vs. UCLA BAS vs. Oregon State

Saturday WTN vs. USC BAS vs. Oregon State

MTN vs. Oregon SB vs. Oregon

MTN vs. Washington 12 WWP vs. CS Bakersfield SB vs. Oregon State T&F vs. Stanford

WTN vs. Sacramento State BAS vs. Washington

MTN vs. Stanford BAS vs. Washington

SB vs. UCLA T&F in Brutus Hamilton Invitational

LAX vs. Denver CRW vs. Washington SB vs. Washington T&F in Brutus Hamilton Invitational

MGF 29 in Pac-10 Championships

30 MGF in Pac-10 Champs. SB vs. UC Davis LAX in MPSF Championship

BAS vs. Cal Poly

BAS vs. Santa Clara

M ay Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday LAX in MPSF Championship

BAS vs. Arizona

BAS vs. UCLA

Friday 1

BAS vs. Arizona LAX in MPSF Championship

Saturday BAS vs. Arizona LAX in MPSF Championship

cal sports quarterly

BAS vs. UC Davis

BAS vs. UCLA

23 30

BAS vs. UCLA

24 31

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

[ PROUD SPONSOR ]

GO BEARS!

At Bank of the West, we have all the qualities you look for in a bank. Like nearly 700 branches with friendly knowledgeable staff. Services like free personal checking and free eTimeBanker速 online banking with bill pay*. And the strength of almost $62 billion in assets. Just like the CAL Bears, we play to win every time we take the court. Visit us at www.bankofthewest.com.

息2008 Bank of the West. Member FDIC. *Free checking with Check Safekeeping. If eTimeBanker速 is accessed through any personal financial management software, the standard monthly eTimeBanker速 service charges will apply.

e ng Ra g n n i riv ree s D ing G s a Gr Putt

au tif We Lock ully ll-S er Ren toc Roo ova ked ms ted Pr & oS ho p

Sta Fit te-ofne ss the-A Ce nte rt r

Mira Vista Golf & Country Club â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where golf and business meetâ&#x20AC;?

& ing ter es a i C t gs, Par din iday d We Hol

This Willie Watson designed championship golf course nestled in the Berkeley Hills 10-minutes from the Oakland Bay Bridge boasts spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the SF Skyline, and Mt. Tamalpais. Contact Steve Fryer, Membership Director, at (510) 233-7550 ext. 316

presorted standard U.S. Postage paid berkeley, ca permit #1 Athletic Development Office Intercollegiate Athletics University of California 195 Walter A. Haas Jr. Pavilion Berkeley, CA 94720-4424