­Follow UC Davis: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
  
DAVIS, Calif. – Former UC Davis men's soccer student-athlete Justin Wright is the program's new assistant coach, as announced by head coach Dwayne Shaffer on Thursday. The former All-Far West Region and All-Big West Conference recipient will return to the field in time for this year's preseason workouts, leading up to the Aggies' Aug. 30 season opener at Wisconsin.
 
"It was an honor to be offered the assistant coaching job by Dwayne and Jason, and I was very excited to accept it. At first, I was slightly skeptical of the immediate transition from player to coach, but the coaching staff, players and administration have all helped make the changeover very smooth for me," said Wright.
 
"I'm happy to be back and eager to assist the team this coming season." 
 
"I am excited to add Justin to our staff, he was an excellent player for us all four years," said head coach Dwayne Shaffer. "He has a lot of knowledge and experience to offer our student athletes, understands our system of play, our style, the program's values and principles. It will be an easy transition for him."
 
Wright is ready to make an immediate impact with this year's roster, thanks to his experience as a UC Davis student-athlete. His knowledge of the team's philosophy and defensive schemes will provide continuity for a team seeking its third straight appearance in the Big West Tournament's championship game.
 
The newest member of men's soccer's staff also knows firsthand the challenge of balancing an academic workload at the fifth-ranked public school in the nation, and athletic commitments, while enjoying one's college experience. For the program's newcomers, Wright's student-athlete experience will allow him to make their transition to UC Davis as smooth and easy as possible.
 
Off the field, the two-time Big West Conference All-Academic Team selection graduated last spring with a political science degree — the latest accomplishment of a senior season filled with honors and accolades.
 
Named Big West Conference Offensive Player of the week and selected to the National Team of the Week on three occasions in 2018, Wright ended his college career with All-Big West Second Team and United Soccer Coaches All-Region Second Team honors.
 
Wright was a fixture in the Aggies' starting lineup last season, and finished the year ranked No. 2 on the team with 12 points by scoring four goals and assisting on another four.
 
Of his four goals, two were scored at home in the Aggies' rivalry game against Sacramento State, including the game winner that capped his team's come-from-behind effort. By scoring additional goals at UC Riverside and CSUN later that season, the Los Angeles native finished with the second-highest number of game-winning goals among all Big West players.
 
 
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.