If you ever watched a Dayton Flyers Men’s Basketball game during the 2024-2025 season, you may have noticed C.J. Napier on the sidelines. His role as a graduate assistant was to help players get better at their game.
What you may not have known was that while helping the players reach new heights, Napier was also working on his own success, earning his Master of Business Administration.
“I was unique. I want to get into college coaching, and I thought UD would be a good fit for me,” said Napier.
Originally from Miamisburg, Napier attended Ohio Northern University, where he played basketball and earned a degree in finance and business analytics. After graduation, he started his master’s journey at the University of Dayton, playing for the Flyers during the 2023-2024 basketball season, before transitioning to the coaching staff.
“UD is close to home for me, and the basketball piece was going to be really good. I was familiar with it, and I'm Catholic, so I knew it was a good school, and it made sense.”
It wasn’t long before Napier discovered the same hard work and dedication that made him a success on the court were vital to him earning his master’s degree. But because of his hectic schedule, he also found that a key to his success was flexibility through the online program.
“I’m really, really busy. The program does a good job of giving flexibility,” said Napier.
“I’m really, really busy. The program does a good job of giving flexibility,” said Napier. “From asynchronous classes, to professors giving different options ... you can kind of do your own steps throughout.”
The online program allowed Napier to travel with the team, without missing a class, not even the capstone immersion, a collaborative group workshop weekend that facilitates in-person interactions with industry leaders and networking opportunities for students.
“The immersion is something that is really, really cool,” said Napier. “You actually get to put a face to a name. You get the opportunity to meet the people that you've been in online class with.”
And now that Napier has graduated from UD, he’s looking forward to what his master’s degree can do for his future.
“That practice you get earning your MBA is helpful for anyone, whether it's someone who wants to be an accountant or do something in the finance or business world,” said Napier.