Caleb Coleman: Cal Football Student-Athlete of the Year

Wow.

Just wow.

Sometimes wow just says it all.

Caleb Coleman is a student-athlete at U.C. Berkeley who recently became a disciple in the Bay Area Christian Church, and on Monday, he received the 2014-15 Jonathan and Judy Hoff Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. This award goes to the Cal football student-athlete who has dedicated himself to academic, athletic, and personal development while demonstrating persistent community outreach and collaborative leadership ability. From a roster of over 100 Cal football players, Caleb was chosen to receive this award. In addition, Caleb was recently accepted into Berkeley’s Haas School of Business undergraduate program. Wow.

If you talk to Caleb, he will tell you about the profound impact having a relationship with God has had on the confidence he has today, both on and off the field. He will tell you that the relationships he has built in the campus ministry and the church have absolutely made a difference in his life: academically, athletically, and spiritually.

For Caleb, 2014 can be described in a single word: transformational. Last year, Caleb studied the Bible to become a Christian, changing his core motivation from self-achievement to impacting the lives of those around him. At the same time, his role on the football team also transformed, as he switched from playing receiver on offense to cornerback on defense. But Caleb’s biggest change on the football team was much more than position; during the season, Caleb transformed from a high-potential freshman to a contributing young leader.

His presence was felt most notably felt on November 1, 2014 – Cal v. Oregon State. In the 4th quarter with under 8 minutes left in the game, QB Sean Mannion was leading the Beavers downfield in an attempt to close a 3 point deficit behind Cal. The atmosphere was tense for a Cal fan, recognizing Oregon State’s offensive prowess and plenty of time on the clock. Unfortunately for the Beavers, a young man named Caleb Coleman went on to make the pick of his career, sealing the game for Cal, and earning him a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week nomination. Wow.

Congratulations again, Caleb, and thanks for giving us one more reason to cheer for the Cal football team. Go Bears!