BERKELEY, Calif. - When Doug Sciutto attempted to break down a locked door at a burning house on Sept. 8, 1990, at the University of California Berkeley, he was trying to rescue his friends from the flames that engulfed the structure. He never made it out of the building that day, but his memory will live on whenever the Golden Bears step on the lacrosse field this spring.
Sciutto, a former captain and MVP for the Golden Bears, had his No. 4 retired that year out of respect, and it had never been worn for 25 years.
With the blessing of Sciutto’s father, Bob, and in an effort to better remember and celebrate Sciutto’s legacy, the program unretired the No. 4 in the fall of 2015. It is now worn each year by the senior or graduate student who best demonstrates his qualities of courage, commitment and selflessness, while dominating all aspects of the Cal men's lacrosse experience.
“Some programs bestow a number to a player based on merit or the quality of their play,” said Cal coach Ned Webster. “This award is based primarily on strength of character and is the highest achievable honor for a Cal men's lacrosse player.”
Receiving the majority of votes, the 2024 Doug Sciutto No. 4 memorial jersey will be worn by senior captain Ethan Pavlet (Monterey, Calif.).
A returning starter at close defense, Pavlet was voted second-team all-WCLL by opposing coaches and earned MCLA Scholar-Athlete honors due to his hard work and success in the classroom as a Mechanical Engineering major. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder possesses arguably the best stickwork on the team and the fastest shot.
"Ethan abides by the quote, ‘You are what you permit in your presence,’" said Webster. "He permits nothing but excellence and maximum effort from himself, as well as his teammates and coaches- a quality which requires tough love and relentless fortitude.”
The 2024 Golden Bears’ future is in strong hands with Pavlet and fellow captain, senior Cooper Endicott (Beverly Hills, Calif.) at the helm. Each voted for the other in what has traditionally become an unsurprising demonstration of our leaders’ humility, mutual respect and friendship.