By Cord Rankin
Defending Champion Drake Picked First In Coaches Poll
ST. LOUIS – The University of Dayton football team was picked to finish sixth in the Pioneer Football League for the fall 2024 season in a preseason vote of the league’s coaches. Dayton has 12 league championships to its credit in the PFL’s 31 seasons.
Defending champion Drake was picked as the favorite to win the 2024 PFL crown with 98 voting points and eight first-place votes. St. Thomas was next with 87 and one first-place vote. Davidson was third (81, with one first-place vote), followed by Butler (72) and San Diego (67, and the remaining first-place vote).
Dayton (49), Presbyterian (39), Marist (37) and Morehead State (35) were next, followed by Valparaiso (22) and Stetson (18).
It is interesting to note that Drake won the 2023 PFL title after being picked eighth in the preseason.
With 11 members in the PFL, the two teams Dayton will not play this year are at the extreme ends of the preseason poll — Drake and Stetson.
Dayton was 4-7 in Coach Trevor Andrews’s first season, closing out the year with a 35-6 win at home over Marist and a 45-14 win at Davidson. The Flyers return 17 starters (nine offense, eight defense).
Among them are nine players who earned All-Pioneer Football League accolades last fall — including UD’s 2024 captains — center Dylan DeMaison, who was First Team All-PFL and safety Ca’ron Coleman, who was the team MVP and Honorable Mention All-PFL.
Also earning Honorable Mention honors were wide receiver Jake Coleman, cornerback Cam Cope, offensive tackle Ryan Iiams, tight end Alec Keathley, wide receiver Gavin Lochow, linebacker Aiden McKinley and defensive tackle Jack Wardzala. Lochow, who was also a freshman All-American, was named Honorable Mention All-PFL as both a wide receiver and kick returner.
The Flyers report to camps for preseason camp on Friday, and will open the year at home on Aug. 31 against St. Francis. Kickoff for all Dayton home games this year is 12 Noon ET.
UD will begin the quest for its 13th Pioneer Football League championship on Saturday, Sept. 28 when the Flyers open PFL at home against Marist.
For ticket information, please visit DaytonFlyers.com.
COURTESY DAYTON MEDIA RELATIONS
