For its final competition of the fall semester, California travels back across the country for the Georgia Fall Invitational Friday through Sunday in Athens, Ga., setting up a challenging three days against swimmers from five other top-20 programs.

Cal, at No. 5, and Georgia, at No. 2, are the highest rated teams competing. The field also includes No. 6 Auburn, No. 9 Virginia, No. 15 Penn State and No. 19 UCLA, plus Florida State, Harvard and Virginia Tech.

“I think it will give us a good check-in and let us know things that we're doing well and things we probably need to keep working on,” head coach Teri McKeever said. “The racing piece is really important. There have been a lot of good times put up around the country, so it will give us a pretty good indication individually and collectively where we stand in different events. That's an important motivating factor.”

Also adding motivation will be the opportunity to compete in a three-day championship format with the Golden Bear men's squad.

“I think it's great that the men are going to be there,” McKeever added. “When you get to Pac-12s and NCAAs, it's single gender. So this is a really nice opportunity for both programs to support each other. We get to see them work every day. I think they can be a motivating and inspiring force.”

Swimmers can enter up to four individual events with unlimited relays. Prelims will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT) each day, with finals starting at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. ET (12 noon PT) on Sunday.

In October, Cal flew to the All Florida Invitational in Gainesville, where they took second in a three-day event - the Bears first East Coast trip of the year. Following the Georgia meet, Cal will be idle from competition until the Pac-12 dual season begins in January.