Dayton Flyers softball

For all University of Dayton sports, see Dayton Flyers.
Dayton Flyers
UniversityUniversity of Dayton
Head coachCara Clark (17th season)
ConferenceAtlantic 10
LocationDayton, OH
Home stadiumUniversity of Dayton Softball Stadium
NicknameFlyers
ColorsRed and blue[1]
   
NCAA Tournament appearances
2024
Conference Tournament championships
2024
Regular Season Conference championships
2015, 2024

The Dayton Flyers softball team represents the University of Dayton in the NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). From 1990 until 1993, the team was a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (MCC), now known as the Horizon League.[2] From 1994 until 1995, the team was a member of the Great Midwest Conference (GMC).[3] The Flyers are currently led by head coach Cara Clark. The team plays its home games at UD Softball Stadium located on the university's campus.[4]

History

Since joining the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1996, Dayton has had minimal success as a program, having failed to win a conference tournament title or make an appearance in the NCAA Division I softball tournament.[5] Since the hiring of current coach Cara Clark, however, the program has found some success. In 2015, the Flyers achieved their best record in program history after finishing the season with a 39-15 record, winning the Atlantic 10 regular season title despite being picked to finish fifth in the conference in preseason standings.[6][7] In 2023, the program achieved its best season since 2015, finishing the year with a 35-20 record and placing third in conference standings.[8]

The Flyers have won several Atlantic 10 Conference awards. The program has won A-10 Player of the year three times, winning in 2000 with Sara Hatcher, 2015 with Tiffany Ricks, and 2017 with Gabrielle Snyder.[9] The program has won two A-10 Pitcher of the Year awards, winning in 2015 with Kayla English and in 2016 with Manda Cash, and two A-10 Rookie of the Year awards, winning in 2015 with Manda Cash and in 2022 with Emma Schutter.[10] In 2015, Clark was named A-10 Coach of the Year.[9]

Dayton in the NCAA Tournament

Year Record Pct Notes
2024 0–2 .000 Knoxville Regional
TOTALS
 0-2 .000

Coaching history

Years Coach Record %
1980 Shirley Oswald 7–9 .438
1981–1983 Doug Hauschild 25–30–1 .455
1984–1987 Jeryl Neff 56–68 .452
1988 Terry Parks 9–27 .300
1989–1992 Becky Dicke 48–101 .322
1993–1995 Daryl Ogg 21–94 .183
1996–2007 Jodi Eickemeyer 231–323–5 .418
2008–present Cara Clark 380–405–2 .484

[11]

Roster

2024 Dayton Flyers roster
 

Pitchers

  • 25 – Sarah Bailitz – Graduate Student
  • 18 – Haven Dwyer – Junior
  • 53 – Izzy Kemp – Sophomore
  • 8 – Sami Scholtz – Freshman

Catchers

  • 9 – Madelyn Fricano – Sophomore
  • 7 – Nicolette Papavasiliou – Graduate Student
  • 5 – Katie Reeg – Graduate Student
  

Outfielders

  • 11 – Emily Daniel – Graduate Student
  • 4 – Kara Gunter – Senior
  • 1 – Dee Hyde – Freshman
  • 16 – Norah O'Donnell – Freshman
  • 3 – Emma Schutter – Junior

Infielders

  • 2 – Kirnan Bailey – Freshman
  • 17 – Dierdre Flaherty – Freshman
  • 22 – Molly Grace – Sophomore
  • 19 – Maddie Kapsimalis – Junior
  • 24 – Elizabeth Shafer – Senior
  • 23 – Kaelene Walter – Graduate Student
  • 6 – Chloe Wong – Junior
  
Reference:[12]

Season by season results

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Dayton Flyers (Independent) (1980–1989)
1980 Shirley Oswald 7–9
1981 Doug Hauschild 6–11–1
1982 Doug Hauschild 17–8
1983 Doug Hauschild 2–11
1984 Jeryl Neff 13–11
1985 Jeryl Neff 12–15
1986 Jeryl Neff 20–14
1987 Jeryl Neff 11–28
1988 Terry Parks 9–27
1989 Becky Dicke 14–21
Dayton Flyers (Midwestern Collegiate Conference) (1990–1993)
1990 Becky Dicke 15–14 5–3 3rd
1991 Becky Dicke 7–32 2–8 7th
1992 Becky Dicke 12–34 0–10 6th
1993 Daryl Ogg 9–28 2–10 6th
Dayton Flyers (Great Midwest Conference) (1994–1995)
1994 Daryl Ogg 6–39
1995 Daryl Ogg 6–27
Dayton Flyers (Atlantic 10 Conference) (1996–present)
1996 Jodi Eickemeyer 15–23–1 4–9 8th
1997 Jodi Eickemeyer 16–27–2 6–8–1 7th
1998 Jodi Eickemeyer 23–23 8–6 3rd
1999 Jodi Eickemeyer 20–36 8–6 4th
2000 Jodi Eickemeyer 35–23–1 10–4 3rd
2001 Jodi Eickemeyer 19–31 9–12 5th
2002 Jodi Eickemeyer 17–26 11–10 5th
2003 Jodi Eickemeyer 23–21 9–7 5th
2004 Jodi Eickemeyer 14–35 4–10 6th
2005 Jodi Eickemeyer 20–18–1 8–8 5th
2006 Jodi Eickemeyer 18–30 8–12 6th
2007 Jodi Eickemeyer 11–30 3–14 10th
2008 Cara Clark 20–31 7–13 9th
2009 Cara Clark 13–34 7–13 8th
2010 Cara Clark 18–36–1 6–14 9th
2011 Cara Clark 22–26 11–8 6th
2012 Cara Clark 22–29 9–10 7th
2013 Cara Clark 22–24 12–9 6th
2014 Cara Clark 27–29 9–9 5th
2015 Cara Clark 39–14 20–2 1st
2016 Cara Clark 27–21–1 14–5–1 2nd
2017 Cara Clark 29–27 13–10 4th
2018 Cara Clark 31–25 15–8 3rd
2019 Cara Clark 24–27 11–7 4th
2020 Cara Clark 8–12 0–0 N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 Cara Clark 21–26 14–8 2nd
2022 Cara Clark 22–24 12–10 5th
2023 Cara Clark 35–20 15–7 3rd
2024 Cara Clark 0–0 0–0
Total: 777–1,037–8 (.429)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[11][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Color Palette". UDayton.edu/Brand. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "MCC LOSES AUTOMATIC NCAA BID". Chicago Tribune. December 11, 1992.
  3. ^ "GREAT MIDWEST SET TO ADD DAYTON". Chicago Tribune. December 7, 1992.
  4. ^ "Facilities". University of Dayton Athletics.
  5. ^ "VA. TECH, DAYTON, LA SALLE JOIN A-10". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ "FLYER SOFTBALL PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH IN 2015". University of Dayton Athletics. January 30, 2015.
  7. ^ "Flyers Softball Academy | Dayton, Ohio". www.flyerssoftballacademy.com.
  8. ^ Jablonski, David; Writer, Staff. "Dayton softball team on a roll and on top of A-10". dayton-daily-news.
  9. ^ a b "DAYTON'S SNYDER HONORED ON CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM". atlantic10.com. May 25, 2017.
  10. ^ Jablonski, David; Writer, Staff. "Centerville grad completes award-winning freshman season with Dayton softball". dayton-daily-news.
  11. ^ a b "2023 Softball Media Almanac (PDF)" (PDF). University of Dayton Athletics.
  12. ^ "2024 Softball Roster". University of Dayton Athletics.
  13. ^ "SOFTBALL RECORD BOOK THROUGH 2016-17 SEASON (PDF) - Atlantic 10" (PDF). static.atlantic10.com.