SPOKANE, Wash. – UC Davis was represented by three student-athletes on the Big Sky Conference Preseason Team, the league office announced prior to the start of its Media Day at the Northern Quest Resort in Spokane.

For the second season in a row, Jake Parks was named to the preseason team and is joined by sophomore Rex Connors and junior Zach Kennedy.

Parks returns for his final season at UC Davis after missing the majority of the season after getting injured in the opener at Cal. Parks was named the team's Phil Wells Award winner despite the injury, which recognizes the teammate of the year.

Prior to his injury in week one, the Huntington Beach native had started every game of his collegiate career for the Aggies, reaching 43 straight. In 2021 he was named a first-team all-Big Sky honoree and entered 2022 with preseason All-American distinction from multiple outlets.

Connors is coming off a breakout freshman campaign that earned him a finalist spot for the Jerry Rice Award. The Utah native earned two freshman All-American honors and first-team all-Big Sky honors after leading the league with five interceptions and 0.50 per contest.

The defensive back paced the team with 92 total tackles and ranked second in the conference with 9.2 tackles per game. He set a single-game program record from at least 2007 with 17 total tackles at No. 2 South Dakota State en route to being named the FedEx Ground FCS Freshman of the Week.

Kennedy also enjoyed a stellar season that culminated with being named a HERO Sports Sophomore All-American, first-team all-Big Sky and the team's Bo Eason Award (Most Improved Defensive Player).

As a team, the Ags were selected to finish second in the preseason coaches' poll, receiving one first place vote. The media selected UCD to finish fifth in the conference.

UC Davis will open the 2023 season on the road at Texas A&M – Commerce. The season-opener is slated for Thursday, Aug. 31, in Commerce, Texas. Football season tickets and mini-plans are now on sale. Click HERE or call the UC Davis Ticket Office at 530-752-2471 for more information.