Golden Nuggets: Allen Crabbe Debuts New Look, New Year

Cross Country

The Perfect Gift: Mariel Mendoza Posts Straight A's During Spring Semester

Senior Mariel Mendoza, a senior member of Cal's cross country and track & field teams, was one B+ away from receiving a perfect 4.0 GPA for the 2014 fall semester. Her parents told her that if she earned a 4.0, they would reward her with a present.

Mendoza's response: "I don't want anything! I want to earn this for myself!"

When her final grades were reported at the end of this past spring's term, the public health major had achieved her goal, straight A's.

On Mother's Day, Mendoza handed her mother a gift along with a card. Inside that card was a special message telling her mom she had earned a perfect score for the spring semester at Cal.

"I didn't want anything from them, all I wanted was to thank my mom and my dad for helping me achieve my goals," Mendoza explained.

Field Hockey

BERKELEY -- Prime seeding in the America East Field Hockey Tournament is up for grabs this week as the Bears close out the regular season with a pair of conference games against Pacific and UC Davis.

Women's Swimming and Diving

Volleyball

The Cal volleyball team, winners of two of its past three matches, remains home this week to begin the second half of Pac-12 play with contests against No. 14 Arizona State and No. 19 Arizona.

Men's Soccer

KANSAS CITY/SAN FRANCISCO - The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and Pac-12 Conference announced that Cal junior forward Christian Thierjung has been named the NSCAA National Player of the Week as well as the Pac-12 Men's Soccer Player of the Week for games from Oct. 20-26.

Women's Soccer

National Basketball Association

New-look Allen Crabbe preparing for 'big year' with Trail Blazers

LAS VEGAS — The first difference you notice about Allen Crabbe is the hair.

The traditional look he sported his first two seasons in the NBA is long gone, replaced by a wild high-fade Mohawk featuring frosted tips.

"It's summertime, man, you've got to change it up," he said of a look that teammates have been ribbing him for. "I like it. I think I'm going to keep it."

But the new hairstyle has overshadowed the other, more important, changes to Crabbe's appearance.

The bigger chest. The larger arms. The stronger base.

The Trail Blazers' backup shooting guard has spent the offseason reshaping his body and redefining his game in an effort to recalibrate his NBA career. Crabbe is entering the third and final year of a three-year contract he signed as a rookie, and the motivation to extend his career, coupled with the opportunity he sees as part of a rebuilding Blazers roster, has generated significant changes in his diet, workout routine and drive.

"I know it's a big year for me," Crabbe said. "It's going to be my last year under contract. And with the roster changes, there's going to be an opportunity (to play). When that opportunity comes, I don't want no excuses this year, so I'm making sure I'm doing everything I need to do to solidify a rotation spot. I just want to make sure that I'm doing everything right."

USC @ California, Saturday, October 31

Kragen Added To Hendricks Watch List: Senior Defensive End Tied For Second In Pac-12 In Sacks

BERKELEY - Cal senior defensive end Kyle Kragen was named to the midseason watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award given annually to the nation's top defensive end on Monday following recent selections to midseason All-Pac-12 teams recently announced by ESPN and the Bay Area News Group.

Kragen ranks tied for second in the Pac-12 with both his 5.0 total sacks (-27 yards) an average of 0.71 per game. He also paces Cal with 6.0 tackles for loss (-34 yards) while ranking third with 38 tackles, with all of the team-leading numbers also career highs. He has added one pass breakup, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble.

Cal Returns To Berkeley To Host USC

After playing four of its last five contests on the road, Cal returns to Berkeley where they are unbeaten thus far this season at 3-0. Cal is seeking its first victory over the Trojans since a 2003 triple-overtime win.

The 2015 Cal Athletic Hall of Fame Class will be honored during Saturday's contest that will also serve as the annual Joe Roth Memorial Game in honor of the Cal quarterback who led Cal to a co-Pac-8 championship in 1975 before passing away from cancer in 1977. The documentary "Don't Quit: The Joe Roth Story" is airing the week of the game on Pac-12 Networks and making its debut on Pac-12 Bay Area and Pac-12 Los Angeles on Tuesday, Oct. 27 (7:30 pm PT).