Dear Friend of Cal Athletics:
 
As I reflect on my first month as your athletic director, I have been very impressed by the passion I have seen all around Cal Athletics – student-athletes, coaches, staff and alumni. It is abundantly clear to me that the desire to see a successful department that fulfills the mission of our University and wins the right way is a high priority.
 
When Corey and I chose to come to Cal, we knew it was an incredible place both academically and athletically. The more time I spend as a part of this department, meeting with coaches and staff, it is clear to me that what makes this University special is infinitely more than what the outside world can see in rankings, championships and other public recognitions. Our true strength is our people, and their work ethic and commitment to Cal and our department.
 
Much of my time these first four weeks has been filled with Listening Days, 75-minute sessions where administrative staff and coaches provide me with a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of their programs and help me understand what I can do to best support them on their road to be exceptional. So far, I have had the opportunity to meet with more than 25 different sport programs and units. These sessions will ultimately help me develop a list of priorities to create a strategic vision and plan, one that will include a financially sustainable budget and a method to move to Title IX Prong I compliance (proportionality).
 
I have also enjoyed getting to know our alumni during many individual and group gatherings and have begun to deliberately connect with faculty members. I have started a standing monthly breakfast with Bob Jacobsen, our Faculty Athletics Representative who also serves as the Dean of Undergraduate Studies for the College of Letters and Science, and recently had lunch with Rich Lyons, the outgoing dean of the Haas School of Business – both educational and enlightening meetings!
 
While I have had the fortune to meet with many of our alumni, I am looking forward to getting to know many more. I have already been to Los Angeles and Orange Country. In my return to the Bay Area, I received a warm welcome from supporters and staff at Under Armour's offices in San Francisco. Next week, I'll be visiting with a group of alumni in New York and Washington, D.C., and I have several more group gatherings on the calendar, including with Bears in the Woods at Lake Tahoe and on the Peninsula in the Bay Area next month.
 
Based on my interactions with alumni to date, I know there is much discussion about the future size and scope of our department. Chancellor Christ has stated on numerous occasions that "cutting sports is the last resort." I firmly agree with her stance. And while we do face challenges ahead, none of them are insurmountable. Everywhere I look I see opportunities, as long as we are proactive and take a disciplined approach combined with a deliberate decision-making process.
 
Here on campus, our student-athletes recently concluded an outstanding year in the classroom. The average GPA for all of our student-athletes during the spring semester was 3.084, with 22 of 30 teams posting GPAs above 3.0. Our women's swimming & diving team led the way with a very impressive team GPA of 3.429.
 
I'd also like to recognize Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Jay Larson, who received a Berkeley Staff Assembly Excellence in Management Award. I was thrilled that Chancellor Christ was able to present him with this honor.
 
Looking forward to this fall, we can see the momentum continuing to build around our football program. As of mid-June, new year-over-year season-ticket sales are up about 75 percent and the numbers continue to rise. If you haven't secured your seats yet, both mini plans and full-season plans are available now. For more information on tickets or how to become an ESP participant, visit CalBears.com/tickets or call (800) GO BEARS (462-3277).
 
Speaking of next year, we have had the chance to meet many of our new freshmen student-athletes who are already on campus through the Summer Bridge and Freshman Edge programs, which help them get acclimated to Cal before the fall semester starts. Their journey as students and athletes is just beginning and we look forward to seeing them on the courts, fields and pools in the coming months.
 
On the coaching front, we recently elevated Scott Frandsen to head coach of our men's rowing program. Scott, a 2002 Cal graduate and a three-time national champion rower, has been on our staff as an assistant coach since 2012. Congratulations, Scott!
 
Out on the course, our women's rowing team captured the NCAA team championship in late May in Sarasota, Florida. Go Bears! For Al Acosta's squad, it was the second title in three years and fourth in the history of the program. Both the varsity eight and varsity four won their individual races, as well. For the men, the varsity eight earned a spot on the medal stand with a third-place finish. Individually, oarsman Natan Wegrzycki-Szymczyk was named the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and, for the third time, Pac-12 Athlete of the Year for men's rowing. What an accomplishment for an outstanding young man!
 
I want to be sure to mention baseball's Andrew Vaughn, as well. Andrew was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year and the National Player of the Year by Perfect Game/Rawlings after batting .402 and tying our school record with 23 home runs. Much more is certainly in store, so make sure you catch him at Evans Diamond next spring when he returns for his junior year.
 
One last initiative to mention centers around senior running back Patrick Laird, who came up with an idea for a Summer Reading Challenge to encourage students between first and sixth grades. Those who complete the challenge will receive four tickets to our football opener against North Carolina. So far, 2,500 students have signed up and you can find out more and register at walkonthenrun.com. We are very proud of this initiative by Patrick!
 
Please note that our fiscal year is coming to a close and tomorrow (Friday) is the last day to make a year-end gift. You can donate directly by visiting give.berkeley.edu/athletics.
 
As you can tell, we have much good news to share about our department and I hope you share my excitement for what lies ahead. For us to truly succeed, we need your help to make Cal the best athletic department it can be.
 
Until next time, Go Bears!
 
 
 

Jim Knowlton
Director of Athletics