CATCHING UP WITH RANDY WRIGHT:FORMER NEWMAN QB SETTLES IN AT UC DAVIS EFFICIENT SIGNAL CALLER WILL LEAD AGGIES INTO NEW BIG SKY LINEUP

With another season as starting quarterback in the books, Randy Wright has proven an efficient passer and signal caller for UC Davis after a stellar prep career at Cardinal Newman.

Twice named Great West Conference offensive player of the week this season, Wright ranked second in the conference in total offense in the 2011 season. Wright completed nearly 60 percent of his passes and threw for more than 200 yards per game.

Wright posted numbers comparable to his first season as a starter, when he was named Great West Conference rookie of the year. In 2010 Wright threw for more than 220 yards a game and won two conference offensive player of the week honors.

In both campaigns Wright was better than 2-to-1 in touchdowns to interceptions.

"Randy has taken over as the unrivaled leader on the team on the offensive side. He can feel comfortable in that position and he's accepted that role," said Davis head coach Bob Biggs.

After sitting out his first year at Davis, Wright was the first red shirt freshman starter at quarterback for the Aggies in a decade.

Wright, in his second season, helped lead a young Davis team to a 4-7 campaign.

Returning a strong core of players, Davis heads into a new conference -- the Big Sky -- for 2012. Joining the Aggies in moving out of the Great West Conference are Cal Poly, Southern Utah and North Dakota.

An All-State quarterback at Cardinal Newman, Wright led the Cardinals to the North Coast Section Div. 2 title as a senior in 2008. Cardinal Newman's only loss on the season was in the California Interscholastic Federation Div. 3 championship bowl game, to St. Bonaventure.

Wright also was named Empire Offensive Player of the Year.

Wright is majoring in communications at Davis.