DAYTON — The University of Dayton honored the 2023 Flyer football team Saturday at its annual Football Awards Banquet. The banquet was held at Curran Place on campus. 

Ca'ron Coleman, a junior safety from Piqua, Ohio, was named the winner of the White Allen Most Valuable Player Trophy. 

An impact player and leader on both defense and special teams, Coleman was third for the Flyers in total tackles (77) and solo tackles (34).  His eight tackles in the backfield were more than twice as many than any other secondary player.  He had his strongest performances against the two best Pioneer Football League on UD's schedule – 13 vs. St. Thomas and 14 in UD's season-ending win at Davidson.

Coleman is the first defensive player to be named White Allen MVP since Christian Searles in 2017.

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.

Redshirt junior offensive lineman Dylan DeMaison was named the Stan Kurdziel Memorial Trophy winner.  The Kurdziel Trophy goes to the team's top lineman.  DeMaison was named First Team All-Pioneer Football League, after being named UD's Offensive Player of the Week three times.  The Cincinnati La Salle did not allow a sack all season.
 
Redshirt senior linebacker Nathan Arthur was named the winner of the Chief Toscani Hitter Award.  The Flyer co-captain was UD's top tackler (95) which was fifth in the PFL.  He also led the Flyers in pass break ups (3) and fumbles forced (2).  Arthur was First Team All-Pioneer Football League. 

Another co-captain, Matt Lenti, was the recipient of the Emil Karas Memorial Award.  After missing all but one half of the 2022 season after breaking his collarbone, Lenti returned for his fifth-year as a grad student.  He started at safety and forced a team-best three fumbles.  He also was in on 73 tackles.  The Karas Award is for the most inspirational leadership as chosen by his teammates.

Another captain, offensive guard David Tkatch, was 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.  A graduate student from Harmony, Pa., Tkatch was a three-year starter who was First Team Academic All-PFL all three seasons.  

The fourth Flyer captain, wide receiver Derek Willits, had already been announced as the 2023 winner of the Lt. Andy Zulli Memorial Trophy at halftime of the Senior Day game against Marist.  

Senior center Joe Lansing was 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.  

First-year coach Trevor Andrews and his staff expanded the program's Most Improved Player Award for the entire team into three most improved player awards for offense, defense and special teams.

The Offensive Most Improved Player was redshirt junior wide receiver Jake Coleman.  Coleman was second on the team in receiving with 27 catches for 302 yards (11.2 avg.), after catching just five passes for 47 yards (9.4 avg.).

The Defensive Most Improved Player was redshirt sophomore linebacker Aiden McKinley.  McKinley had 14 tackles in 2022, and he beat that in his first game of 2023 with 15 in his first career start at Illinois State.  McKinley was UD's second-leading tackler on the year, with 87 (including a team-best 12.5 TFL).

The Special Teams Most Improved Player was redshirt freshman David Maurer.  Maurer's first season as the Flyer kickoff specialist was the first step in holding opponents to a 15.6 yards per return average in 2023.

Andrews also added a new award to the list of Dayton football post-season honors.  It is the Mike Kelly/Rick Chamberlin Mental Toughness Award.  It is named for Andrews' two immediate predecessors as UD's head coach, who also happen to be the two winningest coaches PFL history.  The inaugural winner of the Mike Kelly/Rick Chamberlin Mental Toughness Award was redshirt junior defensive tackle Jack Wardzala.  At 6-0, 271, Wardzala is typically surrounded by larger players, yet his 31 tackles and 5.5 TFL were the most of any Flyer lineman.

Redshirt junior defensive end Mason Henry was a repeat winner of the John L. Macbeth Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award (he shared the honor with Cade Beam last year).  Henry has a 3.974 GPA while majoring in Mechanical Engineering.   He also led Dayton in sacks (4).

True freshman Gavin Lochow was named as the ROTC Cannonball Award winner, which goes to the team's top newcomer. In his first-ever season as a receiver (he was a four-year quarterback in high school), Lochow led the Flyers in receptions (35), receiving yardage (402) and touchdown catches (5) and was third in yards per reception (11.5).  He also led Dayton in kickoff returns (17 for a 24.2 yards per return average).  He was an FCS Freshman All-American, and a finalist for the STATS Perform Jerry Rice Award, which goes annually to the top freshman in FCS football.

Freshman receiver Josiah Love was named Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year. Freshman safety Vincent Firenze was named Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year.

The Flyers won their final two games of the year to finish 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the PFL. 


2023 UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON FOOTBALL AWARD WINNERS 
•White- Allen MVP – Ca'ron Coleman
• Beno Keiter 4-Year – David Tkatch
•Chief Toscani Hitter – Nathan Arthur
•Emil Karis Leadership – Matt Lenti
•Stan Kurdziel Lineman – Dylan DeMaison
•A.J. Cohen Flyer of the Year – Joe Lansing 
•ROTC Cannonball Newcomer – Gavin Lochow
•Mike Kelly/Rick Chamberlin Mental Toughness Award – Jack Wardzala
•Most Improved Offensive Player of the Year – Jake Coleman
•Most Improved Defensive Player of the Year – Aiden McKinley 
•Most Improved Special Teams Player of the Year – David Maurer
• John L. Macbeth Scholar-Athlete – Mason Henry 
 •Scout Offensive – Josiah Love
•Scout Defensive – Vincent Firenze
• Lt. Andy Zulli Character – Derek Willits