1. Construction Commences

Four people came down from a redwood tree, the tree itself came down and, 18 days later, the university broke ground on Cal's Student-Athlete High Performance Center.

Of course, the university had received permission from a court of appeals in San Francisco on Sept. 4 that it could proceed with the building of the center. But the manifestation of this ruling was in the end of the longest urban tree-sit in history, which began in 2006 to protest the removal of the oak grove outside Memorial Stadium and finished on Sept. 9 in the last tree standing.

The "jewel on the hill" is still one of the prettiest places in the nation to watch a football game, but Cal has built something of a reputation for having facilities that don't quite match its success. The softball team, for example, doesn't have a locker room. Players in the past have taken to changing into their uniforms in their cars before home games.

It was fitting, then, that softball coach Diane Ninemire was present at the ground-breaking ceremony on Sept. 27, along with athletic director Sandy Barbour and Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, to begin the process of creating an "environment of success" for Cal's 900-plus student-athletes.

"This is just going to mean so much to all of the student-athletes to be able to train in a first-class situation," Ninemire said. "It also is going to help us tremendously in the recruiting aspect, to be able to bring in the finest recruits and to show them what we have to offer here."

-Matt Kawahara

2.Montgomery Ushers in New Era

After finishing ninth in the Pac-10 in 2007-2008, a change was in order for the Cal men's basketball team.

To replace coach Ben Braun, the program lured a familiar cross-bay rival in Mike Montgomery, who had helped turn Stanford into a consistent conference contender.

But even with a new high-profile coach, the title of "contender" appeared to be years away for a Bears squad.

Apparently, no one told Cal.

The Bears jumped out to a 15-2 mark in 2008-2009, en route to a 22-win season that culminated in a third-place tie in the Pac-10 and the program's first NCAA tournament appearance in three years.

The dramatic turn-around was due in large part to the improved play of point guard Jerome Randle, who emerged as the team's scoring leader.

Randle was also among the nation's top three-point shooters; he, along with guard Patrick Christopher and forward Theo Robertson, made Cal one of the Pac-10's most accurate teams from beyond the arc.

All three starters return to Berkeley for their senior seasons along with forward Jamal Boykin, while the team's entire bench also remains intact.

Now among the preseason conference favorites, the Bears won't be sneaking up on anyone in Montgomery's second year-but look for Cal basketball to keep turning heads in 2009-2010.

-Ed Yevelev

3. Women's Swim Wins First NCAA Team Championship

They are the champions.

After posting its first Pac-10 championship in school history, setting a handful of records along the way, the Cal women's swimming team came into the NCAA Championship meet on a historic high.

And on March 21, they delivered.

In College Station, Texas, the Bears won their first-ever national team title, besting its nearest opponent by 11 full points.

En route to its team title, Cal won three individual championships and two relays, including a thrilling 400-yard freestyle relay.

With Hannah Wilson, Liv Jensen, Erica Dagg and Dana Vollmer in the final, the quartet raced to an NCAA, American and U.S. Open record time of 3:09.88.

The win sealed the meet for the Bears, who scored a program record 411.5 points.

On the individual side, Vollmer headlined the meet for Cal. The senior won the 100 and 200-yard freestyle events, her second and third career national titles.

The national championship was just the third earned by a woman's team at Cal.

At meet's end, Vollmer was named NCAA Swimmer of the Year and coach Teri McKeever received the NCAA Coach of the Year honor, the first woman to ever receive the award.

-Katie Dowd

4. Stanford Falls at Haas as Gray-Lawson Scores 37

There are brilliant individual performances that are testaments to an athlete's moment of pure genius. And then there are brilliant individual performances that mean so much more.

Junior Alexis Gray-Lawson's was just such a showing, as the junior guard dropped 37 points on Stanford on January 18.

On a furious charge that included every conceivable mode of scoring-five three-pointers, 12 field goals and eight free throws-Gray-Lawson shouldered the Cal women's basketball team and willed it to victory.

But her 37 points isn't just a number that speaks to her individual greatness on that day. It was the difference between a very important win or loss for the Bears. Why? Because Cal hadn't beaten the Cardinal at home since 1993.

When the buzzer blared out a 57-54 victory for the Bears, Gray-Lawson-who played all 40 minutes-finally got some rest knowing that she had goaded her team into wrenching back its home-court advantage after 16 years of futility.

With that win, Cal took the top spot in the conference away from Stanford and sported an overall record of 14-2. The win also came in the midst of the Bears' 12-game win streak.

All because Gray-Lawson was tired of losing to the Cardinal. And that was enough for everyone in blue and gold.

-Katie Dowd

5. Cal Rugby Juggernaut Loses National Championship

With a rich history on the rugby pitch, in years past an appearance in the national title game may otherwise have been excluded from a list of the major sports stories at Cal.

Facing BYU for the fourth consecutive year in the finals, the Bears looked to claim another national championship against a team that coach Jack Clark has described as "the perfect opponent." But in spite of their top seed and 30-1 record, Cal was shocked by the Cougars, 25-22, on May 2.

Cal dominated much of the game, controlling both the time of possession and field position battles, but ultimately its play forged a story not of success but of missed chances.

Keeping it close down the stretch, BYU capitalized on the failed opportunities by the Bears-which included two missed kick attempts in the last ten minutes of play-by converting a kick that delivered their first-and final-lead of the match with only a minute and a half to play.

The loss not only ended a long streak of national championships, but also ended Cal's 115-game winning streak against American collegiate teams.

For a program accustomed to quietly winning national titles, this loss produced an unfamiliar headline for the Cal rugby program. Next year, to be sure, the Bears will once again aim to regain success with traditional lack of fanfare.

-David Seawright

6. Adrian Claims Olympic Gold Then Dominates Pac-10

A year ago, Nathan Adrian was just another swimmer on the Cal men's swimming team.

Twelve months later, he's become one of the greatest athletes in program-and school-history.

Adrian's epic year started in Beijing at the 2008 Olympic games where he enabled Michael Phelps' dominance by qualifying Phelps' 400-meter freestyle relay team for the finals with a then-world record time of 3:12.23. When Phelps and Co. won the relay, Adrian also brought home gold for his part in the ultimate American triumph.

But even though a gold medal was hanging around his neck, Adrian didn't let it slow him down.

Back in Berkeley, the 20-year-old sophomore set record after record in the spring season. At the Pac-10 Championships, Adrian won gold in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events and was named Swimmer of the Meet.

In Arpil, Adrian set American records in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle events at the NCAA Championships on his way to winning the first individual national titles for the Bears since 2000.

And after winning three events at the conference championships, Adrian was named Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year.

This summer, Adrian might need to find a bigger apartment. He's probably running out of room for all his medals.

-Katie Dowd

7. Speedy Coe Tests, Breaks and Sets Records in Mile

Jahvid Best might have the reputation as the fastest man on campus, but even the football star has nothing on Michael Coe.

In the 40, it's probably safer to put your money on Best. But in the mile? No one on campus-and few people in the world-can challenge Coe.

Need proof? Go back to April 25 at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational, a track and field meet hosted by Cal. Sophomore Coe and former teammate David Torrence went stride for stride in the mile until, in the closing strides, Coe took the edge. With a second to spare, Coe crossed the finish line in front.

The time? Three minutes and 58 seconds, a new school record.

But setting a school record alone didn't earn Coe the No. 7 spot on our list. Coe's time of 3:58.62 was the fastest mile time in America until that poitn and the third-best time in the world for the first five months of 2009.

Unfortunately for Coe, when the stage was the largest, he was unable to perform at the highest level. Coe was the victim of an ankle injury late in the season which hampered his success at the major postseason meets. But with two years of eligibility left at Cal, you can bet that he'll be back.

And Best's reputation better watch out.

-Katie Dowd

8. Cal Hosts First College Gameday

On a Saturday morning in February, hundreds of Berkeley students who normally bemoan the mere concept of an early morning congregated outside of Haas Pavilion at 5:45 a.m., lured by the promise a national television appearance.

ESPN's College Gameday-the widely popular preface to the day's college basketball games-made the trek to broadcast live from Cal's on campus basketball arena. Athletic Director Sandy Barbour encouraged the student body to show their support, both at the live taping of Gameday and later when the Bears tipped off against UCLA that evening.

The fans did not disappoint, flooding the arena-and millions of homes worldwide-with an onslaught of cheers as the broadcasters broke down the day's matchups.

The presence of the ESPN crew certified a feeling that has been circulating the campus for a few years: Cal has achieved national prominence and recognition.

On their third West Coast roadtrip since the airing of the show, the crew praised the efforts of Bears fans who represented Pac-10 hoops for a media audience more accustomed to ACC hoops. That praise could produce more ESPN airtime for Cal athletics in the future.

Although this visit allowed Bears fans to display their passion for Cal sports on an unprecedented national level, perhaps such exposure will soon become the norm.

-David Seawright

9. Best Rushes for Cal Record

Jahvid Best was relaxing on the sideline.

His helmet was off and the left elbow armor had been unfastened. "You're off now," coach Jeff Tedford had told him. There wasn't much left for Best to do, having reached the end zone four times, surpassed Jacquizz Rodgers for the Pac-10 regular-season rushing title and hit the 200-yard mark.

But he wasn't quite done.

Realizing that Best, who had already torched the Washington defense for 269 rushing yards one minute into the second half, needed just 15 more for the school's single-game rushing record, Tedford decided to let him go for it. It didn't take long. Best moved eight yards on his first carry and then sprang for 34 more up the middle to finish with 311 yards on the ground, breaking the 54-year-old Cal record.

It was the centerpiece of a brilliant three-game stretch-including the Bears' Emerald Bowl win over Miami-in which Best shook and sprinted his way to 698 rushing yards. After weathering a vomit-inducing hit at Maryland and a freak elbow injury against Colorado State early in the season, Cal's super-sophomore made a statement over his final three games that caught the ear of the nation and is garnering him some early Heisman hype for 2009.

-Matt Kawahara

10. 29-Year Losing Streak Broken

Rich Feller had accomplished a lot since his first year as coach of the Cal volleyball team in 1999.

He'd turned the Bears from the bottom of the conference punching bag into a perenial contender. He'd recruited some of the top talents in the nation, like outside hitter Angie Pressey and middle blocker Ellen Orchard. He even took Cal to the final four of the NCAA tournament in 2007.

The one thing he hadn't done? Beat Stanford at Maples Pavilion.

On October 19, Feller and Cal got that monkey off their collective back, finally dropping the Cardinal in four sets at Stanford.

The match was a close one, as the Bears and Stanford traded point for point. But tied 1-1 going into halftime, Cal came roaring out in the third set, winning it 25-19.

And with the final point of the match-a Mindi Wiley block in the fourth set-the Bears tasted victory at Maples for the first time in 29 years.

The win put Cal in first place in the Pac-10 with an undefeated 7-0 record in the conference but, more importantly, it sent a very clear message to its cross-bay rival:

Don't get too comfortable at the top of the conference.

-Katie Dowd

Tags: NATHAN ADRIAN, JAHVID BEST, CAL WOMEN'S SWIMMING, CAL ATHLETICS, MIKE MONTGOMERY, CAL FOOTBALL