DAVIS, Calif. – After a weekend where UC Davis softball snagged three wins over four games, the Aggies return to La Rue Field for the 2026 Capital Classic, where over the next three days from Feb. 27-Mar. 1 eight games will be played in Davis, with the Aggies taking part in five contests.
 
HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW
2026 Capital Classic | La Rue Field | Davis, Calif.

Feb. 27 | 2:30 p.m. – vs. Nevada | Watch | Live Stats
Feb. 28 | 12:00 p.m. – vs. Nevada | Watch | Live Stats
Feb. 28 | 2:30 p.m. – vs. Santa Clara | Watch | Live Stats
Mar. 1 | 12:00 p.m. – vs. San Jose State | Live Stats
Mar. 1 | 2:30 p.m. – vs. Sacred Heart | Live Stats
 
NON-UC Davis Games
 
Feb. 27 | 12:00 p.m. – Nevada vs. Sacred Heart
Feb. 28 | 9:30 a.m. – Santa Clara vs. Nevada
Mar. 1 | 9:30 a.m. – Santa Clara vs. Sacred Heart
 
DETHLEFSON HEATS UP THE DESERT: Over the previous weekend at Utah Tech, Dethlefson smashed .467 in four games played while scoring eight runs, stealing five bases and smashing four home runs. Dethlefson did all of this while leading things off as the Aggies went 3-1 over their weekend in St. George. She also did not strike out in 18 plate appearances across four games.
 
The dominating performance at the plate earned her Big West Field Player of the Week honors.
 
In the 5-2 win over Weber State on Feb. 21, Dethlefson was a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs scored and two stolen bases. While against Utah Tech, later in that same day, she smashed two home runs while knocking in four runs and stealing one base.
 
THREE IN ST. GEORGE: UC Davis spent its weekend of Feb. 20-21 at St. George to take part in the Lyman Classic hosted by Utah Tech. The Aggies snagged three games out of four, taking a pair of wins over Weber State and one over hosting Utah Tech.
 
In the opening game, the Aggies won a wild 11-10 game over Weber State, scoring six runs in the sixth to take a lead into the seventh that would be enough to hold off Weber State. The Aggies returned on the next day, Feb. 21, with another 5-2 win over Weber State, and they wrapped things up behind Ashley Sawai's complete game shutout that resulted in a 9-0 UC Davis win over Utah Tech.

ROLLING THREE IN THE DESERT: The Aggies headed to Las Vegas, Nevada to take part in the UNLV Desert Classic, where they took three out of five games over the weekend. UC Davis got wins over Seattle and two over hosting UNLV, a future Mountain West Conference opponent.
 
Sydney Polli had a big weekend, hitting .400 with one triple, one double, four RBIs, seven total bases and just one strikeout. In the circle, Caroline Grimes went 1-1, throwing a complete game while striking out 10 batters.
 
THREE DUBS TO OPEN: UC Davis opened its 2026 season by hosting the NorCal Kickoff, playing five games over four days. The Aggies got their season opening victory in an eight-inning showdown against San Diego on Feb. 6, winning 3-2 to crack the winning column. The Aggies would go on to run-rule San Diego in their Saturday morning meeting, and they wrapped up the weekend with a 3-2 battle over Saint Mary's on Sunday, Feb. 8 to wrap things up winning three-out-of-four.
 
DO YOUR THING 21: Over the opening weekend, starting pitcher Grimes was a force, making four appearances and three starts, going 3-1 with an ERA of 3.00. Grimes struck out 12 batters while tossing a complete game in the Aggie win over Saint Mary's. She threw 16.1 innings and allowed just seven earned runs in a dominating weekend for the Aggie senior.
 
RETURNERS IN THE BLUE AND GOLD: UC Davis returns All-Big West honoree Sawai, Dethlefson, Grimes and Polli Last season Sawai finished top 10 in the Big West in innings pitched (eighth), batters struck out (ninth), wins (ninth) and saves (second). The Aggie right-hander also tossed a career-high 15 complete games, placing her fourth in the conference and 38th in the nation.
 
Dethlefson also found her name inside the top 10 of a pair of Big West statistical categories. She led the conference in triples (five), and her 19 stolen bases placed her fourth in the league. During the season, Dethlefson was not caught once and along with Grand Canyon's Savannah Groshong-Kirk she is one of two student-athletes in the country to have not been caught stealing this season with at least 19 stolen bases.
 
SAWAI NAMED ALL-BIG WEST: Already only the third Aggie to be named the Big West Pitcher of the Year (Freshman; 2024), Sawai was named to the 2026 All-Big West Preseason Coaches' team for a second-straight season. Sawai finished 2025 top 10 in the Big West in innings pitched (eighth), batters struck out (ninth), wins (ninth) and saves (second), and she was named Second Team All-Big West. The Aggie right-hander also tossed a career-high 15 complete games, placing her fourth in the conference and 38th in the nation.
 
AGGIES ON DECK: UC Davis announced the signing of six Aggies as part of its incoming class, with several positions across the diamond covered as head coach Erin Thorpe looks to continue to build a foundation for success.
 
Hailey Chavolla, INF (La Habra, Calif.)
Reagan Cullivan, INF (San Diego, Calif.)
Riley Cullivan, INF (San Diego, Calif.)
Allison Marcelino, P (Mountain View, Calif.)
Addison Ochoa, INF (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Chloe Preuss, INF (Roseville, Calif.)
Addison Vandecar, OF (Lancaster, Calif.)
 
TICKETS: General admission for all games runs $13 while youth (3-13), UC Davis staff members and fans Seniors (65+) can get in the door for $10. Group outings (minimum of 10) can get their tickets at $10 a piece. With the $80 Flexbook, fans receive 10 general admission ticket vouchers that can be redeemed for any of the four home meets during the season in any combination desired. Fans can secure their spot at La Rue Field by hitting the link, by calling the Aggie Ticket Office at (530) 752-2471 or by emailing the Aggie Ticket Office at aggietickets@ucdavis.edu.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.