Fall Check-In: Cal Golden Bears

For our next Fall Check-In we make our way west to Berkeley to check on the Golden Bears of Cal and Head Coach Ned Webster.  The Bears made the national tournament in 2024, but lost to Santa Clara in the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) quarterfinals in 2025. 

You can read all the prior installments of our Fall Check-In series here: Virginia Tech (DI), Florida Atlantic, Chapman, Montana, Washington,  Long Beach, Moorpark, Liberty, Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma State, Florida, Western Washington, West Virginia

Your team last year seemed to struggle to find consistency and only won consecutive games once while playing several teams that made the national tournament close, what do you think made consistency so elusive last season and what did you guys do this fall to change that? 

Ned Webster: Injuries to several key guys like Luc Dumont, Hale Brown, Seth Jordan, Lucas Baehr and others made it challenging. But the biggest factor was our lack of field time and overall preparation. Pre-pandemic we practiced four times a week; post-pandemic that number was closer to two. We simply weren’t as polished as we needed to be. Over the past several months, our team leaders- Hale, Andrew Caslow and Henry Link- and alumni stakeholders have worked tirelessly to rebuild our foundation and restore the standards we expect. Our structure this fall has been far stronger, and the energy around the program reflects that. We’re fired up for 2026.

Your top 10 scorers from 2025 all have eligibility remaining while a few of your top defenders have finished their eligibility.  How do you expect your team to change with that much returning production as well as adding talented newcomers into the fold?  Should we expect more shootouts from the Bears in 2026?

NW: I love the possibilities on the offensive end with our returning attackmen and midfielders. Several sophomores have made noticeable technical and tactical gains since last spring, and I like our trajectory. Yes, we graduated some talented defenders- like Ethan Pavlet and Joel Yamada- but I feel good about what I’ve seen so far from each positional group. Bringing back Paul Jepsen- who coordinated our D from 2015-18- adds comfort and stability. I’m excited about the balance we’re building in all phases of the game.

What are the 2026 schedule highlights any big trips or visitors to Berkeley? 

NW: We start the season with a tough stretch on the road: Cal Poly, Chapman, and Northeastern (at UCLA). Then we return home to host Colorado, Colorado State, UCSB, and Minnesota. So, as you mentioned, EJ—consistency will matter out of the gate.

I also think the WCLL will be stronger than it’s been in years. There are some terrific coaches and players in our league, so intelligent preparation and staying healthy are crucial.

How was the fall for you all?  Any newcomers stand out or returners set for a breakout? 

NW: I’m pleased with our momentum. I believe we’ll be ready to compete by February. A few freshmen have stood out: Fineas DeGooyer has shown a high lacrosse IQ on the offensive end, Cody Mast is battling and competing hard in the middle third, and Henry Brown has played with consistent poise and toughness on defense.  Connor Cusick has impressed with versatility on offense. And as I’ve said, I’m really encouraged by the maturity of our sophomore class, guys like James Dakin, Finn McHugh, Seth Jordan, Connor Testa, Beau Revenaugh, Owen Pettus, Timmy Donatelli, and several more.

Cal is obviously a fantastic school academically, which is great because it allows you all to have a very geographically diverse roster as that education is attractive to students from all over the country, but also serves to increase the academic stresses and demands on your players.  How do your players balance lacrosse and their academic demands and how does the program accommodate those academic demands? 

NW: Our operative word is “Balance.” You come to the No. 1 public university on Earth, receive an elite education, play high-level lacrosse, participate in a variety of clubs, and- at the end of the day, it’s college, it should be fun- and our guys enjoy their college years at UC Berkeley. The key is time management. Freshmen will misstep early- that’s part of the learning curve- but they grow quickly and get their business in order with the goal of dominating all facets on and off the field. We lost that balance last spring, but we’re climbing back and correcting it. “Balance” remains our guiding principle for 2026 and beyond.

Thanks to Coach Webster for taking the time to check-in with us.  Coaches, if you’re interested in participating in our Fall Check-In series, reach out to info@mcla.us