BERKELEY – California rugby was well represented at the annual Cal Academic Honors Luncheon on Monday afternoon. The event was hosted at the Field Club at California Memorial Stadium to celebrate the top academic performers from across all 30 Intercollegiate Athletic teams.
 
Throughout the 2022-23 school year, 35 Cal rugby student-athletes have been recognized for their term and cumulative academic performance. At the end-of-year tally, 21 players met the threshold for scholar-athlete distinction and were invited to the luncheon to celebrate their accomplishments in the classroom. 
 
Senior co-captain Max Schumacher was honored with the prestigious Jake Gimbel Award. Established in the 1930s, the award is presented each year to the top graduating male athlete who has a combination of academic and athletic excellence. The award encourages students to embody the true spirit of a scholar athlete, with diligence both in the classroom and on the field of play. Schumacher will fill a seat on the stage at the university commencement on May 13 as one of two representatives of Intercollegiate Athletics. Schumacher – a first generation college student – will be graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration from the renowned Haas School of Business.
 

Junior Matt Vranesh earned the Golden Bear Award, which is given to the student-athlete who posts the highest grade-point average on each team. Vranesh is studying economics at the College of Letters & Sciences.  
 

"We're proud of every student on our team for the efforts they put into their studies," Cal head coach Jack Clark said. "For this group of boys to be further academically recognized, it is really noteworthy. Max being awarded top male student-athlete is fantastic for him and the rugby program."
 
As the academic year winds down, the Bears are in focused preparation for their appearance at the D1A National Collegiate Championship finals this Saturday. Cal will face Navy in the season finale at 6:30 p.m. at Aveva Stadium in Houston. Fans can purchase tickets here or watch the match live on The Rugby Network.
 
STAY POSTED 
For complete coverage of Cal rugby, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalVarsityRugby), Instagram (@CalVarsityRugby) and Facebook (/CalVarsityRugby).