No. 1-ranked Cal closes out the calendar year with what has become an annual occurrence - hosting San Jose State in a unique dual meet that features such events as the 300-yard backstroke relay, a 300-yard individual medley swum in reverse order, and a 150-yard breaststroke. Only the 50 free and 1-meter and 3-meter diving will be "regular" events. This year's meet begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Legends Aquatic Center, and admission is free.

WEITZEIL LOWERS OWN AMERICAN RECORD: Senior Abbey Weitzeil lowered her own American record in the 50-yard free at the Minnesota Invitational when she touched the wall in 20.90 seconds Dec. 5 to become the first woman ever to break the 21-second barrier. Weitzeil has held the mark since March 4, 2016, when she went 21.12 before her enrollment at Cal. She reset the record on her way to the NCAA title last March with a time of 21.02. Overall, Weitzeil owns the top three times and five of the top six times in the 50 free.
 
LAST TIME OUT - BEARS POST TOP TIMES IN MINNESOTA: Cal traveled to Minneapolis Dec. 4-7 for the Minnesota Invitational and came home following some impressive performances. The Bears captured all five relays, each under the NCAA A qualifying standard, and all rank either first or second in the country this year. In addition, Cal won six individual races, including three NCAA A swims by Abbey Weitzeil (50 free, 100 free and 200 free). Alicia Wilson tied for first with teammate Isabel Ivey in the 200 IM, and Wilson won the 400 IM outright, while Ivey claimed first place in the 100 back.
 
CAL ON THE NCAA BEST TIMES LIST: With the fall invitational season now complete, Cal boasts 17 individual swims and five relays that rank among the top 16 in the country. Abbey Weitzeil is first in the 50 free with her American-record 20.90, and she is second in both the 100 free (46.52) and 200 free (1:42.25). The Bears have three ranked swimmers in the 200 IM - Alicia Wilson and Isabel Ivey (T5th, 1:54.68) and Sarah Darcel (16th, 1:56.75). The list also features a pair of freshmen with Rachel Klinker eighth in the 200 fly (1:55.07) and Sarah DiMeco 16th in the 1650 free (16:11.14). Ivey joins Weitzeil with having three events in the top eight - 200 IM, 100 back (4th, 51.05) and 100 fly (7th, 51.46).
 
BEAR SMARTS: The Bears picked up a pair of academic honors mid-October, extending a string of scholastic honors for the program. First, the NCAA released its latest Graduation Success Rates, and Cal posted a 100% GSR for the fourth year in a row. Then came news that the Bears were the recipient of a second consecutive Newmark Award for having the highest GPA among all 30 Cal teams (3.370).
 
GOLDEN BEAR NOTES: Cal has signed seven recruits for 2020-21, headlined by U.S. National Team member Isabelle Stadden, the bronze medalist in the 200m back at the Pan Am Games last summer. Others in the class are: Mara Allen, Francesca Colby, Emily Gantriis, Kayla Haigh, Tea Laughlin and Nicole Oliva ... seven-time Olympic medalist Dana Vollmer was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in November ... Farida Osman ('17), who competes for Egypt, has been named the 2019 African Sportswoman of the Year ... Aislinn Light (100m back) and Ayla Spitz (100m back) hit their U.S. Olympic Trials cuts at a long-course time trial following the Minnesota Invitational, while Ema Rajic set a Croatian record in the 100m breast.