By DIEGO CERNA — sports@theaggie.org

On May 5, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) held the AdventHealth 400 race at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. 

The winner, Kyle Larson, was able to beat out runner-up Chris Buescher in the final stretch of the race with a margin of 0.001 seconds, the closest margin of victory for first place in NASCAR history. 

This NASCAR season has shown some of the closest photo finishes ever. Kansas City’s 0.001 second finish broke the record of a 0.002 second finish earlier this season at the Texas NASCAR Cup Xfinity’s Series (NXS) on April 13. Sam Mayer inched out the victory over Ryan Sieg in the 200 lap race for the Texas NXS title. 

Before that exhilarating race, The Ambetter Health NASCAR Cup held in Atlanta held a finish of 0.003 seconds for first place on Feb. 25. The race proved challenging as Daniel Suárez was able to beat out Ryan Bailey in the 260 lap race by nearly no time.

The most recent AdventHealth 400 was supposed to be a total of 267 laps for all racers, but the race went into overtime to ensure that there would be a green flag finish, signaling when the final two laps of a race would commence. Buescher had been leading the race up until lap 261, where he spun out. This caused a caution period, as cars are forced to slow down due to unsafe conditions. Buescher’s spin had also caused a restart, which forced cars to go to the pit and start over before going into overtime. 

With two laps to go, fifth-place finisher Denny Hamlin led the pack with Buescher in second and Larson in third. Going into the final lap, Hamlin fell among the pack with Buescher and Larson in first and second just before the final lap commenced. 

On the final backstretch of lap 267, Larson found a sliver of space between the wall and Buescher’s car in order to get better positioning and make them neck and neck into the final turn. After gaining the position, Larson and Buescher’s cars collided as they approached the finish line side-by-side.

At first glance, it looked as if Buescher had won, with Buescher’s pit team even celebrating right before the results were announced. After officials reviewed the replay, however, it was determined that Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet’s front had just barely hit the finish line first, giving the victory to Larson.

Many people have compared the photo finish line picture to Disney Pixar’s film Lightning McQueen, where cars finished side by side to end the race. 

Larson’s victory marks his second victory so far this season, and the 25th overall victory of his career. 

“That race from start to finish was amazing. That first stage was incredible. The second stage at the end was fun, and then that whole last stage with the wrecks and cautions and then fuel strategy and tires running long and all that was wild,” Larson stated in a press conference after the game. 

The next two NASCAR Cup Series races will continue in North Carolina for the remainder of May, as racers make their way in the middle of the season to determine who advances to the NASCAR Cup Playoffs beginning in August.

Written by: Diego Cerna — sports@theaggie.org

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By MI’ZAUNI REESE — sports@theaggie.org

For the majority of U.S. history, men’s college and professional basketball has taken up the spotlight, with women’s sports, especially basketball, receiving a fraction of that recognition. However, with the recent rise of superstars Caitlin Clark at the University of Iowa (UI) and Angel Reese at Louisiana State University (LSU), women’s basketball has taken its moment in the spotlight. With both of these women being in the top ten overall draft picks, they are expected to make waves in the WNBA and American sports altogether.

Clark, the number one overall draft pick this season, has been making headlines far before the draft. While attending UI, Clark was able to shatter dozens of NCAA and Big Ten records during her career. With recognition for the most points scored by any college player of all time, male or female, Clark has been a player to keep an eye on.

Even after being invited to practice with the 2024 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team leading up to the Olympics in Paris, Clark’s goal is to secure an invitation to compete. After being drafted this year to the Indiana Fever, she had the top-earning jersey for any draft pick ever in both male and female basketball.

Another star player, Angel Reese, has had a similar impact on the sport. As she and Clark’s face-offs in college brought mass coverage to women’s basketball, Reese is becoming a household name around the U.S. Bringing in many wins for LSU, Reese has been granted dozens of awards, with her most recent being the 2024 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year. 

In her first WNBA game with the Chicago Sky she was able to put up double-digit points, an accomplishment Clark did not reach in her debut. The constant comparison between these two has brought significant attention to the sport, as fans feel that the women are exhibiting more drive and competitiveness in the sport with their constant record breaks. NBA pros have even begun to get involved and show support for the women, with Shaquille O’Neal serving as Reese’s mentor and even saying he may prefer the WNBA for entertainment.

Additionally, O’Neal advocates for the closure of the wage gap seen in the NBA versus WNBA. With Reese’s and Clark’s followings, stadiums are expected to be packed all season, especially when these two are pitted against each other. Many teams are seeking bigger venues for their games against Clark or Reese to accommodate the influx in viewership. 

However, despite this increase in support for the WNBA, the recent women’s basketball contracts are disappointing. Clark, the most anticipated player of the season, will be making a little under $340,000 over four years with her WNBA contract. Compared to her eight-year $28 million contract with Nike, this is rather insignificant, as most WNBA athletes have to rely on brand deals rather than their league contracts. 

With Reese’s contract being just under Clark’s at around $330,000 over four years, she too is being undervalued for the skill and attention she has brought to the team. Although many point to the fact that rookies make less money than veterans in the sport, NBA rookies have a minimum annual salary of $1.12 million, with their top overall draft pick earning around $10 million. 

These women have brought millions of dollars and views to collegiate basketball and soon the WNBA as they are anticipated to reshape the sport and viewer’s perception of it. Hopefully, with an increase in recognition will come an increase in salary that equates to their skill and importance.

Written by: Mi’Zauni Reese — sports@theaggie.org

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By CAROLYN (CARI) FENN — sports@theaggie.org

With the first round of the playoffs in the National Hockey League (NHL) completed and the Super 16 now becoming the Elite 8, one team is a step closer to claiming the coveted Stanley Cup. The Elite 8 teams entering the second round of the playoffs are the Florida Panthers, the Boston Bruins, the New York Rangers, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Dallas Stars, the Colorado Avalanche, the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers. Of the eight remaining teams, all are ranked first or second within their division except for the Avalanche, ranked third, having beaten out the second-ranked Winnipeg Jets.

 While all the teams are vying for the coveted title of champion and the ability to hold the Stanley Cup over their head in celebration, for some, the win would be a rather monumental occasion for their franchise. For the Canucks and Panthers, this year could signify their first-ever Stanley Cup win. The Canucks have been in the NHL since 1970, and the Panthers have been in the NHL since 1993, so for both teams, a Stanley Cup win this season could end a franchise-long drought. 

Although no team has officially claimed a spot in the conference finals, many have predicted who they believe will make it to the final four from each division matchup.

Atlantic Division: A1 Florida Panthers vs. A2 Boston Bruins

Going into game three, the series between the Panthers and Bruins is tied 1-1. Despite the current tie, the Panthers are given better odds of winning the next matchup with a money line (ML) of -125, while the Bruins have an ML of +105. Additionally, of the 24 workers at ESPN who were asked to predict the winner of each division, they predicted that the Panthers would win in 23 of the 24 picks, with the most common prediction being that the Panthers would win in six. 

In the first matchup between the Bruins and Panthers, the Bruins won by a landslide with a final score of 5-1. The large deficit for the Bruins was due to goalie Jeremy Swayman’s impressive performance, who saved 38 shots and had an impressive save percentage of 0.947%. Although the Bruins won game one by a large margin, the Panthers didn’t allow the Bruins to celebrate for too long, as in game two, the Panthers came back and beat the Bruins 6-1. While many players contributed to the Panther’s overwhelming victory, center Aleksander Barkov, who had two goals and two assists, and center Sam Reinhart, who had four assists, were major playmakers of the night.

Metropolitan Division: M1 New York Rangers vs. M2 Carolina Hurricanes

Going into game four, the Rangers swept the Hurricanes in the series with a 3-0 lead. Even though the Rangers are currently dominating the Hurricanes in the series, the odds are rather divided on which team will win the series. Based on betting odds, the Hurricanes are favored to win the next matchup, as shown by the money line (ML) of -145, while the Rangers have an ML of +125. In contrast, of the 24 workers at ESPN who were asked to predict the winner of each division, they predicted that the Rangers would win the series in 14 of the 24 picks, with the most common prediction being that the Rangers would win in seven.

In the first and second games of the series between the Rangers and Hurricanes, the Rangers won with a final score of 4-3. Their victory in the second game came during the second overtime from a goal by center Vincent Trocheck at 7:24 minutes. In the third matchup, the Rangers again came out with a winning score of 3-2 after left-wing Artemi Panarin scored a goal in only a minute and 43 seconds into overtime. Additionally, The Rangers largely owe their win in game three to their goalie, Igor Shesterkin, who made 45 saves, which resulted in a save percentage of 0.957%.

Central Division: C1 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche

Going into game three, the series between the Stars and Avalanche was tied 1-1. While the series is anybody’s game, the Avalanche has better odds of winning the next game with a money line (ML) of -130, as the Stars have an ML of +110. Additionally, of the 24 workers at ESPN who predicted the winners of each division, the workers said that the Stars would win in 17 of the 24 picks, with the most common prediction being that the Stars would win in seven.

Following the first game, the Avalanche led the series after winning 4-3 in overtime with a goal from left-wing Miles Wood at 11:03 minutes. In the second game of the series, the Stars came back and beat the Avalanche 5-3 to prevent a 0-2 deficit in the series. Although the Stars won the game, the Avalanche were close to making a comeback when they closed the 0-4 Stars lead to 3-4 after scoring three goals in the third period. However, after opening up the goal and creating a 6-on-4 scenario to better increase their chances of making a comeback, the Stars were able to grow the deficit to 5-3 and secure their win after defenseman Esa Lindell scored on the open net.

Pacific Division: P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. P2 Edmonton Oilers

Currently, the Canucks lead the series 1-0 with at least three to possibly six more games still to follow, depending on if the Oilers can prevent the Canucks from creating a more significant lead. Between the two teams, the Oilers are viewed by many to have a better chance of winning the next game with a money line (ML) of -125 odds, while the Canucks have an ML of +105. Additionally, of the 24 workers at ESPN predictions, the workers predicted that the Oilers would win in 23 of the 24 picks, with the most common prediction being that the Oilers would win in six.

In the first game, the Canucks came back from a 4-1 deficit to win 5-4 with three goals in the last period of the game from center J.T. Miller, defenseman Nikita Zadorov, and right-wing Conor Garland. Despite it still being only the beginning of the series and the Oilers are favored to win, game one of the series has been the closest that the Oilers have come to beating the Canucks all season. In the four matchups between the Oilers and Canucks during the regular season, the Oilers lost all five games by a total margin of 21-7. Only time will tell if a similar pattern will occur in the rest of the series.  

As the competition begins to intensify, the title of champion is up for grabs for a new team this year, as the previous Stanley Cup winners, the Vegas Golden Knights, were knocked out of the race for the title during the first round of the Super 16. With multiple games left to go in the second round and the conference finals prior to the final, we will have to wait till June to learn which team will take home the coveted title.

Written by: Carolyn (Cari) Fenn — sports@theaggie.org

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By DIEGO CERNA — sports@theaggie.org

As the first round of the 2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs has come to an end, NBA fans are left to see faces they were not accustomed to before. Many of the superstar players who dominated during the 2010 to 2020 NBA era are no longer competing in the playoffs, at least for this year.

This is the first time that fans will not see Suns Forward Kevin Durant, Lakers Forward Lebron James and Warriors Point Guard Stephen Curry in a playoff series past the first round since 2005. The three superstar players combined have achieved 10 championships and seven Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards from 2010 to 2021. The three athletes are highly regarded as the faces of the NBA from the 2010’s era of basketball. 

Curry’s Warriors were the first to go in the NBA playoffs, as they lost to the Sacramento Kings in the first game of the play-in game tournament, which can make or break a team’s chance in the playoffs. This may be the last time fans see the dominant core of Curry, Forward Draymond Green and Shooting Guard Klay Thompson all in the same jersey. The trio gathered four championships from 2015 to 2022 together, cementing themselves as having one of the most dominant dynasties in sports history. 

James’ Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in five games, which makes it the second year in a row the Nuggets ended their season. The Nuggets were led by Center Nikola Jokic, who was just awarded his third MVP in the past four years.

Nuggets Point Guard Jamal Murray hit two game-winners in the series. The first game winner happened in the second game after the Lakers’ blew a 20-point lead. The other game winner occurred in game five to send the Lakers home. With James hinting at retirement being “not very far” in the future, the 21-year pro veteran may call it quits sooner rather than later. 

Durant’s Phoenix Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in round one, suffering four straight losses. With three max contracts including Durant, Guard Devin Booker and Guard Bradley Beal, the Suns may look to make major changes to the roster and coaching personnel during the offseason. 

The Timberwolves, led by rising superstar Guard Anthony Edwards at just 22 years old, averaged 31 points along with eight rebounds and two steals. Some are saying that Edwards is becoming the “new face of the NBA” from his improvement over the past couple of years, and some even go as far as to say he is the next Kobe or Michael Jordan.

Other notable young teams are also on the rise. The Oklahoma City Thunder also swept the New Orleans Pelicans in four games led by MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 27.3 points per game in the series. The Thunder have the second youngest team in the NBA currently with an average player age of 25 years old. They achieved NBA history this regular season by becoming the youngest number one-seeded team ever. 

The Milwaukee Bucks, led by Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Point Guard Damian Lillard and Forward Khris Middleton faced an upset by the Pacers led by young star Guard Tyrese Haliburton in six games. Injuries to Antetokounmpo and Middleton may have been the deciding factor of the series. The signing of Coach Doc Rivers mid-season may not have been the best move for the Bucks, as they finished the season with a 17-19 record under Rivers after going 30-13 with former Coach Adrian Griffin. The window to win a championship with this trio may be closing faster than expected due to age, as Lillard will turn 34 entering next season while Middleton will be turning 33. 

The Los Angeles Clippers also fell far short of expectations and were handed a first round loss by the younger Dallas Mavericks led by Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving in the sixth game. The team was led by Forward Kawhi Leonard, Forward Paul George, Guard James Harden and Guard Russell Westbrook. This is the third series Leonard has sat out hurt for some period of time in the playoffs, which once again had a huge effect on how the series turned out. With the four once superstars hitting their mid-30’s, the team may need to rebuild their core players for the future.

With the league becoming more of a fast-paced game and the offense having a larger emphasis than defense, many young and emerging stars have mainly been smaller guards than forwards or centers. 

Examples of emerging guards highlighted in the playoffs are the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton, the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray, the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards and the Thunders’ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. All these guards have showcased the importance of having a scoring and playmaking guard on your team, especially in the playoffs. 

Even the 2024 number one pick, the Spur’s Center Victor Wembanyama, and 2023 number two pick, the Thunders’ Center Chet Holmgren, have guard-oriented skills such as three-point shooting, ball handling skills and playmaking ability. The talent level in the NBA has increased by a substantial amount over the past decade.  

Although the stars we once knew may not be playing in following years, they have exceeded expectations for their consistency at their age. James at 39 years old became the first player in NBA history to exceed 40,000 all-time career points, which continues to increase. Curry at 36 years old continues to increase his three-point shooting record which stands at 3,747, about 774 more three-pointers than the second highest in NBA history. Durant finished with his 15th consecutive season of averaging over 25 points per game in a season (while healthy).

Curry, Durant and James look to join Team USA in the 2024 Olympics that will be held this upcoming summer in Paris, France. Along with other American superstar-caliber players, the team will look to gain their 17th gold medal in Olympic history.

Written by: Diego Cerna — sports@theaggie.org

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By MI’ZAUNI REESE — sports@theaggie.org

Over the last six years, the UC Davis Equestrian team has been building a stronger foundation on the principles of camaraderie, work ethic and a shared love of horseback riding. These pragmatic principles have propelled the team to the eighth seed in the nation, granting them a rather competitive position in the sports league. 

After back-to-back wins in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Semifinals and Championship, the Aggies earned their spot to compete in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Championship for the first time in program history. Excitement circulated throughout the team as they looked forward to competing on the national stage, a goal achieved by a culmination of time, dedication and passion for the sport. They anticipated a challenging competition but looked forward to it with the intention of winning the championship.

Prior to the competition, the Aggies had one of the best seasons in UC Davis equestrian history. Besides a fantastic record and competitive team, Head Coach Jill Humphrey represented the US Equestrian at the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Cup Finals. As head coach of the Davis equestrian program, Humphrey also displayed her skills, proving her capability to coach our collegiate athletes. With it being her second season as head coach and sixth overall, the athletes were prideful of her invitation. They supported her in Florida as the athletes also competed over the April 20 weekend. 

Leading up to the competition, the Aggie equestrian team won the ECAC Championship, defending their title. Competing in flat classes for the championship by demonstrating walk, trot, and canter, the Aggies prevailed 3-2. Following flat classes, the horsemanship competition left the Aggies tied for first place with a score of three. The tied score didn’t last long as the Aggies regained the lead with a score of 6-4.  

UC Davis’ lead continued to grow as the Aggies dominated the fences and reining portions of the competition. Fourth-year communications major Maggie Franke and third-year human development major Natasha Replogle earned “Most Outstanding Players” for the conference, as Franke beat her opponent by 23, and Replogle helped earn the win in the championship. 

Coming off the ECAC Championship, the Aggies received their first invitation to the NCEAl Championship in Ocala, Florida. This competition included only the top eight teams in the nation. Taking place over the April 20 weekend, these girls made UC Davis history.

Unfortunately, the Aggies’ experience in the NCEA championship was short-lived. Their first competition was against first-seeded Texas Christian University (TCU). Starting off the competition, the Aggies were nearly swept 5-0 before fourth-year viticulture and enology major Carly Sweenet tied with NCEA First Team All-American Ashleigh Scully, preventing the initial blowout. 

After NCEA Second Team All-American fifth-year history major Macey Newkirk scored the first point for the Aggies during Reining, the Aggies began to make a comeback during the flat classes, winning the first three points. However, during the horsemanship competition, TCU secured their win, earning four of the five points, ending the Aggies’ Equestrian season. 

Although they performed well and secured their second consecutive ECAC title, the team wrapped up their 2023 to 2024 season as the eighth seed, reaching the National Championship and receiving their highest national ranking in program history. The last competition for the equestrian team reached new heights they had never reached before, with full intentions of winning the championship next season. 

Written by: Mi’Zauni Reese — sports@theaggie.org

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By DIEGO CERNA — sports@theaggie.org

The UC Davis men’s golf team concluded their regular season by competing in the Big West Men’s Golf Championship in La Quinta, California. The tournament was held at the La Quinta Country Club Course over the span of three days from April 28 to 30. 

UC Davis won fifth place out of nine teams for the tournament, with the team also ending every round in fifth.
Lucas Carper, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major, placed in the top 10 for individual performances during the tournament. Carper placed seventh individually overall and ended with a score of 71-73-73 for all three rounds. With this championship being his last competition, Carper finished strong. 

Carper ended his collegiate career with a decorated resume, obtaining one All Big West First Team award, one All Big West Conference First Team award, one Big West Conference Individual Champion award and one Big West Conference Second Team award. 

Treed Huang and Leo Metzger, first-year undeclared majors, were right behind Carper in rankings for the Aggies. Huang played as the second-best Aggie in the tournament, tying for 18th place among the competition’s golfers. Huang also came in third for carding the most par 3’s throughout the tournament, tying five other golfers for scoring even par. 

Metzger finished third for the Aggies, tying for 24th place overall. Metzger impressively carded an eagle in the first round at the longest hole — which was 543 feet and had a par of 5. This freshman duo has continued to impress throughout the season and showcased their impressive talent on the grass over the weekend. 

To round off the lineup, fifth-year Mark Stephens and fourth-year Alejandro Nava had a very strong performance as well. Stephens tied for 30th place, while Nava tied for 34th place overall. Like Carper, this may be both Stephens’ and Nava’s last time touching the green in their collegiate careers. 

The most impressive outing for the Aggies throughout the championship was the second round, as the team improved by a total of 10 shots from the first round. 

Nava, Huang and Carper placed in the top 12 for most individual pars across all tournament players. Nava carded 35 pars out of the total 54 holes, while Huang and Carper carded 34 pars each. Stephens and Metzer didn’t finish far behind, as both carded 32 pars. 

At the end of the tournament, the Long Beach State Sharks claimed their fifth Big West Championship in their school’s history, earning the team the title of back-to-back champions from their previous championship in 2023. 

The Sharks were led by fourth-year Clay Sleeber, who finished second individually overall. Sleeber finished behind Cal State Fullerton’s fourth-year Teegan Andrew, who was crowned the Individual Big West Tournament Champion with his 14 strokes below par performance. 

Long Beach State’s victory helped them automatically qualify for the NCAA Men’s Golf Regional Rounds which will be held at the University of North Carolina’s Finley Golf Course from May 13 to 15. They set their sights on having a chance to compete in the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Golf National Championships held in Carlsbad, California, which is set to take place from May 24 to 29. 

As for the Aggies, they will say goodbye to some of their fourth-year players and show gratitude for their many contributions. The rest of the team is looking forward to their next season in hopes of redeeming this year’s loss and winning the championship next year. 

Written by: Diego Cerna — sports@theaggie.org 

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By EMMÍA J RIVERA — sports@theaggie.org

To conclude a three-game series at La Rue Field, the UC Davis softball team beat the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, preventing another loss for the Aggies on April 27. Following two losses the day before, the Aggies arrived ready for a come-back as they took the lead in the first inning and never looked back. 

Wasting no time, Sarah Starks, a fifth-year communications major, delivered an early two-run homerun to initiate the permanent UC Davis lead. She displayed an impressive performance leading the Aggie offense and going 2-for-3 in the box with two home runs and three RBI. Behind her, Leah Polson, a fifth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, went 1-for-1 (reaching a base on every hit), reaching a base three times on walks and scoring a run for the Aggies. Libbie McMahan, a fourth-year human development major, held onto the lead with a two-run base hit. Bella Holtz, a third-year math analytics major, hit a single to help the Aggies score a run, followed by another hit from Tatum Wentworth, a fourth-year human development major. The score ended 8-2 as UC Davis cruised to their first victory from this set.

UC Santa Barbara scored only two runs throughout the game, led by Alana Snow, a fourth-year who went 3-for-3 in hits, and Madelyn McNally, a fourth-year who went 2-for-3 in hits and a walk for the Gauchos. Defensively, Santa Barbara gave up nine walks, arguably the game’s ultimate difference as both teams gathered the same number of total hits.

Sarah Reineman, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, was on the home mound for four innings, earning her third win of the season. She gathered three strikeouts and allowed just one run and no walks throughout the game.

Kenedi Brown, a fifth-year human development major and hurler, also made an appearance in the fifth inning to relieve Reineman of pitching. She threw three innings and gave up only one run, issuing three strikeouts and collecting her fifth save of the season. Joining a group of previous UC Davis athletes, Brown is set to tie the program’s record for total innings pitched, only a third of an inning away.

With the end of the season drawing near, the Aggies are gearing up to face Cal Poly in another three-game series in the first week of May. They are determined to improve their record before the regular season finale against the University of Hawaii, a game that could potentially be a turning point for the team.

Written by: Emmía J Rivera — sports@theaggie.org 

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By JORDAN POLTORAK — campus@theaggie.org

Give Day is a 29-hour-long fundraising drive that took place from April 19 to April 20. Donors could give donations in person or by phone, and gifts would go toward funding programs such as the veterinary hospitals, UC Davis Health and the larger UC Davis campus. 

The event also overlapped with Picnic Day — the largest student-run event in the country. 

“Give Day is a university-wide project, so we start preparing for the event in October by meeting with colleagues from all over main campus and at UC Davis Health,” Andrea Elliot, director of marketing communications of the Annual and Special Gifts Program and Michelle Posey, managing executive director of the Annual and Special Gifts Program, said via email.

 The theme for this year’s fundraiser was “Reaching New Heights” — which was reflected in the over $4.1 million raised in comparison to the $3.4 million of 2023’s Give Day. 

“Many of our alumni donors want to encourage others to support our students, as well as support the areas of UC Davis that were personally meaningful to them while they were attending school here,” Elliot and Posey said via email. “They often provide challenge gifts for that purpose.” 

A challenge gift cannot be unlocked until others donate to reach the goal, causing a ripple effect. Donors are encouraged to give more in order to complete the challenge. This year, UC Davis received 214 challenge gifts nearly reaching $3 million, which was $500,000 more than the previous year.

Not only did Give Day coincide with Picnic Day, but it was also featured at “The Year of the Egghead” celebration.

“Our Give Day event t-shirts featured Stargazer [an egghead] this year, and it was pretty exciting that we got to be included in the acknowledgment of Professor Arneson’s work,” Elliot and Posey said via email.

Give Day featured events such as “Battle of the Colleges,” where the UC Davis colleges engaged in friendly competition to see which one could raise the most money. The College of Engineering came in first place with 484 gifts. The School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Law competed in “Battle of the Schools,” and the School of Veterinary Medicine emerged victorious with a total of 456 gifts.

The Give Day social media campaign encouraged those interested to become social ambassadors. Social ambassadors would share information related to Give Day on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. 

“Raising money that helps create opportunities for our students and faculty is personally important to those of us who fundraise for UC Davis,” Elliot and Posey said via email. “Making a lasting impact here by helping others is what it’s all about for us.”

Written by: Jordan Poltorak — campus@theaggie.org

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By LUCIENNE BROOKER — sports@theaggie.org

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Picnic Day, UC Davis women’s lacrosse took on Stanford in their final home match of the 2024 season. As crowds swarmed across the UC Davis campus and downtown Davis, many lacrosse fans made their way to the UC Davis Health Stadium to celebrate the program’s seven graduating seniors as they appeared in the last home game of their college careers.

With very few games left in the regular season, both teams were looking for a strong start to lead them to victory. However, Stanford was the first to attack as they immediately took the upper hand, scoring nine unanswered goals in the first quarter. 

The Aggies fought back with two goals to end the first quarter and were able to open the scoring in the second quarter. While third-year Grace Gerbhardt had a stellar performance, ending the match with four goals, the Cardinals stepped up their own game. 

Each time the Aggies scored, the Cardinals would respond with several goals of their own, never letting their lead fall below seven goals. The final score of the game was a tough 21-8. 

This is only the third match of the season in which the Aggies have conceded 20 or more goals, although they have also had some decisive victories themselves, including an upset win against UC Berkeley. 

With the 21-8 victory, Stanford clinched the number one seed spot for the PAC-12 tournament, which kicks off on May 1 in Los Angeles. The Cardinals have an undefeated conference record, with six straight victories. 

The Aggies will have to wait a little longer to determine their tournament position. Seeding will be finalized after their road game against the Arizona State Sun Devils on April 27. Currently, UC Davis sits at fourth in the league, with a conference record of two wins and four losses. Three other teams share this record, so the Aggies must win their final match against Arizona to be seeded high. 

This will be the lacrosse team’s last season competing in the PAC-12. Starting in the 2024-2025 season, the Aggies will join the Big 12 Conference for its inaugural women’s lacrosse season. 

While the team is looking forward to a new slate of opponents, their focus remains entirely on the culmination of the 2023-2024 season and making the most of their last PAC-12 Championship. 

Written by: Lucienne Brooker — sports@theaggie.org

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By LUCIENNE BROOKER — sports@theaggie.org

As rain clouds parted over Schaal Aquatics Center in Davis, the women’s water polo team entered the pool for their Big West Conference Quarterfinal match-up against UC Irvine. The Aggies and the Anteaters had faced off three times already during the 2024 season, with UC Irvine earning decisive victories in each match; the fourth encounter proved to be no different. 

Despite playing host for the entire tournament, the Aggies were seeded seventh out of eight teams after a rocky season. With only two conference wins, compared to five losses, the Aggies knew their road to the championship would be tough. 

In comparison, UC Irvine came into the conference tournament as the number two seed. They held a winning record of five victories and two losses in regular season play. With their stellar record, the Anteaters came into the playoffs with confidence. As the match went underway, the Aggies were able to open the scoring by jumping out to an early lead with a goal from third-year mechanical engineering major and attacker Gianna Nocetti. However, the Anteaters immediately responded to get themselves a point on the board and equalize the game. The first quarter of the match remained close, with each team scoring once more before the whistle blew. Second-year human development major and center Liberty Massman scored her 13th goal of the season. 

Moving into the second period of the match, UC Irvine saw their chance to pull ahead and take the lead, scoring three unanswered goals as soon as they hit the water. Hope wasn’t lost for the Aggies though, and Nocetti scored her second goal to cut the deficit to two going into halftime.

The third quarter was a bit more evenly matched, with each team again scoring two goals. Fourth-year communications major and utility player Grace Pelkey got on the scoreboard for the first time with Massman also converting again. Pelkey has shown her strong abilities this year finishing the season as the Aggies’ leading scorer with 37 goals. 

With only a two goal difference heading into the final quarter, the game was far from over as UC Irvine took a quick chance to restore their three goal lead. UC Davis responded with a goal by first-year undeclared major and center defender Chelsea Johnson, her 19th of the season. However, this final push didn’t prove to be enough and the Aggies were ultimately defeated 6-9.

This loss meant that the Aggies were eliminated from the Big West Conference Championship and had to remain spectators for the rest of the weekend. Semifinals took place the following day, on April 27. 

Although UC Irvine were the reigning 2023 champions, they promptly fell to third seeded Long Beach State 9-7. In the second semifinal, number one seeded University of Hawai’i defeated fourth seeded UC San Diego with a score of 17-10. 

The highly anticipated final match-up between Long Beach State and University of Hawai’i took place at noon on April 28. While Long Beach State had gotten through the tournament on a series of narrow victories, Hawai’i had been on a scoring roll they carried into the final. With a 9-5 Hawai’i win, the Rainbow Wāhine advanced to the NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championships. They are scheduled to take on Princeton on May 10. 

As for the Aggies, their season ended sooner than they had hoped, but they’ll begin to look forward to the 2025 season, hopefully taking their program one step further. 

Written by: Lucienne Brooker — sports@theaggie.org

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