Follow UC Davis: Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook


As is the case with every first-year or transfer student, men's basketball student-athlete Ran Pehka is excited to begin his undergraduate career. However, the events that took place before the start of his UC Davis experience are as unique as the school itself.

Not only is the Tallinn, Estonia native more than 5,000 miles from family and hometown friends, he also committed to UC Davis without visiting campus.

Compared to many high school seniors who visit multiple universities each spring, sign-up for campus tours and spend copious amounts of time comparing the pros and cons of each school before making a life-altering decision, Pehka skipped this process entirely and confidently committed to UC Davis.

"Coach Metzger-Jones was the first coach to contact me, this is how I discovered UC Davis," he said. "After I researched the school, I was impressed by its academic programs and recent basketball success, especially since the team was a part of March Madness. The Aggies won numerous championships in recent years and have been one of the top teams in the conference."

Thanks to a variety of resources at his disposal, including one that is common to college-aged students around the world, the longer Pehka researched UC Davis, the easier his decision became.

"I visited the website and searched social media to learn about the team and my potential teammates. Since everything is on social media and online, I checked out everyone's accounts and watched a lot of basketball highlights.

"Coach Les showed me a virtual tour through Zoom and everyone talked about the program. I also searched for videos featuring Coach Les and watched him talk about his team's defensive and offensive philosophy."

Added Pehka, "I quickly realized this is a great place and a great fit."

Since one of his coaches in Estonia, Sixten Tomingas, was familiar with American college basketball and its recruiting process — a couple of Tomingas' players joined the men's basketball team at Saint Mary's in recent years — Pehka's inner circle included someone who understood the nuances of this process.

"I always wanted to play college basketball. I never asked if I should go to the United States and play, I wanted to know more about what I can do to make things easier and simpler for me. Coach Tomingas answered every question I had throughout each step of the recruiting process."

With COVID-19 spreading around the world, Coach Les and his staff continued to navigate their way through an unprecedented situation each week until the spring signing period finally arrived.

"After I let Coach Les know that I wanted to come to UC Davis, I was full of excitement and screamed throughout the house. I am sure my neighbors heard me because I was really happy and felt pure joy," said Pehka.

"My dad rushed upstairs once he heard me and asked what was going on. He was confused about what just happened until I told him about that phone call. Once I made my decision, all I had to do was wait until it was time to head to my new home."

Pehka was officially an Aggie.

"When I Googled UC Davis, I learned that 40,000 students attend school here. That is more people than a lot of cities in Estonia. Thinking about my college experience, and being part of the student population excites me. 

"Sacrifices need to take place to experience something special; moving over 5,000 miles away from home was a decision I needed to make. I know what I want to achieve because I am living my dream."

Throughout the last month, Pehka has been busy working out, sharpening his skills, taking classes online and discovering what the campus and Downtown Davis offers its residents. Even though every trip to the training room, or visit to the Pavilion reminds him about this new opportunity at UC Davis, Pehka is still processing everything that took place throughout the first half of 2020.

"I am sure there will be another wave of emotions once I start playing, I cannot wait to compete at the highest level and see how my skills compare against other players.

"This opportunity means everything to me, it is crazy to think I can actually play college basketball starting this year. Two months ago, I was on the other side of the world. Now I have another family."
 

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.