DAYTON (OH) – The most compelling story of the fall sports season is down to the final chapter. The University of Dayton women’s volleyball team successfully earned their way into the NCAA tournament with an automatic bid after wrapping up the A10 tournament title a couple weeks ago. UD’s inclusion in the Field of 64 was a mere formality over the last several weeks as the Flyers bludgeoned their way to the nation’s best overall record. A minor hiccup at
Xavier proved to be the only stumble and from that point forward, Dayton rolled just as they did before the loss – taking revenge on the Muskies twice en route to the A10 regular season and tournament titles. Two more wins capped off a 32-1 season heading into the NCAAs, good enough to earn the Flyers the #15 seed and a host site for the first and second rounds. The chance to host and the chance to advance in front of the rowdy
Flyer Faithful might be the biggest victory, provided UD finishes the improbable thriller with the best cliffhanger of them all – a deep run in the Big Dance.
First things first. The Flyers open the tournament against Lipscomb, representing the Atlantic Sun conference with an automatic bid as tournament champion. The winner gets either Kentucky or Michigan State in the second round and both programs are capable of reaching the Sweet-16. Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it and it wasn’t long ago that Dayton ventured into East Lansing to play in front of Michigan State’s 2,500 fans – a NCAA 1st round match the Flyers won in five thrilling games. So never get too comfortable with your positioning. Beyond the Dayton sub-regional, the bracket sets up a likely matchup against Nebraska, favored by many to win the national title and UD’s former second round opponent after the Spartan victory in 2003.
What has Dayton well-positioned is the body of work that impressed the selection committee. Head Coach Tim Horsmon’s team nearly ran the table on the 2007 schedule and currently rank #8 in the latest RPI projections. Wins over tournament teams include Xavier twice (the A10’s first-ever at-large participant), Western Kentucky, Purdue, Cleveland State, and Miami (OH). Other marquee wins over Illinois, Utah, and North Carolina impressed the doubters and proved Dayton will play anyone, anywhere, anytime. A few strong teams missed the NCAA’s phone call on Sunday night because of suspect non-conference schedules. In the tepid A10, non-conference SOS is even more important and Dayton gained a lot of early respect after important wins to begin the season.
The Flyers have embodied the team approach all year and never forecasted victories like fans sometimes do. Few teams amass 32-1 records against any competition because even the best of the best have a couple bad days at the office. Not so with this team. Focused, Swiss-watch precision to their preparation is where Dayton outmatched – and outwitted – their opponents. Credit that to Horsmon and his talented coaching staff who continue to push the right buttons with the players. When they ask for more, the players respond on command like a K-9 unit running after the man in the padded suit. You feel bad for the man in the padded suit, but nevertheless he
was asking for it.
This team lacks an All-American like Faye Barhorst, but they make it up in spades with far more balance, consistency, and less predictability. Dayton is also a much better serving team compared to a year ago. The team still sports a bevy of All-Conference players and energetic newbies with off-the-charts potential, but the heart and soul of this year’s team lies less in the basics and more in the nuances. Steep deficits to Illinois, St. Louis, Utah, and North Carolina couldn’t shake the resolve of the team, even when defeat was just a spike or two away. On those rare occasions when Dayton was against the wall, they swung for the fences instead of backing into a rally. By mid October, the Flyers were no longer taking the court expecting to win. They
knew they were going to win.
It’s hard to think of a more important group of seniors leading the way. Jamie-Lee Richards along with Adrienne and Robynne Green will leave their marks on the program and the NCAA career record books. Sometimes being consistently good is harder than being occasionally brilliant and though it sounds like a back-handed compliment, the truth is all three rarely ever took a day off and it speaks volumes to their work-ethic and focus. The younglings in the returning classes have been groomed by the best and will return next year as better players because of it. One must also credit those who laid the groundwork in years past. Names like Barhorst, Schott, Westbrock, Utnage, Treadway, and Gardner paved the way for future greatness; the 2007 Flyers will help set the table for better teams in years to come. This is how national programs breed success. As fast as UD has risen, there’s no reason to think Dayton isn’t capable of competing for a national title in the coming years.
In just five seasons, Horsmon has changed the lexicon of Flyer volleyball. Terms like ‘rebuilding’, ‘quality loss’, ‘outhustled’, and ‘out-passioned’ are no longer allowed in his dojo. It’s a no-excuses program for a bunch of women that embrace the cut-no-corners policy. Word on the street is the staff already thinks the next couple of years could be bigger and better, but for now there remains unfinished business. Before the ink completely dries, the Flyers hope to fashion a bestseller that ends as spectacular as it started.