FARMINGTON, Utah -- The annual Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff media event has been moved up by five days to Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24. The head coach and one student-athlete from each of the 13 member institutions will participate in the event, which will air on Pluto TV channel 530.
The 2020 edition of the kickoff will run as a virtual media day, beginning at 9 a.m. PDT. Thursday's stream will begin with a "State of the Big Sky Conference" address from Commissioner Tom Wistrcill, feature the preseason coaches' and media polls, then follow with interviews with each coach.
Friday's session, which also begins at 9 a.m. PDT, includes the preseason all-conference awards along with interviews with a student-athlete from each school.Â
UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins is part of the second panel of coaches on Thursday along with Weber State's Jay Hill, Northern Colorado's Ed McCaffrey and Sacramento State's Troy Taylor. Aggie junior running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr., joins Sacramento State's Elijah Dotson and Idaho State's Tanner Conner as part of the fourth group of student-athletes in Friday's telecast.
Fans are also encouraged to follow the 2020 Big Sky Football Virtual Kickoff at @BigSkyFB and by using the hashtag #BigSkyFBVirtualKickoff.
Pluto TV, which has aired replays of various classic Big Sky Conference games throughout the spring, is available on web browsers at https://pluto.tv/live-tv/big-sky-conference. It is also available through a variety of streaming devices and cable providers.
ABOUT UC DAVIS: Providing a small-town community feel and 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.
