Football
UC Davis defensive tackle John Faletoese was named the Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday while joining offensive lineman Jonathan Compas as a three-time All-GWC first-team honoree and headlining 16 Aggies recognized by the league.
The Aggies, who finished second in the Great West Conference, placed six players on the first team and 10 on the second. Besides Faletoese and Compas, other first-team honorees included wide receiver Chris Carter, tight end Dean Rogers, center Tommy Hernandez and linebacker Tyler Pringle.
Earning recognition on the second team were wide receivers Bakari Grant and Brandon Rice, offensive linemen Mario Gonzalez and Mark Tos, quarterback Greg Denham, running back Joe Trombetta, placekicker Sean Kelley, defensive end Pat Michelier, linebacker Mike Morales and cornerback Jeremy Scott.
Men’s soccer
UC Davis junior forward Chris Leer was named in the College Soccer News National Team of the Week for the period ending Nov. 23. It marks the first weekly honor in Leer’s career.
Leer, a native of Danville, Calif., scored a career-high two goals in the Aggies’ 4-0 win over Denver during last Saturday’s NCAA Championship first round game at Aggie Soccer Stadium.
He also scored the lone UC Davis goal in a 2-1 second-round loss at No. 13 Michigan on Tuesday.
Women’s volleyball
UC Davis senior Renee Ibekwe earned a first-team nod on the All-Big West Conference women’s volleyball squad; it was announced Tuesday. Freshman Keala Peterson was selected to the All-Freshman team.
Both student-athletes are the first in Aggie volleyball history to win such awards in the Big West. Libero Avreeta Singh captured All-Big West honorable mention in 2007, the school’s first year as an official member.
Ibekwe, an outside hitter from Carson, Calif., led UC Davis in kills (380) and total attempts (1,162) while adding 15 aces, 326 digs and 31 total blocks.
Peterson, an outside hitter from Sebastopol, Calif., started eight of her 22 total matches in 2008, delivering 241 kills, 48 digs and 25 blocks.
Wrestling
UC Davis head wrestling coach Lennie Zalesky announced recently that Oak Ridge High School standout Kyle West has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete for the Aggies beginning in the 2009-2010 season.
West is currently ranked third nationally at 140 pounds among high school wrestlers by WIN-Magazine.
“I believe Kyle is the highest nationally-ranked wrestler to sign with UC Davis,” Zalesky said.
West, who enters his senior season with an overall record of 144-14, has placed no lower than fourth at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championships during his prep career.
His highest finish came last year as a junior when he was runner-up while battling through an injury. His junior year also featured a Sac-Joaquin Master’s title and a second Division II Sac-Joaquin Section and Sierra Valley Conference title.
Aggie Digest is compiled by the California Aggie sports staff with briefs from the UC Davis athletics website, ucdavisaggies.com.
