California Golden Bears Athletics

STANFORD, Calif. – The Golden Bears perpetuated their reputation as Northern California's best team, taking the title in the five-team NorCal Classic for the fourth season in a row Monday night in Maples Pavilion.
 
Cal topped its four NorCal counterparts with a 195.475, the 10th-best score in the nation of opening weekend. Stanford took second with a 194.925, followed by San Jose State (194.475), UC Davis (194.400) and Sacramento State (192.875). Cal's score was its second-highest in a season opener in school history, only behind 2016's 195.575.
 
Freshman Kyana George turned in a strong all-around debut, taking second with a 39.350 and a pair of top-two finishes on bars (9.90) and beam (9.875). George's 39.35 is the highest all-around total by any freshman in the Pac-12 thus far, and the second-highest total by a freshman all season. Toni-Ann Williams made her return to the all-around for the first time since 2016, finishing with a 38.850 due to a missed dismount but also tallying a pair of 9.90s on beam and floor in her first performances in nearly a year. Williams won the beam title with her 9.90 and finished third on floor.
 
The Bears set the tone early with a 49.100 on floor, led by Williams' 9.90. Monday's performance marked her first routine back after an Achilles tear in early February 2017 left her sidelined for the rest of the year. It was Williams' 22nd score of 9.90 or better in her career.
 
"For Toni-Ann, doing a floor routine was such a big deal," said head coach Justin Howell. "Since she came back from injury, we've really been taking small steps with her to be able to do a full floor routine, and I was really happy that she came out and got a 9.90 and crushed it on her first time back out."
 
George made her Cal debut with a 9.85, good for second among the Bears, while Sylvie Seilnacht and Arianna Robinson each added a pair of 9.80s.
 
Williams led the Bears once again as Cal moved on to vault, with her 9.80 tops among the 48.600 team total. A pair of freshmen made their first appearance in the vault lineup, with George earning a 9.725 and Nina Schank earning a 9.65.
 
Cal led 97.700 after two rotations and entering a bye.
 
Uncharacteristic bar mistakes, including a rare miss by Yuleen Sternberg and a step on Williams' dismount, contributed to a 48.725 team total, but the remaining four gymnasts in the bar lineup delivered. George led off with a 9.90 and Chelsea Shu followed it up with a 9.825. After Sternberg's miss, freshman Alma Kuc kept her composure to hit with a 9.875, and classmate Nina Schank anchored the rotation with another 9.875.
 
"Being able to stay focused on a great set was a big deal for our team. The bar mistakes were very uncharacteristic," Howell said. "I'm super impressed with our freshmen. Alma has really worked on her mental game and went out and delivered an almost-9.90 bars set."
 
Cal bookended the meet with a second rotation above 49.0, using strong comeback performances on the balance beam to fuel a 49.050. Shu (9.825), George (9.875) and Alicia Gallarzo (9.85) all delivered above 9.80s, and Williams rebounded from her bar set with a 9.90 as the anchor.
"I was pleased. There were a lot of highlights," Howell said. "We have a group of ladies who are interchangeable. To be able to call anyone else up and have her deliver – that's the way it should be. We haven't had that luxury in the past."
 
Next, it's a quick turnaround for the Bears, who head to Provo, Utah for a meet with BYU on Friday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. The meet marks the second of four consecutive road meets for Cal before the Bears return to Berkeley for their home opener on Sunday, Feb. 4 against Arizona at 2 p.m.