Before I interviewed senior center Gary Golding last week, I knew he balanced rugby with his participation in the men’s octet. But I wondered if his rugby and a cappella lives intersected at all.

As I found out, they do.

I also found out a bunch more about the 2007 All-American. Here are a few tidbits:

1. As if playing rugby and singing in the men’s octet aren’t enough, Golding is currently taking courses to fulfill the pre-med requirements. That entails, for example, organic chemistry. He’s majoring in psychology.

2. Golding didn’t plan on coming to Cal. He was set to attend Chapman University in Orange County. Then, at a sevens tournament in Southern California, he met Cal rugby captian Rikus Pretorius, who convinced Golding to come to Berkeley. Looks like Pretorius has a promising career in recruiting.

3. Just like rugby is relatively new for me, football is new for Golding. He showed up to the interview wearing the Cal 2007 football T-shirt, and he has become a student of the game. He even referred to the Patriots when talking about his team’s prospects for a perfect season. Look for him in the student section this fall!

4. “Gary is a very talented singer, and it’s good to bring in different contingents of people,” said Andrew Mok, a bass in the men’s octet. “Gary is probably one of our first athletes, and on top of that he’s a really good athlete. So he brings a lot of pizzazz and character and showmanship ot the group.”

5. Said Bears coach Jack Clark: “Gary’s just soaking up the full Cal experience, and that’s great. I admire that. I wish more of our athletes would go that Renaissance Man route.”

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