Nov. 5, 2004
The University of Dayton men's basketball team will take on Capital University on Saturday in the first exhibition game for both teams at UD Arena beginning at 7 p.m. The game marks the return of former Flyer Damon Goodwin as the Crusaders' head coach.
Goodwin, a member of UD's 1,000-point club with 1,191 career points, played for the Flyers from 1982-86 under legendary head coach Don Donoher. Goodwin played in the postseason each of his last three years at Dayton, including the Flyers' 1984 run to the NCAA Elite Eight. During that season, he scored 10.1 points per game and led UD to a regular season win over #3 ranked DePaul as well as NCAA Tournament wins over Louisiana State, #7 Oklahoma and #15 Washington before falling to eventual National Champion Georgetown. He also set the record for free throw shooting percentage during his senior season as he missed just seven of 102 free throw attempts for a .931 mark.
"I really enjoyed the time I spent at UD," Goodwin said. "Not only did I meet my wife at Dayton, but I keep in touch with the guys I played with as well as Coach Donoher."
Goodwin recalls that some of his best memories in a Flyer uniform came during a UD win over DePaul in 1984 when Ed Young (1982-87) hit "the shot" as well as UD's two-point loss to eventual national champion Georgetown in the first round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament.
"The run we made in 1984 sticks out in my mind," Goodwin said. "I was also able to play in a number of great games at UD Arena, especially the ones against DePaul and Georgetown."
After he graduated from UD, Goodwin was drafted by the Phoneix Suns but returned to Dayton to become a graduate assistant coach with the Flyers for a season before becoming the head coach at Fairborn High School. After a season with the Skyhawks, he served as an assistant coach at Wittenberg University for five seasons before moving on to Capital University.
Goodwin, who is now in his 11th season as the head coach of the Crusaders, feels that the experience of playing at UD Arena against the Flyers will be good for the growth of his program.
"Some of our guys won't be used to playing in front of that kind of crowd," Goodwin said. "It's a great experience for our program. The atmosphere and environment is one of the best in the nation."
Capital has won 78 games over the past four seasons and took a 10-day, four-game tour of Spain this summer, but is looking to replace five starters from last year's team.
"We lost five kids who played a lot for us over the past four years," Goodwin said. "On Saturday, we want to get our kids out there, have fun and get ready for our season."
The game is part of a basketball exhibition doubleheader at UD Arena on Saturday. The women will begin play at 4:30 p.m. against The Ohio Legends led by former UD standout Chrissy Donovan Waleskowski. The men's game will follow at 7 p.m.
Nov. 5, 2004
The University of Dayton men's basketball team will take on Capital University on Saturday in the first exhibition game for both teams at UD Arena beginning at 7 p.m. The game marks the return of former Flyer Damon Goodwin as the Crusaders' head coach.
Goodwin, a member of UD's 1,000-point club with 1,191 career points, played for the Flyers from 1982-86 under legendary head coach Don Donoher. Goodwin played in the postseason each of his last three years at Dayton, including the Flyers' 1984 run to the NCAA Elite Eight. During that season, he scored 10.1 points per game and led UD to a regular season win over #3 ranked DePaul as well as NCAA Tournament wins over Louisiana State, #7 Oklahoma and #15 Washington before falling to eventual National Champion Georgetown. He also set the record for free throw shooting percentage during his senior season as he missed just seven of 102 free throw attempts for a .931 mark.
"I really enjoyed the time I spent at UD," Goodwin said. "Not only did I meet my wife at Dayton, but I keep in touch with the guys I played with as well as Coach Donoher."
Goodwin recalls that some of his best memories in a Flyer uniform came during a UD win over DePaul in 1984 when Ed Young (1982-87) hit "the shot" as well as UD's two-point loss to eventual national champion Georgetown in the first round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament.
"The run we made in 1984 sticks out in my mind," Goodwin said. "I was also able to play in a number of great games at UD Arena, especially the ones against DePaul and Georgetown."
After he graduated from UD, Goodwin was drafted by the Phoneix Suns but returned to Dayton to become a graduate assistant coach with the Flyers for a season before becoming the head coach at Fairborn High School. After a season with the Skyhawks, he served as an assistant coach at Wittenberg University for five seasons before moving on to Capital University.
Goodwin, who is now in his 11th season as the head coach of the Crusaders, feels that the experience of playing at UD Arena against the Flyers will be good for the growth of his program.
"Some of our guys won't be used to playing in front of that kind of crowd," Goodwin said. "It's a great experience for our program. The atmosphere and environment is one of the best in the nation."
Capital has won 78 games over the past four seasons and took a 10-day, four-game tour of Spain this summer, but is looking to replace five starters from last year's team.
"We lost five kids who played a lot for us over the past four years," Goodwin said. "On Saturday, we want to get our kids out there, have fun and get ready for our season."
The game is part of a basketball exhibition doubleheader at UD Arena on Saturday. The women will begin play at 4:30 p.m. against The Ohio Legends led by former UD standout Chrissy Donovan Waleskowski. The men's game will follow at 7 p.m.
