Sports

Cal Men’s Water Polo and Men’s Swimming and Diving become endowed

Published

5 months ago

July 1, 2025

On the heels of the announcement last month that Cal Rugby has become endowed, Cal Athletics takes another step toward the dream of endowing all non-revenue Olympic sports.

As anticipated, the latest programs to be fully endowed are the two most successful NCAA sports on campus: Cal Men’s Water Polo with 17 national titles and Cal Men’s Swimming and Diving with eight team national championships. Both programs have a long history of producing not just Cal Olympians but also successful Olympic medalists.

Cal Men’s Water Polo and Cal Men’s Swimming and Diving join Cal Rugby, Cal Men’s Golf, and Cal Women’s Golf as fully endowed programs. There is still a long way to go for the 23 other non-revenue sports (AKA programs that are not Cal Football or Cal Men’s Basketball) to join these five.

The long history of past and current success for these two Cal men’s aquatic programs can be tied to the generous gifts of donors like the Spiekers. Cal Aquatics had been able to get the Legends Aquatic Center built and opened in 2016, a new facility that gave more practice area for swimming and water polo but more importantly allowed Cal Diving to train fully on campus (they had to go down to Stanford to practice platform diving before the opening of that facility).

In the 1980s, the Spiekers funded the renovation of Cal Aquatics’ home pool, which then gained its current name of Spieker Aquatics Complex. Ned Spieker ‘66 is a Cal alum who was on the Cal Men’s Water Polo team coached by the legendary Pete Cutino for whom the “Heisman for Water Polo” is named. Ned met his wife Carol in Berkeley as undergraduates, and all four of their children are Cal alumni; two of their grandchildren are current Cal students. The Spieker’s grandparents are also Cal alumni.

The Spieker name is synonymous with facilities at some of Cal’s rivals. Ned’s younger brother Tod went to UCLA (class of ‘67) and swam there. Tod is the Spieker who got UCLA Aquatics to play at the Spieker Aquatics Center in Westwood. More recently in 2023, some of us Cal fans got to celebrate the most recent and last football win over UCLA as conference rivals on the Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl. That is another donation from Tod Spieker. Tod also helped USC build their Uytengsu Aquatics Center on campus. There is a plaque thanking him there. Tod could not save the UCLA men’s swimming (and diving) program, however, as the Bruins lost that program in 1994.

Ned and Tod’s father Warren somehow chose to attend Stanford. The Spieker family also has at least one named professorship and other facilities, etc. bearing their name in Palo Alto.

Thanks to the Spieker family, the California Golden Bears should continue to dominate the water sports both at the NCAA level and at the Olympics. Cal Men’s Water Polo had its three consecutive NCAA title run snapped with an uncharacteristically bad season in 2024, but should be back to being a national title contender soon. Cal Men’s Swimming and Diving has finished top 2 nationally for 15 consecutive years and counting. In time, the two Cal Women’s Aquatic programs should also join their Men’s counterparts as endowed programs, but their places within Cal Athletics are also protected by Title IX.

The flurry of movement of both coaches and student-athletes in the Olympic sports is perhaps a good indicator of the financial health of a lot of Cal programs. We shall see which other (if any) Cal programs can also reach the endowment level of support this summer. The gap between the well-endowed programs and those without it is sadly increasing across the collegiate sports landscape. Today’s gift ensures that Cal Aquatics will stay for the foreseeable future as the crown jewel of the Cal Athletics NCAA Olympic sports.

ROLL ON YOU BEARS!

Photo Credit: Cal Men’s Swimming and Diving X account (https://x.com/calmenswim/status/1639833183058554880)

Below is the full press release:

Ned and Carol Spieker’s $26 million commitment is the largest gift in Cal Athletics history.

A transformational $26 million gift from longtime UC Berkeley champions Ned and Carol Spieker has created an endowment to provide dedicated funding and lasting support for the men’s swimming & diving and water polo programs for years to come.

In recognition of the Spiekers’ generosity, the men’s swim head coach position will be named the Ned Spieker Men’s Swim Head Coach in perpetuity, while the men’s water polo head coach will carry the title of Ned Spieker Men’s Water Polo Head Coach for twenty years.

“Ned and Carol Spieker have been extraordinary partners to UC Berkeley for decades, and this transformational gift exemplifies their unwavering commitment to our student-athletes and our institution,” said Chancellor Rich Lyons. “This endowment provides the kind of long-term stability that is essential in collegiate athletics for sustaining excellence. Having endowed coaching positions and operational support for our men’s aquatics programs will be invaluable.”

For Ned Spieker ’66, a Cal graduate who played water polo under legendary coach Pete Cutino, this latest gift represents the culmination of more than four decades of support for Cal aquatics. His philanthropic involvement began in the 1980s when he contributed to renovating the original pool, now named Spieker Aquatics Complex, followed by his leadership role in the “More Water” campaign that helped create the current Legends Aquatic Center.

“I saw the endowment which I had contributed to before was not enough to sustain the program,” Spieker explained. “I felt that if the program wasn’t going to be sustained, it could be in jeopardy from a qualitative aspect. We were in good shape facility-wise, but we needed to meet the endowment challenge to keep the coaching and athlete benefits intact.”

The Spieker family’s connection to Berkeley runs remarkably deep, spanning six generations. Ned’s grandfather and mother attended Cal, he and his wife Carol met at Berkeley as undergraduates, and all four of their children graduated from Cal. Two grandsons currently attend the university, with one as a sophomore and another entering as a freshman.

“It was a family allegiance and a love for Cal,” Spieker reflected on his multi-generational commitment.

The aquatics endowment represents the latest chapter in the Spiekers’ extraordinary philanthropic partnership with UC Berkeley. In 2022, Ned and Carol made the largest gift in Haas School of Business history with a $30 million commitment that transformed the undergraduate business program from a two-year to a four-year experience, now known as the Spieker Undergraduate Business Program. Ned, who founded and led Spieker Properties into one of the largest commercial property companies in the United States, has also played a crucial role in Haas campus planning, serving as a catalyst for the construction of Chou Hall and helping maximize the school’s campus footprint. Carol, a trustee emeritus of the UC Berkeley Foundation, has been equally committed to the university’s mission throughout their decades of involvement.

Their latest investment comes at a time when Cal’s men’s aquatics programs have achieved extraordinary success. The swimming & diving and water polo programs have both captured multiple NCAA championships, with men’s water polo winning three consecutive national titles from 2021- 2023. The swimming & diving team has also maintained a dominant presence, having finished in the top-two nationally for a remarkable 15 consecutive seasons, including back-to-back NCAA championships in 2022 and 2023. Both Cal men’s swimming & diving and water polo have notably continued their Olympic tradition of excellence, bringing home multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals from both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

The impact on the current coaching staff will be immediate and profound. “This gift is just incredible,” said men’s water polo head coach Kirk Everist. “As an alum and coach, it’s hard to put into words what it means to see this kind of commitment to Cal Men’s Water Polo. It honors our past, supports our present, and guarantees a strong future for the program we all love. It’s a huge win for our athletes and for every Bear who’s ever represented Cal.”

Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton emphasized the broader significance of the gift within Cal’s strategic vision for Olympic sports. “This transformative $26 million gift stands as a powerful testament to the enduring legacy and excellence of Cal aquatics,” Knowlton said. “With the creation of this endowment, we now have five endowed programs, ensuring long-term stability and consistent funding.”

The men’s aquatics endowment represents a significant step toward Cal Athletics’ ambitious goal of building endowed support for all programs in partnership with the Cal family. Currently, five Cal varsity sports – men’s golf, women’s golf, rugby, men’s water polo and men’s swimming and diving – receive crucial funding through endowment support, with athletics leadership targeting fifteen endowed programs by June 2027. These endowments provide the reliable annual support that allows student-athletes to pursue championships while earning world-class Berkeley degrees.

Chancellor Lyons noted that Spieker’s leadership extends far beyond athletics, acknowledging his “instrumental role in building our world-class aquatics facilities” and his “vision that extends far beyond any single gift.”

For Spieker, the motivation remains focused on continuing excellence rather than transformation for Cal aquatics. “This won’t change the trajectory of the program,” he emphasized. “It will continue the excellence.”

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Pitt volleyball advances to NCAA regional final with sweep against Minnesota

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7 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

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Jayhawks Head Back to Sweet 16, Prepare for Unbeaten Nebraska

Published

23 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas returns to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2021 after a 3–1 win over Miami, a match defined by steady serving pressure and balanced scoring. This is the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2021. Kansas has gone to the Sweet 16 and beyond in four seasons, including 2021 (Sweet 16), 2015 (NCAA Semifinalist), and 2013 (Sweet 16).

“I am excited to be in this environment, and I am really excited for our team,” Head Coach Matt Ulmer said. “It has been a great year for us, marked by a lot of growth. To be here in the second weekend and to face a program as strong as Nebraska is a real honor, and it is something this group has worked toward all season.”

The Jayhawks now face top-seeded Nebraska, which enters the regional at 32–0 with one of the nation’s most efficient statistical profiles.

Kansas leans on its defensive identity, holding opponents to a .094 hitting percentage, the second-best mark in the country. The Jayhawks also average 15.29 digs per set, ranking 10th nationally, and use that back-row consistency to extend rallies and generate transition swings.

Offensively, Kansas averages 13.35 kills and 12.35 assists per set with 33.86 attacks per frame, a volume that helps sustain pressure throughout long possessions. The team’s 1.57 aces per set rank third in the Big 12 and provide key momentum swings.

Nebraska counters with one of the most complete lineups in the field, averaging 14.72 kills and 13.50 assists per set while adding 2.72 blocks. The Huskers’ size, pace and efficiency have powered an undefeated season and present a significant challenge at the net.

Friday’s matchup features two teams that excel defensively but differ in style. Kansas relies on discipline, ball control and rally creation, while Nebraska leans on physicality and terminal attacking. The Jayhawks will look to lean on their serve, first contact and extended-rally strengths as they attempt to upset the tournament’s top seed.

The matchup is set for 8:30 p.m. CT, or 30 minutes following the first match, and can be watched on ESPN2 or followed through live stats here.

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Two Collect Major Awards as Women’s Volleyball Earns Two All-ECAC Selections

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38 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

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DANBURY, Conn. (12/11/25) – Freshman Ashley Torok has been named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Year, while Head Coach Don Perkins has been selected the ECAC Division III Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year as the Kean University Women’s Volleyball team earned two All-ECAC selections. Cayley Elena Morrison and Aspen O’Brien were both selected to the second team.

Torok earns Rookie of the Year honors and her first All-ECAC selection after totaling 502 points, 433 kills, 244 digs and 52 aces over 114 sets played. The rookie averaged 4.40 points per set, 3.80 kills per set and 2.14 digs per set over 34 matches as she was named AVCA Region IV Rookie of the Year and an Honorable Mention All-American selection. Torok becomes the first player in program history to capture a major award from the Conference.

Perkins earns his first-ever ECAC Coach of the Year accolade after guiding the Cougars to 30 wins, an NJAC Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Kean also captured an NJAC Regular Season title and won their first-ever game in the NCAA Tournament. The AVCA Region IV Coach of the Year had five All-NJAC selections, five All-Region selections and three All-Americans. Those numbers include two NJAC major awards and two regional awards.

Morrison earns her first All-ECAC selection after totaling 464 points, 382 kills and 119 blocks over 110 sets played. The middle hitter averaged 4.22 points per game, 3.47 kills per set and 1.08 blocks per set over 34 matches as she was named NJAC Defensive Player of the Year and an AVCA Second Team All-American.

O’Brien earns her first All-ECAC selection after totaling 1184 assists, 217 digs and 128 points over 112 sets played. The setter averaged 10.57 assists per set over 34 matches as she was named the NJAC Player of the Year, the AVCA Region IV Player of the Year and an AVCA Second Team All-American.

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Elite Performance Lifts #11 Creighton Volleyball to Regional Final

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55 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

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Courtesy of Rob Anderson, Creighton Athletics

LEXINGTON, KY — Seniors Ava Martin, Annalea Maeder, and Kiara Reinhardt helped No. 11 Creighton Volleyball to a second straight Regional Final with a 3-1 win over No. 8 Arizona State on Thursday afternoon at historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky.

Scores of the match were 26-24, 19-25, 25-13, 25-18.

Creighton led 10-7 and 11-8 early before Arizona State countered with a 7-2 run to take a 15-13 lead into the media timeout after back-to-back aces by Brynn Covell. The Jays regrouped, getting a kill from Jaya Johnson and two more by Kiara Reinhardt to move in front 20-18. The teams continued to trade 3-0 runs, as after falling behind 21-20, Creighton bounced back with three of its own to move in front 23-21 on Sydney Breissinger’s serve. ASU tied it up at 23-all before Johnson went line to earn the Jays a set point opportunity at 24-23. Noemie Glover put down a kill to extend the set, but a service error and a Martin kill gave CU the 26-24 set. Martin owned seven kills in 11 errorless swings to pace a Bluejay offense that hit .333. Maeder dished 17 assists and Breissinger had six digs for CU. Glover topped the Sun Devils with five kills.

CU led much of the second set before a 4-0 Arizona State gave the Sun Devils a 17-14 lead. The Sun Devils led by two or more the rest of the way, closing out the 25-19 victory with back-to-back blocks to even the match heading into intermission. Martin had nine kills in the second frame and Breissinger 10 digs, but it wasn’t enough to offset six kills from Glover and five kills by Kiylah Presley. ASU hit .368 in the second set and would side out at 70 percent clip.

The Bluejays bolted to a 9-3 lead to open the third set and stayed in control throughout, hitting .600 in a 25-13 rout. With all the focus on Martin, it was six kills from Reinhardt and three by Johnson that did the trick. Johnson served her first ace since October 17th to close out the set. The .600 hitting percentage was CU’s best ever in an NCAA Tournament set.

A pair of aces from Breissinger helped CU to a 3-0 lead to open the fourth game, and the Jays posted a second straight wire-to-wire victory. Martin’s 22nd kill to make it 15-10 at the media timeout tied Jaali Winters’ career NCAA Tournament record with 175.

Martin led CU with 23 kills, while Maeder had 55 assists and 15 digs. Reinhardt had 14 kills on .722 hitting, while Johnson added 12 kills of her own and Breissinger dug a career-high 20 balls. CU finished the match with 65 kills, 57 digs, eight aces and six blocks on .370 hitting.

Glover topped ASU with 17 kills and Henry dished out 26 assists while Omaha native Faith Frame collecting a team-high 15 balls. ASU closed the match with 50 kills, 48 digs, 4 aces and seven blocks on .273 hitting.

With the win, Creighton (28-5) advances to play the winner of this afternoon’s Cal Poly/Kentucky match on Saturday night on ESPN2 for a spot in the Final Four. A start time for that match will be announced later this evening. The Big 12 champions, Arizona State ends its season with a 28-4 mark.

NOTES:Kiara Reinhardt set a program record by playing in her 12th career NCAA Tournament match, while tying another mark with her 11th NCAA Tournament start … Ava Martin became the third player in CU history with 500 or more kills in a season … Arizona State libero Faith Frame is an Omaha native and the sister of former Creighton Softball player Ensley Frame … Creighton has won 23 straight matches, tied for its second-longest win streak in program history … Creighton is now 20-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including a 3-2 record in the Regional Semifinals … Creighton has won eight straight matches against Big 12 Conference teams, including a 3-0 mark this season … Creighton has won 28 or more matches seven times now, all since 2012 … Creighton Volleyball has joined men’s soccer (in 2002-03, 2011-12 and 2014-15) as the only programs in the history of Creighton Athletics to make back-to-back Elite Eights … Brian Rosen joined former men’s soccer coach Elmar Bolowich as the second head coach in the history of Creighton Athletics to take his first team to the Elite Eight. Rosen also joined Bolowich as the only coaches in CU history to win his first three NCAA Tournament games … Creighton’s 89 victories since the start of the 2023 season rank third-most nationally, trailing only Nebraska and Pittsburgh. Arizona State entered the today fourth on that list with 86 victories … Creighton improved to 5-2 all-time inside Memorial Coliseum with its fourth straight win in the historic facility … Arizona State fell to 0-8 in Regional Semifinals … Ava Martin had five or more kills for the 110th straight match and 10 or more kills for the 27th consecutive contest … Ava Martin (1,630) passed Leah Ratzlaff (1,622) for third-most kills in CU history … Ava Martin led or tied for the Creighton lead in kills for the 26th match in a row … Annalea Maeder had her 15th double-double of the season … Creighton improved to 6-0 when taking a 2-1 lead in a match … Annalea Maeder reached 4,000 career assists.

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Nebraska volleyball readies for a Sweet 16 showdown with Kansas at home

Published

1 hour ago

December 12, 2025

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No. 1 seed Nebraska volleyball hosts No. 4 Kansas in the Sweet 16 on Friday night.

The Huskers enter the match at 32-0 and the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. With all the success this season, junior outside hitter Harper Murray said the team is focusing on being grateful and staying present.

“Because if you look too far into the future, you’re probably going to get a little nervous and feel a little stressed out,” Murray said, “so (we’re) just really focusing on what we’re doing in the moment and focusing on where our feet are.”

Playing at home is a big advantage in the tournament, she added.

Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson echoed that sentiment.

“I think the whole team feeling like we can play free really helps me, because the whole vibe on the court, regardless of who’s in, you can just feel that there’s so much confidence,” Jackson said. “Obviously, if the team is feeling pressure, then you’re going to start to feel pressure for yourself.”

Jackson and Murray said the team’s difficult practices and preparation helps them play with confidence.

First-year head coach Dani Busboom Kelly, who coached in two national championship games at Louisville, acknowledged there’s pressure to follow through on the Cornhuskers’ high-level success this year.

“But I do think this team has a lot of experience with it,” Busboom Kelly said. “The staff has a lot of experience with it. So it’s nothing new, which I think helps to alleviate some of that.”

Busboom Kelly’s former team, No. 2 seed Louisville, will compete against No. 3 seed Texas A&M at 6 p.m. CT on Friday. That match will be played at the Bob Devaney Sports Center followed by the Huskers.

First serve between the Cornhuskers and Jayhawks is set for approximately 8:30 p.m. CT Friday. Both Sweet 16 matches will air on ESPN2.

Winners of the Louisville-Texas A&M match and the Nebraska-Kansas match will face off on Sunday for the right to go to the Final Four. Serve time is yet to be determined.

The Final Four will be played at T-Mobile Arena in downtown Kansas City on Dec. 18 and 21.

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VUU track and field posts standout results at indoor opener | Richmond Free Press

Published

2 hours ago

December 12, 2025

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Virginia Union University’s track and field teams opened the indoor season with a surge of early success, highlighted by multiple school records, event wins and breakout performances across two meets.

At the season opener, freshman Kornti Searles broke the indoor school record in the women’s weight throw, with fellow freshman Ellis Oshawnna moving to No. 2 all-time in the event. In the long jump, Angell Garrison and Taylor Porter opened their seasons with personal bests.

Freshman J’meriyon Osborne delivered the top men’s performance of the opener, winning the men’s open long jump ahead of 22 competitors in his collegiate debut. Timothy Butler broke the indoor school record in the weight throw and advanced to the finals, finishing sixth in a field of 29 athletes. In the invitational long jump, Jeremiah Palacious placed third with a collegiate-best mark of 23 feet, 6½ inches.

“The first day of the meet was a strong showing for both the men’s and women’s teams — a great way to kick off the season,” said Franck Charles, VUU head track and field coach.

The Panthers carried that momentum to Liberty University, where day two produced three more women’s school records.

Yamilet Cruz broke a 15-year-old school record in the shot put with a throw of 11.83 meters, surpassing Shakeema Browne’s 2010 mark. Abijah Jepkemboi set a new program record in the 5,000 meters with a time of 19:47, eclipsing the previous record set in 2017. Victoria Louis added the third record of the day, finishing the 300 meters in 42.08.

“Day two was another good day for our ladies as they broke three more school records,” Charles said. “Our women’s team is heading in the right direction and, in total, they’ve already shattered four school records this season.

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