DAYTON—The University of Dayton honored the 2017 Flyer football team today at its annual Football Awards Banquet. The banquet, presented by the UD Flyers Club, was at the Kennedy Union Ballroom on campus.

Senior cornerback and kick returner extraordinaire Christian Searles (Chicago, Ill.) was named the recipient of the White-Allen Most Valuable Player Trophy.

Searles is the only player in the 25-year history of the Pioneer Football League to earn five First Team All-PFL honors (cornerback in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and kick returner in 2015 and 2017). 

Despite being avoided by opposing quarterbacks on a regular basis, Searles still tied for the conference lead in passes broken up (11) in 2017.  Searles also led UD in fumbles forced (2), was third in solo tackles (42) and was fifth in total tackles (58).

 Searles, who was also named the Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Year, was also Dayton's special teams captain this season. He ranked seventh in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision with 825 combined kick return yards in 2017.  He was second in the PFL in both kickoff return average (23.8, behind San Diego's Emilio Martinez) and punt return average (7.8, behind Campbell's Jaquan Brooks).

The White-Allen Most Valuable Player Trophy is sponsored by Tim White and White-Allen Auto Group, Inc. The award is selected by members of the team. The White Allen Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953. White Allen now sponsors the MVP award for UD's men's and women's basketball, football and volleyball teams.

Searles was also named the recipient of the Sheriff "Beno" Keiter Award, which goes to the senior for the most outstanding contribution to the program over his college career.  Searles was the only four-year player on the team to start at least one game in the last four years.

Senior Matt Tunnacliffe (West Chester, Ohio) was also a double winner.  He had already been named the 2017 recipient of the Lt. Andy Zulli Award at halftime of UD's final home game against Marist.  The award, one of the most prestigious in the program, is for sportsmanship, character, and leadership.

Tunnacliffe was also awarded the A.J. Cohen Flyer of the Year award.  It is presented in memory of Cohen, a former Flyer wide receiver who left his mark on the program with his everyday positive attitude and team-first approach.  A walk-on in 2015, Tunnacliffe started every game this season and was third on the team in receptions (21) and yards-per-catch (12.5).  He was also the team's long snapper on PAT's, field goals and punts.

Redshirt senior linebacker Jack Crain (Lisle, Ill.), was named the winner of the Chief Toscani Hitter Award.  A team captain, Crain is a three-time All-PFL performer.  He finished the season second on the team in tackles (80) and tackles in the backfield (6.5).  He also had 41 unassisted tackles, four passes broken up, a fumble recovery and an interception that he returned for a 34-yard touchdown at Davidson.

Junior offensive tackle Ben Gauthier (Avon, Ohio) was named the Stan Kurdziel Memorial Trophy winner. The Kurdziel Trophy goes to the team's top lineman. Gauthier started his very first game as a true freshman, and has 31 career starts.  Gauthier was named UD's Offensive Player of the Week in two consecutive weeks (Davidson and Butler) in 2017.  He was Second Team All-PFL.

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Lucas Edwards (Mason, Ohio) earned the John L. Macbeth Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award. Edwards is a pre-med major with a minor in Spanish with a perfect 4.0 GPA.  

Senior defensive end Nick Surges (Naperville, Ill.) was this year's recipient of the Emil Karas Memorial Award.  The Karas Award is for the most inspirational leadership as chosen by his teammates. A team captain, Surges was two-time All-PFL. 

This season's Most Improved Player Award went to redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Kaparos (Columbus, Ohio). Kaparos started the first five games of the season, stepping up when returning starter Alex Jeske was injured in the off-season.  Despite playing just a handful of plays last season with no pass attempts going into the year, Kaparos was 67 of 126 passing (.532) for 697 yards, five TD and two interceptions in 2017.

True freshman defensive back Brandon Easterling (Fairborn, Ohio) was named as the ROTC Cannonball Award winner, which goes to the team's top newcomer. Easterling made his mark immediately on special teams, playing in all 11 games, and worked his way into the rotation in the secondary by the end of the season.  His very first statistic from scrimmage was an interception in the Marist game which is started at safety.  For the year he also had 15 tackles, a fumble forced and one recovered and a PBU.

Freshman quarterback Jack Cook (Cranberry Township, Pa.) was named Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year. Freshman linebacker Alec Trautman (Williamsburg, Mich.) was named Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year.

Student-athletes who earned conference awards were also recognized.

Eleven Flyers were named All-Pioneer Football League honors. Cornerback/kick returner Christian Searles was the PFL's Special Teams Player of the Year, and first team all-league as both a corner back and kick returner.  Linebacker Jack Crain, punter Sean Smith and running back Tucker Yinger joined Searles on the first team.   Named Second Team All-PFL were offensive tackle Ben Gauthier and tight end Adam Trautman.  Five Flyers were also named Honorable Mention All-PFL – offensive guard Wes Hegemann, quarterback Alex Jeske, safety David Leisring, defensive end Nick Surges and long snapper/wide receiver Matt Tunnacliffe.

Aside from success on the field, numerous Flyers enjoyed success in the classroom in 2017.   Six Flyers were named First Team Academic All-PFL.  Jack Crain, Alex Jeske and Tucker Yinger were all named First Team Academic All-PFL for the third time.   Joining them were safety David Leisring (named for the second time), defensive tackle Isaac Sexton and safety Tim Simon.  

Dayton also had five CoSIDA Academic All-District selections in 2017.  No Division I team had more.  Jack Crain, David Leisring, Isaac Sexton, Tim Simon and Tucker Yinger all earned the honor, and all five advanced to the national ballot for Academic All-America, which will be named this week.  Yinger was named for the third time. 

Dayton finished 5-6, just UD's second sub-.500 season in the last 41 years.  Four of the losses were by a total of 15 points.  The Flyers were 4-4 in the PFL.

2017 UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON FOOTBALL AWARD WINNERS
•White- Allen MVP---Christian Searles
• Beno Keiter 4-Year----Christian Searles
•Chief Toscani Hitter----Jack Crain
•Emil Karis Leadership---- Nick Surges
•Stan Kurdziel Lineman----Ben Gauthier
•A.J. Cohen Flyer of the Year---Matt Tunnacliffe
•ROTC Cannonball Newcomer----Brandon Easterling
•Most Improved----Kyle Kaparos
• John L. Macbeth Scholar-Athlete-----Lucas Edwards
•Scout Offensive----Jack Cook
•Scout Defensive----Alec Trautman
• Lt. Andy Zulli Character----Matt Tunnacliffe