Cal Premieres 2023 At Dennis Storer Classic

Saturday, January 14

Los Angeles, CA

10:40 AM

California

UC Santa Barbara

Cal rugby heads to Dennis Storer Classic Jan. 14-15.

Photo by: RudyPics

1/13/2023 12:08 PM | Rugby

Bears Set To Play Three Matches In Los Angeles

By: Cal Athletics

BERKELEY – California rugby opens its spring XV's campaign this weekend as the Golden Bears travel to UCLA for the annual Dennis Storer Classic. Cal will play three matches Jan. 14-15, facing UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego on Saturday and host-team UCLA on Sunday. All matches will be contested at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Tickets will be sold at the main gate, with single and two-day passes available for fans to purchase.

The annual event honors the late Dennis Storer, legendary US Rugby Hall of Famer and longtime UCLA head coach. Storer also served as the first coach of the U.S. National team in the modern era.

The Bears enter the preseason tournament this weekend searching for their 17th consecutive title. As in years' past, each match will be abbreviated. Cal takes on UC Santa Barbara at 10:40 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a match with UC San Diego at 2 p.m. The Bears' final contest of the tournament will be on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. against UCLA.

Cal and UCSB last went head-to-head in XV's play in Jan. 2022 in the Bears' 66-5 win over the Gauchos at Witter Rugby Field. 2023 returners Max Clark and Dom Paga each had a pair of tries and Alex Brundage went 8-for-10 on conversions in the contest. Earlier this fall, Cal and UCSB met for a sevens matchup at the West Coast Collegiate 7's at Treasure Island. The Bears posted a 52-0 final score by way of eight tries by six different players, including a pair from Kealan O'Connell, who also converted four of the team's scores.

Three years have passed since the last time Cal and UCSD met for 15-a-side contest, which took place at the 2020 Storer Classic. The Bears defeated the Tritons 59-7, with six 2023 returners seeing time on the pitch. Luke Freeman, then a sophomore, contributed two tries and Mats Dodd, also a sophomore at the time, added another.

Cal and UCLA had two XV's matchups last season, once at the 2022 Storer Classic and another regular season match – both of which took place in Los Angeles. At the Storer Classic, Cal won the contest 38-8. Nine of the Bears' starters in the match return to the roster this season, including current co-captain Nathan Zylstra who scored twice and fellow co-captain Max Schumacher who converted four of the six scores.

In the regular season matchup, Cal defeated the Bruins 54-21. Returners Clark, Schumacher and Will Shankland each contributed a try, and Nate Salter went 7-for-8 on conversions. The two teams last met earlier this fall at the PAC 7s Championships on Nov. 13. The Bears rolled past the Bruins 32-0 in the Cup Semifinals on their way to a 31-5 defeat over Arizona in the finals for the tournament title.

This weekend, Cal will bring a large contingent of the roster to Westwood, with all players who are healthy making the trip. The team looks to give the whole travel squad playing time, with the lineup for all three matches expected to be varied.

Prop Emilio Shea will play his first match of the year for the Bears at the 2023 Storer Classic. Shea joined Cal's starting lineup during the 2022 XVs season in the loosehead prop position and is the only starting front rower who will return to the pitch this weekend. He played in 10 matches last season, including the national championship semifinals match when he also scored a try.

Shea will be joined by No. 4 lock Tom Dixon in the forwards this weekend. Dixon was a consistent reserve for the Bears in 2022, playing in 11 matches and making five starts, including in the national championship quarterfinals match versus Central Washington where he also scored a try.

The Bears return a number of experienced backs to the pitch this weekend, including flyhalf Salter and fullback Schumacher, who both had impressive 2022 campaigns. Shankland also makes his return this weekend after being sidelined by an injury during the fall sevens season. Shankland was a starting center for most of the 2022 season, notably contributing a try in the national championship semifinal contest.

Fans can follow along on the Cal Varsity Rugby social media channels this weekend for starting lineups ahead of each match and final score updates.

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