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Dayton Flyers
University	University of Dayton
Conference	Atlantic 10 (primary) Pioneer Football League MAAC (women's golf)
NCAA	Division I (FCS)
Athletic director	Neil Sullivan
Location	Dayton, Ohio
Varsity teams	16
Football stadium	Welcome Stadium
Basketball arena	UD Arena
Baseball stadium	Woerner Field
Soccer stadium	Baujan Field
Mascot	Rudy Flyer
Nickname	Flyers
Fight song	Victory
Colors	Red and blue[1]
Website	daytonflyers.com

The Dayton Flyers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of theUniversity of Dayton ofDayton, Ohio.^[2] All Flyers intercollegiate sports teams participate at theNCAA Division I level. The football team competes in the Division I FCS non-scholarshipPioneer Football League, and women's golf plays in theMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference, while all other sports compete in the non-footballAtlantic 10 Conference.^[3]

The name is a reference and homage to DaytoniansOrville and Wilbur Wright who pioneered heavier than air flight. Orville and Wilbur Wright designed theWright Flyer I and fabricated many of its components, including the propellers and engine, at their bicycle shop in Dayton. TheWright Flyer I was the first powered aircraft to achieve sustained, controlled flight.

A member of theAtlantic 10 Conference, the University of Dayton sponsors teams in seven men's and ten women'sNCAA sanctioned sports.^[4] The football team competes as a member of thePioneer Football League, a non-scholarshipDivision I (FCS) league. The women's golf team competes as an associate member of theMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

University of Dayton athletic teams enjoy considerable support from an energized fan base. Themen's basketball team is perennially among the top 25 programs nationally in attendance.^[5] The student fan base is known as the "Red Scare" and provides support for the Flyers from behind the east goal during basketball games atUD Arena. Due to the presence of the Red Scare, UD Arena has long been reckoned as one of the most hostile arenas in the nation.

The Flyers' traditional rivals in most sports are regional schools such asXavier,Cincinnati, andMiami University. Dayton and Xavier vie for possession of theBlackburn/McCafferty Trophy during regular season men's basketball games. Other historical rivals of note include Butler University, Duquesne University, Temple University, University of Detroit, Marquette University, DePaul University, and the University of Notre Dame. The latter three schools formed an informal basketball league with Dayton during the 1970s and 1980s, prior to formal league association for each school. The Gem City Jam, an annual game with crosstown rivalWright State University, is currently suspended.

On anESPN all-time ranking of NCAA basketball programs the University of Dayton placed No. 48 overall.^[6] Dayton recently won the 2010 NIT championship. In March 2014, Dayton upset state-favorite Ohio State, and the #3 seed Syracuse Orange in the NCAA Tournament with close victories. The Flyers then beat Stanford to reach the Elite Eight where they played the overall #1 seed Florida. They lost 62–52.

Rudy Flyer is the mascot of the Dayton Flyers. He is dressed in early pilots attire including a scarf and goggles. Each year two or three students share the responsibility of wearing the Rudy suit. He has been the mascot since 1980.

• Don Meineke (1952) – formerNBA player of theFort Wayne Pistons,Rochester Royals, andCincinnati Royals. He was theNBA Rookie of the Year in 1952–53.
• Chuck Noll (1953) – Played football for the Flyers. Played in the NFL for theCleveland Browns. He won four Super Bowls as the head coach of theNFL'sPittsburgh Steelers
• Jim Paxson Sr. (1956) – formerNBA player of theMinneapolis Lakers andCincinnati Royals
• Jim Katcavage (1956) – formerNFL defensive lineman who played for theNew York Giants. His 96.5 career sacks is tied withMichael Strahan for second most in Giant's team history.
• Gerry Faust (1957) – former head football coach for the University ofNotre Dame Fighting Irish andAkron Zips
• Fred Dugan (1958) – formerNFL tight end who played for theSan Francisco 49ers,Dallas Cowboys, andWashington Redskins
• Bucky Bockhorn (1958) – formerNBA player of theCincinnati Royals
• Emil Karas (1959) – formerNFL andAFL linebacker who played for theWashington Redskins andSan Diego Chargers
• Garry Roggenburk (1962) – Played baseball and basketball at UD. He was the Captain of the 1962 NIT Champion Flyers team that finished 24–6. He played Major League Baseball forMinnesota Twins andBoston Red Sox .
• Harold Schoen (1963) – Dr. Schoen played on the 1962 NIT Champion Flyers team that finished 24–6. He is a professor of Mathematics and Education at theUniversity of Iowa.
• Hank Finkel (1966) – formerNBA andABA player of theLos Angeles Lakers,San Diego Rockets, andBoston Celtics
• Roger Brown (1967) – formerABA player of theIndiana Pacers,Utah Stars, andMemphis Sounds
• Don May (1968) – formerNBA player of theNew York Knicks,Buffalo Braves,Atlanta Hawks,Philadelphia 76ers, andKansas City-Omaha Kings.
• Michael DeForest Wilson (1969) – formerNFL andCFL offensive lineman who played for theCincinnati Bengals,Buffalo Bills, andEdmonton Eskimos
• Don Smith (1974) – formerNBA player of thePhiladelphia 76ers
• Johnny Davis (1976) – former NBA player for thePortland Trail Blazers,Indiana Pacers,Atlanta Hawks, andCleveland Cavaliers, former head coach for thePhiladelphia 76ers andOrlando Magic
• Jim Paxson Jr. (1979) – formerNBA player for theBoston Celtics andPortland Trail Blazers, former general manager for theCleveland Cavaliers
• Roosevelt Chapman (1984) – The all-time leading men's basketball scorer. Drafted in the third round of the 1984 NBA draft by the Kansas City Kings
• Sedric Toney (1985) – formerNBA player for thePhoenix Suns,New York Knicks,Indiana Pacers,Sacramento Kings, andCleveland Cavaliers
• Jon Gruden (1986) – Played football for the Flyers. He was the head coach of the Super Bowl winningTampa Bay Buccaneers and also of theOakland Raiders.
• Anthony Grant (1987) – Former head basketball coach of theAlabama Crimson Tide, current Head basketball coach of Dayton'sMen's Basketball team (2017 – present)
• Negele Knight (1990) – former NBA player for thePhoenix Suns,San Antonio Spurs,Portland Trail Blazers,Toronto Raptors, andDetroit Pistons
• Mark Schulte (1999) – Professional soccer player. He has played for theCleveland City Stars,Minnesota Thunder, andColumbus Crew.
• Jerry Blevins (2004) – Major League Baseball relief pitcher forOakland Athletics
• Chris Rolfe (2005) – Striker withChicago Fire
• Craig Stammen (2005) – Major League Baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals.
• Dasan Robinson (2006) – former defender for theChicago Fire in theMLS.
• Isaac Kissi (2010) – Forward forRochester Rhinos in theUSL Pro.
• Chris Wright (2011) – Professional Basketball Player formally playing with theGolden State Warriors of theNBA, now with theMaine Red Claws of theNBA Development League
• Obi Toppin (2020) – current NBA player with theIndiana Pacers; consensus Division I player of the year in 2020

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