THROW-INS
1st - This is the 1st meeting in the Final between the programs; all three previous were semifinals with UCI outscoring, 3-0
9 - In UC Irvine's 9 wins, they've had 9 different game-winning goal scorers including an own goal at CS Fullerton
7 - 7 Anteaters earned All-Big West awards led by defenders Mathias Winum and Ricardo Ibarra on the First Team
3-0-1 - UCI began the year 3-0-1 unbeaten in their first four, the program's best start under head coach Yossi Raz
15th - UCI beat a ranked Cal State Fullerton, the first ranked win since 2019, and the 15th win ever against a top-13 program
#1 - Coach Raz's 2019 recruiting class was ranked #1 in the nation with four on the 2023 roster and two now playing pro
 
· UC Irvine finished second in the Big West on 16 points after a preseason projection of fourth. The Anteaters have now won four straight to match the longest winning streak for coach Raz
· The Anteaters exorcised the demons Saturday coming back to defeat UCSB, 2-1, after the Gauchos had ended their season the last two years. Eddy Berumen was one of the heroes scoring his first career goal to equalize in the 68th minute. Samuel Atiye put home his first career game-winner in the 79th minute
· Luke Pruter is approaching the Anteater top 10 in saves now with 139 for his career, two shy of Scott Zinser's 141 in 10th. Pruter's seven shutouts are the most in the Big West as are his six goals allowed in Big West matches while allowing one or fewer goals in 16 overall matches
· The Anteaters attack has come on of late with nine of their 19 goals this season during their four-match win streak. The Anteaters have won nine games and had nine different players notch game-winners including an own goal. The team is also disciplined with just 11.83 fouls per match, a full foul per game less than any other squad in the Big West Championship field
· Ricardo Ibarra broke through for his first goals since 2021 with a brace vs. UCSD. Part of it was his first career game-winning goal in his 76th career match and 60th start. In the match, he also surpassed 5,000 career minutes in which he's also totaled nine career assists and 17 points.
· Head Coach Yossi Raz traditionally has his team clicking entering the Big West Championship. In the final four matches before the five postseason berths the team has had under coach Raz, the Anteaters have a combined record of 14-4-2.

All-Big West Awards
· UC Irvine represented with seven 'Eaters claiming All-Big West honors. Ricardo Ibarra earned his third honor on the First Team along with fellow defender, Mathias Winum. Luke Pruter and Mario Anaya were also first-timers on the Second Team with Oscar Cervantes as a defensive trio. Two freshmen scored All-Freshmen Team love in Brady Treinen and Mauricio Gutierrez.

Saturday Big West Final vs. the Aggies - 6:00 PM
· The Aggies return to Anteater Stadium where they were victorious October 7 downing UCI, 1-0, on a Lucas Fernandez-Kim in the 61st minute. The Aggies have won four straight on the road since including Saturday's OT upset win at Fullerton. The sides have met three times in the postseason, all Big West semifinals with two wins to UCI, but the most recent going to UC Davis in a penalty shootout in 2018.
· UC Davis played their brand of soccer with a hearty helping of defense and enough offense to get the job done. They scored 23 goals this year, but only eight in conference play while sporting one of the Big West's top save percentages. Cason Goodman and Ryan Dieter are the pair to lookout for with Goodman collecting seven goals and five game-winners while Dieter has eight assists to his name

Big West Championship
· UC Irvine is back in the Big West Championship for a fifth straight season and the 12th appearance in 15 tournaments. The 'Eaters return to the Final for a second time in three seasons, and are searching for their first title since 2013. This is the fifth title to be decided in Anteater Stadium with UCI winning it in 2008, 2011, and 2013, and failing to advance in 2014 losing on penalty kicks to Cal State Fullerton