DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis men's soccer will open Big West play on national television Thursday night, traveling to Cal Poly for a matchup on ESPNU before closing the weekend at UC San Diego on Saturday. The Aggies will kick off both matches at 7 p.m. PT.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW
Oct. 1 — at Cal Poly | Watch | Live Stats | @ucdavismsoc (X/Instagram)
Oct. 4 — at UC San Diego | Watch | Live Stats | @ucdavismsoc (X/Instagram)

GAME NOTES

• UC Davis enters the week with an 0-5-3 record following a 2-1 home loss to San José State
• The Aggies struck first in the match on Cason Goodman's 18th-minute goal, assisted by Zack Lillington, before the Spartans equalized in the 68th minute and scored the eventual winner six minutes later
• Lillington led the Aggie attack against San José State with three shots and his second assist of the season, while Gabriel Haggerty and Nami Banks generated late chances as UC Davis pressed for an equalizer
• In goal, Noah Schwengeler made a season-high five saves on 18 shots faced to keep the Aggies in front through halftime
• UC Davis ranks 3rd in the Big West and 99th nationally in shots per game (12.00), while sitting 3rd in the league and 112th nationally in shots on goal per game (4.75)
• The Aggies are also effective in set pieces, ranking 5th in the Big West and 81st nationally in corner kicks per game (5.00)
• UC Davis ranks 4th in the Big West in shot accuracy (39.6%)
• Offensively, the Aggies rank 8th in the Big West in both scoring offense (0.63 goals per game) and points per game (1.75), totaling five goals this season
• Defensively, UC Davis ranks 6th in the Big West in team goals-against average (1.63)
• Individually, Goodman is 2nd in the Big West in shots on goal per game (1.00) and has scored two of UC Davis' five goals this year
• Lillington ranks 4th in the Big West in shots per game (2.25) and has contributed to three of UC Davis' five goals this season (one goal, two assists)
• Zachary Neuls recorded his first goal of the season at Washington, assisted by Lillington
• Schwengeler has logged more than 450 minutes this year and ranks 5th in the Big West with a 1.50 goals-against average

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

• Cal Poly (3-3-3) is the defending Big West regular season champion and enters unbeaten in its last five matches
• The Mustangs have outscored opponents 12-2 during that stretch and have not conceded in the last 297 minutes
• Cal Poly leads the Big West in scoring offense (1.78 goals per game), shot accuracy (.436), and total goals (16)
• Senior forward Quinn Mahoney has four goals and 10 points, while Jack Civitts leads the conference with three assists
• Goalkeeper Nicky McCune has played every minute this season, holding a 0.90 goals-against average with four shutouts
• UC San Diego (0-6-2) is still searching for its first win of 2025 after a challenging non-conference slate that included three nationally ranked opponents
• The Tritons have scored just once this season but have been competitive behind goalkeeper Nolan Premack, who ranks 2nd in the Big West with 5.00 saves per game and carries a .741 save percentage
• UCSD averages 7.3 shots per match and owns one shutout through its first eight games

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.