On a bustling weekend, several Cal sports teams achieved remarkable milestones in their respective competitions. The men’s golf team finished an impressive second at the Pac-12 championships held at Desert Forest Golf Club in Carefree, Arizona. Ethan Fang tied for third place, Sampson Zheng finished sixth, and Eric Lee placed 13th in the individual competition. This performance marked the best finish for Cal since 2016, with the team trailing eventual champions Arizona State by just three strokes in the final round.
In another outstanding achievement, the women’s water polo team secured the runner-up spot at the MPSF championships after making it to the championship game for the first time since 2011. Despite a hard-fought 13-10 loss to undefeated No. 1 UCLA, players like Rozanne Voorvelt and Mary Dempsey showcased impressive performances throughout the tournament. Dempsey led the team with an astounding 42 goals and scored her 100th career goal during this tournament. The Bears will now host the NCAA Championships at Spieker Aquatics Complex from May 10-12, with the field set to be unveiled during a selection program on Monday.
Lastly, yet another triumph for Cal sports came when their beach volleyball team secured a berth in the NCAA championships for their third consecutive year. As a program-best No. 7 seed, they will face off against No. 10 Long Beach State in their opening match of the tournament at Gulf Shores, Alabama – a rematch of last season’s first-round encounter where Cal emerged victorious with a thrilling 3-2 win over Long Beach State. Six Pac-12 teams have qualified for this year’s NCAA field, with top-seeded USC aiming to claim their fourth consecutive national title as they continue their quest for dominance in collegiate volleyball competition.
