"There's a lot to be excited about as we start another year at UC Davis. Our fall teams are already giving us plenty to celebrate, our students are back on campus and there is great energy around Aggie Athletics.

One of my favorite parts of these High Fives is the opportunity to recognize the student-athletes, coaches, staff, donors and community partners who make UC Davis such a special place. And there is certainly plenty to recognize in this first edition of the year.

We also have some big moments ahead. Football is finally back at UC Davis Health Stadium this Saturday, and on Sept. 30, men's soccer will host Air Force in the first Mountain West home competition in UC Davis history. That will be a pretty special night and another milestone for our department.

I also hope you'll take advantage of MW+ this year. It is one of the best ways to follow our Aggies throughout Mountain West competition, and your subscription directly supports UC Davis Athletics. If you haven't signed up yet, I hope you will.

There is a lot happening around Aggie Athletics, and we're just getting started.

Go Ags!" — Rocko DeLuca, Director of Athletics

STUDENT-ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT – Cordero Barr and Wulfhorst Earn Back-to-Back Honors
Ximena Cordero Barr and Lucas Wulfhorst opened the season with back-to-back weekly awards in their respective conferences. Cordero Barr claimed consecutive Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honors during UC Davis volleyball's first season in the conference, while Wulfhorst earned two straight WCC Newcomer of the Week awards for men's water polo.

Cordero Barr anchored the Aggies' defense with 82 digs through the first five matches and recorded double-digit digs in every contest. She added five assists and a service ace as UC Davis pushed No. 11 SMU to five sets. The following weekend, she recorded a season-high 22 digs to lead the Aggies past Cal Poly in five sets during their home opener. Those performances brought her career total to five Defensive Player of the Week awards.

In the pool, Wulfhorst emerged as an early offensive leader for the Aggies, totaling a team-high 28 goals and 35 points through the first three weeks of competition. He opened the season with nine goals and two hat tricks at the Bruno Classic. Against Iona, he helped UC Davis score a program-record 29 goals.

Wulfhorst continued his strong start with 17 goals across four games at the Aggie Roundup. He scored seven times against No. 18 Harvard, tying the second-highest single-game total in program history.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT – Four Coaches Step Into New Leadership Roles
UC Davis Athletics enters the 2026–27 competition year with four coaches stepping into new leadership roles: Brittany Lampson for STUNT, Gavin O'Neal for track and field and cross country, Amy Klyse for softball, and Laurel Abernethy for diving. The four coaches bring experience building programs, developing Division I student-athletes and guiding teams through periods of growth and transition.

Lampson takes the helm as the first head coach in UC Davis STUNT history as the Aggies launch their 26th varsity sport. She joins UC Davis after guiding Lodi High School to three league championships and building one of the region's premier cheer programs. Her experience developing athletes, teaching the technical elements of STUNT and establishing competitive programs will help shape the Aggies ahead of their inaugural season in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

"I am incredibly honored and excited to join UC Davis as the head STUNT coach," Lampson said. "Being part of STUNT's inaugural varsity season at UC Davis is especially meaningful. There is a unique privilege in helping establish the culture, standards, and identity of a program from the very beginning."

O'Neal joins UC Davis as director of track and field and cross country with more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. He spent a decade at Boise State, where he coached an NCAA champion in the 800 meters and served as interim head coach, in addition to previous stops at Miami and Columbia. After developing Olympians, All-Americans and conference champions across multiple disciplines, O'Neal will oversee the programs' competitive and operational strategy as the Aggies begin their first season in the Mountain West.

"I've always viewed UC Davis as one of the truly special places in collegiate athletics," O'Neal said. "My goal is to create an environment where student-athletes are challenged to reach their full potential, alumni feel connected to the program, and championships become the result of doing things the right way every day."

Softball promoted Klyse to head coach as she enters her 11th year on the Aggie staff. Klyse has played an integral role in the program's development and helped the pitching staff record a 3.85 ERA and four shutouts in 2026, ranking third in the Big West. The Sacramento native previously earned 211 victories as head coach at South Dakota and guided the Coyotes through their transition from Division II to Division I. Her leadership, familiarity with the program and regional ties provide valuable continuity as the Aggies enter the Mountain West.

"I am so excited and honored for the opportunity to be the next UC Davis head softball coach," Klyse said. "As a native of Northern California, I deeply appreciate the charm of UC Davis and the surrounding region. We intend to make a statement with our competitive athletic performance as we enter the Mountain West Conference while showcasing our consistent integrity and grit."

Abernethy moves into the role of diving coach after serving as the program's assistant diving coach during the 2025–26 season. She succeeds Phil Tonne, who will retire after 22 years with the Aggies and a remarkable 47-year career as a collegiate head diving coach. Abernethy will build on the program's established tradition as UC Davis swimming and diving begins its first season in the Mountain West.

"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to succeed Phil," Abernethy said. "Phil has had a tremendous influence on my coaching career, and I am excited to continue the tradition of diving excellence he has established at UC Davis. I look forward to leading the team through its transition into the Mountain West and working with these exceptional student-athletes."

Lampson, O'Neal, Klyse and Abernethy will guide their programs into a significant new chapter for UC Davis Athletics, from STUNT's inaugural campaign to the Aggies' first season of Mountain West competition.

DONOR IMPACT – Five Years of Fundraising Momentum
Fundraising has become another area where Aggie programs continue to raise the bar.

Each UC Davis team is responsible for generating philanthropic support to help fund its annual operating budget. Every program receives a fundraising goal, and when teams exceed that mark, those additional dollars go directly back into the program, giving coaches greater flexibility to invest in their student-athletes and pursue competitive excellence.

The results have been impressive. Since 2022, 90 percent of UC Davis programs have met their annual fundraising goals each year, with many far surpassing them. During that same period, Athletics has more than doubled its overall annual fundraising goal. Most recently, Aggie teams collectively raised 150 percent of their established goals.

Women's tennis, women's golf, track and field, men's soccer, lacrosse and men's basketball have been among the programs setting the pace, increasing their fundraising totals year after year. Their coaches have embraced fundraising as an important part of building their programs, developing strong relationships with alumni, families and supporters who believe in the experience we are creating for UC Davis student-athletes.

Department-wide efforts such as the Champion Aggies Challenge and Give Day have added even more momentum. This year's Champion Aggies Challenge is set for Oct. 5–9, giving the Aggie community another opportunity to make a direct impact on our teams.

Every dollar above a program's goal creates another opportunity to invest in our student-athletes, strengthen our teams and compete at an even higher level.

IN THE COMMUNITY – Women's Soccer Connects at Davis Family Fun Fest
Deep into its season, UC Davis women's soccer joined the Davis Chamber of Commerce's Family Fun Fest at Nugget Fields on Sept. 4, just two days before facing Pacific.

Head coach Kat Mertz and three of her players - Savannah Cordero, Kaya Herndon and Courtney Wagner - contributed to the event. They brought two small goals and a soccer ball for kids to play, go through drills, practice their shots and most importantly have fun. They also got to meet the four Aggies, who dove into the middle of all the action and celebration.

"It gave us a chance to share our love for soccer with the community," Cordero said. "I know how important it is to inspire the next generation and use the platform we have as student-athletes to spread love and positivity. Seeing the kids smile, have fun and get excited about soccer made the experience really special."

Herndon and Wagner talked about how much they enjoyed their interaction with the Davis community and using the opportunity to grow the Aggies' fan base.

"It was really nice seeing how excited the kids were and getting the chance to interact and bond with them and their families," Herndon said. "It was so cute to see all of the kids getting so excited to meet us and looking up to us."

"The community loved it," Wagner added. "Plus, we were able to promote some of our upcoming home games and talk to parents about college soccer."

Mertz emphasized that the program's relationship with the local community is critical and that in addition to giving back to them it helped her players understand why they play the game.

"When our players are competing at a high level and their stress is really high, this helps them understand their why," Mertz said. "It reminds them of when they were little and the joy they had playing the game,"

"It was cool that we were able to do it," Mertz added. "One of our core values as a program is community service. We talk about giving back to the local community and having a moment of gratitude. For our players to be out in the community and be role models is something that is really valuable. I want them to understand how important it is not only that they move this program forward but that they inspire the next generation."

Mertz is hoping that through shared experiences like the Family Fun Fest it lets the community get to know and want to support the Aggies.

"My goal is to create an environment for our games where the local community comes, knows the players on the field, has that relationship with them and feels connected to them," Mertz said

The next opportunity for fans to return the love is this Sunday against Idaho (1 p.m. PT). The Aggies next home match is also their first Mountain West match at home against Wyoming on Oct. 2 (6 p.m. PT).

AGGIES IN COMPETITION – Volleyball Makes History Against No. 7 Arizona State
UC Davis volleyball made program history Sept. 10, defeating No. 7 Arizona State in four sets for its highest-ranked win ever. The Aggies earned the landmark victory on the Sun Devils' home court, handing Arizona State just its third home loss since 2023.

The Aggies set the tone at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, winning the first two sets to put Arizona State on its heels. After the Sun Devils extended the match in the third set, the Aggies answered with a 25-21 victory in the fourth to complete the historic upset.

Isabella Umpierre led a balanced UC Davis attack with 17 kills, followed by Brooke Hibino with 14 and Ally Chandler with 10. Mia Starr distributed 43 assists and added 10 digs for a double-double. Umpierre's performance earned her two Old Trapper Mountain West weekly honors: Offensive Player of the Week and a share of Freshman of the Week with Air Force's Ella Vogel.

The Aggies complemented their offensive production with 14 team blocks while holding Arizona State to a .143 hitting percentage. Allie Caldwell and Chandler recorded seven blocks apiece, while Ximena Cordero Barr led the back row with 14 digs.

"Proud of the group and their efforts," head coach Dan Conners said. "We played with Aggie Pride and a relentless competitive energy!"

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.