DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis football head coach Tim Plough announced on Tuesday, Mar. 10 the addition of former Stanford assistant Vavae Malepeai as an Assistant Coach charged with control of the running back unit.
 
"When we look to add to our staff it always starts with who they are as people," said Plough. "Vae is a tremendous example of this and that's why we're thrilled to add him. We're excited about his experience as a player at the running back position and his reputation as an elite recruiter. Our goal will continue to be focusing on creating an environment where our staff and players can achieve their best work. We are thankful to have Vae and his wife join the Aggie family."
 
Malepeai comes to Davis after spending the past three seasons on The Farm as an Offensive Quality Control Analyst working with the offensive line and running backs. Before getting to Stanford, Malepeai was the running backs coach at Mililani High School in Mililani, Hawai'i and he brings extensive recruiting experience that stretches from Hawai'i to New Jersey.
 
"My wife and I are so blessed to join the Davis family," said Malepeai. "It's an absolute privilege to be able to be part of a culture that I've heard so many great things about. I'm fired up to get rolling with coach Plough, the staff, and the student athletes here. GO AGS!"
 
As a player, Malepeai put together one of the better running back careers in USC program history. He finished up a five-year career with the USC Trojans from 2017-21 scoring 24 total touchdowns while rushing for 2,005 yards, placing him 21st all-time in USC history. He appeared in 50 games for the Trojans, making 15 starts. He earned the team's most inspirational player award as a senior and was a co-captain of the Trojans that season and during the 2020 season, Malepeai was named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll.
 
Malepeai takes over an experienced and battle tested room that features returning 1,000-yard rusher Jordan Fisher, along with Kai Acia, Mason Walsh and Weber State transfer Chauncey Sylvester. Last season the Aggies finished 27th in the nation in rushing offense and Fisher came in ranked 15th in total rushing yards after racking up 1,121 yards on the ground.
 
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.