SPOKANE, Wash. -- UC Davis senior quarterback Jake Maier earned Preseason Offensive MVP honors, junior wide receiver Jared Harrell added a Preseason All-Conference nod, while the Aggies garnered the No. 2 spot in both the coaches' and media preseason polls, as announced at the Big Sky Kickoff Monday morning.

Maier's honor comes off a pair of preseason All-America accolades, and follows up his Big Sky Conference Player of the Year award in 2018. The communication major from La Habra completed 364 of 557 passes as a junior last fall, ranking among the national FCS leaders in passing yards (3,931) and touchdowns (34).

Harrell, a human development major from Los Angeles, claimed third-team All-Big Sky Conference honors and won his team's T. Palmer Moody Award as the outstanding sophomore in 2018. Last fall, he hauled in 65 catches for 896 yards, including a 4-for-120 performance against Sacramento State, finishing second on the team in each category behind only Keelan Doss.

UC Davis finished second behind Eastern Washington in both polls, scoring 127 points to the Eagles' 140 in the coaches' rankings while trailing, 536-510, in the media poll. The Aggies received two first-place votes from the coaches, while claim 13 No. 1 votes among the 43 contributors in the latter.

The Big Sky Kickoff, held this year at the Davenport Grand Spokane, serves as a two-day gathering of coaches, players and media for all 13 football members. 

2019 BIG SKY FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLLS
Numbers in parentheses denote first-place votes.

COACHES' POLL
1. Eastern Washington (10) – 140
2. UC Davis (2) - 127
3. Weber State - 124
4. Montana (1) - 104
5. Montana State - 100
6. Northern Arizona - 88
7. Idaho State - 72
8. Idaho - 65
9. Cal Poly - 56
10. Portland State - 42
11. Sacramento State - 40
12. Southern Utah - 38
13. Northern Colorado - 19

MEDIA POLL
1. Eastern Washington – 536 (25)
2. UC Davis – 510 (13)
3. Weber State – 472 (4)
4. Montana State - 417
5. Montana – 396 (1)
6. Northern Arizona - 302
7. Idaho State - 285
8. Idaho - 248
9. Cal Poly - 196
10. Portland State - 178
11. Southern Utah - 160
12. Sacramento State - 125
13. Northern Colorado – 90

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 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: Established 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.

MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE: Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit this site for more information.