DAVIS, Calif. — After an undefeated weekend down in Stockton to finish their road season, UC Davis beach volleyball comes home to the UC Davis Beach Volleyball Courts for the first time this season on Apr. 17-18 against Sacramento State and Santa Clara. Action begins on Saturday, Apr. 17 against Sacramento State at 10:00 a.m. PT and Santa Clara at 2:00 p.m. PT before wrapping up on Sunday, Apr. 18 versus Santa Clara at 10:00 a.m. PT and Sacramento State at 2:00 p.m. PT.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN/FOLLOW
Apr. 17  — vs. Sacramento State (@ 10:00 am) | Live Stats | @ucdavisbvb (X/Instagram)

Apr. 17  — vs. Santa Clara (@ 2:00 pm) | Live Stats | @ucdavisbvb (X/Instagram)

Apr. 18  — vs. Santa Clara (@ 10:00 am) | Live Stats | @ucdavisbvb (X/Instagram)

Apr. 18  — vs. Sacramento State (@ 2:00 pm) | Live Stats | @ucdavisbvb (X/Instagram)


GAME NOTES

• Last Time Out: UC Davis enters the weekend 14-16 after an undefeated weekend at the University of the Pacific last Saturday and Sunday. The Aggies got wins over San Jose State, Cal State Bakersfield, Pacific, and Saint Mary's. The win over the Gaels marks the clubs first since 2023.
• First of Many: In the final competition of the opening weekend, the Aggies won 3-2 over Colorado Mesa for their first victory of the season. This victory was the first for new Aggies head coach Ari Homayun.
• Top Competitors: 16 wins on the year from Kate O'Steen and Skye Smolinski leads the Aggies in total wins. Kirra Martin is close behind with 13 total wins.
• 2025 Recap: The Aggies are coming off an 18-17 season a year ago, falling to Hawai'i in five sets in the first round of Big West Tournament bracket play.
• 2026 Preseason Poll: Ahead of the season, the Aggies were picked to finish fourth in the Big West preseason coaches poll, receiving 20 points.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

• Sacramento State is 12-13 on the season, splitting their final home weekend at the Sac Beach Invite two weeks ago.
• This season has been an historically good one for the Hornets, as their 12 team victories are an ongoing program record.
• The duo of Kate Doorn and Mia Guevara have also been leaders for their team with 16 victories on the year, tying the program record for wins by a duo.
• The Aggies remain perfect in the all-time series against the Hornets at 16-0, previously beating the team twice earlier this season.
• Santa Clara is 16-14 on the year after winning a game against Hawaii Pacific last weekend in Honolulu.
• Playing primarily in the fourth flight, Ciara Cantlen and Alexandria Urbina have been one of the best duos in the WCC with a 14-8 record.
• UC Davis is 9-1 all-time against Santa Clara, beating the Broncos three times a year ago.

SEASON NOTES

• After an historic career with Hawai'i beach volleyball and becoming the all-time winningest coach at CSUN last season, Ari Homayun enters her first season as head coach for the Aggies in 2026.
• Joining her staff is former Redlands assistant coach Georgia Romine-Black, who spent three seasons with the Buccaneers, helping lead the team to the NAIA championships for the first time in program history in 2021.
• Despite the loss of all-conference player Kylie Miller, the Aggies bring back a number of contributors from last season, including Skye Smolinski, Kate O'Steen, and Kimi Waller.
• Coach Homayun has also recruited a solid class of freshman and transfers, including former Matador Morgan Gillinger, former Roadrunner Ella Erteltova, and freshmen Reagan Cook, Savannah White, Elle Black, and Kaitlynn Chastain.
• With UC Davis making the move to the West Coast Conference in 2027, this season marks its last in the Big West.

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 

UC Davis, ranked No. 2 among public universities by the Wall Street Journal in the value of a college degree, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked top in the United States 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. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.