:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48396843/GettyImages-498235456.0.jpg)
Softball
With the announcement of the Pac-12 Networks slate this week, the 2016 schedule came into focus for the Cal softball team as the Bears revealed a 55-game schedule filled with quality competition.
Women's Gymnastics
Gymnastics coaches from around the Pac-12 have predicted a fifth-place finish for the Cal women's gymnastics squad in 2016, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Water Polo
After a season in which the Cal men's water polo team returned to the NCAA Championships and finished with its most wins since 2010, the Bears added to their list of postseason accolades as six players earned All-America honors from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC).
Football
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 was a day that had been circled on Giorgio Tavecchio's calendar months in advance.
It was the date of Cal's pro day where professional scouts come watch the Golden Bears perform quintessential drills prior to the NFL Draft. When the date came, however, the late blooming kicker was left in the rain.
"Everyone had gone inside to do their drills," Tavecchio recalled. "When I saw scouts were leaving, I decided to go out on the field and go through my routine. Maybe a couple would catch me kick as they left, but by the time I was five or six kicks in, all of them had left."
As he trudged through his precise routine on the water-soaked Witter Rugby Field, the only people who watched were three teammates and their team chaplain.
"I made it a point to do it and finish what I had set out to do regardless if anyone was watching," Tavecchio added.
- Six Cal football student-athletes added to their postseason honors Thursday when they were selected to the Phil Steele Postseason All-Pac-12 teams. Jared Goff, Kenny Lawler and Hardy Nickerson were second-team selections while Chris Borrayo, Kyle Kragen and Bryce Treggs picked up third-team recognition.
- BearTalk: Football notebook: Tre Watson making most of his chance
All Tre Watson needed was a chance to show what he could do running the football for Cal.
On the heels of three games where he totaled 289 rushing yards, the 5-foot-10 sophomore has high expectations for himself when the Bears take on Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl at Fort Worth, Texas.
"Big players make big plays in big games. That's my goal - to go out there on Dec. 29 and put on a show," Watson said.
Watson carried the ball just 37 times for 145 yards through Cal's first nine games. But injuries, including to senior Daniel Lasco, created opportunity.
"A big part of that was he kept getting better and being fresh helped him," Cal coach Sonny Dykes said after a rainy Friday practice. "That's why it's so important to have four or five backs. They're going to get beat up. Guys like this emerge late because they haven't taken that many hits."
Watson, who rushed for 5,244 yards and 72 touchdowns at Centennial High in Corona, broke loose for 110 yards in Cal's win over Oregon State, and hasn't taken his foot off the gas.
"It's starting to feel like high school. I'm excited, getting better every day," he said.
Men's Basketball
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) â With a week between games because of final exams, California came into Saturday's game against Coppin State hoping to re-establish the rhythm it found in last week's win over St. Mary's.
Ivan Rabb scored 13 points with nine rebounds as five Cal players scored in double figures in an 84-51 win.
Saturday's win was head coach Cuonzo Martin's last opportunity to give his team a tune up before flying across the country to take on eighth-ranked Virginia on Tuesday. His team held to Coppin State to 24.2 percent shooting.
"In most cases, Coppin State wants to try to get 100 points. They want to get up and down," Martin said. "I thought we did a solid job, especially in the second half."