Category Archives: Sports
Cal volleyball captures top rank in nation
The Cal women’s volleyball team, after sweeping its opponents last weekend, has grabbed the top rank in the nation, according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. It’s the first time in the team’s history that Cal has led the national rankings.
Cal went into this season ranked third, behind Penn State and USC. The Nittany Lions, national champions for the past four years, were upset by Oregon last weekend, and the Trojans were in turn beaten by the … Continue reading »
When Cal plays in SF, what happens to business?
When the Cal Golden Bears open their home season against Fresno State on Saturday, the team won’t be at home.
Cal’s six home games this season will be played in San Francisco: on Saturday at Candlestick Park, and the remainder at AT&T Park (although if the Giants somehow turn their season around and get to the playoffs, the Bears will be even more nomadic than planned). The seismic retrofit and reconstruction of Cal Memorial Stadium, the team’s home since 1923, … Continue reading »
Cal star Morgan clinches US World Cup victory
Fans of the U.S. women’s World Cup team could finally stop biting their nails in the 82nd minute yesterday when Alex Morgan, a standout for Cal, chipped over French goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz to take the score to 3-1. The win carried the U.S. team into Sunday’s final against Japan.
Morgan came into the game as a substitute in the 56th minute, and added speed and freshness to a U.S. attack that had looked second best to France for much of … Continue reading »
Former Cal star bolsters US women’s World Cup team
There are countless tales being told about the stirring victory of the U.S. women’s team in yesterday’s World Cup quarterfinal victory over Brazil. But one of the less heralded roles was played by former Cal star forward Alex Morgan, who came off the bench in the 72nd minute — with the Americans a player down — and added fresh legs and vital impetus to the team.
She floored Brazilian defender Daiane with a powerful shot at the end … Continue reading »
Windsurfing nationals come to Berkeley next week
The U.S. National Windsurfing championships will be held in Berkeley next week, from Monday through Saturday. Hosted by the Berkeley Yacht Club, the championships will be just offshore from Berkeley Marina (the video above shows recent slalom racing off Maui).
“We are delighted to welcome the U.S. Windsurfing National Championships back to Berkeley after 35 years,” said Jane Morson of the Berkeley Yacht Club. “And, we invite the public to come out and see these world-class athletes in action – event admission is absolutely free for spectators.”
As both kite flyers and windsurfers know, summer in the Bay Area brings consistent winds across the Bay. The windsurfing championships include freestyle, slalom, techno and formula competitions in men’s, women’s and junior divisions. In addition to U.S. windsurfers, strong contingents are expected from Australia, Brazil and New Zealand.
Freestyle events will be in South Basin (south of Berkeley Pier), and formula, long distance and slalom events will be off Seawall Drive. Racing starts on Tuesday, and a updated schedules of events will be posted at the Berkeley Yacht Club. All racing is free for spectators.
Cal baseball’s Cinderella season ends
Cal’s unbelievable baseball season, which started in September with the news the team would be cut because of budget cuts, only to be resurrected in April when supporters raised $8 million, came to an end Thursday when the team was eliminated from the College World Series.
Virginia, the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, defeated the Bears in an 8-1 victory before a crowd of 25,833 in Omaha, Nebraska. It was a bittersweet finish for a team that had surmounted … Continue reading »
BHS lightweight four takes bronze at nationals
A crew from the only public high school team west of the Mississippi, Berkeley High, took bronze in the national championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee yesterday. The men’s lightweight coxed four finished 0.28 seconds out of the silver medal position (less than a canvas behind), and 2.27 seconds (about a boat length) behind the winner, Sammamish from Redmond, WA.
Eighteen lightweight fours qualified for the nationals. The Yellow Jackets had two heats and a semifinal to get into the … Continue reading »
Cal baseball heads to College World Series
How’s this for a turn around? A little over two months ago, Cal’s baseball team was bravely battling through the final season of its existence. The university had announced in September the elimination of baseball, as well as five other sports. The Golden Bears baseball team was playing honorably — ranked 13th in the nation — in a bittersweet farewell.
But on April 8, the university reversed its decision, thanks to an unprecedented fundraising effort by baseball supporters. … Continue reading »
Road closure adds more woes for UC Berkeley neighbors
By Niclas Ericsson
The east side of Piedmont Avenue – one of the main routes across the top of the UC Berkeley campus – was shut down May 23 for the summer, leading some nearby residents to complain about the continuing disruption caused by construction projects in the area.
James McClury, an architecture student, said getting around the east side of campus has been difficult this year with all the construction vehicles clogging the roads, and he expected the traffic situation to grow worse with the closure of Piedmont Avenue.
“But it’s impossible to stop it,” said McClury. “The university is like the guerrilla gorilla of Berkeley, they can do whatever they want.”
Jack Chang, who was packing up to leave for his summer holidays, said he not happy about the closing down of one lane of Piedmont Avenue.
“That’s going to be a mess,” he said. … Continue reading »
Willard captures middle school baseball championship
Willard Middle School’s baseball team defeated the Montera Toros 8-6 yesterday afternoon to win the middle school league title. The win took the Phoenix’s season record to 9-1. According to athletic director, Josh Church, that marks the best record since the mid-90s for the squad.
Church reports:
The game provided many highlights — a second successful, perfect bunt by Eli Williams, solid hitting by Gerardo Barron, Bowen Johnson and the Schmidt brothers, great fielding by infielders Jayson Summers … Continue reading »
