As my time at UC Davis as an undergraduate and as the Aggie Pack emcee comes to a close, I thought it would be appropriate to say a formal and fond farewell to you, the students. After all, my undergraduate experience would not have been even close to what it was if it was not for the Aggie Pack you created. Together, we have successfully ushered in Division I, opened Aggie Stadium, beaten Stanford 11 times and have brought Aggie Pride to a new level. All in all, we have created a tremendous community of Aggies.
For me, it has not just been about the wins and the losses, the crowds or the recognition of being the emcee. It has been about the friendships, memories and experiences that have taken me from a wide-eyed freshman yearning to be a part of college athletics to the kid you know as “the Aggie Pack guy.” I have become who I am today because of the Aggie Packers whom I have shared so much with during my years as an undergrad.
Over the past four years, some of my fondest memories have come from the Aggie Pack and UC Davis Athletics. Think about September 17, 2005, the day UC Davis football did the unthinkable by beating Stanford. Ten thousand Aggie fans made the trek down to Palo Alto for the historic event.
I will be honest. At first, this game was not about winning; it was about a community coming together, showing its commitment to UC Davis and putting the university on display. As I walked on over to the pregame festival with my parents and some friends, I realized what a special community I was entering. At Stanford Stadium, it was amazing to witness the sea of Aggie Blue cheer UC Davis on to what some are calling the greatest upset in college football history.
This amazing feeling of being an Aggie has never and will never be extinguished, especially at UC Davis athletics events. Think back to Camp Beat UC Riverside (women’s basketball making the Big West Conference Tournament), rushing the field for the catch now known as “Hail Bakari,” rushing the court after beating Stanford in men’s basketball, men’s soccer rising to No. 7 in the nation and hosting an NCAA Tournament game, baseball beating Stanford in the Regionals, women’s water polo hosting the NCAA Championships and Derek Moore’s national championship in wrestling.
All of these moments are special to each of us. They were accomplishments not just for the players and coaches, but for UC Davis as a whole. I hope you never forget these memories and that feeling of Aggie Pride, especially when you ride past the UC Davis logos in the bike circles, a project I have tirelessly worked on and am hoping to expand.
Overall, I just want to say thank you for the memories. It has been fun and something I would not trade for the world. I hope I have helped make your years at UC Davis as special as you have helped make mine.
