DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis men's soccer continues their road stretch to begin the 2025 season, with visits to Washington on Thursday, Aug. 28, and Stanford on Sunday, Aug. 31.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW
Aug. 28 — at Washington | Watch | Live Stats | @ucdavismsoc (X/Instagram)
Aug. 31 — at Stanford | Watch | Live Stats | @ucdavismsoc (X/Instagram) 

GAME NOTES

• UC Davis opened the 2025 campaign with a 1-0 loss at San Francisco, and then followed it up with a 1-1 draw at Santa Clara.
• Giving UC Davis their first goal of 2025 was none other than Cason Goodman, a First  Team All-Big West selection last season, who recently was named to the 2025 Hermann Trophy Watch List.
• This will be UC Davis' first matchup against Washington since 2021, with the Aggies falling by a score of 2-1 in that contest.
• UC Davis was narrowly edged out by Stanford in last year's meetup, 1-0.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

• Washington is 0-2 to begin the season, dropping matches against No. 4 ranked Denver, and Oregon State.
• The Huskies were projected to finish fifth in the Big Ten and are highlighted by a trio of Egor Akulov, Richie Aman, and Charlie Kosakoff, all of which were recognized as Big Ten Players to Watch.
• Stanford is 2-0 to begin the season, and will face off against Santa Clara prior to facing the Aggies on Sunday.
• The No. 13 ranked Cardinal opened with a 5-1 win over Sacramento State, and followed it up with an upset win over No. 4 Denver, 2-1.
• The Cardinal were also projected to finish fifth in their preseason conference poll, while senior midfielder Zach Bohane highlighted the preseason All-ACC honors for the team.

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.