Solomon Hughes, a former three-year starting center for the California Golden Bears men’s basketball team, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Pete Newell Career Achievement Award. The award will be presented to Hughes during Cal’s ACC game against North Carolina on January 17 at Haas Pavilion.
Hughes becomes the 14th individual from the program to receive this honor, which recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers and upheld the values associated with Hall of Fame coach Pete Newell and the University of California.
“Cal Athletics is immensely proud to welcome Solomon Hughes to Haas Pavilion to receive this award,” said Co-Directors of Athletics Jenny Simon-O’Neill and Jay Larson. “Not only was Solomon a talented and accomplished player, but he has also continued to commit himself to growth and improving the lives of others. It’s inspiring to see Solomon shine in all that he does. He is incredibly deserving of the Pete Newell Career Achievement Award.”
During his time as a student-athlete, Hughes contributed to Cal’s 1999 NIT Championship team and participated in two NCAA tournaments. He ranks third all-time at Cal for field-goal percentage (57.9%) and led the Pac-10 Conference as a junior with a 62.9% shooting mark that season. Additionally, he stands fifth in career blocks for Cal with 122.
Reflecting on his college experience, Hughes stated: “My time in Berkeley was transformative, and there are countless teammates, classmates, mentors, faculty and administrators whose lives inspired me and pushed me to aspire,” Hughes said. “This is a tremendous honor, and I am proud to help carry this legacy forward.”
After graduating from Cal, Hughes pursued advanced degrees—a master’s in Education from UC Berkeley followed by a Ph.D in Higher Education from University of Georgia—and developed his career in higher education administration focused on academic programming and student development. He has taught courses and led initiatives related to social development, academic success, and mentorship for young athletes.
In addition to his work in academia, Hughes portrayed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,’ earning recognition for his performance.
“This is an incredible honor,” Hughes said. “One of my most cherished basketball memories involves Coach Pete Newell. Upon the conclusion of my sophomore year, I was very unhappy at Cal and lacked confidence. I had even expressed a desire to transfer. That summer, I attended the Pete Newell Big Man Camp in Hawai’i — the camp was elite. There were NBA players, elite college players, and then there were guys like me. Coach Newell watched me during the early sessions and went out of his way to pull me aside. He affirmed me and complimented my game. I have this core memory of him sitting on an old metal folding chair all by himself, studying my sessions. That makes this award especially meaningful. I am incredibly humbled and grateful.”
The presentation will take place on-court during halftime when California faces North Carolina at Haas Pavilion; tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Pete Newell coached California’s men’s basketball team from 1954 through 1960—leading them to four straight conference titles between 1957–1960—including winning the NCAA championship in 1959 before serving as Director of Athletics until 1968.
Newell’s coaching achievements also include guiding Team USA’s men’s basketball squad to Olympic gold at Rome in 1960.
He was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1988) after being enshrined into Cal’s own Athletic Hall (1987).
The entire U.S Olympic squad from that year—including then-Cal player Darrall Imhoff—was inducted into Springfield’s Hall collectively in 2010.
Newell died November 17th 2008 but remains an influential figure within college basketball history.
Previous recipients of this award include Al Buch (2010-11), Earl Robinson (2011-12), Andy Wolfe (2012-13), Earl Shultz (2013-14), Russ Critchfield (2014-15), Michael Pitts (2015-16), Stan Morrison (2016-17), Ned Averbuck (2017-18), John Ricksen (2018-19), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (2019-20), Mark McNamara (2022-23), Bill McClintock (2023-24) ,and Al Grigsby (2024–25).
Tickets for upcoming home games can be purchased online or by phone via CalBears.com/Tickets. Fans can also support team initiatives through ongoing fundraising programs such as those highlighted by the Cal Men’s Basketball Excellence Initiative. For further updates follow official social media channels including X (@CalMBBall) or Instagram (@CalMBBball).
