Courtesy: Cal Athletics
Four former Cal student-athletes have been awarded postgraduate scholarships to help in pursuing higher degrees.
Ella Annest (lacrosse) and Robin Neumann (women’s swimming) have received an Oscar and Theodore Geballe Award, given annually to chosen Cal student-athletes for their combination of scholarship and athletic competition. The award comes with a $10,000 stipend for postgraduate studies.
Charlotte Wesselmann (women’s rowing) and Ema Rajic (women’s swimming) have each won a Pac-12 postgraduate scholarship, created to honor outstanding scholar-athletes intending to pursue graduate studies. It includes a $9,000 stipend.
The Oscar and Theodore Geballe Award was created through the generosity of Dr. Theodore Geballe to honor his father, Oscar Geballe, and recognizes his strong belief in the value of combining scholarship and intercollegiate athletic competition. There have now been 102 Geballe Award winners since 1981.
Annest, a member of the Cal lacrosse team, earned her bachelor’s degree in molecular & cell biology in 2021. Originally from Arvada, Colorado, she will attend medical school at the University of Colorado, beginning in the fall of 2022. Annest joined the Golden Bear program as a walk-on before becoming a starter, earning a scholarship and serving as team captain. In her final home game at Memorial Stadium, she set a program record for most games played. Annest was a four-time selection to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll and also worked as a tutor in the Athletic Study Center.
Neumann completed her final season with the Golden Bears this past year and finished her career ranked 10th all-time at Cal in the 100-yard freestyle and as a member of the school-record 800-yard free relay. A 2016 Olympian for the Netherlands, she was also a three-time NCAA finalist in the 200 free and the 2021 Pac-12 200 free champion. Neumann is graduating this spring with a degree in global studies with an emphasis on peace and conflict and a minor in human rights. She plans to pursue a career in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs after obtaining her master’s degree. Neumann has received numerous academic honors at Cal, including 2022 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women’s swimming & diving, the 2022 Neufeld Award for having the highest GPA among Cal’s graduating female student-athletes and membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
Wesselmann is a 2019 Cal graduate with a degree in architecture. She was a member of two NCAA champion boats during her Golden Bear career – in the second varsity eight in 2016 and in the varsity eight in 2018. Cal captured the overall team national titles both years. Selected the Pac-12 Co-Newcomer of the Year as a freshman, she later earned All-American and Pac-12 All-Academic recognition. From Flensburg, Germany, Wesselmann has trained with the German national team. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree and AA diploma from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.
Rajic is graduating this spring with a degree in molecular & cell biology and plans to obtain a master’s degree in management of drug development through USC’s School of Pharmacy. She is the Cal record-holder in the 100-yard breaststroke and was part of the Bears’ national champion 400-yard medley relay in 2019. Rajic also ranks second in school history in the 200-yard breaststroke. A member of the Croatian National Team, she competed at the Tokyo Olympics last summer and has represented Croatia at the World Championships and European Championships.
Congratulations to these very talented women.