The football team handed out its annual end-of-year awards last week. This is usually a great opportunity to see who's doing well behind the scenes, whether on the scout team, in the weight room, or in the community.

Lifter of the Year

Freshman - Daniel Lasco
Senior - Justin Cheadle

Scout Team Players of the Year
Offense - Geoffrey Gibson and Daniel Lasco
Defense - Puka Lopa
Special Teams - Nathan Broussard

Schlessinger Coaches Award (Outstanding athletic ability, academic success and community service)
Giorgio Tavecchio
...

Berkeley Breakfast Club Award (Outstanding Player in Big Game)

Offense - Zach Maynard
Defense - Mychal Kendricks

Everett Merriman Award (Demonstrating commitment to community service)
Robert Mullins

Andy Smith Award (Player with most Big "C" time)
Offense - Matt Summers-Gavin
Defense - Sean Cattouse
Special Teams - Chris Moncrease

And finally, the team MVP awards should not be too surprising.

Bear Backers MVP Awards (voted on by team)
Offense - Keenan Allen
Defense - D.J. Holt and Mychal Kendricks

After the jump Texas opens as 4-point favorites over the Bears, another offensive lineman commits to Cal, and rugby welcomes a freshman class of 17.

Football

• Unless you have been living under a rock for the past two days, you probably heard that Cal will play Texas in the Holiday Bowl.
• Texas opened as four-point favorites over the Bears.
• CalSportsDigest has a first look at the Texas Longhorns.
• Wilner has a big list of the winners and losers from the bowl selection process.
• BYU's Jake Heaps intends to transfer and has listed Cal as one of his possible destinations.
• BearTerritory.net reviews the team's end-of-season awards.
• Offensive tackle Christian Okafor has committed to the Bears.
• Cal will not practice again until Friday. Holiday Bowl executive direction Bruce Binkowski said there was no way the bowl could pass on Texas.

Basketball

• The women's team cruised to a 70-48 win over UNLV in the finale of the Cal Classic. Reshanda Gray was named MVP of the Cal Classic.
• Once again, Coach Gottlieb was pleased with the defense.
• The men's team lost 64-63 on the road against San Diego State.
• Monty said the team defended well down the stretch, but needed to secure more rebounds.

Rugby

• The Bears welcomed a class of 17 incoming freshmen.