SAN FRANCISCO – California freshman middle blocker/outside hitter Lydia Grote was selected to the Pac-12 Volleyball All-Freshman Team after a standout season to begin her career with the Golden Bears.

Grote led Cal with 204 kills and 43 blocks, while registering 11 double-digit kill matches on the season. She collected the fourth-most kills among freshmen and was 12^th across all players in the conference in kills.

"Lydia had a tremendous freshman campaign and we are excited for her to be named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team," Cal head coach Sam Crosson said. "Throughout the course of the season, she demonstrated her ability to score points from various locations along the net and from the service line. Her skill sets and athleticism allow her to be multifunctional as a point scorer and her drive and determination for personal improvement have set a foundation for her success for years to come.  We are excited about her future here with us as a Bear and look forward to her continued impact on our program."

Grote becomes the 26^th Golden Bear all-time to be named to the All-Freshman Team and first since Maddy Kerr in 2013.  

A native of Burbank, California, Grote got off to a strong start in her Cal career, collecting 18 kills on .654 hitting to go along with three blocks in her debut at then-No. 22 UCLA on Jan. 22.

The 18 kills set a new mark for most in a freshman debut in Cal volleyball history and Grote's .654 attack percentage in the opener was the fourth-best in the conference this season with a minimum of 12 kills.

Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
Sofia Maldonado, Arizona
Madi Endsley, Washington
Iman Ndiaye, UCLA
Caitie Baird, Stanford
Marta Levinska, Arizona State
Julianna Dalton, Washington State
Lydia Grote, California