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DAVIS, Calif. – Offensive linemen Jake Parks, Connor Pettek and running back Ulonzo Gilliam earned Freshman All-American honors on Monday when HERO Sports unveiled its list of award winners on Monday. No Big Sky team received as many Freshman All-America awards than the Big Sky champion Aggies, who comprised one-third of the league's honor roll.
 
Parks, a true freshman majoring neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, and Pettek, a redshirt freshman who has not declared a major, played key roles in UC Davis' success this past season as members of the Aggies' offensive line. Each was named a starter in every game played  and helped UC Davis become one of the top offenses in the nation, with regards to scoring, total yards and yards per game. 
 
It was this duo's outstanding debut season as an Aggie that allowed junior quarterback Jake Maier to record 3,931 passing yards and throw 34 touchdowns, both new Big Sky era records, and redshirt freshman Gilliam, HERO Sports' third Freshman All-America selection from UC Davis, to rush for 13 touchdowns, another new record.
 
In his first year as an Aggie, Gilliam set new Big Sky era records for the most rushing touchdowns (13), total number of touchdowns (17) in a single season and held the second-highest individual scoring total among all conference players (104). On the list of the league's top scorers, he was the only freshman, and underclassman, among a group of juniors and seniors.
 
His 104.7 all-purpose yards per game was another top 10 Big Sky figure (No. 9), and the 70th-highest clip in the country.
 
In addition to that NCAA ranking, his rushing TD total and 8.0 points per game scoring average ranked him No. 10 and No. 20 respectively among all FCS players.
 
Gilliam, a biochemistry and molecular biology major, became UC Davis' first national freshman player of the week when he scored three times in his Aggie debut, which led to the program's third victory over a FBS team.
 
What started in the Aggies' season opener at San José State continued throughout the season, which is how he became UC Davis' first finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, a national honor bestowed to the FCS' freshman of the year.
 
 
 
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
 
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.