CALIFORNIA Golden Bears 2008 GOLDEN BEAR SOCCER CAL QUICK FACTS Location .........................Berkeley, CA 94720 TABLE OF Founded ............................................... 1868 CONTENTS Enrollment ......................................... 34,953 Cal Campus .......................................IFC Conference ................................... Pacifi c-10 Quick Facts ............................................1 Nickname................................ Golden Bears 2008 Outlook .........................................2 Colors ........................................Blue & Gold 2008 Roster ..........................................3 Chancellor ........................ Robert Birgeneau 2008 Athlete Profi les .........................4-10 Director of Athletics............... Sandy Barbour Cal Coaching Staff ..........................11-12 Sr. Assoc. AD/Women’s Soccer ....Foti Mellis Opponents ...........................................13 Home Field/Capacity .............Goldman Field 2007 Season In Review/ at Edwards Stadium/22,000 Pac-10 Standings ................................14 2007 Overall Record...........................15-5-1 2007 Results and Statistics .................15 2007 Pac-10 Record/Place..............6-3/T3rd Cal Records ....................................16-17 Starters Returning/Lost............................ 6/5 Honors and Awards ........................18-19 Letterwinners Returning/Lost............... 14/10 Year-By-Year Results/Postseason ...20-23 Newcomers............................................... 10 Cal vs. All Opponents ..........................21 Women’s Soccer Office Phone .. 510-643-8100 The University of California ............24-25 Fax..........................................510-643-2536 Administration Bios ..............................26 Address ....126 Haas Pavilion; Berkeley, CA 94720 Academic Support/Strength Program ...27 Head Coach............................. Neil McGuire Edwards Stadium/Goldman Field ........28 (Augusta State ‘97), 2nd year Bears Up Close .................................IBC McGuire’s Email .... [email protected] Nkechi Kanu, Co-Captain 2008 Cal Schedule .............................BC Career Record ........83-81-10, .506 (9 years) Record at Cal........................ 15-5-1 (1 year) Assistant Coach/Director of BEAR BACKERS Soccer Operations ..............Jennifer Thomas SUPPORT YOUR TEAM CREDITS (Cal ‘86), 11th year Bear Backers are loyal Cal alumni and The 2008 California Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach...................Brian Zwaschka friends who provide fi nancial support to Cal Media Guide was written and edited by (Grand View College ‘04), 2nd year Athletics with their donations. Every student- Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, associate media Media Relations Offi ce Phone .. 510-642-5363 athlete benefi ts from their contributions which relations director. Design and layout by John Fax......................................... 510-643-7778 underwrite scholarships, operational needs Dunbar, senior publications director, and Evan Address ...349 Haas Pavilion; Berkeley, CA 94720 and academic tutoring programs. Bear Back- Kerr, publications coordinator. Photography by W-Soccer SID ....Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz ers also build athletic facilities, including Haas John Todd, Michael Pimentel, Kelley Cox, Ken Direct Work Phone ................. 510-642-3611 Pavilion. The best way to support a Cal team DeCrosta, John Dunbar, Evan Kerr, Takamaro Email Address......... [email protected] is to join Bear Backers. Call 510-642-2427 Nagahama, and Don Faria. Offi cial Web Site ............www.CalBears.com for more information. Printing by UC Printing Services, Berkeley, Calif. Brianna Bak Gina Pellegrini Katherine Daiss 2008 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS Women’s Soccer Media Guide 1 CALIFORNIA Golden Bears 2008 OUTLOOK BEARS STRIVE FOR fi ve games in 2007 and is coming off a strong MIDFIELDERS spring campaign. Cal must replace its entire starting midfi eld TOP IN 2008 The Bears welcome back their inspirational unit from last season. The Bears will be counting ith nine NCAA Tournament berths leader, Jorden LaFontaine-Kussmann. The on junior Katie Oakes to emerge as a leader in the last 10 years, California has redshirt freshman recorded a 0.69 GAA in on the fi eld. As a sophomore, she registered Wearned its reputation as one of the fi ve games before being diagnosed with two goals and a team-high three assists (all best teams in the nation. In 2008, the veterans lymphoma in October. LaFontaine-Kussmann game winners) and stood out for the Bears and nationally regarded newcomers look to was declared cancer free in the spring after during the spring. advance further on the national stage. six months of treatment. Senior Nikki Schrey is an experienced Last fall, Cal posted a 15-5-1 overall record midfi elder and forward. Schrey netted three and tied for third in the Pac-10 with a 6-3 DEFENDERS goals and one assist as a junior, including the mark in head coach Neil McGuire’s fi rst year Senior Nkechi Kanu and sophomore Megan game-winning goal in a 2-0 triumph over Santa in Berkeley. The Golden Bears advanced to Jesolva provide speed and experience at the Clara in the fi rst round of NCAAs. the second round of the NCAA Tournament outside back positions. Kanu, a 2006 honorable Sophomore Emily Shibata looks to earn a on the momentum of a 7-0-1 record over the mention All-Pac-10 selection, has started 40 of spot in the midfi eld rotation after playing in 19 fi nal eight games of last season. Cal’s last 41 games, helping the Bears record games and making six starts last season. “Our expectations haven’t changed,” 23 shutouts during that stretch. Jesolva was Freshmen Katrin Omarsdottir, Caroline McGuire said. “We came in last year with the named Pac-10 All-Freshman after starting 18 Dagley and Katherine Suits will have the oppor- goals of competing for Pac-10 and national of 21 games as a rookie. tunity to contribute immediately. Omarsdottir, championships. The players’ knowledge of Junior Brianna Bak is expected to anchor the who hails from Reykjavik, Iceland, has honed our system will make a signifi cant difference. center of the Bears’ defense. One of 11 Pac-10 her skills as a member of the Iceland National We all have a much better understanding of All-Academic choices for Cal last season, Bak team. Dagley is a two-time Marin County Ath- our team’s dynamic.” excels at taking set pieces. letic League Player of the Year. Suits played Cal will be young this season after losing six Freshman Danielle Brunache, a U.S. Under- on the 2006 Olympic Development Program starters from last year’s team. However, the 18 National team player, is a strong candidate to national championship team and contributed Bears are confi dent they can maintain their fi ll the other center back spot. Brunache enters to three Region IV crowns. high standards with the addition of 10 newcom- Cal ranked No. 23 nationally by Soccer Buzz. ers who comprise Soccer Buzz’s No. 4-rated Freshman Kaitlin Paletta, who contributed to FORWARDS recruiting class. The returning starters are two USYSA national championships, could goalkeeper Gina Pellegrini, defenders Nkechi Sophomore Alex Morgan and senior Valerie also be a factor on defense. Barnes combined to score 15 of Cal’s 39 goals Kanu and Megan Jesolva, and forwards Alex Senior Katherine Daiss and sophomore Morgan and Valerie Barnes. in 2007. Morgan is playing her best soccer McKenna-Louise McKetty saw most of their since suffering an ACL injury as a senior in high Morgan and Barnes, 2007 honorable minutes on Cal’sCal s frontline in 2007,2007, but they mention All-Pac-10 honorees, are Cal’s’s toptop school.school. Her quickness and explosiveness up maymay con- tributetribute as defendersdefenders thisthis top hashas returned, as evidenced by a hat trick returning scorers. Morgan, who joined Jesolvaesolva year.year. as a Soccer Buzz second-team Freshmanan All-All- in Cal’sCal’s 3-2 victory over 19-time national cham- FreshmenFreshme n pionpion NorthNo Carolina in the spring season. American, led the Bears in points (18) and goalsgoals GinaGina WoodwardWoodward (8) as a rookie and has emerged as a leadingading BarnesBarne is coming off a breakout junior year. andand MirandaMiranda DespiteDespite undergoing knee surgery in the middle attacker for the U.S. Under-20 National team.team. White add depth Barnes was second on the team with careercareer of the season,se her 16 points last season more to Cal’sCal’s back- than doubleddo her combined 10 points as a highs of 16 points and seven goals. lline.ine. McGuire’s focus is on replacing parts off what freshmanfreshma and sophomore. he termed the team’s spine, which was com-com- TheThe Bears’B frontline is loaded with veterans prised mainly of seniors in 2007. The BearsBears and newne options. Redshirt junior Katherine will be without central defenders Courtneytney Daiss registeredr career highs for points (8), Hooker, a two-time All-American, and Kris-Kris- goalsgoals (3)(3 and assists (2) primarily as a reserve tine Relja, and central midfi elders Caro- lastlast year.yea Redshirt junior Torrey Delaplane line Lea, Caitlin Hannegan and Laurie was a keyk reserve for the Bears a year ago, Gartrell. McGuire is confi dent he has the postingposting a goal and an assist in 21 games. The personnel to fi ll those critical holes. versatileversatile McKenna-Louise McKetty netted a “We can be very successful if our playersers jjellell goalgoal againstaga Santa Clara in Cal’s 2-0 fi rst-round together the way we are counting on,” McGuirecGuire NCAA TournamentT