DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis begins its title defense Wednesday at Cal State Fullerton, facing the No. 4 seed Titans in the first round of the Big West Championship.
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW
Nov. 5 — at Cal State Fullerton |
Watch |
Live Stats | @ucdavismsoc (X/Instagram)
GAME NOTES
- UC Davis enters the Big West Championship as the No. 5 seed after closing the regular season with back-to-back 2-1 victories over Cal State Fullerton and Sacramento State
- The Aggies finished the regular season 4-3-2 in Big West play and 4-8-5 overall, marking their 14th consecutive postseason appearance under head coach Dwayne Shaffer
- Cason and Luke Goodman became the first set of brothers in program history to earn All-Big West First Team honors in the same season
- UC Davis collected four All-Big West selections: Cason Goodman and Luke Goodman (First Team), Zack Lillington (Second Team), and Nami Banks (All-Freshman Team)
- Cason Goodman led the Aggies in every major offensive category, starting all 17 matches and finishing with a team-high five goals and four assists for 14 points. This marks his second straight First Team selection
- Luke Goodman anchored the Aggie defense, starting all 17 matches and leading the team in minutes (1,492). He was key to both UC Davis shutouts and helped the team outshoot opponents 252–204
- Senior midfielder Zack Lillington earned his second straight All-Big West honor after totaling three goals and three assists. He led the Aggies in shots (50) and shots on goal (22) while scoring the game-winner in the 89th minute against Sacramento State
- Freshman midfielder Nami Banks appeared in all 17 matches and scored two goals with one assist, both goals coming in the 3-2 win over UC Riverside. He became the 12th Aggie in program history to earn All-Freshman honors
- Goalkeeper Noah Schwengeler started all 17 matches, recording a .716 save percentage and 48 total saves, ranking fifth in the Big West in both categories
- UC Davis ranks 2nd in the Big West and 25th nationally in shots per game (14.82), and 2nd in the Big West and 78th nationally in shots on goal per game (5.29)
- The Aggies also sit 3rd in the Big West and 58th nationally in corner kicks per game (5.41), showing sustained offensive pressure throughout the season
- The Aggies rank fifth in the Big West in scoring offense (1.06 goals per game) and team goals-against average (1.47), reflecting a balanced unit capable of competing in both phases
- UC Davis ranks 5th in the conference in total goals (18) and total points (51) and 6th in total assists (15)
- Despite a 0.382 winning percentage, the Aggies enter the postseason as one of the conference's most battle-tested teams, with 10 of their 17 matches decided by one goal or fewer
- Individually, Cason Goodman ranks 3rd in the Big West in total points (14) and total goals (5), and 4th in assists (4)
- Goodman also ranks 1st in the Big West in shot accuracy (.462) and 4th in shots on goal per game (1.06)
- Lillington ranks 1st in the Big West and 39th nationally in shots on goal per game (1.38) and 2nd in the conference in shots per game (3.13)
- Schwengeler ranks 5th in the Big West in both save percentage (.716) and goals-against average (1.319), while ranking 6th in total saves (48)
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
- Cal State Fullerton enters the Big West Tournament as the No. 4 seed at 8-6-5 overall and 5-3-1 in conference play
- The Titans placed six on the All-Big West teams, led by Offensive Player of the Year Mario Carlos and Midfielder of the Year Jose de la Torre
- Carlos led the Big West with seven goals, while De la Torre tied for the conference lead with 15 points (4 goals, 7 assists) and ranked 23rd nationally in total assists
- Cal State Fullerton has produced the Big West Midfielder of the Year four straight seasons
- Nick Relerford (Second Team) anchored a defense that allowed 1.63 goals per game, while Ulises Grado, Matthew Sacristan, and Fernando Valenzuela earned Honorable Mention
- The Titans rank first in the Big West in scoring offense (1.68), total goals (32), total points (89), assists (25), shots (16.6 per game), and shots on goal (5.8 per game)
- Jose de la Torre leads the Big West in assists (7), while Carlos ranks top three in goals (7) and points (14)
- Goalkeeper Emanuel Padilla ranks seventh in the league with 3.08 saves per game
SEASON NOTES
- Defending Big West Champions: UC Davis enters 2025 as the reigning Big West Tournament champions after defeating UC Santa Barbara in last year's final. The title marked the program's second in the last five season and the Aggies secured its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance.
- Preseason Honors: Seniors Cason Goodman and Zack Lillington headline the Aggies' preseason accolades. Both were named to the Big West Preseason Coaches' Team and United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch list. Goodman, the 2024 Big West Tournament MVP, scored 11 goals with 25 points, while Lillington anchored the Aggies with 18 starts, one goal, and four assists.
- Hermann Trophy Watchlist: Cason Goodman was named to the 2025 Hermann Trophy Watch List. The Hermann Trophy, presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club, is considered the top individual award in college soccer and honors the National Player of the Year as voted on by Division I head coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches.
- 2025 Big West Poll: The Aggies were picked to finish third in the Big West preseason poll despite receiving the most first-place votes (69 points), narrowly behind UC Santa Barbara (73) and Cal Poly (71).
- National Spotlight: UC Davis will face Cal Poly in a primetime showdown on Oct. 1, live on ESPNU, marking a rematch of last season's Big West semifinal.
- Under the Lights: Aggie Soccer Field hosted its first-ever night matches this spring following the completion of a $4.4 million lighting project shared with Dobbins Baseball Stadium. The defending champions will now officially begin their title defense under permanent lights.
- Program Legacy: UC Davis men's soccer has established itself as one of the Big West's premier programs under head coach Dwayne Shaffer, who enters his 29th season in 2025. Shaffer has guided the Aggies through their transition from Division II to Division I, a period in which the program was not eligible for postseason competition, yet still has elevated the Aggies to national relevance. Under his leadership, UC Davis has made five NCAA Tournament appearances (1999, 2007, 2008, 2019, 2024) and reached five Big West Championship finals in the last seven years. A four-time conference coach of the year, Shaffer has amassed 258 wins at UC Davis and 317 career victories, ranking among the top 15 winningest active Division I coaches.
- Veteran Leadership: The 2025 squad features an experienced senior class led by captains Luke Goodman and Cason Goodman, along with Lillington, Andrew Dutra, Gavin House, Noah Schwengeler, Chase Tanon, and Jason Hsu.
- Rising Talent: Sophomore defender Carson Hammond, a 2024 Big West All-Freshman selection, headlines the strong group of underclassmen expected to play a big role.
- New Additions: UC Davis welcomes 10 newcomers in 2025, blending transfers and freshmen into a 29-man roster.
- Among the 10 newcomers, three of them are transfers in Saul Tecle (Las Positas JC), Ben Elkins (Gonzaga), and Gabriel Sanchez (Sonoma State).
- UC Davis' other newcomers include Derrick Green, Jackson Richardson, Nami Banks, Caelan Kellett, Josh Gault, Cole McLemore, and Kota Brown.
- Associate Head Coach Jason Hotaling returns for his 21st season, recognized nationally among the top assistants in collegiate soccer. He has been instrumental in recruiting, scouting, and goalkeeper development while helping UC Davis to four NCAA Tournament appearances and the program's first Big West double in 2019.
- Assistant Coach Cayden Hotaling joins the Aggies in 2025 after a playing career at Chico State.
- Columbus Crew Star: Former Aggie standout Max Arfsten has emerged as one of the top young American professionals, winning the 2023 MLS Cup with the Columbus Crew, earning a spot in the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, and starring for the U.S. Men's National Team at the Gold Cup.
- Continued Pipeline: Keegan Walwyn-Bent became the latest Aggie to sign professionally in 2025 with The Town FC of MLS Next Pro, continuing a recent pipeline that includes Arfsten, and Ethan Hoard, who recently signed with FK Jedinstvo Ub of the Serbian SuperLiga.
- Developing Professionals: UC Davis has now produced three consecutive classes with professional signees, continuing the program's strong reputation for developing talent that competes at the next level.
