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Lights! Camera! Field hockey!

By Public Affairs

“Welcome to Berkeley” video, led by students, was shown during the field hockey broadcast. (UC Berkeley video)

Although the No. 16 Golden Bears fell to the No. 1 Terrapins Friday evening, a small piece of history was made when the women of Cal’s field hockey team battled Maryland on Maxwell Family Field. The game marked the first-ever appearance by UC Berkeley student-athletes on the recently launched Pac-12 television networks.

Beyond the usual collegiate broadcast fare of football and basketball, the new networks will offer regional and national audiences a schedule filled with intercollegiate sports that, until now, have rarely been seen on television in the United States. In the coming weeks the networks’ schedule includes everything from women’s soccer to men’s water polo, along with plenty of gridiron action.

Field hockey players

Midfielder Kendra Bills, front, has been a steady force on the pitch for the Bears since her 2009 freshman season. (Michael Pimentel/ GoldenBearSports.com photo)

“It’s an honor to lead off for the Cal Athletic Department on the new Pac-12 network,” says Shellie Onstead, head coach for the Golden Bears field hockey team. “After getting some great TV exposure at the Olympic Games, college hockey will now be seen in this area and people will get exposed to this fast-paced, exciting game. We couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity.”

Although the networks will primarily be dedicated to athletic competition, news and feature stories about the conference campuses, research and student life will be interspersed throughout the schedule. UC Berkeley’s initial offering — a student-led introduction to the campus — will be seen during the field hockey broadcast and can be previewed here.

For information on availability of the networks in your area, check out the network channel finder.