BERKELEY – Olympian and four-time regular-season All-American Toni-Ann Williams has been granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA. The senior gymnast has two years of eligibility left and will be available to compete in 2018 and 2019.
 
"We are thrilled to announce that Toni-Ann Williams will be able to return to the Cal Women's Gymnastics team for the 2018-19 season," said California head coach Justin Howell. "Toni-Ann's positive and infectious attitude, coupled with her experience and leadership, will continue to enrich our team.  We are very proud of her desire to further her academic endeavors at the University of California."
 
Williams, who has become a fan favorite across the nation with her powerful and unique gymnastics abilities, missed nearly all of the 2017 season after tearing her Achilles in February. Prior to her injury, Williams claimed a team-high five event titles to start her junior year, coming off a stellar sophomore season that saw her lead Cal to its first NCAA Championship berth in 24 seasons and become the first gymnast to compete in the Olympics for Jamaica.
 
"I am super excited and grateful to be awarded the opportunity to continue to compete on the collegiate level and represent Cal for another year," Williams said. "There is no other team I would want to share this opportunity with, and I'm really looking forward to competing with my Cal family for two more seasons."
 
Now a senior academically, Williams has rewritten numerous Cal records en route to claiming four NACGC/W Regular Season All-American titles, two West Region Gymnast of the Year honors, three All-Pac-12 selections, an NCAA Regional Vault title, the Pac-12 floor championship and 2015 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors. She owns at least one of the program's top-three scores in school history on every event and the all-around.
 
Williams and the Golden Bears return to competition on Jan. 7 at the annual season-opening, five-team NorCal Classic, hosted this year at Stanford.