California Golden Bears men's ice hockey

The California Golden Bears Men's Ice Hockey team is a college ice hockey program that represents the University of California, Berkeley. They are a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association at the Division II level. The university sponsored varsity ice hockey from 1928 to 1949.

Cal joined several other California schools in founding an ice hockey program in the late 1920s and continued on with the sport despite the Great Depression hitting its budget throughout the '30s. Cal, along with most other schools, shuttered its program for the duration of World War II but was the only Pacific coast team to return after the war. The Golden Bears attempted to continue their program but, without a nearby rival to keep the interest up, Cal was forced to shutter the program in 1949.^[2]

After a long period of dormancy, Cal Ice Hockey returned to action as a club sport though little documentation is available until the early 1990s. As a gritty low budget college hockey club, the Bears made their indelible mark in 1996 with a 19–7 finish and a stellar ten-game win streak, securing their first-ever bid to the national championship tournament, anchored by standout goaltender Peter Werner who posted a 2.1 goals-against average before making an extraordinary act of personal sacrifice—donating a kidney to his mother on the opening day of nationals—an act that resonated far beyond the rink. Returning to Cal in 2000 with a law degree, Werner joined Head Coach Cyril Allen on the bench, guiding the Bears to a PAC-8 Championship in 2004 by toppling four-time champion USC. After Werner stepped down in 2005 to focus on family and career, Allen remained with the program with Cal Ice Alumni Mark Arneson joining the coaching staff in 2009 to assist. Allen stepped down in 2014, capping a 13-year tenure.

Leadership transitioned to Jeff Slusarz, supported by assistant coach Mark Bagley and Mark Arneson, while off-ice innovation emerged with Captains Jeff Leong, Nic Kawasaki, and C.J. Geering introducing a new officer structure to improve internal operations. In 2017, Club President Michael Leone made a pivotal move by recruiting veteran sports manager Michele Cox to enhance game day logistics. The following year, Co-Presidents Sami Morse and Jordan Thompson appointed Cox as Cal Ice Hockey’s first-ever General Manager—ushering in a new era of strategic growth and community outreach. Cox brought in assistant coach Chris Linden to join the bench, and the momentum continued into the 2019–2020 season when Linden took over as head coach, joining forces with assistant coach Mark Cornwell and goalie coach Brad Martin. Senior Michael Leone closed out the season with a record-breaking 166 career points—cementing his legacy and retiring his jersey #5 in honor of his remarkable impact on and off the ice.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the 2020–2021 season to a halt, but the Bears returned hopeful in 2021–2022 under new leadership with Cornwell and Linden switching roles, only for postseason play to be canceled again due to the ongoing pandemic. Peter Werner reemerged as a major donor in 2022–2023, helping the program recover from financial setbacks incurred during the COVID-19 closures and empowering the team for future success. Cal Ice Alumni Devin Cox joined the coaching staff, and Captain Jake Sitak and defenseman Jason Lee earned 1st All-Star Team PAC-8 honors, signaling the program’s resilience with the Bears receiving an invite to Regionals.

A new chapter unfolded in the 2023–2024 season when the program embraced a full-circle transformation with a talented all–Cal Ice alumni coaching staff led by Head Coach Devin Cox—a former Bears player and assistant coach. Cal Ice alumnus Mark Arneson, entering his 15th season as assistant coach, was joined by Cal Ice alumnus Pravin Chandra and Darien Oliver. Under Cox's leadership, strategic recruiting and program enhancements reinvigorated the club’s competitive edge. President and Captain Tyson Storr, alongside GM Michele Cox, launched an ambitious internship initiative, introducing a Broadcast Team led by Ryan Carlson, a Marketing Team headed by Roxana Nourishad, and Game Day Operations managed by Auden Meyer—laying the groundwork for expanded visibility and fan engagement.

The 2024-2025 home games brought packed houses with Oski and the Cal Band sharing the bleachers with honored guests including former NHL goalie Jamie Storr and his wife Niki, as well as Cal running backs Jayden Ott and Javian Thomas performing ceremonial puck drops. The Golden Bears swept Stanford 17-5 in the Big Freeze, a rivalry event held annually during Big Game Week in November since at least the 1990's. The coaching staff also added Cal Alumnus Everett Morton as goalie coach.

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