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DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis, home to a hiccup over 37,000 students, is the third largest of the 10 University of California campuses.

Its enrollment is about 60 percent female, so it comes as no surprise that of its 25 varsity programs, 16 of them are for women.

One of the perks of having been around UC Davis since 1979 has been watching the university evolve, witnessing accomplished athletes come and go as the reputation of local sports grew, dominated by a sense of commitment and belonging known as Aggie Pride.

UC Davis used to be one of the West Coast's best-kept secrets. Now, this place is known from the four corners of the planet.

Cases in point? Even if you haven't been following closely, the names Erinn Beattie, Solie Laughlin, Morgan Bertsch, Kelley Hebert, Brooke Yanez and Karley and Kourtney Eaton won't be foreign to you.

In recent days, each has turned in a performance that vaulted the Blue-and-Gold into the national spotlight. Be it school-record swimming or track outings, a trip to the NCAA basketball postseason or improbable and sustained performances by a couple of sophomores, Davis is square in the middle of national conversations.

Let's take a quick look at what all the fuss is about, then you can decide where next to focus your attention. You'll be busy trying to figure out where to look based upon the success earned recently during Intercollegiate Athletics' crossover season, when winter and spring sports are in action.
 

Erinn Beattie
Can it be that this Ventura native already is in her senior season?

She's the school record-holder in both the pentathlon and the high jump while recently amassing a handful of other indoor Davis standards at the recent NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Ala.

Beattie, who studies human development, went into that meet ranked ninth in the pentathlon and finished fourth.

"I try not to think about the pressure ... because at the end of the day I'm going to give it 110 percent anyway," explains Beattie, who breaks her pentathlon events into compartments.

Off the track, she tries to relax but says her bucket list includes skydiving, a trip to Paris and deep sea fishing. She loves watching "The Great British Baking Show," and is preparing to cook up something special for a run at important upcoming meets like the Sacramento State dual (April 26), the Big West Conference gathering (May 3-4 in Santa Barbara) and the NCAA West Prelims (May 23 in Sacramento).

Brooke Yanez
These are numbers from a movie ...

The UC Davis softball pitcher threw a perfect game against Sacramento State, the first in the Aggies' Division I history. Along the way, she fanned 10 batters.

Not satisfied, in her next two outings, the lefty sophomore from Buena High (Ventura) shut out Santa Clara on two hits and Marist on one.

For her efforts, Yanez was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Pitcher of the Week. Moments later, College Sports Madness chimed with the same honor.

Yanez, a communications major, is now 14-1 for the 22-5 Aggies. Her earned run average is 1.26. She's struck out 121 in 89 innings. With Davis gearing up for its BWC opener versus CSUN (March 30-31) at home, there's a special feeling around La Rue Field.

Solie Laughlin
She's the most decorated swimmer in Aggie history.

The versatile senior from Ventura (what is it about the water in that city?) has qualified for the NCAA prelims in the 200-yard individual medley, the 400 IM and her signature event, the 200 backstroke.

Beginning Thursday, she will fly the UC Davis banner at the University of Texas, hoping to add to her 12 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation individual championships.

I chatted with Aggie swim coach Barb Jahn about the woman they call "Shiny" ...

So, coach, exactly where is Laughlin in the annuls of great UC Davis swimmers?

"If not at the top, the top two or three," says the veteran mentor. "It depends on the category, but no (Aggie) has accomplished winning 12 events at conference — so that kinda puts her at the top of the pile."

Kelley Hebert
When Saturday rolls around, the accomplished sophomore, by way of Edge Gymnastics in the Bay Area, will be the center of attention.

As a freshman last season, the diminutive gymnast was named the MPSF's top performer. Now, after earning her sixth straight Gymnast of the Week Award, Hebert and her colleagues head to the league finals on Saturday, hosted by Seattle Pacific. (Hebert as an individual and the Aggies as a team will compete with a hopeful eye on April's NCAA Regionals.)

Coming off a performance last week in which she again won the all-around while tying the school record 9.950 in the floor exercise, Hebert has now scored 9.900 or better in five straight meets. She has accounted for nine MPSF Gymnastic of the Week honors throughout her career.

Aggie women's basketball
OK. Everybody knows this story ...

On Saturday, UC Davis will open the 2019 NCAA women's basketball postseason at Stanford (tipoff is at 2:30 p.m.)

This Aggie team rose from an 0-3 start to post a 25-6 record, en route to winning 16 straight games and taking the Big West Tournament title by coming from 17 points down to beat Hawai'i in the championship game.

To say this team has been exciting is an understatement. To say this team is one for the ages is 100 percent accurate.

Perhaps the best defensive team in the history of the program, the Aggies' heart and soul came from its senior trio of Morgan Bertsch and twin sisters Karley and Kourtney Eaton.

Bertsch will graduate as the program's all-time leading scorer — women or men. She was named BWC Player of the Year. She was on the conference's All-Defensive team and will finish the season as one of the nation's top 10 scorers.

It's hard enough to catch lightning in a bottle once, like with Bertsch. But for UC Davis coach Jennifer Gross to grab it three times (remember the Eatons, too) in one class ... this has truly been a dream season.

When the Eatons have been the starting backcourt for the Aggies, UC Davis is 18-3. Having won their last 16 games by an average of 22 points speaks volumes to the effect provided by the dynamic duo. Terrific defenders, astute passers and clutch shooters, the Eatons — obviously, like Bertsch — will be long remembered.

And the great thing about Yanez, Laughlin, the Eatons, Hebert, Beattie and Bertsch? We still haven't seen the last of their contributions to the reputation of Aggie athletics.
 

— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at bgallaudet41@gmail.com or 530-320-4456. Also read Gallaudet's "Aggie Corner" weekly in The Davis Enterprise.

 
 
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.