Davis, Calif. - 12 Aggies were named to All-Big Sky Conference teams as the league announced the first round of 2021 season awards on Tuesday morning. 

Running back Ulonzo Gilliam Jr., offensive lineman Jake Parks, and defensive back Jordan Perryman represented the Aggies on First Teams at their respective positions. 

Tight end McCallan Castles, place kicker Isaiah Gomez, kick returner Lan Larison, offensive lineman Connor Pettek, defensive back Jaylin White, defensive lineman Bryce Rodgers, punt returner Isaiah Thomas, and punter Daniel Whelan all made the Second Team at their positions. Quarterback Trent Tompkins was selected as all-purpose player on the Second Team All-Big Sky Special Teams list. 

Gilliam Jr.'s selection comes following a season that has seen him continue to climb UC Davis' all-time lists. With 828 yards rushing, Gilliam Jr. is now second on the all-time career rushing list with 3,362 yards, 227 behind all-time leading rusher G.P. Muhammad's 3,589 yards. He's also second in all-purpose yards behind Muhammad and ninth in career receptions. Gilliam Jr. is the only Aggie in school history to appear in the top 10 of both the career rushing list and career receptions list. 

Parks has started every game for the Aggies at right guard and he and Pettek, who also started all 11 regular season games, were part of a consistent group that anchored the UC Davis offensive line all season. The Aggie offensive line played a significant role in UC Davis giving up the 29th fewest sacks in the nation during the regular season at 1.45 per game.

Castles finished the regular season as UC Davis' second-leading receiver with 363 yards and averaged 14.52 yards per catch with four touchdowns. He was also part of the blocking scheme for a run game that averaged 175 yards per game this season. 

A candidate who would have fit on numerous All-Big Sky teams, Larison made the cut as a kick returner as he built on a reputation as one of the more electric in the conference in 2021. He averaged 29.91 yards per return, including a 97 yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Eastern Washington two weeks ago. 

Perryman anchored a defensive second level that finished the regular season ranked 19th in the nation in interceptions. He was third on the Aggies with 42 solo tackles with 2.5 for losses while adding one interception, 12 breakups, and one forced fumble. White is the second Aggie defensive back to honored this season and led the Aggies with three interceptions. He had nine breakups, 29 solo tackles and one tackle for loss while starting all 11 games. 

A mainstay on UC Davis' defensive line, Rodgers was a model of consistency in leading the Aggies' push into the backfield each week. He led UC Davis in quarterback hurries with eight with eight tackles for losses, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. 

Thomas earned his spot on the Second Team as a punt returner in large part due to his ability to turn nearly every return during the 2021 season into positive yards. Famous for rarely signaling for a fair catch, Thomas had the most punt return yards in the Big Sky and was a close second in average return at nine yards per on 27 returns. 

Another Aggie who could have made an All-Big Sky team at any number of positions, Tompkins wound up as the all-purpose selection on the Second Team All-Big Sky Special Teams list and all-purpose certainly defines Tompkins' output. The redshirt freshman rushed for 436 yards with a 5.7 yards per rush average and six touchdowns, passed for 102 yards and one touchdown, and caught 11 balls for 77 yards. He also returned a punt and a kick and was responsible for four two-point conversions. 

Gomez and Whelan continued a strong run of Aggie kicking in recent years with both making the All-Big Sky Second team for special teams. Whelan will finish his collegiate career as arguably the greatest punter in Aggie history, averaging 46.34 yards per punt for his career. He had at least one punt of 60 yards or more in seven games this season and had 21 of 50 or more. Whelan also handled kickoff duties with 35 of his 63 going for touchbacks. 

Gomez finishes the regular season as the Aggies' leading scorer as he went 18-23 on the season. He was perfect from 20 to 29 yards and achieved his season-long of 45 yards under less than ideal conditions against Eastern Washington two weeks ago. 

UC Davis' season will continue on Saturday when the Aggies travel to South Dakota State for the first round of the 2021 FCS Playoffs.