Since stepping in as the new head coach at Cal, Mark Madsen has not been afraid to aim high on the recruiting trail. The Bears quickly offered several top recruits once the new staff came aboard, and the results of that work over the last several months is beginning to show itself.

The latest big name to swing through Berkeley is that of top-40 junior guard Jovani Ruff. The four-star prospect from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly has shot up the wish list for numerous programs from around the country, so Cal being potentially the lone program to earn an official visit from Ruff this fall is significant.

Ruff has continued to build a relationship with Madsen and the staff in Berkeley for several months, so he didn't hesitate to make the trip up to the Bay Area when the Cal head coach pushed for a visit.

The No. 36-ranked prospect in the 2025 class did not leave home disappointed by the experience. In fact, the visit exceeded his what he thought it would be when the plans were made.

"It was really good, and it was actually way better than I expected," he told Golden Bear Report. "People be talking down on Cal because of the season they had las year, but I feel like they're gonna have a really good year. The staff is great, and the players are really good."

So what made Cal the spot that Ruff wanted to visit first this fall? Simply, the attention he's received from Madsen and the Bears coaches.