YEAR TWO OF THE JENNIFER WONG ERA
— California will begin its second season under head coach Jennifer Wong against Akron at 3 p.m. PST on Friday at California Memorial Stadium.
— The Golden Bears improved their win total by three games in 2023 in Wong's first season at the helm, finishing 5-13 overall and at 2-8 in the Pac-12 to double their single league win from 2020-22.
— Cal also moved up one spot to No. 5 in the Pac-12 Championship seedings in Wong's first season in 2023 from the No. 6 spot they had held each of the two previous campaigns.
— Wong won her Cal debut and 2023 season opener with a 17-9 win at Lindenwood last year.
 
CAL IN SEASON OPENERS
— Cal is 10-15 all-time in season openers.
— Cal snapped a four-game losing streak in season openers with the 17-9 win at Lindenwood on Feb. 10, 2023, with the victory its first in a season opener since winning at UC Davis, 11-6, on Feb. 9, 2018.
— Cal is opening a season at home for the first time since being defeated by UC Davis, 14-8, at California Memorial Stadium on Feb. 26, 2021. The Bears have lost the last seven times they have opened a season at home with their most recent win a 19-0 victory over Fresno State on Feb. 7, 2009.
— The Feb. 9 opening date in 2024 ties for the fourth-earliest Cal has opened a season (third time) with the only three campaigns opened earlier coming in its inaugural season on Feb. 6, 1999 (10-3 win vs. Santa Clara), Feb. 7, 2009 (19-0 win vs. Fresno State) and Feb. 8, 2018 (15-10 loss vs. Michigan).
— Friday's forecast in Berkeley calls for partly/mostly cloudy skies and a temperature of 55 degrees at first draw.
 
SCHEDULE NOTES 
— Cal has 15 regular-season games scheduled in 2024 with nine at home and six on the road, while the team's seven Pac-12 games will include four on the road and three in Berkeley.
— The Golden Bears are playing in their sixth and final season in the Pac-12 before becoming members of the ACC in August of 2024. The Pac-12 began sponsoring women's lacrosse in 2018. The league's 2020 schedule was canceled due to COVID. The Pac-12 added San Diego State and UC Davis to bring its total members for women's lacrosse to eight for the 2024 season and will play a single-round robin format for the first time after teams have faced each other twice in league games in each of the five previous campaigns.
 
A LOOK AT THE ROSTER 
— Cal has turned over a third of its roster from 2023 with 22 players returning and 11 new faces on its 33-player roster in 2024.
— F Mya Wang is Cal's top returning attacker from 2023 with her 13 assists a year ago leading the team, her 33 points tied for third and her 20 goals fourth. Cal's next six point scorers from 2023 are also back (M Kennedy Mason, 22; A Josie Liilquist, 20; A Kate Rothman, 16; A Courtney Wong, 11; M Avery Hoeft, 8; A Caroline Roxas 7).
— Kennedy Goss has moved to attacker for her fourth and final season in 2024 after spending her first three campaigns as a midfielder and draw specialist. Goss is already Cal's all-time (202) and single season (83, 2023) leader in draw controls
— Simone Holland has also joined the attackers in 2024 after spending her first three campaigns as a defender.
— Cal returns 2023 part-time starter Alicia Souliotis and Chloe Rand in goal.
— Fischer, Mason, Rothman and D Charlotte Smith will serve as team captains in 2024.
— Among the top players Cal lost from 2023 are three of its top four scorers in A Maya Lawliss (41 points), M Amanda Morse (40) and A Quinnlyn Mason (33), as well as part-time starting GK Riley Drullinger (13.76 GAA, 85 SV). Lawliss and Morse were second-team All-Pac-12 picks in 2023.