Alumni and Friends Making an Impact
Finding New Heights Thanks to Donors
Little gets Flyers nation fired up like a victory, but behind every victory are student-athletes who need a little help to stay focused on what matters most: their grades and game.
“I’m working on directing my curve and slider. Before TrackMan the pitches were the same, and we were trying to differentiate the movement as it approaches the plate,” said Mark Manfredi ’22. “Now I’m getting more depth with those pitches.” TrackMan is cutting-edge technology that helps batters improve their swing and pitchers improve their pitches. Every major league team uses this equipment to help their players develop, and now UD does, too.
When donors give to Flyers athletic programs, they join the mission of the University's coaches, support staff and leadership team to fund programs, initiatives and efforts that keep student-athletes at the heart of every decision.
“We want them to leave our University and say they had a great experience at Dayton,” said Neil Sullivan, vice president and director of athletics.
“We want them to leave our University and say they had a great experience at Dayton,” said Neil Sullivan, vice president and director of athletics.
For example, funding from One Day, One Dayton, the University of Dayton’s giving day, allowed the baseball team to purchase the TrackMan system in 2022 which helped Manfredi. Donors also help purchase training equipment that gets athletes back in action sooner following an injury and provide access to the healthiest food options available so athletes can fuel their bodies. They even help cover the costs of better flights so athletes can attend more classes before leaving for a road game. And that’s just the beginning.
For Manfredi, technology like the TrackMan system has been instrumental in helping him take his pitching skills to the next level. He has his sights set on playing baseball in the minor leagues, and one day, the majors, a goal he believes is closer thanks to the training and access he found at UD.
“College sports is going through a once-in-a-generation period of change,” said Sullivan. “There will never be a more critical time for our fan base, partners and donors to be aligned with our initiatives. Our donors ensure that UD remains competitive and relevant … they help us to be a high-performing athletic department athletically, academically and socially."