CHANCELL-ING: Aggies Excel in Academics, Athletics
Commencement season is here, one of my favorite times of the year. It’s when we celebrate collectively a major milestone in the lives of our students and their families.
With a degree from UC Davis, students are well equipped for success in the next chapters of their lives, whether it’s entering the workforce, graduate school or whatever path comes next.
That’s certainly true for our 671 student-athletes. Among the class of 2025 are a combined 123 undergraduates and graduate students who excelled in the classroom and the competition fields. From the gridiron and basketball courts to gymnastics, baseball and far beyond, UC Davis Athletics fosters an environment where our student-athletes are encouraged to excel in their academic studies, paving the way for their success once they graduate.
I always say that athletics are the front porch of a university. In this case, we’re witnessing a remarkable story of excellence in both academics and athletics.
For this past winter quarter, UC Davis student-athletes posted an average GPA of 3.3. Out of this group, 77 finished the quarter with a perfect 4.0. Nearly 72% of our student-athletes ended their quarter with a 3.0 GPA or higher. I’d also note that the number of UC Davis student-athletes pursuing STEM majors is more than 20% higher than the national average.
These students are on track to be game-changers in their chosen fields. They are people like Kaia Wolfe, a member of the women’s tennis team who’s majoring in Aerospace Science and Mechanical Engineering. Now, she’s also interning with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
In a March interview with UC Davis Athletics, Kaia said, “Tennis taught me how to stay focused, even under pressure, which was incredibly useful when working on complex models or dealing with tight time constraints.”
Meanwhile, Audrey Lee combined her love of sports with her studies in statistical data science. The senior field hockey player landed an internship with the San Diego Padres, joining its finance team to assist with budgetary work and day-to-day operations. In the process, she also gained leadership and critical thinking skills that will be a tremendous asset after she graduates this spring.
Many of our student-athletes also have an artistic flair. In April, our Manetti Shrem Museum hosted an art exhibition created by student-athletes. More than 20 students participated in this 16th annual “Art of Athletes” exhibition, showcasing their paintings, videography and photography talents.
Our teams also reached new heights in this year’s competition. The whole year was a lengthy highlight reel for UC Davis Athletics, one in which our football team finished 5th in the country with big wins over Idaho and Montana.
The UC Davis women’s gymnastics team qualified for NCAA regionals for the first time since 2014, while women’s golf qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015. The 2024-25 academic year also saw women’s basketball head coach Jennifer Gross set the all-time wins record in the program’s history.
We’re already looking forward to another season of success once the fall quarter starts in September. I encourage you to support our student-athletes and enjoy some games in the 2025-2026 season. You can plan ahead now, as season tickets for football are already on sale.
No matter what sport you choose, our games are fun and affordable ways to entertain the family while rooting for UC Davis teams and our entire city.
In the meantime, let’s root for all our students graduating this spring. Our primary goal at UC Davis is for all students to be winners in the game of life. With a diploma from UC Davis, they are well on their way to victory.