The California Golden Bears will open their 2026 campaign on Thursday, August 27, when they host the Broncos at Santa Clara’s Stevens Stadium.
The team arrives after a 0‑0 stalemate with the nation’s sixth‑ranked Portland Pilots, a match that ended with a clean sheet and a demonstration of defensive discipline.
That result marked one of only three times this season a top‑25 opponent was held scoreless, underscoring the Bears’ ability to neutralize high‑caliber attacks.
On the offensive side, senior forward Callen Lewis generated three of the team’s seven shots, two of which landed on target, providing a spark in the final third.
Between the posts, freshman goalkeeper Adam Salama earned his first start and recorded three saves to preserve the shutout, marking his inaugural clean sheet for the program.
A Promising Roster Outlook
The defensive backbone returns intact, with stalwart defender Beau Morrison having started all 18 games in 2025, while midfielder D'Andre Pickett remains a fixture in the lineup. The attack also benefits from the experience of Malcom Zalayet, who finished the previous season as the team’s second‑highest scorer, and the emerging senior transfer Florentino Junior, who was named to the ACC Preseason Watch List and is expected to play a pivotal role in the 2026 campaign.
Looking ahead, the Broncos arrive with a 2‑0 start after victories over Cleveland State and Fordham, setting the stage for an early test that could shape the Bears’ trajectory in the upcoming season.