This feature originally appeared in the 2023 Summer edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.
 
 

The Cal Athletics Fund recently launched the Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative - the exclusive philanthropic giving society of Cal men's basketball - to accelerate the trajectory of the program. The Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative was created to provide additive support, with a focus on four key priorities: holistic facility enhancements, nutrition, technology and innovation, and attracting and retaining elite coaching and support staff. To date, nearly $700,000 has been committed to this effort. 
 
This launch comes at a time when Cal has focused its efforts on men's basketball - hiring head coach Mark Madsen and doubling the department's investment to mirror the funding seen at fellow conference institutions. The momentum and energy that these two key changes have generated will be transformational for the program.
 
"I am excited and proud to be at Cal and to build something incredible with our outstanding staff and student-athletes," Madsen said. "Cal has the potential to be great - but to position ourselves at the top of the conference, we need to make program enhancements that many of our fellow Pac-12 schools already have. The Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative is a discretionary fund that will give me the ability to quickly invest in the resources we need to be successful on the court so we can see results this season. Philanthropic support from the Cal family is truly the only way to make the significant and transformative changes this program needs, and I hope our vision inspires folks to give."
 
The Cal men's basketball program hopes to begin making facility enhancements this year, including renovations to update facilities to be more effective and efficient for day-to-day operations and creating spaces for dedicated recovery and rehabilitation. 
 
Nutrition is another priority and a key component of on-court performance - additional support for this area will increase the quality and quantity of meals provided to student-athletes to mirror those seen at the professional level.
 
The program also hopes to invest in industry-standard technology that will make training and practice more efficient and effective; recruiting software will also help the program identify top prospects - an essential tool in today's transfer portal market. 
 
Finally, retaining and attracting an elite staff is critical to creating the consistency needed to build a successful and sustainable program. 
 
"Coach Madsen has built an impressive team of coaches and staff - support to the Excellence Initiative will make it possible to retain them and expand the staff as needed," Cal Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton said.  "Cal Athletics is focused on competitive success; ensuring Coach Madsen has the resources to compete at the top of the conference and return to the NCAA Tournament is a priority. We as a department are investing in this program and I am confident that with the support of our Cal Family, we will see Cal men's basketball equipped with the resources needed to reach a new level of success." 
 
The Excellence Initiative provides supporters with a unique, insider's look at the program with exclusive benefits that include VIP events with coaches and staff, away game travel opportunities, courtside club passes, and postgame team access, depending on commitment level. 
 
Those interested in joining the Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative can give annually at the following levels: Bear Territory ($100k+), Slam Dunk ($50k+), Gold ($25k+) and Blue ($10k+). All giving levels are five-year philanthropic gift commitments.
 
To learn more about the Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative, contact Willie McHargue at the Cal Athletics Fund at wmchargue@berkeley.edu or visit us at https://calbea.rs/mbb-excellence-initiative.