DAYTON – When the University of Dayton football team reports to preseason camp on August 8, Flyer coach Rick Chamberlin will welcome 35 new players to the program. 

The 2019 class is another example of the program's commitment to academic success, including a 20 majors in the business school, six in engineering and two in sport management.  Additional majors are secondary education, communications, graphic design, biology, computer information systems, biochemistry and pre-med.  

In high school, they combined for 27 All-Conference selections, 20 All-Area/District/Region/County selections, and seven All-State selections. A total of 28 of them were team captains, 18 played multiple sports and seven were on state championship teams.  Three had family members who have played football at UD (two sons, one brother).   Two played for head coaches who are former Flyer football players.

In addition, here are a few of the unusual achievements, attributes, and hobbies of the 2019 freshman class:

• A pair of high school teammates who were undefeated in conference play in their four-year high school careers
• Was the only student-athlete in his high school class to play three sports all four years
• Two of the incoming kicking specialists were also all-state in soccer
• There are incoming freshmen who play the ukulele, guitar, and piano
• Broke a school record previously held by Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald
• Once ate 51 chicken wings in one sitting
• Caught the longest TD pass in Indiana state championship history
• Is a "roller coaster junkie"
• Son of a former NFL assistant coach and college head coach
• Avid snowboarder
• Two incoming recruits who went to different high schools but were teammates in AAU basketball
• Performs magic as a hobby
• "Makes a mean pasta"
• Three sons of coaches
• Four who can say they can juggle
• Five who were tutors for younger high school students
• A conference track champion in four different events
• Projected career choices include becoming a marine biologist, a coach, a physician, an accountant, a financial planner, a physician's assistant and an engineer

2019 Flyer Football Freshmen

• Nathan Arthur – LB, 5-11, 200, Cincinnati, Ohio (St. Xavier) – First Team All-Conference 
• Austin Bradfish - TE, 6-3, 230, Loveland, Ohio (Moeller) – Played on Greater Catholic League Champions
• Max Brimigion – WR, 6-1, 175, Matthews, N.C. (Weddington) – High school's career record holder in yards (2,662) and touchdowns (33)
• Sam Bubonics – WR, 5-11, 170, Solon, Ohio (Solon) – Conference Special Teams Player of the Year, All-Conference and All-District
• Logan Dalton – LB, 6-1, 190, Mason, Ohio (Mason) – Team captain, First Team All-Conference
• Michael Denning – P/K, 6-0, 180, Sidney, Ohio (Lehman) – First Team All-Conference, First Team All-District and First Team All-State, Two-year captain in soccer
• Brian Doneghy – DB, 5-8, 175, Blue Ash, Ohio (Sycamore) – Team captain in football and track, Holds high school record with a 96-yard interception TD return
• Cole Dow - QB, 6-1, 190, Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South) – All-Conference, Team Captain
• Deuce Drennan – DE, 6-3, 215, Hendersonville, Tenn. (Pope John Paul II) – Three-year starter in football and baseball 
• George Fanelli – OL, 6-1, 245, Evergreen Park, Ill. (Marist) – Conference Most Valuable Lineman, All-State
• Michael Franks – WR, 6-1, 175, Mohnton, Pa. (Governor Mifflin) – All-Country as a WR and DB, Team captain
• Kyle Hazell – WR, 6-0, 165, West Lafayette, Ind. (West Lafayette) – All-Conference, All-District and All-Region
• Alex Hirschfield – LB, 6-0, 200, Orland Park, Ill. (Carl Sandburg) – First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Area, First Team All-State, Team Defensive MVP
• Gabe Jacon-Duffy – DT, 6-4, 240, Pleasant Plain, Ohio (Moeller) – Played on Greater Catholic League championship team 
• Niko Kasprzycki – TE, 6-6, 225, Lisle, Ill. (Benet) – First Team All-Conference, Caught 37 passes for 401 yards and two TD as a senior
• Jason Kohr – TE, 6-4, 220, Clayton, Ohio (Northmont) – Team captain, All-Area in baseball
• Griffin Laake – LB, 6-3, 190, Clarksville, Ohio (Clinton Massie) – Team captain, Third Team All-Ohio
• Matt Lenti – DB, 5-10, 180, LaGrange Park, Ill. (Mount Carmel) – First Team 7A All-State, Conference MVP
• Alonzo Motley III – DE, 6-1, 210, Cincinnati, Ohio (Summit Country Day) – First Team All-Conference in football and track, Team captain in basketball
• Ricky Mysliwiec – OL, 6-2, 285, Lombard, Ill. (Immaculate Conception) – 2018 state champs, Conference Most Outstanding Lineman
• Michael Neel – RB, 5-10, 170, Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Catholic) – Played on 2018 state champs, First Team All-Conference
• Drew Nieman – P, 5-10, 170, Cincinnati, Ohio (La Salle) – First Team All-Conference, First Team All-City and First Team All-District, First Team All-Conference in baseball
• Drew Robertson – DT, 6-1, 270, Cranberry Township, Pa. (Seneca Valley) – Team captain, First Team All-Conference
• Marc Rumpke – OL, 6-2, 285, Lexington, Ky. (Lexington Catholic) – Team Best Lineman, Captain, First Team All-City
• Jake Sargent – WR, 5-10, 170, Dayton, Ohio (Oakwood) – Team captain and Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-District
• Sam Schadek – DT, 6-3, 250, Columbus, Ohio (Upper Arlington) – First Team All-Conference 
• Billy Skalitzky – DB, 6-0, 185, Evergreen Park, Ill. (Marist) – Team captain and MVP, First Team All-Conference
• Elijah Smith – DB, 6-0, 180, Louisville, Ky. (Christian Academy) – Played on state championship teams as a junior and senior, First Team All-District
• Brian Stevens – OL, 6-2, 260, Milford, Ohio (Milford) – Team Captain, First Team All-Conference
• David Tkatch – OL, 6-2, 275, Harmony, Pa. (Seneca Valley) -- Team Captain, First Team All-Conference
• Ryan VanSchelven- QB, 5-10, 190, Roscoe, Ill. (Hononegah) –Conference Offensive MVP, Football and track captain 
• Reilly Waldoch – H-Back, 6-2, 220, Geneva, Ill. (Geneva Community) – Named Geneva's best offensive back
• Sam Webster – K, 5-10, 215, Richfield, Ohio (Revere) – First Team All-Conference, First Team All-District and First Team All-State, Captain on 2018 state championship team in soccer
• Derek Willits- WR, 6-3, 195, Centerville, Ohio (Alter) – Team captain in football and basketball, First Team All-GWOC
• Connor Woodruff – OL, 6-5, 305, Cincinnati, Ohio (Summit Country Day) – First Team All-City, First Team All-District, First Team All-Tri-State, Second Team All-Ohio

Dayton was 6-5 a year ago, and 5-3 in the Pioneer Football league.  Three of UD's five losses in 2018 were to teams that reached the FCS playoffs.  Dayton returns 13 starters – seven from the offense, and six from the defensive side of the ball.  All-PFL performers Andrew Lutgens (Flyer) and Adam Trautman (tight end) are UD's 2019 co-captains.  Special teams captain Kyle Butz was Honorable Mention All-PFL in 2018.

The Flyers open the season at Indiana State on Saturday, Sept. 7.  Dayton's home opener is Saturday, Sept. 21 against Duquesne.  For ticket information, please visit DaytonFlyers.com.