UC Davis head coach Dan Hawkins, a familiar face to European and international football audiences, has achieved school history in only his third year with the program. The Aggies have achieved two top five rankings in Football Championship Subdivision, FCS, preseason polls. The defending Big Sky Conference-champions were listed by HERO Sports as its No. 3 team nationally, behind only James Madison and North Dakota State; while Athlon Sports have the program at No. 5. This is the highest preseason ranking ever achieved by UC Davis since becoming a Division I program in 2007. In fact, HERO’s No. 3 ranking marks the highest FCS poll position of any kind for the Aggies, surpassing the No. 4 spot in the STATS FCS Top 25 back on November 5. UC Davis comes off a season that boasted a 10-3 overall record, an NCAA quarterfinal appearance, the program’s first Big Sky Conference title. The Aggies return a total of 19 starters, including quarterback and 2018 Big Sky Offensive Player of the YearJake Maier. Hawkins,who guided theUnited Statesto an overwhelming gold medal in the2015 IFAF World Championships, and then, asoffensive coordinator, helpedSweden’s Carlstad Crusaderswinboth the Swedish titleand theIFAF Europe Champions League crown, as well ascoaching withAustria’s Vienna Vikings, was the runaway winner of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Hawkinsplayed for theUC Davis Aggiesin the early 1980s and was an assistant there from 1983-85. ATHLON PRESEASON TOP 25 HERO SPORTS PRESEASON TOP 25 The post Dan Hawkins UC Davis Aggies earn highest preseason ranking in school history appeared first on American Football International. #DanHawkins #UCDavisAggies #2015IFAFWorldChampionships