Dear Friend of Cal Athletics:
 
Thanksgiving is typically a time to celebrate friendship and family, appreciate the lives we lead and offer our help to those in need. While many of us have much to be thankful for, our primary thoughts during this season are with all those impacted by the devastating wildfires in California. On behalf of the Cal Athletics community, I want to offer my prayers, support and condolences to all of those affected, as well as my gratitude to the firefighters, first-responders and the thousands who are assisting in the effort to extinguish the blazes and aid the families who have been touched by this unconscionable tragedy. We hope that our friends, families and neighbors can soon begin the process of healing and recovery. If you are interested in helping, the state of California has set up a website with links to qualified volunteer opportunities and vetted organizations that are collecting financial contributions.
 
Here in Berkeley, the fires severely compromised air quality to the point where Chancellor Christ cancelled classes for several days. Those same conditions also caused us to alter our athletic schedules, including modifying, cancelling or moving practices indoors when air quality levels reached unhealthy stages.
 
Due to smoke inside Haas Pavilion, we cancelled our men's basketball game vs. Detroit Mercy and moved a women's basketball game against Pacific to Stanford. And as I'm sure you are aware, we postponed the Big Game to Saturday, Dec. 1. These decisions came after careful deliberation among our staff, and with campus leadership, the Pac-12 and, in the case of the Big Game and the women's basketball game, Stanford. We relied on the best data and guidance available to us from medical and environmental experts, and followed protocols for practice and competition established by the NCAA and Pac-12. For the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, students, alumni and fans, I think we all agree that these decisions, although tough, made sense.
 
As a result, the Big Game will be our final regular-season game of the year and we're looking forward to the noon kickoff from Memorial Stadium in two weeks. All tickets purchased for the original Big Game date will be honored on Dec. 1, and we'll continue with our promotion to hand out bobbleheads commemorating The Play to the first 10,000 fans as they enter the gates. We still have a key home contest scheduled against Colorado this weekend, and I hope you will be able to join us for both events as we strive for a strong finish and bring the Axe back to Berkeley. Go Bears!
 
Our victory at USC on Nov. 10 in Los Angeles marked an incredible night for our football program, our department and our Cal community as a whole. Nearly 400 alumni and supporters attended the pregame tailgate at the Wallis Annenberg Building in Los Angeles to prepare for the game. And not only did we defeat the Trojans for the first time since 2003, but we secured our sixth win of the season to become bowl eligible. As Coach Wilcox said to the team in the locker room, if this team continues to believe in each other, anything is possible. Senior linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk summed it up well in his postgame comments: "We practice so hard every day, and we train so hard in the offseason. We're a resilient bunch – a bunch of guys who are blue collar who play with passion and persevere."
 
The win capped an extraordinary Saturday for Cal Athletics, and for me personally. It began half a world away in Shanghai with our men's basketball team playing in the annual Pac-12 China game. While the result wasn't what we wanted, our student-athletes had an incredible educational experience and were wonderful ambassadors for our program. During their visit, they were immersed into the Chinese culture and took full advantage of the educational experience during visits to ancient sites, in panel discussions with business leaders and by engaging with school children after practices and with the Yao Ming Foundation for Hope at Disneyland. I want to give a special shout-out to Derek Van Rheenen, Director of the Athletic Study Center, who accompanied us and worked closely with our students throughout the trip, from proctoring exams to leading a one-credit course that included special readings, journal entries and even learning a little Mandarin. In addition, I want to recognize Senior Associate Athletic Director Foti Mellis and the entire team that worked to plan and execute the entire trip – what an opportunity for our program!
 
Moving back to happenings here in Berkeley, the NCAA released the latest Graduation Success Rate data last week, and although we can't declare victory, I'm proud to see the continuous improvement in our percentages. Our overall rate of 82 percent is our highest since the NCAA began compiling the information nearly 20 years ago, 14 of 23 measured programs were at or above 85 percent, and six teams - men's gymnastics, women's gymnastics, women's swimming & diving, men's tennis, women's tennis and volleyball – were a perfect 100 percent. This news comes on the heels of rising GPAs and Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. Our student-athletes should be commended for the effort they put toward their coursework every day. You can read more about the GSR in our news release on Calbears.com.
 
Earlier this month, we received a report from Marts & Lundy, a fundraising consulting firm that added another tool to help with creating a department vision and long-term strategic plan. Their report on Cal Athletics followed a broader analysis of the entire university, and offered a number of valuable observations, including the need to invest further in our development unit and build stronger trust with you, our alumni and donors, over time that will likely include some changes to our fundraising philosophy. The authors note that our strengthening partnership with the campus and the support for Justin Wilcox and the direction of the football program have helped create momentum and enthusiasm among our stakeholders, and they foresee tremendous philanthropic potential. Along with the Collegiate Sports Associate report issued last spring that examined our department overall, we have two recent studies from experts that reaffirm some of what we know, but also will help shape our direction moving forward.
 
I remain impressed by the levels of engagement we see beyond sports among our Golden Bears, particularly in two examples within the past month. Lacrosse junior and urban studies major Madison Roberts worked with the nonprofit RISE to Vote to spearhead a voter registration drive among student-athletes and the campus in general. Her work inspired a feature in the San Francisco Chronicle and by National Public Radio. And women's golf coach Nancy McDaniel, a breast cancer survivor, spent a day at Metropolitan Links on Oct. 28, trading golf lessons for donations to breast cancer research, hosting Teach 4 a Cure that raised $5,000 during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
 
Last week, our Student-Athlete Development office, in collaboration with the Student-Athlete Business Network and the Cal Athletics Fund, hosted a networking event that brought together more than 60 student-athletes and over 40 professionals – including many alumni and former student-athletes – to discuss innovative career networking opportunities. Sebastian Sam '12, a track & field All-American who is now a sales solutions relationship manager at LinkedIn, offered the keynote address with a focus on the values of diversity and the importance of identifying and leveraging common threads to build meaningful relationships. This was a great evening providing real benefits to our student-athletes.
 
Looking ahead, we are hosting a very special event in the University Club on Friday, Dec. 21 the evening before our women's basketball team plays UConn in Haas Pavilion. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb will moderate a lively and what is sure to be thought-provoking discussion between two of the most successful coaches in the country – UConn coach Geno Auriemma and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Dubbed "A Chat with Champions," space is limited, so be sure to make your reservations today at this link. Included with your admission is a ticket to watch our men's basketball team play San Jose State in Haas Pavilion at 7:30 that night.
 
Thank you, as well, for the role you play in supporting Cal Athletics and our 850 student-athletes. Your gifts and support help create a platform for success, allowing them to reach amazing levels of achievement and setting them up for success for the rest of their lives.
 
Go Bears,


Jim Knowlton
Director of Athletics