DAVIS, Calif. -- With the UC Davis football winter practice season nearing its end, defensive lineman Bryce Rodgers and offensive lineman Kooper Richardson were announced as additional 2020 team captains during Thursday's workout. 

A psychology major from East Palo Alto, Rodgers garnered All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention last fall, having led the Aggie defensive line with 49 total tackles, four sacks, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. Richardson, a communication major from Folsom, has started 23 of the last 24 games at right tackle. He earned the program's 2018 Tony Kays Award as the most improved player, while his off-field commitment earned him a spot on the 2019 Big Sky Community Service Team.

They will join linebacker Connor Airey and running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr., who were announced as captains during the Aggies' 2019 season banquet in January.

Gilliam, a human development major from Merced and the lone junior among the four captains, ranked 11th nationally and tops in the Big Sky Conference with 104.1 rushing yards per game. He also set a program record for receptions by a running back (57), earning him a host of awards: third-team STATS FCS All-America, HERO Sports Sophomore All-America honorable mention and All-Big Sky Conference second team; plus the team's T. Palmer Moody Award as outstanding sophomore and Ken O'Brien Award as offensive player of the year.

A neurobiology, physiology & behavior major out of Chino Hills, Airey has ranked among the team's tackles leaders in each of the last two seasons, posting 51 as a sophomore than 76 as a junior last fall. He enters his senior season with 150 career stops, 10.0 tackles for losses and 7.0 sacks; and will likely finish his career as one of the program's all-time leaders in solo tackles. Airey also continues a tradition for head coach Dan Hawkins in that 2020 will become the fourth straight season in which at least one former walk-on served as a team captain.

The winter camp concludes with an evening practice on Friday starting at 6:30 p.m. This session ends with numerous challenges and games, including the ever-popular "Big Man Skelly." Practice takes place at UC Davis Health Stadium.

The 2020 season begins with a road game at Nevada on August 29. The first home contest takes place one week later against San Diego. Season tickets are now on sale through the UC Davis Ticket Office by visiting https://bit.ly/2InVyIc.

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.

DON'T MISS OUT: Tickets for all UC Davis sports are on sale by contacting the Athletics Ticket Office at (530) 752-AGS1 or by visiting us online at tickets.ucdavis.edu.