DAVIS, Calif. — A standout on the field for the UC Davis men's soccer team for four seasons, and a mainstay on the sideline for the Aggies for the last five years, assistant coach Chris Leer has stepped down from his position at his alma mater in order to assume a similar role at Northwestern University.

"Chris is an excellent soccer coach with a bright future in the game," UC Davis head coach Dwayne Shaffer said. "He was instrumental in our success at UC Davis both athletically as well as academically during his coaching and playing career. He will certainly be missed. Northwestern offers he and his wife, Michelle, an excellent opportunity for Chris to coach at an excellent Division I program and be near family. All of us at UC Davis wish him well."

A member of the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Far West Region Coaching Staff of the Year, Leer helped lead UC Davis to 45 wins overall and 22 Big West Conference victories over the last five seasons, which included a Big West North Division title in 2017 and five consecutive appearances in the league tournament — including back-to-back appearances in the championship match in each of the last two years.

After finishing 11-7-3 overall in 2017, Leer helped guide the Aggies to an 11-4-5 overall record and ranked as high as No. 13 in the nation according to the Sept. 18 United Soccer Coaches poll in 2018, giving the program back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins for the first time since Leer helped lead UC Davis to NCAA Tournament berths in its first two years as a Division I program as a player.

On the field, Leer focused his efforts in coaching the UC Davis offense, which finished the 2017 season ranked No. 15 in the NCAA in goals (40), No. 22 in scoring offense (1.9 goals per game), No. 27 in total points (107), and No. 33 in points per game (5.1).

Off the field, Leer has been part of a staff that has seen 33 student-athletes earn All-Big West awards, five earn spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region teams, five more named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region squad, and another named a CoSIDA academic all-district honoree.

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, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis 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.

AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, 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.