California Golden Bears facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California Golden Bears |
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| University | University of California, Berkeley |
| Conference | Pac-12 (primary) Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (men's gymnastics, indoor track & field, water polo) America East (field hockey) |
| NCAA | Division I (FBS) |
| Athletic director | Jim Knowlton |
| Location | Berkeley, California |
| Varsity teams | 30 |
| Football stadium | California Memorial Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Haas Pavilion |
| Baseball stadium | Evans Diamond |
| Softball stadium | Levine-Fricke Field |
| Soccer stadium | Edwards Stadium |
| Other arenas | Clark Kerr Sand Courts |
| Mascot | Oski the Bear |
| Nickname | Golden Bears |
| Fight song | Fight for California |
| Cheer | Oski Yell |
| Colors | Blue and Gold |
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The California Golden Bears are the sports teams that represent the University of California, Berkeley. People often call them California or Cal. The university has 30 official sports teams, called varsity teams, and many club teams. They compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Most teams are part of the Pac-12 Conference.
Over the years, Cal has won 113 team national titles across 13 men's and 3 women's sports. Many Cal athletes have also competed in the Olympics for different countries. Famous places where the Golden Bears play include California Memorial Stadium for football and Haas Pavilion for basketball and other indoor sports.
Cal's nickname, the Golden Bears, started in 1895. During a track and field tour, the team showed a blue silk banner with a golden grizzly bear, which is California's state symbol. Since then, the teams have been known as the Golden Bears.
Contents
Cal's Sports Teams
Cal has many exciting sports teams! Here's a look at some of them:
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Beach volleyball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Field hockey |
| Golf | Golf |
| Gymnastics | Gymnastics |
| Rowing | Lacrosse |
| Rugby | Rowing |
| Soccer | Soccer |
| Swimming and diving | Softball |
| Tennis | Swimming and diving |
| Track and field† | Tennis |
| Water polo | Track and field† |
| Volleyball | |
| Water polo | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor | |
Men's Sports Highlights
Football
The California football team started playing in 1885. They play their home games at California Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1923. The Bears have won five national titles, recognized by different groups, in 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1937.
Cal football is famous for two incredible plays:
- Roy "Wrong Way" Riegels' play in the 1929 Rose Bowl, where he accidentally ran towards his own goal line after picking up a fumble!
- "The Play" in the 1982 Big Game, a wild game-winning kickoff return with five passes as time ran out.
Many Cal football players have become NFL stars, like Tony Gonzalez (a Hall of Famer and amazing tight end) and Aaron Rodgers (a Super Bowl-winning quarterback). Other famous players include Marshawn Lynch and Jared Goff.
Basketball
The men's basketball team has played since 1907. Their home court is Haas Pavilion. Cal won a national championship in 1959 under coach Pete Newell. They also reached the Final Four (the last four teams in the tournament) in 1946 and 1960.
Some famous NBA players who played at Cal include Jason Kidd, Jaylen Brown, and Kevin Johnson.
Baseball
The Cal baseball team plays at Evans Diamond. They have won the College World Series twice, in 1947 and 1957. In 2010, the university planned to cut the baseball program to save money. But fans raised over $9 million, and the team was saved! They even made it to the College World Series again in 2011.
Famous Cal baseball players include Jeff Kent, who was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 2000, and Marcus Semien, who plays for the Texas Rangers.
Crew (Rowing)
Crew, or rowing, is the oldest sport at the university, starting in 1875. Cal's men's crew team has won many national championships over the years, including titles in 1928, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1949, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1976, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2016, and 2022.
Rugby
Cal's rugby team is very successful. They have won many national championships, including 27 titles in traditional rugby and 5 titles in rugby sevens (a faster version of the game). Like baseball, the rugby program was almost cut in 2010 but was saved by supporters.
Soccer
Men's soccer started at Cal in 1906. They play their home games at Edwards Stadium. While they haven't won a national championship, they have won 4 conference championships. Alex Morgan, a famous Olympic Gold Medalist and World Cup Champion, played for the women's soccer team at Cal.
Water Polo
The men's water polo team has won 16 national championships! They are one of the most successful teams at Cal, with titles in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2021, and 2022.
Women's Sports Highlights
Volleyball
The women's volleyball team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 17 times. They even reached the national championship game in 2010, but they haven't won a national title yet. Some former players have gone on to play professionally, like Carli Lloyd, who was an Olympian.
Basketball
California's women's basketball team has made 14 appearances in the NCAA tournament. Their best result was reaching the Final Four in 2013! They also won the WNIT championship in 2010.
In 2019, their coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, made history by becoming the first NCAA women's head coach to join an NBA coaching staff.
Softball
In 2002, the Cal softball team won its first National Championship against Arizona. The team plays at Levine-Fricke Field. Their current head coach, Chelsea Spencer, was even on that 2002 championship team!
Rowing
The Cal women's crew team has also had great success. In 1980, they won their first-ever national championship in any women's sport, winning the varsity eight race. They have won NCAA championships in 2005, 2006, 2016, and 2018.
Championships
Team Titles
The California Golden Bears have won 42 NCAA championships at the Division I level. They also claim 5 unofficial men's football titles.
- Men's Teams (33 NCAA titles):
* Baseball (2): 1947, 1957 * Basketball (1): 1959 * Golf (1): 2004 * Gymnastics (4): 1968, 1975, 1997, 1998 * Outdoor Track and Field (1): 1922 * Swimming and Diving (8): 1979, 1980, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023 * Water Polo (16): 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2021, 2022
- Women's Teams (9 NCAA titles):
* Rowing (4): 2005, 2006, 2016, 2018 * Softball (1): 2002 * Swimming (4): 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015
Cal has also won many other national team titles in sports not governed by the NCAA, including:
- Men's Crew (18 titles)
- Men's Football (5 unofficial titles)
- Men's Rugby (27 titles)
- Men's Rugby 7s (5 titles)
- Men's Bowling (1 title)
- Men's Rifle (9 titles)
- Men's Tennis (2 unofficial titles)
- Men's Indoor Tennis (2 titles)
- Women's Crew (1 title)
- Women's Indoor Tennis (1 title)
Individual Champions
Cal athletes have won 290 individual championships in NCAA sports, including doubles, rowing crews, and relay events.
Athletic Facilities
California Memorial Stadium
California Memorial Stadium is where the Cal football team plays. It opened in 1923 and can hold over 62,000 fans! Next to the stadium is the Simpson Center, a modern training facility for many of Cal's student-athletes.
Haas Pavilion
Walter A. Haas, Jr. Pavilion is the home for Cal's men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, and gymnastics teams. It was first built in 1933 and was later renovated in the late 1990s. The basketball court is named Pete Newell Court, after the coach who led Cal to a national championship.
Evans Diamond
Evans Diamond is Cal's baseball stadium. It opened in 1933 and can seat 2,500 people. It's named after Clint Evans, a former Cal head coach.
Other Facilities
Cal has many other great sports facilities, including:
- Edwards Stadium (for Soccer and Track & Field)
- Hellman Tennis Complex (for Tennis)
- Levine-Fricke Field (for Softball)
- Spieker Aquatics Complex (for Water Polo and Swimming & Diving)
- Witter Rugby Field (for Rugby)
Cal Spirit
School Colors and Mascot
Cal's official colors are blue and gold, chosen in 1875. The dark blue stands for California's sky and ocean. The gold refers to California's nickname, the "Golden State."
Since 1895, Cal's sports teams have been called the "California Golden Bears." Their mascot is Oski the Bear, a fun and energetic bear who cheers on the teams!
University of California Marching Band
The University of California Marching Band, also known as the Cal Band, is a student-run band that performs at sports events and other gatherings. They are known as "The Pacesetter of College Marching Bands, the Pride of California."
Fight Song
The main fight song for Cal is "Fight for California".
University of California Rally Committee
The University of California Rally Committee (or Rally Comm) protects Cal's spirit and traditions. They are in charge of things like the Stanford Axe (a trophy), the Bonfire Rally, and the California Victory Cannon. You can spot them at almost every major sports event wearing their blue and gold striped rugby shirts!
The Bench
"The Bench" is the student cheering section for the men's basketball team at Haas Pavilion. Up to 900 students sit there, cheering loudly for the Golden Bears. They are known for standing the entire game to make the arena a tough place for opposing teams to play.
Stanford Rivalry
California has a long-standing rivalry with nearby Stanford University. Both schools are in the San Francisco Bay Area. They compete in sports and academics. Athletic events between them are often called the "Big whatever", like the "Big Game" for football, "Big Spike" for volleyball, or "Big Splash" for water polo.
The annual football game between Cal and Stanford is called the Big Game. The winner gets to keep the Stanford Axe.
Stanford Axe
The Stanford Axe is a special trophy given to the winner of the annual Big Game between Cal and Stanford. It's an axe head mounted on a wooden plaque, with the scores of past games written on it. Cal is currently holding the Axe after winning the 2021 Big Game!
| 67 years total: 31 years pre-trophy, 36 years as the Big Game Trophy (2 ties) | |
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| 1899–1930, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950*, 1951, 1952, 1953*, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960 1967, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 • 2019, 2021 |
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| *In 1950, and 1953, the Big Game ended in a tie. Because California was already in possession of the Axe, it remained in Berkeley. | |
World Cup (Rugby)
In rugby, Cal's main rival is the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. The winner of their annual rugby series gets the "World Cup" trophy.
Scrum Axe (Rugby)
There's also a "Scrum Axe" trophy for the Cal-Stanford rugby match. Cal has held onto this trophy for a long time, showing their dominance in the rivalry.
Olympic Athletes
Many Cal athletes have gone on to compete in the Olympics. Cal athletes have won 90 gold medals, 40 silver medals, and 28 bronze medals in the Summer Olympics. They even have one gold medalist from the Winter Olympics!
At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Cal students won 18 medals, including 9 gold medals, mostly in swimming.
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Olympics | 90 | 40 | 28 | 158 |
| Winter Olympics | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals (2 entries) | 91 | 40 | 28 | 159 |
Images for kids
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Cal baseball players at Jackie Robinson Stadium in 2007
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Cal rugby game v St. Mary's in 2010
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Cal women's volleyball team in 2009
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The 2012 Cal Women's Basketball team before a game
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Cal softball team (wearing pink because of "strike out cancer" day), winners in 2012
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California Memorial Stadium in 2012
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Exterior of Haas Pavilion.
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Various athletic shirts in the blue and gold colors
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Oski, the mascot of the University of California
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The University of California Rally Committee in possession of the Stanford Axe
