DAYTON - The University of Dayton volleyball team is set to open its 2017 season this coming weekend at the Holiday Inn Express Invitational hosted by Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Illinois. Dayton will square off against Cal Poly in its first official match of the season Friday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. at NIU's Convocation Center. Also on tap on Friday is host Northern Illinois and High Point will wrap the weekend for Dayton on Saturday.
About Dayton
Dayton posted a 30-2 overall record in 2016 while rolling through Atlantic 10 Conference play unbeaten with a 14-0 mark. The Flyers made the program's 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, falling to Pittsburgh, 3-1, in the opening round. Dayton head coach
Tim Horsmon was named the A-10 Coach of the Year for the third-consecutive time in 2016 and now-senior
Jane Emmenecker also earned her third-straight A-10 honor as Setter of the Year. Dayton received votes in the AVCA preseason poll.
Scouting Cal Poly
Cal Poly is coming off an 18-9 2016 season that included an 11-5 record in Big West play. The Mustangs were picked to finish second in the league's preseason poll after picking up two first-place votes. Cal Poly, led by head coach Sam Crosson, has gone 37-17 overall the past two years, including two victories over AVCA Top 25-ranked opponents, along with a 22-10 mark in the Big West.
Scouting Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois, also participant in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, went 25-6 last season with a 15-1 mark in MAC action. NIU is looking to replace seven letterwinners, including three starters, from last season and will open 2017 against High Point before squaring off against Dayton. The Huskies were picked to finish second in the west division of the MAC preseason poll.
Series Stuff
Cal Poly and Dayton have only met one time prior to Friday's match. The Flyers and Mustangs squared off on Aug. 30, 1996 in Dayton as UD picked up a the three-set sweep.
Dayton and Northern Illinois have previously met nine times with the Huskies holding a 7-2 advantage. The last meeting was Sept. 4, 1998 in Dayton will NIU sweeping UD, 3-0.
RPI Rankings
In the final NCAA Rating Percentage Index (RPI) of 2016 posted Monday, Nov. 28, Dayton came in at 28 according to NCAA.com. Cal Poly came in at 52 and Northern Illinois was ranked 51. 2017's first RPI ranking will be released by the NCAA on Oct. 2.
Flyer Facts
•
Tim Horsmon is in his ninth season overall, and fourth since 2007, as head coach of the Flyers in 2017. His record at Dayton is 215-57 and his career win-loss mark sits at 391-221 in 18 seasons as a head coach. Horsmon is the program's second-winningest coach behind only R. Elaine Dreidame who amassed 310 wins 1970-79.
• Over the last eight seasons (2009-2016), the Flyers have recorded a 106-9 (.923) mark in Atlantic 10 Conference play, including a perfect 14-0 mark in 2016, 2015 and 2012 and a 15-0 record in 2010. UD suffered only one conference loss in 2014, 2011 and 2009.
• Dayton has won the Atlantic 10 Regular Season title 13 times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1998). The Flyers have won the A-10 Championship title a league-record 11 times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003) and made their 12th NCAA appearance in program history in 2016.
• The 2016 NCAA DI winning percentage statistical national champion, as a team Dayton finished last season ranked 10th in hitting percentage (.277), 10th in kills/set (14.39) and 11th in assists/set (13.5). Individually,
Kendyll Brown ranked second nationally with a .431 hitting percentage while
Amber Erhahon was seventh with a .423 hitting percentage. Setter
Jane Emmenecker ranked 28th in the NCAA with 10.97 assists/set.
• The Flyers finished the 2016 regular season with a 28-1 overall record and a 14-0 Atlantic 10 mark, finishing in first place in regular-season league play. 2016 is the program's 38th winning season.
