DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis continues its title defense Saturday night as the Aggies visit top-seeded UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Championship Semifinals at Harder Stadium in a rematch of last year's conference final that UC Davis won 2-0.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW
Nov. 8 — at UC Santa Barbara | Watch | Live Stats | @ucdavismsoc (X/Instagram)

GAME NOTES

• UC Davis advanced to the Big West Championship Semifinals after a 0-0 draw and 5-4 shootout victory over Cal State Fullerton in the opening round.
• Goalkeeper Noah Schwengeler made eight saves to record his third shutout of the season, while Zack Lillington converted the decisive penalty to send the Aggies through.
• The win marks UC Davis' sixth Big West Semifinal appearance in the last seven seasons the conference has held postseason play.
• Four Aggies earned All-Big West honors, led by First Team selections Cason and Luke Goodman, the first brothers in program history to earn First Team recognition in the same season.
• Zack Lillington was named to the Second Team, while freshman Nami Banks earned All-Freshman Team honors.
• Cason Goodman leads UC Davis in every major offensive category with five goals, four assists, and 14 points, ranking third in the Big West in both goals and points, and first in shot accuracy (.465).
• Zack Lillington leads the Big West in shots on goal per game (1.35) and ranks second in total shots (56) after firing a team-high six attempts in the quarterfinal win.
• Noah Schwengeler ranks fifth in the Big West in both save percentage (.747) and goals-against average (1.216), while ranking third in total saves (56) this season.
• As a team, UC Davis ranks second in the Big West and 28th nationally in shots per game (14.78), and second in the league in shots on goal per game (5.33).
• The Aggies also sit fourth in the Big West in corner kicks per game (5.44) and are one of only five Big West teams perfect from the penalty spot (1.000) this season.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

• Saturday's matchup is a rematch of last year's Big West Championship Final, which the Aggies won 2-0, and mirrors the 2021 semifinal that UCSB won 1-0 in double overtime.
• The Gauchos secured the Big West Regular Season title and top seed with a 1-1 draw at CSUN, playing a man down from the 41st minute before Zac Siebenlist scored the equalizer.
• UC Davis and UCSB also played to a 0-0 draw earlier this season in Davis. UCSB goalkeeper Owen Beninga made two saves in that match, while Aggie goalkeeper Noah Schwengeler stopped six shots to keep the Gauchos off the board.
• UCSB placed eight players on the All-Big West teams, led by Calle Mollerberg (Defensive Player of the Year) and Steinar Bjornsson (Freshman of the Year). Both joined Zac Siebenlist and Kaden Standish on the First Team, with Beninga and Eddie Villeda earning Second Team honors, and Buba Fofanah and Drew Kamienski collecting Honorable Mentions.

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.