DAVIS, Calif. — Amanda Outcalt did a little bit of everything growing up.
One of five kids in the Outcalt clan, mom Debbie and dad Kevin tried their best to keep everyone moving. After starting in soccer (and even listing fellow Bay Area native Brandi Chastain as her sports hero), Amanda was the first in the family to pick up a stick with the Diablo Scorpions' youth lacrosse team in elementary school and the sport, which had just began to grow roots in the area, stuck.
"My parents put me in the sport in third grade as just another activity to try and I ended up really enjoying it," Outcalt said. "I played competitive club soccer and lacrosse up until my freshman year of high school when I had to choose which sport I wanted to move forward with, recruiting wise. I don't have a huge, clear reason why I chose lacrosse other than I loved it and I felt very confident in my skills."
That's when UC Davis "snuck up" on the Alamo, Calif., native, who never really thought much of the university until stepping foot on campus, not once, not twice, but three times, before verbally committing to the Aggies' program.
"UC Davis is such a unique place because you have this massive school with thousands of students and staff, but then you have this small town vibe downtown where you know all the spots," Outcalt beamed. "I found the perfect balance at UC Davis of competitive athletics and rigorous academics in a fascinating little town that I really feel I can call a second home."
Home, sweet (second) home, indeed.
Despite suffering a season-ending injury in the very first match of a 2020 season eventually cut short after only six contests due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Outcalt did the best she could to make her mark on the Aggie program, appearing in every match during her first three years on campus and morphing into a starter as a sophomore and junior.
During her time on campus, Outcalt finished with 87 goals and 65 assists in 49 contests and was twice named to the All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Team. She finished her career ranked sixth on the program's all-time assist chart — including 37 helpers as a junior that stand second in a single-season in the school's annals — and ranks 10th in career points (152).
"My four years did not end the way I imagined, but the events of this past spring are just a small chapter in the story of my college career," Outcalt recalled. "When I look back now, and I'm sure when I look back years from now, I see the bus trips, game nights in hotel rooms, locker room dance parties, goal celebrations, and so many other happy times. My teammates and coaching staff have instilled the values of commitment, hard work, and finding joy in all of it, which I am confident I will carry on with me."
Much like her athletic career growing up, her professional aspirations were also varied. It wasn't until she took an elective in marine biology at Monte Vista High School did her path become a little clearer.
"Growing up, I never really had a clear idea of what I wanted to be," Outcalt recollected. "I wasn't that kid that knew they wanted to be a lawyer when they were seven. Rather, I was the kid that went through phases of wanting to be a professional athlete or a veterinarian or an author."
Then came a college course in environmental law at the end of her junior year which "really lit up about a possible future career path" fighting for the ecosystems and communities that she learned so much about and cared deeply for.
Less than a month later, there she was, sitting for her LSATs.
"I definitely had the notion in the back of my head that I would probably change my major eventually, yet, here we are," Outcalt said. "I absolutely loved my major courses and learning about marine ecosystems and environmental processes that affect our everyday lives."
Now, with a degree in marine and coastal sciences in hand after walking across the graduation stage in the spring, Outcalt has returned to the Bay Area, waiting for her first day of law school at the University of San Francisco. She credits the Aggie EVO program — UC Davis' groundbreaking program geared toward preparing student-athletes for life after sport — for helping her navigate the post-graduate world.
"I think that being a student-athlete and being provided with resources like Aggie EVO allowed me to be confident to take this leap of faith," Outcalt said. "It taught me that there is no textbook career path with any given degree.
"Aggie EVO is such a valuable tool for student athletes and, honestly, I wish I took more of advantage of it. I was fortunate enough to figure out what I wanted to do at the end of my third year but, for a while, I had no clue what my career path would look like."
Her advice?
"Be proactive," Outcalt said. "Although your sport is a huge priority, try to think about how you want to set yourself up for post-grad life. Unfortunately, being a college athlete doesn't last forever so it is important to think about your future.
"This is a time in your life when you can throw yourself into something that excites you. Don't be afraid to take a leap of faith because that is what I did when applying to grad school and now I'm writing this a year later sitting in my apartment in San Francisco about to start law school in a week and I couldn't be more excited!"
ABOUT UC DAVIS
With the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, more than 700 student-athletes represent the fifth-ranked public school in the nation on one of 25 intercollegiate athletics teams.
UC Davis, a national leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, is centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley; and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.
Ranked annually in the top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis is uncommonly committed to preparing student-athletes for life after graduation with Aggie EVO — an innovative student-athlete outcomes program that helps young women and men develop passions, gain real-world experience, and enjoy a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school. Through Aggie EVO, Intercollegiate Athletics provides unmatched resources and a vast network of working professionals to ensure post-graduation success for its student-athletes.
