Sports

When UC Davis head coach Rex Peters looked at his baseball team before the season, he didn't see what his colleagues saw.

The Big West Conference coaches picked the Aggies to finish in a tie for last place in the league with Cal State Northridge, a team that had lost 18 of 21 conference games the year before.

Just when you thought it was safe to put down your Twinkies and Coke to go run the track at Toomey, think again.

Track season isn't over just yet.

Teams: UC Davis vs. No. 11 UC Irvine

Records: Aggies, 31-19 (10-8); Anteaters, 34-14 (10-8)

Where: Dobbins Stadium

It's a hard-knock life, but somebody's got to do it.

That somebody is the UC Davis women's rugby team. In fact, the Aggies have had some recent national success, and have been taking names in the process.

Event: Big West Conference Championships

Host: Cal State Northridge

Where: Matador Track - Northridge

Kathy DeYoung built the program with her own hands. Now, she is passing it on.

Anne Walker, the current associate head coach at California, will assume the helm of the UC Davis women's golf program on July 1. She will succeed DeYoung, who brought the sport to UC Davis in 2005 and is retiring after coaching at the university for 30 years.

Before coming to UC Davis, Justin Fitzgerald had never closed a game in his life.

After Tuesday's performance, no Aggie has ever done it more.

Given their dismal 6-21 non-conference record, it would be easy to write off any series against the Highlanders as an easy win.

This past weekend at the Riverside Sports Complex, the Aggies (30-19, 10-8) learned that UC Riverside (18-27, 12-6) sat second in the Big West Conference for good reason.

Entering the NCAA Championships, UC Davis women's water polo already had its share of accomplishments.

It had won a conference title, tied a school record for wins and set new program marks in goals scored, assists, ejections drawn and longest winning streak.

Teams: UC Davis vs. Cal State Northridge

Records: Aggies, 22-34 (8-10); Matadors, 21-23 (10-8)

Where: Matador Diamond - Northridge

Track and field

There's unstoppable, and then there's Sirena Williams unstoppable.

When it comes to who will be UC Davis' next starting quarterback, sophomore frontrunner Greg Denham has been left in the dark.

"I don't know - no comment," said Denham, who's been competing for the spot with junior Daniel Alfaro and redshirt freshman Sean Maraz. "I don't really have any idea or any say."

Heading into this weekend's series, the Matadors thought they had a chance to make the playoffs.

On Friday, they were forced to think differently.

Walking the greens of the NCAA Division I Women's Golf West Regional, UC Davis wasn't just happy to be there.

But there were so many reasons why they should've been.

Making its first appearance at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, Pa. since taking third in the 2004 grand final, the UC Davis women's rowing team made its return known.

"We wanted to focus on our race plan and not everybody else," said head coach Carissa Adams. "We felt if we could execute our race place then we could win."