who are the MEMBERs OF THE BIG C SOCIETY®?
ALL VARSITY LETTER WINNERS from the intercollegiate varsity sports at the University of California at Berkeley are PERMANENT MEMBERS of the Letterwinner Society of Cal Athletics, THE BIG C SOCIETY®.
Past recipients of the CIRCLE-C award, a PENNANT-C award, members of the Women’s C Society, and letter winners from discontinued varsity intercollegiate sports at Cal (e.g. wrestling, boxing, sailing, fencing, handball, riflery, ice-hockey, skiing and men’s volleyball) are also permanent members of the The Big C Society®
Honorary members elected by the Board of Directors.
Associate members include coaches of varsity intercollegiate sports, the Athletic Director, and long-time meritorious university staff elected by the Board of Directors.
*Varsity letter award images, sizing and ordering information, can be found HERE.
HOW DO I EARN A VARSITY LETTER AWARD?
PLAYING TIME THRESHOLD MET. Recommendations for varsity letter awards are made by the head coach of each sport, at the end of the season, for each student-athlete that exceeds the playing time requirements to earn a varsity letter. THE PLAYING TIME REQUIREMENTS OF EACH TEAM ARE LISTED BELOW. Head coach recommendations are sent to an Associate Athletic Director for approval.
THE SENIOR RULE. Senior student-athletes at the completion of his or her fourth (4th) year who have never met the playing-time criteria to earn a varsity letter, ARE ELIGIBLE to receive a 1st-year varsity letter award, WITH THE RECOMMENDATION of their head coach. (This rule also applies to seniors in their fourth year who previously transferred to Cal from another college.)
*Periodic eligibility rules adjustments for earning varsity awards proposed by a collective of Cal’s head coaches in consultation with the membership committee of The Big C Society® are subject to approval by The Big C Society® Board of Directors and the Athletic Director of the University of California at Berkeley.
Additional eligibility RULES to receive a Varsity letter award:
Must be an amateur
Must be eligible for athletic participation as defined by the NCAA
Must have represented the University of California in sanctioned intercollegiate competition (e.g. NCAA, USA Rugby, Intercollegiate Rowing Association.)
Must meet the varsity letter awards criteria as defined for his/her sport (specified below), or, pursuant to the SENIOR RULE, must receive the recommendation of the head coach in his or her 4th year.
If a player is in a red-shirt year OR doesn't complete the season due to disciplinary action, he/she is not eligible to receive a varsity letter award.
Team managers are eligible to receive a first-year Big C Society letter award (Zebra Sweater of their team) ONLY after their senior year, AND only if they have served as team manager for three (3) prior years.
VARSITY Letter Award Criteria by Sport
Baseball: Criteria is dependent upon position played
Starting pitchers must pitch in at least 6 conference starts or pitch 75 innings as a starter.
Relief pitchers must pitch 15 innings for the year, have 5 saves, and must pitch at least one-quarter the number of innings the top starter has accumulated.
Field players must have at least 50% of at bats as determined by the player who has the most at-bats (that is, if the most at-bats by a player is 200, field players must have a minimum of 100 at-bats).
Position players (players who have specific roles on the team (e.g. base runner, defensive specialist, pinch hitter, etc) earn a first year award based on the success of his performance throughout the season.
Basketball:
Played at least 10% of the allotted minutes for the regularly scheduled games played during the regular season and, in addition,
Played in at least half of the PAC-12 games.
Cross Country:
Finish in the top five team scoring positions in at least 50% of varsity meets, OR;
Qualify for the NCAA as an individual member of the top seven of qualifying teams.
Field Hockey:
Play in 70% of all scheduled matches.
Football: Meet ALL of the following requirements:
Be on the two-deep roster.
Play at least one-third of the total quarters for the season.
Be a strong contributor to the team.
Demonstrate a good attitude and strong work ethic.
Golf:
Participate in a minimum of 25% of the total number of holes scheduled in the Spring semester (that is, on the average, 126 holes). Note: If events are canceled, this requirement is met by playing in 25% of the holes played by the team during the Spring semester. Also, if an athlete competes in both Fall and Spring and that combination equals the 25% participation requirement, the coach may recommend an award, OR;
The team wins the PAC-12 Championship or participates in the NCAA Championship.
Gymnastics:
Compete in AT LEAST THREE (3) dual meets during the competitive season.
Lacrosse:
Play a minimum number of minutes (50% of the total season's scheduled games in minutes played).
Rowing: Meet EITHER of the two following requirements.
Be a member of the Varsity Eight that competes in the featured dual race (traditionally the Washington Dual Meet), the Pacific Coast Championship Regatta in which the major schools are represented, or the National Championship Regatta.
Be a member of the Junior Varsity Crew that wins either a Pacific Coast Championship, National Championship, or the featured Dual Race, or have rowed on the Junior Varsity boat for the past two racing seasons and participates in crew the third year.
Rugby:
Play a minimum number of minutes (50% of the total season's scheduled games in minutes played).
Soccer:
Play a minimum number of minutes: 50% of the total season's scheduled games in minutes played.
Softball:
Participate in 50% of the games played during the season. Pitchers and catchers must participate in 33% of the games during the season.
Swimming and Diving:
Be an NCAA qualifier or participate in a National Championship, OR
Be a point scorer in the PAC-12 Championship, OR
Be a point scorer in at least 50% of PAC-12 Conference Dual Meets during the season, OR
Be a scorer in the Stanford Dual Meet
Tennis:
Earn eight credits by competing in any combination of eight PAC-12 and/or intersectional dual matches and/or ITA or NCAA tournaments. Players earn one credit for each such team match or tournament in which they compete. Only one credit is accrued per match or tournament even if an athlete plays in both singles and doubles in the same match or tournament.
Track and Field (and Cross Country):
Score a minimum of 20 points in dual meets, OR
Score a minimum of 10 points in Invitational Meets, OR
Score in a PAC-12 or NCAA Championship Meet, OR
Break a University of California school record.
Volleyball:
Play in at least 70% of games played during the season.
Beach Volleyball:
Play in at least 70% of games played during the season.
Water Polo:
Compete in two-thirds of the total season's scheduled matches, OR
Be a member of the Travel Squad and compete in one-half of the away matches, OR
Compete in a PAC-12 or NCAA Championship