We are approaching the busiest time of the year for Cal Athletics, when the winter sports season collides with the beginning of spring sports. By the end of February, nineteen of our sports will be competing simultaneously.
The Cal softball team returns a large part of its lineup from last season, including four players who earned All-Pac-12 recognition – catcher Makena Smith, shortstop Tatum Anzaldo, pitcher Sona Halajian and infielder Acacia Anders. Smith and Anzaldo were both named to the First Team while Halajian received second team honors and Anders made the All-Freshman Team.
The Bears are looking to add to a successful set of wins against quality opponents last season, including a series win over No. 7 Washington for the first time since 2015, taking down No. 24 Stanford in the Big Series and winning the series over No. 25 Arizona for the first time since 2013.
Cal’s baseball team, meanwhile, hopes to build off last year’s 29-27 record with a talented sophomore class led by All-Pac-12 First Team selection Caleb Lomavita. The Bears will also lean heavily on sophomore outfielder Rodney Green Jr., infielder Carson Crawford and pitchers Christian Becerra, Tucker Bougie and Ian May.
Cal will play 26 games at Evans Diamond at Stu Gordon Stadium this spring, including key Pac-12 home series against USC (March 17-19), Arizona State (March 31-April 2) and Stanford (April 6-8).
Cal’s women’s gymnastics team is gearing up for a postseason run. The Bears have been ranked in the top-10 nationally all season, and are especially strong on the uneven bars and balance beam. Cal is one of the highest-ranked teams in the country in both of those events, and junior Andi Li is one of the top-ranked individuals on the uneven bars. The Bears have huge showdowns on the schedule against UCLA and Utah, each of which are ranked in the top-5 in the nation.
Both of Cal’s swimming & diving teams are gearing up for the postseason while the track & field program features two of the top individuals in the country in throwers Camryn Rogers and Mykolas Alekna. Rugby, women’s water polo, men’s and women’s rowing and beach volleyball are all postseason contenders as well.