Chick-Fil-A Invitational
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 6-7 | All Day | Fresno State Aquatic Center | Fresno, CA
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Cal remains on the road this week, traveling to Fresno for the Chick-Fil-A Invitational Friday and Saturday where the Golden Bears will face off against teams from Fresno State, San Diego State, Nevada and San Jose State. For Cal head coach Teri McKeever, the trip represents a return to where she held her first head coaching position. McKeever served as head coach of women's team at Fresno State from 1988-92 and added men's team responsibilities from 1990-92. She will also be inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame on Nov. 2.

• BAKER DEFENDS HER QUEEN OF THE POOL CROWN
Junior Kathleen Baker repeated as winner of the Queen of the Pool meet Sept. 29, posting a time of 4:39.54 that combined results from five 100-yard races - free, back, breast, fly and IM. Baker was nearly six seconds ahead of runner-up Sarah Darcel (4:45.17) and almost four seconds faster than she swam during her victory last year.

• SUPER SUMMER FOR KATHLEEN BAKER
Cal junior Kathleen Baker shined on the international stage once again during the FINA World Championships in Budapest over the summer. One year after winning two medals at the 2016 Olympics, Baker added three more medals to her collection with silver in the 100-meter backstroke, bronze in the 200-meter back and gold on the world-record-setting 400-meter medley relay. In addition, she placed fifth in the 50-meter back final after setting an American record in the event during the semifinals.

• SUMMER SWIMS AROUND THE GLOBE
A number of Golden Bears kept busy over the summer representing their respective national teams in competition. Kathleen Baker's results are noted above, but she wasn't the only Cal swimmer at the FINA World Championships. Robin Neumann (Netherlands) and Anina Lund (Denmark) were also in Budapest, while recent Cal grad Farida Osman (Egypt) claimed a bronze medal in the 50m fly. At the World University Games in Taipei, Katie McLaughlin (USA) earned three relay medals and reached the finals in the 50m and 100m fly, and Sarah Darcel (Canada) finaled in both the 200m IM and 400m IM.

• LOOKING BACK AT 2017 NCAAS
Led by CSCAA National Swimmer of the Year Kathleen Baker, Cal finished as the national runner-up at the 2017 NCAA Championships - the ninth year in a row the Bears have placed among the top three. Baker captured three individual events - 100-yard back, 200-yard back and 200-yard IM - and set a pair of school records along the way. In addition, Farida Osman closed out her Golden Bear career with a win in the 100 fly. Cal also prevailed in the 200 free relay (for third year in a row) and the 200 medley relay.

• WHO'S BACK? WHO'S NEW?
Cal returns 18 members from its 2016-17 squad that finished as the NCAA runner-up. Included in the group are six All-Americans - Kathleen Baker, Amy Bilquist, Katie McLaughlin, Maddie Murphy, Noemie Thomas and Abbey Weitzeil - plus four more who also qualified for the national meet - Keaton Blovad, Chenoa Devine, Valerie Hull and Phoebe LaMay. In addition to Baker's exploits noted above, Baker, Bilquist, Murphy, Thomas and Weitzeil helped either the 200 free relay or 200 medley relay to NCAA crowns - or both in Weitzeil's case - while McLaughlin was second in the 200 fly. LaMay leads the divers after setting two school records last year. The Golden Bears also welcome 11 freshmen to the roster, including Dutch Olympian Robin Neumann and Canadian national team member Sarah Darcel.