MOLTEN CLASSIC
Cal vs. UC Irvine
Friday, Aug. 25 | 7 PM PT | Haas Pavilion | Berkeley, Calif..
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO 

Cal vs. Loyola Chicago
Saturday, Aug. 26 | 10 AM PT | Haas Pavilion | Berkeley, Calif..
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO 

Cal vs. Seattle
Saturday, Aug. 26 | 7:30 PM PT | Haas Pavilion | Berkeley, Calif..
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO 

BERKELEY - The Cal volleyball team commences a new era this weekend when it opens up the 2017 season with the Molten Classic at Haas Pavilion. For the first time since 1998, someone other than Rich Feller will be the head coach of the Golden Bears, as Matt McShane takes over the program after Feller retired in April following 18 seasons at the helm. Also gone are a few mainstays from Cal's lineup the past few seasons, as four-year starting libero Maddy Kerr, three-year starting setter Alyssa Jensen and three-year starting middle blocker Jenelle Jordan have all moved on after earning their degrees. This weekend will also serve as the debut for Cal's 15th-rated recruiting class, as the Bears welcome six new student-athletes to their roster.
 

THE MCSHANE ERA BEGINS
Friday's match against UC Irvine at the Molten Classic will be Matt McShane's first as Cal's head coach. McShane took over the program in May following the retirement of Rich Feller after 18 seasons. McShane served as Feller's associate head coach in 2016 and previously was an assistant on the Cal staff from 2005-09. In between, McShane was the head coach at Air Force for six seasons.

THE LIBERO JERSEY
Friday's match will also mark the first time since 2013 someone other than Maddy Kerr will wear the libero jersey for the Bears. Kerr started the first match of her career at libero as a freshman and never relinquished the position, playing in every set of every match for four years. Junior Amanda Kirtley, who has been one of Cal's top defensive specialists the past two years, is a top candidate  to take over the role.

CAL FEATURES NATION'S NO. 15 CLASS
The Bears have the 15th-ranked recruiting class in the nation, according to PrepVolleyball.com. That includes three prospects ranked as Top-100 "Senior Aces" - middle blocker Preslie Anderson (No. 38), middle blocker Lauren Forte (No. 43) and outside hitter Mima Mirkovic (No. 72). Cal also has a pair of freshman setters in Isabel Potter and Jordyn Schuette, as well as sophomore defensive specialist Emma Smith, a transfer from Hawai'i.

MILESTONE IN REACH
Senior Christine Alftin is looking to become the 17th player in Cal history to reach 1,000 kills for her career. Entering her third season as a starting outside hitter, Alftin has 714 career kills, placing her 286 short of the 1,000-mark. Alftin registered 320 kills last season and led the Bears at 2.94 kills per set.
 
NO. 1 IN THE CLASSROOM
Generally considered the top-ranked public university in the world, Cal has held the No. 1 spot among the U.S. News & World Report rankings of public national universities for 18 consecutiive years. Cal is ranked fourth overall behind Harvard, MIT and Stanford.

ABOUT UC IRVINE
• JR Harlee Kekauoha is a two-time All-Big West First Team performer
• Anteaters were picked to finish fifth in the Big West preseason poll
• L Luna Tsujimoto was sixth in the Big West last season at 3.79 digs per set
• LAST MEETING: Cal d. UCI, 3-1 (9-3-16)

ABOUT LOYOLA CHICAGO
• JR Gabi Maciagowski was named to the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference Team
• S Delilah Wolf and OH Quinn Spieker were named to the MVC All-Freshman Team in 2016
• Maciagowski played in every set last season and averaged 3.30 kps
• LAST MEETING: First meeting    

ABOUT SEATTLE
• JR Maja Stojanovic and SO Katarina Marinkovic are on the Preseason All-WAC Team
• Redhawks were picked to finish tied for fifth in the WAC preseason poll
• Seattle athletic director Shaney Fink played volleyball at Cal from 1990-93
• LAST MEETING: Seattle d. Cal 3-0 (8-29-15)