UC Davis plans a broad facilities upgrade as it looks forward to joining the Mountain West in 2026
Phased-in, donor-supported $265 million project encompasses facilities improvements in a wide variety of Aggie sports
My beloved alma mater, UC Davis, has just announced a bold and stunning but entirely achievable plan to dramatically upgrade its athletic facilities in the near future.
Named “Aggie Ascent,” the blueprint envisions major improvements over a wide variety of Aggie sports venues, including UC Davis Health Stadium and the University Credit Union Center, plus improved facilities for track and field, baseball, softball, soccer, tennis and golf, among others, and a new facilities master plan that defines the next chapter for UC Davis Athletics.
This master plan for UC Davis athletics is being developed in partnership with ELS Architecture and Urban Design, a firm out of Berkeley with offices in Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego.
It won’t happen overnight.
Rather, it is a long-term, phased-in, gift-driven project that carries a $265 million price tag. The plan envisions dynamic athletic “districts” designed to enrich the student-athlete experience, enhance and engage the fan base and strengthen the department’s long-term sustainability.
“As we transition into the Mountain West Conference, Aggie Ascent is about more than facilities,” said UC Davis Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca.
“It’s about aligning with the future of Division I athletics. This plan captures the climb ahead of us and the belief that our student-athletes and fans deserve an experience that matches the excellence of UC Davis. Every project, from the stadium district to the golf center, represents a step forward and building something uniquely ours.”
As leadership gifts and partnerships are secured, early priorities include revenue-generating and high-impact facilities that expand community engagement and elevate the game-day atmosphere.
Among the new or upgraded facilities are:
- UC Davis Health Stadium: A reimagined fan experience anchored by new premium seating, suites and a hospitality concourse. The $50 million expansion will include a special event space to be used year-round by the university community.
- Woody Wilson track and field complex: A new NCAA-compliant, eight-lane facility with west-facing spectator seating, integrating all events — including throws — into a single venue with an option to add team spaces and restrooms with a total cost of $14.5 million
- Golf training center: A 350-yard driving range, with short game and putting greens, that will have dual roles serving UCD golf programs as well as the surrounding communities. The anticipated project cost is $18.7 million.
Future phases will expand and elevate baseball, soccer and the University Credit Union Center venues. A new softball stadium with locker rooms, team spaces and fan amenities will join the golf training center to transform the south campus as LaRue Field (softball) has been designated for redevelopment after 2035.
“Our campus has always been defined by progress,” said Chancellor Gary May.
“Aggie Ascent captures that forward momentum by combining thoughtful design, sustainable growth and a commitment to student success. It reflects the same excellence that defines UC Davis across academics, research and innovation.”
Head Football Coach Tim Plough emphasized the importance of facilities in shaping a competitive and holistic student-athlete experience.
“Aggie Ascent is a statement about where this program is headed,” Plough noted.
“We talk all the time about controlling what we can control — preparation, attitude, effort — and this plan is the facilities version of that mindset. It’s a commitment to giving our student-athletes every resource they need to be at their best and to providing our fans with a game-day experience that matches the pride they bring to our sporting events.”
According to Clarence Mamuyac, chairman of ELS Architecture and Urban Design, “From the outset our team worked collaboratively with a shared vision: to bring UC Davis Athletics together by organizing its teams, sports and venues across 5,300 acres into two distinct Aggie Districts - East and West. This approach creates a more connected and integrated athletics experience for the entire UC Davis community. Aggie Ascent is about uniting athletics and campus life through design that honors place, celebrates sustainability and fosters pride while positioning UC Davis for success for generations to come.”
Donor support, obviously, is the key to successful completion of this ambitious roadmap for Aggie athletics. The project will move forward as private support and strategic partnerships are secured. Each project represents an opportunity for leadership donors to make a lasting impact, including significant naming opportunities.
“As we climb together, Aggie Ascent is both a plan and a promise,” DeLuca added.
“A promise that UC Davis Athletics will continue to rise with facilities that inspire, programs that compete and a community that believes the best is still ahead.”
For more information, visit AggieAscent.com
This is stunning. I hope it comes to pass.
Definitely improves the look and feel of all venues,. But where is the plan to improve attendance at games from the current 20 - 30% of capacity (with the exception of a few select, “break the record night” games)? Is the presumption that step up in conference will also lead to that?