Name: Eddie Gamboa
Hometown: Merced, Calif.
Sport: Baseball
Position: Pitcher
Year: Senior
Major: Communication
In a season in which the UC Davis baseball team set a school record with 35 wins, senior Eddie Gamboa has been a huge contributor to the team’s success.
The Merced High School product and fifth-year senior Aggie earned second-team Big West distinctions while leading UC Davis to its first ever Division I postseason birth.
Gamboa led the pitching staff with a 2.61 ERA and three complete games. He also posted a 7-3 record in his 14 starts.
In his most recent outing, Gamboa pitched a complete game four-hitter in UC Davis’ 4-2 regional victory against No. 15 Stanford on Saturday, its third victory in as many games over the Cardinal this season.
Name: Jessica Soza
Hometown: Walnut Creek, Calif.
Position: Defender
Year: Senior
Major: Clinical nutrition
UC Davis’ all-time leader in minutes played, Jessica Soza was the steady horse all season that the Aggies needed to lead their defensively-minded team to the program’s best ever finish.
The Las Lomas High School product sealed UC Davis’ ticket to the NCAA Tournament this year with her great play at the Western Water Polo Association Tournament.
Head coach Jamey Wright and goalie Casey Hines both call Soza the best defender in all of water polo, but winning the WWPA Tournament MVP showed that she has skills on both sides of the pool. During that three-game stretch, Soza scored three crucial goals — including the game winner in the conference semifinal over Santa Clara.
After twice receiving second-team All-WWPA honors, Soza finished her career with a first-team nod for the 2008 season.
Name: Katie McMahon
Hometown: Pleasanton, Calif.
Sport: Lacrosse
Position: Midfielder
Year: Senior
Major: Sociology
The idea of a winning season for the UC Davis women’s lacrosse team seemed unobtainable this year with a myriad of injuries, but Katie McMahon was always there to lend a helping hand.
After sitting out the 2007 season while recovering from shoulder surgery, the Foothill High School product continued where she left off in 2006 with the 2008 campaign. She scored 61 goals this season, tops in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
Playing in all 18 games for UC Davis, McMahon collected 41 ground balls and 31 draw controls to accompany her team-high 19 assists and 32 caused turnovers.
McMahon finishes her distinguished career with Aggie all-time marks in goals (252), points (321), caused turnovers (131), 8-meter shots (141) and total shots (568) while finishing just three assists short of breaking that record as well.
