Seizing The Opportunity – California Golden Bears Athletics

Kevin Carmichael has kept busy with soccer, school and various student organizations as he prepares for MLS and life after Cal.

MSOC9/30/2024 11:00 AM | By: Dean Caparaz ‘90

Kevin Carmichael Set For One More College Season Before Going Pro

This feature originally appeared in the 2024 Fall edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.

 

Kevin Carmichael is taking advantage of every opportunity he can before he leaves Berkeley.

That’s why he celebrated so much after scoring a late goal in the California men’s soccer team’s 2-0 victory over San Francisco in mid-August – in the preseason.

 

“He’s just got that energy,” said longtime teammate Santiago Hopkins, who played club ball with Carmichael at Real SoCal before they came to Cal. “Most people wouldn’t celebrate goals like that, but Kevin loves the game and you can tell from his passion. That showed in his extra celebration.”

 

Now a co-captain for the Golden Bears in his senior year, the 6-foot-2 Carmichael is one of the top center backs in the nation who was selected by Nashville SC in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. Carmichael and fellow co-captain Wyatt Meyer, who was also drafted by Nashville last December, will move on to the professional ranks after one more season with Cal.

 

One of the most dependable Bears – he started 47 of 48 games through his junior year – Carmichael played the team’s fourth-most minutes as a freshman, led the way in minutes as a sophomore and was second in playing time to Meyer last season. Carmichael is also a threat to score, particularly in the air, tallying three goals, one assist and seven points in 2023, when he was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team.

 

When he’s not busy on the pitch or in the classroom, the media studies major participates in two student organizations – SAAC and SABN – and with the Cameron…