Jan. 17, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - With the spring sports season upon us, the Atlantic 10 head coaches have predicted how the 2008 season will unfold.

Baseball

Flyer baseball is expected to move up four spots to a seventh place finish this season. Dayton finished the regular season with a 9-18 record in the A-10. Fifteen letter-winners return to the squad for the 2008 campaign - eight pitchers and seven positional players.

Top returning pitcher Quinn Haselhorst is included in that pitching stable. In 2007 Haselhorst threw 92.1 innings for the Flyers compiling 3.80 ERA. On offense both Scott Dunwoody and Myles Swartzel return for Dayton. Dunwoody played in 52 of 54 Flyer games last season compiling a .315 batting average and 63 hits. Swartzel played in 37 games last season and put together a .352 batting average.

The Flyers open their season in Buies Creek, NC against Campbell on February 22. Their first A-10 showdown will be a month later on March 22 when they play host to conference foe Xavier at Time Warner Cable Stadium.

Softball

New coach Cara Clark's team has been predicted to repeat their finish from last year in the 10th slot. The Flyer softball team put together a 3-14 A-10 record. Ten letter-winners return to a young squad.

Senior pitcher Erin LaFayette led the team last season in ERA with a 3.64 and wins with a total of five. In the field Blair Crabtree returns with a team-leading 19 RBI's and three home runs. Also included in that stable are offensive catalysts Mollie Schrank and Molly Meyer.

Dayton opens their season on the road at the UNI Dome Tournament in Cedar Falls, IA. Their first opponent of the Cara Clark era will be against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux on February 9. They will begin A-10 play on the road against Charlotte on March 22.

Women's Outdoor Track

The Flyers are anticipated to finish in the fifth in the A-10, an improvement from last year's seventh place finish overall.

The young track and field squad returns only two seniors to the lineup. Emily Deet and Megan Sweeney both wrap up their collegiate careers this season for the Flyers. Track and field added 15 newcomers to its roster for the 2008 season.

The Flyers will open their regular season up at the Miami University Invitational in Oxford, Ohio on March 29.

Men's Tennis

Men's tennis is projected to go ninth in the A-10 Championships this season.

Flyer men's tennis returns two seniors for the 2008 spring season. James O'Connell and Joshua Vance return for their final season as Flyers. UD added three freshmen to their lineup in the off-season.

The A-10 championship will be played at the Oxford Athletic Club in Monroeville, PA on April 4.

Women's Tennis

The women's squad is expected to finish 11th at this year's A-10 championship.

UD's young Flyer will graduate two of its members this season, Allysa Detroy and Megan Gray. Five freshmen join the Flyers for their rookie campaign; Chelsea Glankler, Chelsea Gray, Kellaina Grote, Kelly O'Connell and Kara Root.

The Flyers will compete on April 28 at the Oxford Athletic Club in Monroeville, PA for the A-10 crown.

Men's Golf

Moving up a spot from their championship finish last year, coaches expect the men's golf team to place seventh at the A-10 tournament.

The Flyers added four new faces to the roster; Ian Gilley, Zach Glassman, Jeff Hodapp and Chris Woeste. This year's team is led by Rob Chappell, Mitch Custenborder, Matthew Friend, Mark Juve and Nick Trubee.

Dayton will look to take the top spot at the A-10 Championships at the Orange County National Golf Course in Winter Garden, FL on May 2.

Women's Rowing

The women's rowing team has been tabbed to finish fourth in the upcoming A-10 championships.

Nine seniors will finish out their rowing careers this season; Nicki Bianco, Melissa Brandfass, Annie Dunn, Sarah Kettler, Susan Leopold, Fiona Martin, Maria Otte, Lisa Pedevillano and Marcie Shockey.

Women's rowing will round out the 2008 season at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken, N.J. for the A-10 crown on April 19.