BERKELEY – The California women's rowing program added to its coaching staff with the additions of assistant coach Ashley Ball and associate head coach Vanessa Tavalero, head coach Al Acosta announced Monday.
 
Tavalero is making her return to Cal after serving as the Bears' associated head coach from 2011-2019 where she helped guide the Cal to NCAA Championships in 2016 and 2018. Prior to her return to Berkeley, she served as an assistant coach at Saint Mary's from 2020-22, at her alma mater, Washington, for the 2010-11 season and at UC Davis for the 2009-10 season. As a rower with the Huskies, Tavalero helped Washington earn back-to-back team NCAA Championships in 1997 and 1998 during her freshman and sophomore seasons. As a senior in 2000, Tavalero led the Huskies to a second-place team finish at the NCAA Championships, also claiming second in the varsity eight grand final. During her time in Seattle, she was part of three straight Pac-10 titles.
 
"We're thrilled that Coach Tavalero is back at Cal," Acosta said. "She's a fantastic coach who helped us win NCAAs a few times. But more importantly, she's a great person, role model and someone who has very high standards. We're lucky to have her back."
 
Ball comes to the Golden Bears after having served on the women's rowing coaching staff at Old Dominion for the 2023-24 season. Prior to that she was a standout rower at Tennessee from 2017-21, stroking the 2V8+ to a 16^th-place finish and helping contribute to the Volunteers placing 17th overall at the 2021 NCAA Championships. That same season, she helped Tennessee's 2V8+ upset then-No. 3 Virginia at the UVA Invite on her way to being named the most inspirational rower on the team. Following her freshman campaign, Ball was named the Tennessee Most Valuable Rower and Female Rookie of the Year.
 
"We're excited to have Coach Ball join our staff," Acosta said. "Coach Ball is an extremely hard worker and has high level racing experience from racing at NCAAs with Tennessee."
 
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