The name is a reference and homage to Daytonians Orville and Wilbur Wright who pioneered heavier than air flight. Orville and Wilbur Wright designed the Wright Flyer I and fabricated many of its components, including the propellers and engine, at their bicycle shop in Dayton. The Wright Flyer I was the first powered aircraft to achieve sustained, controlled flight.
University of Dayton athletic teams enjoy considerable support from an energized fan base. The men'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 at UD 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.
Rivalries
The Flyers' traditional rivals in most sports are regional schools such as Xavier, Cincinnati, and Miami University. Dayton and Xavier vie for possession of the Blackburn/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 rival Wright State University, is currently suspended.
On an ESPN 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.
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 for Minnesota Twins and Boston 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 the University of Iowa.
