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The University of Dayton and second-year head football coach Rick Chamberlin have announced the Flyers' schedule for the 2009 season. This year's 11-game slate includes eight Pioneer Football League games and three non-league contests.

Dayton opens the 2009 schedule with a home game against Urbana at Welcome Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Flyers then travel to Robert Morris (Sept. 19), and return home to face Duquesne (Sept. 26) to round out the non-conference portion of the schedule.

League play opens at Morehead State on Saturday, Oct. 3. Dayton will also make its first-ever trip to Campbell (who joined the league last season) on Oct. 10. UD's PFL home opener will be Oct. 17 when Davidson visits Welcome Stadium. UD will then play at Valparaiso (Oct. 24), before returning home to play San Diego (Oct. 31) and Butler (Nov. 7). The Flyers will close out the regular season at Drake (Nov., 14) and at home against new PFL member Marist (Nov. 21).

The fourth annual Gridiron Classic will be played on Saturday, Dec. 5 with the 2009 PFL champions, who will have a home field advantage, facing off against the champions of the Northeast Conference. The PFL holds a 2-1 series advantage since the inaugural game in 2006.

All of UD's games in 2009 will be played on a Saturday. Dayton's regular season home contests will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Due to the expansion of the PFL that added Marist this season, the league has adopted a rotating schedule with each team playing eight of the nine other league members. This rotating schedule will be in effect for two years before it changes for the 2011 season. The Flyers will not play Jacksonville in 2009 or 2010. The other non-playing pairings around the league are: Butler and Marist, Campbell and San Diego, Davidson and Valparaiso, and Drake and Morehead State.

UD finished 9-3 overall, and 6-2 in the Pioneer Football League in 2008, head coach Rick Chamberlin's first season in charge of the Flyer football program. The Flyers' three losses were by a total of only 14 points. Dayton led the conference in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and sacks. Dayton returns 11 starters from that team.

Key returnees for the Flyers include 2008 All-PFL First Team selections Kalen Hemmelgarn (5th year defensive tackle from St. Henry, Ohio), Joe Ries (senior linebacker from Cincinnati,), Steve Valentino (senior wide receiver/kick returner from Solon, Ohio), and second-team selection Sean Heenan (5th year defensive tackle from St. Joseph's, Mich.). Also back for Dayton is Matt Smyth (5th year safety from Highlands Ranch, Colo.), who led FCS football in passes defended in 2008.

UD will play its annual Spring Football game this Sunday, April 19 at Welcome Stadium beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.
http://www.daytonflyers.com/sports/m-fo ... 09aaa.html

RED EDGES WHITE IN UD'S SPRING FOOTBALL GAME
Drew Fumagalli, Sean Heenan, Steve Valentino Named 2009 Captains

A pair of Nick Glavin field goals proved to be the difference in the University of Dayton's annual Spring Football Game Sunday at Welcome Stadium. Before the game, Flyers announced their 2009 captains - linebacker Drew Fumagalli, defensive tackle Sean Heenan and wide receiver Steve Valentino.

All three captains were starter last season, although Fumagalli missed three games due to injuries. Valentino was First Team All-Pioneer Football League in 2009 and Heenan was second team. Ironically, Fumagalli was the only one of the three captains in uniform for the Spring Game, as Heenan and Valentino were held out while the rehab from off-season surgeries.

Glavin's field goals of 30 and 37 yards turned out to be the only scoring in a game dominated by defense.

And that was no surprise to head coach Rick Chamberlin. In fact, the biggest surprise might have been the weather.

"I was very happy we got the game in, with the weather forecast being what it was," Chamberlin said. "The game was about what we expected. In the spring game, when you divide your team up and some of your veterans are one team and some are on the other, your timing is going to be a little different."

"In the game, I liked our effort, our hustle and our physical play," he added. "Some guys stepped up on offense too. Luke Bellman, one of our receivers, made some nice plays, and I thought our running backs, Dan Jacobs and Andrew Zapinski played well. I said a couple of weeks ago that was an area we had to get better at, and I'm very pleased with our running back situation."

At halftime, the team learned how much money it raised for breast cancer research during a lift-a-thon held on March 6. After setting a goal of $2,000, the Flyers presented a check for $12,025 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
http://www.daytonflyers.com/sports/m-fo ... 09aaa.html