Oct. 3, 2012

BERKELEY - The 2012-13 season has not even begun, but the California women's basketball team is already making waves on the national scene. The Golden Bears earned the No. 14 spot in both Lindy's Sports and Athlon Sports preseason polls.

"The preseason accolades we are receiving speak directly to the hard work, talent and character of our players," Cal second-year head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "In their time on the national stage last season, they proved to be an exciting group that's all about playing hard and together. In trying to become one of the nation's elite programs, however, our players and staff realize that rankings mean nothing before games are played. We are looking forward to this season, and hope that with continued improvement, this marks only the beginning of great things for Cal basketball."

Cal returns four of its starters and 11 of its letterwinners from last year's squad that went 25-10 and 13-5 in the Pac-12. Earning the No. 2 seed in for the Pac-12 Conference Tournament, the Bears advanced to the championship game for the second time in program history.

The Bears earned their eighth-ever NCAA Tournament bid and defeated Iowa in the first round before falling to top-seeded and eventual national runner-up Notre Dame in the second round. Gottlieb became the first coach in California history to win a game in the NCAA Tournament in her first year at the helm.

This year's squad brings with it a bevy of awards in addition to the veteran and tested leadership in the four seniors - Talia Caldwell, Layshia Clarendon, Eliza Pierre and Tierra Rogers. Clarendon was named a WBCA All-American honorable mention last year and starts her senior season just 138 points out of the Cal top-10 for career points. Caldwell heads into her final year in Berkeley as the Pac-12 career rebounding leader among all active players. Gennifer Brandon is set for her junior year after earning honorable mentions for All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 defensive team. Rounding out the returning starters is sophomore Brittany Boyd, who was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention last year.

Season tickets and mini-plan packages are now on sale. Season-ticket packages start at just $50 for youth and seniors. Newly release mini-plan packages offer fans the opportunity to purchase tickets for either a set of five or three games. For more information on the mini plans, please click here.