Diane Ninemire

Should the team get a chance to step up to the plate this spring and redirect the curveball that has been the pandemic, they'll make the most of it.

Chelsea Spencer became the Cal softball head coach this week, filling the sizable boots of 32-year veteran skipper Diane Ninemire.

"Once a Bear, always a Bear." Cal’s all-time wins record-holder and former head coach Diane Ninemire looks back on her career and the program.

After 32 years in charge of a respected Cal softball program, Diane Ninemire is stepping down, effective immediately and cited health concerns.

Cal will face Fullerton, No. 4 LSU, BYU and Grand Canyon at the Judi Garman Classic. The tournament will be the Bears’ penultimate preseason test.

After a close win over St. Mary’s, Cal will head to the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs. There, they’ll face No. 18 Missouri, Auburn, Nebraska and New Mexico.

The Bears will be tasked with spoiling the dreams of their Pac-12 rivals while developing a core that can withstand a brutal conference.

Now Cal’s leadoff hitter and one of the best college softball players in the nation, Rood’s athletic talent was palpable from the beginning.

On Sunday, the Bears played their final game on Levine-Fricke Field after a 4-1 loss to No. 5 Arizona, as plans are in place to build a new facility at the same site by 2021.

The Bears (24-22, 3-14) avoided their fourth series sweep on the year by sneaking away with their first victory against the Ducks (19-22, 4-11) since 2016.