January Message From Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton
Dear Friend of Cal Athletics:
Happy New Year to you, and I hope you had an enjoyable holiday season.
I want to begin this month’s newsletter with some exciting news that we announced earlier today: Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox has signed a contract extension that will allow him to continue as the leader of our football program through the 2027 season. I am grateful for all that Justin has done to elevate our program despite an incredibly challenging moment in time, and for how he continues to develop our young men in all aspects of their lives. He is a superb team player and partner for me and the department, and I appreciate that he conducts himself with integrity in all he does.
Justin’s commitment to Cal is part of an ongoing financial investment in our football program that includes assistant coaches, administrative staff, nutrition, social media and initiatives to enhance fan experience. In addition, significant philanthropic gifts have recently benefited the program, including from the Travers Family to endow the Travers Family Head Football Coach position and from Paul White to create an innovation and wellness center.
In December, we launched Championship CALiber, an initiative to provide additional support for Cal football. Championship CALiber is made possible through the generosity of several donors who have been dedicated to the long-term success of the team, and together, they have pledged close to $2 million over three years. I am incredibly grateful for all those who have contributed and am excited as others join to support us on our journey. If you would like to join Championship CALIber, please click on the link above for more information or email atbrooks@berkeley.edu.
Our winter sports are in full swing, our spring sports are back on campus and gearing up for their seasons – and, in the case of rugby and tennis, are already underway and having success. I have been intentional to visit practices, and I can see the smiles on student-athlete faces as they prepare for their opportunities to compete. We have been on a long, arduous journey these past couple of years, so to reach this point and feel their sense of optimism and hope is truly gratifying. This past weekend, both of our gymnastics teams opened with wins in Haas Pavilion, our rugby team won its tournament in Los Angeles, Kris Kwinta, the new leader of our men’s tennis program, picked up his first victory on the road at Tulsa, and our women’s tennis team dominated its tournament in Berkeley.
Our biggest basketball afternoon of the year to date is coming up this Sunday with a doubleheader in Haas Pavilion. Our men’s team starts the day against No. 3 Arizona at noon, with our women’s team hosting No. 2 Stanford at 4 p.m. We are continuing to host fans under the public health guidance for indoor events, so please remember to come with your photo ID, proof of vaccination and a facial covering. I hope to see you for the big day, and I know our student-athletes greatly appreciate your presence to help enhance our Haas home-court advantage.
This past Monday, more than 60 Golden Bears, including many members of our men’s and women’s rowing teams and field hockey team, contributed to the annual MLK Day of Service & Celebration on the Richmond Greenway hosted by Urban Tilth. The effort was coordinated by our DEIB office and the Cameron Institute. Community engagement is one of four key pillars of the Cameron Institute, and less than 18 months since its official launch, it has made a tremendous impact on our entire department. In only a short time, we have been able to establish a strong foundation while providing our student-athletes with a world-class, developmental experience that will benefit them both at Cal and after graduation. You can read more about our first year in our newly published Cameron Institute Annual Report.
I want to give another round of congratulations to coach Kirk Everist. After leading our men’s water polo program to the NCAA championship in December, he was named the National Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. Nikolaos Papanikolaou was also voted the National Player of the Year, becoming the 15th Golden Bear to earn the honor. We are so proud of Kirk and his team!
Soon after Kirk’s squad captured the title, Ken Montgomery ’18 made a generous $2.7 million bequest commitment to the men’s water polo program, with $2 million establishing the Kirk Everist Men’s Water Polo Endowment to support coaches and staff salaries, and the remaining $700K creating the Donna Kacerek Men’s Water Polo Excellence Fund to support programmatic expenses for the team. Ken has been a longtime supporter of men’s water polo and was one of the original mic men of Cal, and we are excited to see his legacy live on through these gifts. Thank you, Ken!
We are excited to release our Cal Athletics Fund 2020-21 Annual Report that celebrates not only our philanthropic success and generous supporters, but also the outstanding achievements of our student-athletes. As we embark on the last two years of the Light the Way campaign, we are grateful for your generosity that has made it possible for us to achieve 75 percent of our $350 million goal. I look forward to sharing more about how your support impacts our student-athletes and is paving the way for continued greatness!
And finally, I want to congratulate Beth Tafolla-Voetsch on becoming our Senior Associate Athletics Director/Chief Development Officer. After six years as a senior leader in our Development office, she has earned this opportunity with her deep understanding of the culture of our department and the University. I am thrilled that she accepted our offer and will continue with the great work she has done over the course of her career with us. Beth recently spoke about her experience and vision with the DI Ticker, which you can watch at this link.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and here’s to an exciting 2022!!
Jim Knowlton
Director of Athletics
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here