Dec. 10, 2002
DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis offensive tackle Forest Vance and wide receiver Michael Oliva were named Tuesday to the 2002 Daktronics All-West Region first team, leading seven Aggies honored altogether. The teams are voted by sports information directors.
Vance, a 6-foo-5, 295-pound junior from Colfax was honored on the first team for the second consecutive year, while Oliva was the top vote-getter at the wide receiver position. Additionally, running back Matt Massari, defensive end B.J. Brust, linebacker Dominic Ghio, cornerback Carnell Green and free safety Ejiro Evero were recognized on the second team.
Vance has been a stalwart for the Aggies offense during his three years at tackle, starting all 38 games during that span. This season, he was part of a line that helped UC Davis rank among the national leaders in Division II for total offense (425.6 ypg) and passing (247.0 ypg.).
Oliva, a senior from Tuolumne, was a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, given each year to the top player in Division II. He set school records this year for career receiving touchdowns (37) and yards (3,379) after setting single-season records last year for receptions (75) and yards (1,365) and tying a record for touchdowns (13). He concluded his senior season by catching 11 passes for 167 yards in UC Davis' overtime playoff defeat at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Nov. 30.
Massari was the Aggies' leading rusher, netting 1,274 yards and 11 touchdowns, despite battling injury during the last part of the season. He highlighted his year by gaining 237 yards against Abilene Christian in September and then gaining 221 at Cal Poly on Oct. 26.
Brust, a 6-4, 255-pound senior from San Jose, led the the team with 7.5 sacks, totalling 40 yards in losses. His 13.5 tackles-for-losses were also team-highs. Ghio, a 6-0, 230-pound senior from Stockton, was thrid on the team in total tackles with 56, including nine for losses and 2.5 sacks.
Green, a senior from Grand Prairie, Texas, and Evero, a junior from Alta Lomas, were keys to the Aggies' defensive secondary. Green led the Aggies with 9 passes defensed and had a pair of interceptions, including one which he returned 46 yards for a touchdown against Western Oregon early in the season. Evero led UC Davis with 76 total tackles, forced and recovered a fumble and had five passes defensed. Like Oliva and Brust, Evero was a team captain.
UC Davis concluded its season with a 9-3 record, advancing to the NCAA Playoffs for the seventh straight year.
