DAYTON – When the University of Dayton football team reports to preseason camp on August 6, Flyer coach Rick Chamberlin will welcome 35 new players to the program. 

The 2017 class is another example of the program's commitment to academic success, including a number of business, engineering, biology, pre-law, pre-med, sport management, physics, and finance majors, among others. In high school, they combined for 30 All-Conference selections, more than 20 All-Area/District/Region/County selections, and over 10 All-State selections. 19 of them were team captains for one or multiple seasons. Also, the majority of them were two or three-sport athletes.

In addition, here are a few of the unusual achievements, attributes, and hobbies of the 2017 freshman class:
-Co-Founder of Lux Columbus Streetwear Clothing
-State finalist in track
-Junior coach for youth football
-Student Council Members (President, Vice President)
-Brazilian Jiu-Jistu fanatic
-Ranked "Top 30" in the world in Call of Duty: Black Ops
- National Honor Society
-Fishing, cooking, boating, water/snow skiing, powerlifting, golfing, music, video games, etc.

This year's recruiting class comes to the Hilltop from 10 different states.  Ten are from Ohio, six are from Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania both produced four, two come from Georgia, Indiana, Missouri and Tennessee, and one each are from Florida and Kentucky.

2017 Flyer Football Freshmen
Cameren Alber - DE, 6-3, 215, Brookville, OH (Brookville) – All-County, All-League (Rugby)
Luke Anthony - QB, 6-3, 190, Wheaton, IL (Wheaton North) – First Team All-Conference, All-Area
Nick Bart - OL, 6-3, 290, South Barrington, IL (Barrington) – All-Conference, All-Area
Nick Bell - OL, 6-2, 250, Franklin, TN (Centennial) – All-Region, Team Captain
Anthony Best - S, 6-0, 195, Park Hills, KY (Covington Catholic) – Team Captain, All-Conference, All-Region
Kevin Bickett - WR, 5-10, 165, Ortonville, MI (Brandon) – Team Captain, Second Team All-League
Jacob Brunson - OL, 6-3, 280, Marietta, GA (Pope) – All-Region, All-County, Team Captain, Defensive Lineman of the Year
Joe Bubonics - CB, 5-11, 180, Solon, OH (Solon) – Team Captain, All-District/All-Conference Honorable Mention
Jacob Buerkle - LB, 6-0, 200, Cincinnati, OH (St. Xavier) – Team Captain, All-Conference, All-Region
Paddy Byrne - WR, 5-11, 165, Chicago, IL (St. Patrick) – Team Offensive MVP 2016-17
Jack Cook - QB, 6-0, 195, Cranberry Township, PA (Seneca Valley) – All-Conference, Second Team All-State, Team Captain, All-County
Anthony D'Annibale - WR, 6-1, 190, Novi, MI (Novi) – First Team All-State/All-Region/All-Conference/All-Area/All-County, MHSAA D-I State Record (most receiving TD's in a game: 6), Three Career School Records (Receiving Yards, TD Receptions, Receptions/Game)
Brandon Easterling - S, 5-11, 190, Fairborn, OH (Fairborn) – Team Captain, All-Conference, All-District, All-State
James Ellis - DT, 6-2, 260, Roswell, GA (Blessed Trinity Catholic) – All-State, All-Region, State Runner-up (2015)
Shane Ferrick - LB, 6-1, 225, Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh Central Catholic) – Three-year starter on football and lacrosse teams (injured midway through senior season)
Steven Fleming - WR, 5-10, 190, Chicago, IL (Lemont) – Team Captain, All-Conference
Evan Frazier - WR, 6-3, 210, Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh Central Catholic) – All-Conference
Joe Gannon - DL, 6-3, 238, Naperville, IL (Naperville Central) – Team Captain, Second Team All-Conference
Parker Getz - DT, 6-2, 245, Bexley, OH (Bexley) – Team Captain, First Team All-Conference/All-District/All-State, League Lineman of the Year
Mike Hegewald - TE, 6-4, 230, Traverse City, MI (Traverse City) – First Team All-Conference/All-Region Team
Jack Ilewski - WR, 6-0, 180, St. Louis, MO (De Smet Jesuit) – Team Captain, All-Conference, All-District
Simon Kroos - CB, 6-2, 175, Bexley, OH (Bexley) – First Team All-League/All-District, Second Team All-State
Clayton Langdon - S, 6-0, 195, Akron, OH (Revere) – All-League, All-District, Team Captain, 2017 Student-Athlete of the Year (WAKR News)
Andrew Lordo - OL, 6-3, 275, St. Louis, MO (Chaminade Prep) – First Team All-Conference/All-District
Logan Moews - RB, 5-10, 195, Hoffman Estates, IL (Barrington) – All-Conference, All-Area, All-State, Academic All-State, Team Captain, Chicago Tribune Athlete of the Year Candidate
Jake Moore - C, 6-2, 275, Treasure Island, FL (Jesuit) – All-County, All-Area, All-State, Team Captain
Austin Newland - S, 6-0, 185, Carmel, IN (Carmel) – Team Captain, State Champion
Nate Obringer - DE, 6-2, 210, Lebanon, OH (Lebanon) – First Team All-Conference, Team Captain
Patrick Sandler - K/P, 5-10, 170, Greenwood, IN (Roncalli) – 2016 Kicking World All-American, All-Regional, All-County, Academic All-State
Jack Schell - OL, 6-4, 250, Downingtown, PA (Bishop Shanahan) – All-County, All-League (Rugby)
Alec Trautman - LB, 6-1, 225, Williamsburg, MI (Elk Rapids) – Team Captain, All-Conference
Allen Waltz - K/P, 6-1, 170, Blue Ash, OH (Summit Country Day) – First Team All-Conference/All-District, Third Team All-State, High School's All-Time Leading Scorer
Richie Warfield - RB, 5-11, 210, Cook County, IL (Providence Catholic) – Team Captain, First Team All-Conference, All-Area Honorable Mention, All-State Academic
A.J. Watson - CB, 5-11, 182, Thompson's Station, TN (Independence) – Team Captain, All-Area, All-Region, All-State, State Runner-up
Calvin Whitaker - DE, 6-3, 220, Loveland, OH (Loveland) – Team Captain, All-Conference

Dayton returns 12 starters – eight offense and four defense -- from last season's team that finished 9-2 overall and 7-1 in the PFL.  The Flyers will bring a seven-game win streak into the 2017 season, which is tied for third in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision.  Defending FCS national champion James Madison leads with a 12 game streak, Grambling is second with 11, and UD is tied with Coastal Carolina with seven.  The 2017 season is also coach Rick Chamberlin's 10th as Dayton's head coach.

 UD opens the year on Saturday, Sept. 2 at Robert Morris.  Dayton's home opener is Saturday, Sept. 9 against Southeast Missouri. For ticket information, please visit DaytonFlyers.com.