BERKELEY – Omid Jalali of the men’s soccer team was awarded a pair of postgraduate scholarships and football’s Joey Mahalic received a 30-second standing ovation after an inspiring student-athlete speech Monday at the annual Cal Athletic Honors Luncheon at the Berkeley City Club.
Jalali, the 2014 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was the recipient of the Oscar Geballe Postgraduate Scholarship of $5,000. The award honors Oscar Geballe and his focus on the combination of scholarship and intercollegiate athletic competition. Jalali also was awarded a Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarship of $3,000, an award given to a male and female at each conference institution aimed at honoring student-athletes that intend to pursue graduate studies.
Mahalic, who began his collegiate career at age 23 after spending five years as a pitcher in the Cleveland Indians organization, spoke to his fellow student-athletes about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they have at Cal, the magnitude of their accomplishments and the impact they have on children.
“They say great moments are a product of great opportunity. You have the great opportunity to be student-athletes at Cal,” Mahalic said. “Be grateful and appreciate it every day.”
The following is a list of award-winners:
Golden Bear Team Award
The Golden Bear Team Award is given to the varsity team with the highest cumulative grade-point average. This year's award goes to the sand volleyball team, setting a new Cal record with a 3.55 team GPA.
Big C Most Improved Team Award
This award, which goes to the team that has made the greatest improvement in the last year relative to its historical grade-point average, goes to men’s tennis.
Tom Hansen Conference Medal
The Tom Hansen Pac-12 Conference Medal is awarded annually at each member institution to that university's outstanding senior male and female student-athletes. The determination is based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.
Male – Chris Adcock (football)
Female – Reshanda Gray (women's basketball)
Neufeld Scholar-Athlete Awards
The Neufeld Scholar-Athlete Awards are given to the graduating male and female student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade-point averages. The award was established by Cal Hall of Famer William Neufeld Sr. in honor and memory of his son, William Jr., who ran track at Cal before his untimely death in a boating accident.
Male – Jack Kornfeld (men’s crew)
Female – Mary Lee (softball)
Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarships
Created to honor outstanding scholar-athletes intending to pursue graduate studies and awarded by each Pac-12 institution, they include a $3,000 stipend for graduate work.
Omid Jalali - men’s soccer
Jack Kornfeld – men’s crew
Camilla Gardiner – women’s crew
Cecilia Estlander – women’s tennis
Oscar Geballe Postgraduate Scholarships
This award was created through the generosity of Dr. Theodore Geballe to honor his father, Oscar Geballe. It recognizes Oscar Geballe's devotion to Cal and his strong belief in the value of combining scholarship and intercollegiate athletic competition. Since 1981, the Geballe award has helped more than 75 Golden Bears continue their education at the postgraduate level with a $5,000 stipend going to each winner.
Chris Adcock - football
Vanessa Gerber - women's crew
Omid Jalali – men’s soccer
Jake Gimbel Prize and Anna Espenschade Award
The Jake Gimbel Prize and Anna Espenschade Award were established in the 1930s and 1987, respectively, to recognize a graduating male and female student-athlete for successful integration of academic and athletic pursuits. The winners of these awards exemplify the true "Golden Bear" spirit.
Male – David Kravish (men’s basketball)
Female – Caroline Piehl (women's swimming)
Joseph McDonnell Kavanagh Award
This award, in its sixth year, recognizes the student-athlete who has made exceptional improvement in his or her academic and intellectual pursuits at Cal. The University's motto - Fiat Lux, "Let there be light" - is appropriate for this most academically inspirational athlete award.
Britt Vonk - softball
Walter A. Haas Jr. Community Service Award
The Walter A. Haas Jr. Community Service Award was created to honor Walter A. Haas Jr. for his commitment and service to the University and larger community. This award is given annually to a student-athlete for his or her outstanding contribution to community service.
Taylor Nanfria - women's swimming
Jonathan and Judy Hoff Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
The Jonathan and Judy Hoff Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year award recognizes a football student-athlete who has dedicated himself to a holistic approach toward academic, athletic and persona development by demonstrating consistent daily routienes, persistent community outreach and collaborative leadership ability.
Caleb Coleman
Golden Bear Achievement Awards
The Golden Bear Achievement Awards are presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on his or her respective team.
SPORT NAME MAJOR
Baseball Chris Muse-Fisher Psychology
Men’s Basketball Roger Moute a Bidias Interdisciplinary Studies
Men’s Crew Jack Kornfeld Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Football Matt Anderson Business
Men’s Golf Walker Huddy Business
Men’s Gymnastics Tanner Dowell Integrative Biology
Rugby Spencer Morris Business
Men’s Soccer Omid Jalali Business
Men’s Swim/Dive Ryan Murphy Business
Men’s Tennis Gregory Bayane Economics
Men’s Cross Country John Lawson English
Men’s Track William Contreras Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology
Men’s Water Polo Aleksa Saponjic Business
Women’s Basketball Reshanda Gray Social Welfare
Women’s Crew Vanessa Gerber Conservation and Resource Studies
Field Hockey Kristen Lee Psychology
Women’s Golf Roberta Roeller Business Administration
Women’s Gymnastics Serena Leong BioEngineering
Lacrosse Charlotte Biffar Economics
Women’s Soccer Thelma Einarsdottir Economics and Business
Sand Volleyball Inanna Eshoo Media Studies
Softball Mary Lee Mechanical Engineering
Women’s Swim/Dive Rachael Acker French
Women’s Tennis Lynn Chi Integrative Biology
Women’s Cross Country Mariel Mendoza Public Health
Women’s Track & Field Grace Beaudoin Economics
Volleyball Maddy Kerr Media Studies
Women’s Water Polo Molly Quinn Anthropology and Geography
