Dear Friend of Cal Athletics:
 
I couldn't be more excited to begin my journey as Director of Athletics at Cal. My enthusiasm for the university and the department has only grown since I accepted the position six weeks ago, and I'm happy to say that my first official week on the job began yesterday. For that alone, I offer a hearty Go Bears!
 
I'd like to thank Chancellor Christ and other members of the search committee for this tremendous opportunity. Football coach Justin Wilcox and women's basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb, Prof. Bob Jacobsen, our Faculty Athletics Representative, and the many other campus and community leaders who were part of the committee provided incredible insight into Cal Athletics and the university, what they represent and what aspirations they have for the future.
 
To the entire Cal community, I want to express my thanks for the warm welcome I've received from Golden Bears both near and far. I'm looking forward to getting to know you much better in the coming days and weeks.  My first stop of many this spring and summer will be alongside Coach Wilcox today and tomorrow as we meet with alumni in Los Angeles and Orange County.
 
I also want to thank Mike Williams, who has been incredibly gracious sharing insights and information into Cal Athletics.
 
Along those lines, I've labeled the first three months of my tenure as Listening Days, setting a goal to learn as much as I can before moving forward in my new role and developing a strategic plan for our department. I want to hear from student-athletes, coaches, our administration, faculty, alumni and the community. My philosophy is to be a servant leader, one who acts as a facilitator and collaborator to allow our student-athletes and coaches to thrive in competition, in the classroom and in the community. The core of our commitment must be to the student-athlete experience.
 
While I am stepping into my new role at the end of the academic year, I want to recognize our teams and student-athletes who are closing out their 2018 seasons with championship events.
 
Track & field regionals get underway this weekend just up the road in Sacramento, and our squad boasts a pair of new Pac-12 champions in women's pole vaulter Lauren Martinez (school-record 14-0) and men's triple jumper Tuomas Kaukolahti (52-8.25). Bears who advance out of the regional rounds will move on to the NCAA Championships June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.
 
Also this weekend are the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Fla. Cal has finished among the top three each of the past 10 years, including the program's third national title in 2016. On the men's side, the Bears will be in New Jersey for the IRA Championships June 1-3 and will be looking to send off head coach Mike Teti on a high note. After 10 years guiding the Cal program, coach Teti will become head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team, which will be stationed out of the T. Gary Rogers Rowing Center on the Oakland Estuary.
 
Our baseball team wraps up its regular season under first-year coach Mike Neu this weekend with a three-game set at Arizona State beginning Thursday night. In its game at Creighton this past Saturday, Andrew Vaughn tied Xavier Nady's 1999 Cal record with his 23rd home run of the year.
 
In tennis, individual singles and doubles teams from our men's and women's squads are at Wake Forest beginning Wednesday for their NCAA Championships.
 
Several Golden Bear teams closed out their postseasons over the last week. Softball earned a big win over Harvard before dropping a heartbreaker against Northwestern at an NCAA regional in Georgia to conclude its 30th trip to the playoffs in the past 31 years. In golf, Marthe Wold of our women's team competed as an individual at the NCAA Championships, while the men's team, featuring National Player of the Year finalist Colin Morikawa, finished its season at NCAA regionals. Rugby actually advanced to two championships in May, finishing as the national runner-up in both 15s and 7s.
 
On the academic front, five of our teams earned Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA for their outstanding Academic Progress Rate scores - men's and women's tennis, lacrosse, volleyball and women's golf. Men's tennis has received the honor nine years in a row, while women's tennis has been recognized the past eight years. Look for scores for all teams to be revealed later this week.
 
Last but certainly not least, I'd like to congratulate all of the Golden Bears who graduated with their Cal degrees earlier this month. We appreciate your commitment as students and as athletes and wish you the best of luck as you begin your post-Cal careers!
 
Before I sign off on this first letter, I want to thank you for all of the support you show our student-athletes, coaches and entire department. We would not be able to provide these opportunities to so many Golden Bears without your commitment to Cal and Cal Athletics.
 
Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity to lead this department, and I look forward to meeting you soon.
 
Go Bears!
 




Jim Knowlton
Director of Athletics