California Golden Bears Athletics
Lopa earns first weekly ACC honor following his performance at Syracuse.
Photo by: Brianna Ali/Cal Athletics
Kingston Lopa Named ACC Defensive Back Of The Week
9/14/2026 11:00 AM | Football
Cal Safety Receives First ACC Weekly Honor
California football defensive back Kingston Lopa has been named ACC Defensive Back of the Week following his standout performance against Syracuse, announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference office on Monday morning. It is the first weekly conference honor for the Golden Bears this season and the first of Lopa's collegiate career.
Lopa tallied a career-best three interceptions in the Bears' 21-18 win over Syracuse this past weekend, making him the first Bear to record three interceptions in a single game since Jaylinn Hawkins intercepted three passes against TCU at the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl.
Lopa now leads the nation in total interceptions (4) and interceptions per game (2.0) after also recording an interception against UCLA in Week 1. The last Bear to lead the nation in interceptions was Cal's Nohl Williams who finished the 2024 season atop the NCAA leaderboard with seven before being selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Against the Orange, Lopa returned one interception 24 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, which was the first pick-six of his career and the first by a Bear since Williams' 40-yard interception return for a score against Miami on Oct. 5, 2025.
Lopa returned his first interception against Syracuse a career-high 53 yards. Two of his three INTs in the game came in the fourth quarter. Lopa also added five tackles (4 solo, 1 assisted) to the stat sheet.
Lopa is a native of Sacramento where he attended Grant High School. He transferred to Cal this season after spending two years with Oregon. He was rated as the nation's No. 8 safety and No. 145 player overall in the 2026 transfer portal by 247Sports.
Lopa tallied a career-best three interceptions in the Bears' 21-18 win over Syracuse this past weekend, making him the first Bear to record three interceptions in a single game since Jaylinn Hawkins intercepted three passes against TCU at the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl.
Lopa now leads the nation in total interceptions (4) and interceptions per game (2.0) after also recording an interception against UCLA in Week 1. The last Bear to lead the nation in interceptions was Cal's Nohl Williams who finished the 2024 season atop the NCAA leaderboard with seven before being selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Against the Orange, Lopa returned one interception 24 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, which was the first pick-six of his career and the first by a Bear since Williams' 40-yard interception return for a score against Miami on Oct. 5, 2025.
Lopa returned his first interception against Syracuse a career-high 53 yards. Two of his three INTs in the game came in the fourth quarter. Lopa also added five tackles (4 solo, 1 assisted) to the stat sheet.
Lopa is a native of Sacramento where he attended Grant High School. He transferred to Cal this season after spending two years with Oregon. He was rated as the nation's No. 8 safety and No. 145 player overall in the 2026 transfer portal by 247Sports.
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