DAVIS, Calif. — Graduate right-hander Rowen Barnes was named to the All-Big West First Team as one of the conference's two First Team closers and senior second baseman Joey Wright earned Honorable Mention recognition, the Big West Conference announced Tuesday. The selections highlight UC Davis' final season in the Big West Conference before the program's move to the Mountain West Conference in 2027.

Barnes, a graduate transfer who joined the Aggies from Skyline College after starting his prep career at Menlo-Atherton HS in Atherton, Calif., produced one of the most dominant relief seasons in program history. The right-hander went 2-0 with a 0.80 ERA over 27 appearances, ranking third nationally in saves (12) and tied with Cal Poly's Nick Bonn for the Big West lead in the category. Both Barnes and Bonn were named First Team closers on the All-Big West squad. His 12-save 2026 total stands as the third-most ever recorded in a single season at UC Davis, trailing only Justin Fitzgerald's 15 (2008) and Zach Stone's 13 (2015). Barnes also pushed his Aggie career save total to 14, tying him for fourth all-time in program history. He struck out 31 batters against 11 walks across 33.2 innings, held opposing hitters to a .181 batting average and put together a stretch of 14.2 consecutive scoreless innings during the season. He was even more difficult to solve in Big West play, posting a 0.48 ERA over 14 appearances and 18.2 innings with a 1-0 record and eight saves while limiting conference hitters to a .172 batting average and striking out 16 against seven walks. His 12th save came on a 1-2-3 ninth in UC Davis' 3-1 series-clinching win over Hawai'i on May 10.

Wright, a senior from Newport Beach, Calif., earned Honorable Mention recognition at second base after starting 48 of 53 games in the infield in his final Aggie season. The Newport Harbor HS product slashed .244/.376/.340 with 38 hits, nine doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs and 25 runs scored over 156 at-bats. Wright drew 26 walks and was hit by a pitch nine times. He stepped up his production against Big West competition, hitting .291 in conference play with a .437 on-base percentage and a .443 slugging percentage across 28 games, going 23-for-79 with six doubles, both of his home runs, 14 RBIs, 14 runs, 17 walks and four steals in four attempts. Defensively, he committed just two errors in 220 chances at second base for a .991 fielding percentage and turned a team-leading 45 double plays as UC Davis finished the regular season as the NCAA Division I leader in both double plays per game (1.13) and total double plays (61).

The Big West also announced its full slate of conference awards. Paul Contreras (Cal State Fullerton) and Ryan Tayman (Cal Poly) shared Co-Field Player of the Year honors. Jackson Flora (UC Santa Barbara) was named Pitcher of the Year, Casey Murray Jr. (Cal Poly) earned Defensive Player of the Year, Devon Wilkes (Cal State Bakersfield) received Freshman Field Player of the Year and Luke Howe (Long Beach State) was tabbed Freshman Pitcher of the Year. Andrew Checketts (UC Santa Barbara) and Larry Lee (Cal Poly) shared Co-Coach of the Year recognition.

UC Davis closed the 2026 regular season at 26-28 overall and 14-16 in Big West Conference play.

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. 

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