"As the spring quarter begins, I want to take a moment to recognize the momentum we're building across UC Davis Athletics. This year, we've seen tremendous growth in ticket sales, with more fans showing up and showing out for our teams than ever before. And just last week, we wrapped up one of our most successful Give Days to date—thanks to the generosity and passion of our supporters. These wins off the field are just as meaningful as the ones in competition, as they provide the resources necessary to fuel our continued success this spring and beyond. Go Ags!" – Rocko DeLuca, Director of Athletics
1) Student-Athlete Spotlight | From Tennis Courts To Spacecrafts
At the intersection of aerospace engineering and college sports lies an unexpected success story of UC Davis women's tennis player
Kaia Wolfe who seamlessly merged the two worlds to make her mark at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, Wolfe discovered technical skills, personal growth, and connections that would shape her future career.
The Internship: Day To Day Operations
Wolfe spent her time officially as an infrared laser aeronautics mechanical intern, although Wolfe admits the title doesn't quite capture the full scope of what she did. The role involved working within the Microdevices Laboratory (MDL) at NASA JPL, a department that has its roots deep in the history of the institution. MDL specializes in the design, manufacture, and installation of microchips that are pivotal in space instruments, satellites, and other aerospace applications.
Her typical day involved working primarily on a computer to create 3D models of the space instruments and satellites she would later 3D print. "I had to make sure the models were structurally sound and aligned with what the engineers expected," Wolfe shared. Much of her time was spent refining models, collaborating with engineers, and ensuring she produced physical models that met the necessary specifications.
However, the real challenge came when it was time to 3D print those models. Some parts could take up to 24 hours to print, and there were only two to three printers available. "You have to be strategic about when you start printing certain products. Time was always tight. Weekends were off-limits, and security was strict, so I had to be efficient with my time to avoid wasting it."
The Role Of Being A Student-Athlete
Balancing academics with athletics is no easy feat. However, Wolfe's role as a student-athlete helped her tremendously during her internship. "Time management was crucial. If I didn't stay on top of it, nothing would get done. The same dedication and commitment I put into tennis translated directly into my internship work," she says.
As a tennis player, Wolfe was accustomed to tight schedules and mental focus—which were essential during her internship at NASA.
Her experiences as an athlete helped her with managing deadlines, delegating tasks, and even working beyond regular hours when necessary. "Tennis taught me how to stay focused, even under pressure, which was incredibly useful when working on complex models or dealing with tight time constraints," she notes.
Lessons Learned: From Perfectionism To Collaboration
Interestingly, the experience at NASA also changed her approach to both work and learning. As a student-athlete, perfectionism was often second nature. However, NASA taught her that it's okay to make mistakes.
"At NASA, I realized that it's okay to make mistakes as long as you are open and clear about what's happening. You can ask for help when you need it. People want to help more than you think, and that's not a sign of weakness," Wolfe says.
Through this experience, she gained a newfound appreciation for collaboration and building a network of support, and this lesson was something she plans to carry with her for the rest of her professional and athletic careers.
"The people I met, both within my team and outside of it, helped me succeed," she says, highlighting the importance of networking and open communication. "I wouldn't have made it without them. It's about paying it forward—being there to help others when they need it too."
Favorite Moments: The Nasa Experience
While the technical skills and the intense work are what she will always remember, there were also moments of fun and connection that added to her overall experience. "My favorite part, as small as it is, was driving in every day and showing my badge. It was like, 'Wow, I have access to NASA.'" she laughs.
Beyond the day-to-day tasks, NASA fostered a unique sense of community. "Despite being such a high-stress environment, people there loved to do social things. We had intern events like trivia nights, attended Dodger games, and had dinners. It made for a great experience, especially for interns who were only there for a short time."
2) Stand Up Staff | Aggie Ticket Office Delivers
The Aggie ticket office is not just tasked with providing outstanding customer service to our fans but attracting new members of the campus and community to increase attendance at games and drive essential revenue for the department. With a few baseball and softball games remaining, we are excited to report that Olympic sport sales are up 50% year-over-year and Football increased by 28%, pushing our total revenue beyond the budgeted goal. Congratulations and thank you to the Aggie Ticket Office Team.
3) Donor Impact | Give Day 2025
Thank you to everyone who supported Give Day 2025—it turned out to be one of our most successful efforts to date, with over 1,500 donors and more than $420,000 raised in support of UC Davis Athletics. The final tally is still being confirmed, but it's already clear that our supporters showed up in a big way for our student-athletes.
In the spirit of competition, each year we divide up our 25 sport programs into 4 groups and see which team can lead their group with the greatest number of donors. Named after Aggie legends, Men's Tennis led the Joe Singleton group (62 donors), Women's Soccer came in first in the Vern Hickey group (80 donors), Men's Soccer took home the crown in the Woody Wilson group (104 donors) and Football ran away with the Marya Welch group title (248 donors).
UC Davis Give Day is an annual online and on-campus philanthropic event that coincides with Picnic Day each April. Raising over $4.1 million in 2024, Give Day has become a flagship philanthropic event because it brings together donors from all areas of campus. Donors who provide challenge gifts always inspire many new donors to participate.
4) In the Community | Compliance Welcomes UC Davis School of Law Externships
Thanks to the outreach of Shannon Kahn and Craig Compton from the UC Davis School of Law, 2025 kicked off the first formalized UC Davis Athletics Compliance Externship, strengthening another connection between athletics and campus.
These meaningful opportunities allow graduate students to gain hands-on experience under the guise of supervision and provide space for their confidence to blossom. Externs can then exercise approaches and strategies learned in the classroom in real-word situations and build their network beyond their peers.
Externs Spencer Hagenbuch and Callie Ericksen joined the Aggie compliance staff and have been monumental in helping Assistant Athletics Director of Compliance
Lydia Sandlin.
"Their work runs the whole gamut from initial and transfer eligibility, data review, as well as research for the fall incoming class. We have tasked our externs with APR entries, admissions assessments and staying up to date with checking transactions and contracts presented via NIL."
Both externs have a special connection to athletics, as they were student-athletes during their undergraduate careers. Spencer competed in volleyball at Division III Claremont McKenna and Callie played soccer at Division I Rice University.
"This has been a really good opportunity to further hone the attention to detail skill, which will be important in future litigation and transactions" says Hagenbuch. "Attention to detail is absolutely a skill that needs constant improvement,' added Erickson.
The pair joined the compliance team early in January 2025 and will be working through the end of April. Typically, the compliance externs will log around 2-3 days a week, while their hours are reliant on the number of credits they signed up for.
5) Gymnastics Qualifies for NCAA Regionals
Entering the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference championships, UC Davis gymnastics knew they needed to post a solid score to qualify for the NCAA Regionals and behind all-around champion Amelia Moneymaker the Aggies scored a season-high 196.400 to punch their ticket to Seattle.
At those MPSF championships, Moneymaker also took home the beam title with a score of 9.900 and she was joined by Megan Ray who scored a 9.900 on vault to win that individual title. As a team the Aggies won vault and beam and their combined score secured a spot at the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2014. Individually, Ray, Moneymaker and Keanna Abraham qualified individually guaranteeing the Aggies at least two days of competition at regionals.
Although the Aggies fell short in their first round match up against Illinois, Abraham, Moneymaker and Ayumi Oshiro all took home individual titles in the dual meet. Abraham scored 9.800 on vault to win that event, while Oshiro posted a career-high 9.875 on beam to bring home that crown. On floor Moneymaker's 9.900 won her that event and she scored 39.175 in the all-around to finish first.
Individually, the next day, Abraham competed on vault and floor, Ray hit vault, and Moneymaker took part in the all-around. Abraham's second place finishing score of 9.850 on vault led the Aggies among a quad meet that had No. 2 Oklahoma as its leader. Abraham also posted a third-place finish on floor with a mark of 9.900.
