BERKELEY – The Cal women's rowing team will participate in its first competition of the 2019-20 season on Saturday when it travels to the Head of the American on Lake Natoma outside Sacramento.

The Bears will be entering 14 boats in the regatta – eight doubles, four eights and two quads. The races will serve somewhat as an intrasquad competition for Cal, as well as a dress rehearsal for the spring season.

"We are focusing on the team and improving – to start sorting out our boats," Cal head coach Al Acosta said. "We are always focusing on ourselves, more than the other boats. Even when we go to NCAAs, we should still be focusing on Cal. This regatta is just that to the nth degree."

Cal's roster is broken up into a blue team and a gold team, and the seniors on each team will be in charge of determining the boat lineups for Saturday. In Acosta's mind, the blue team and gold team will be competing against each other on Saturday – not the rest of the boats in the regatta.

Saturday will mark the Bears' only varsity regatta until the spring season gets into full swing at the end of March.

"This regatta is also an opportunity for them to practice going to a regatta – getting the boats off the trailer, being good teammates, managing yourself throughout the day," Acosta said. "It's a dry run."