Home court advantage

When the DeMarco siblings — Joe ’22, Matt ’23 and Sarah ’24 — first stepped foot on UD’s campus, they didn’t know how much the University would impact their lives — or the lives of their parents.

Donna and Pat DeMarco aren’t Flyers, but they may as well be. In 2017 their eldest, Joe, was recruited by tennis coach Ryan Meyer. Fast forward seven years and all three children have played tennis and graduated as Flyers.

“As parents, we felt very comfortable with UD,” Donna said.

Through UD’s focus on championship athletics paired with academic success, all three siblings excelled on and off the court. And the DeMarcos wanted to give back.

“At Dayton, you have the Marianist philosophy and culture of giving back, athletics that achieve at a high level and academic excellence,” Pat said.

The DeMarcos joined the Parent Leadership Council, a family council that works with University leadership through volunteerism and philanthropy to advocate for students. The DeMarcos also contributed to the tennis program. 

The brothers competed in the 2022 and 2023 A-10 championships.

“Our children are our greatest asset and future. The PLC gives you insight and new perspective … as well as an opportunity to give input ourselves.”

After graduation, the siblings have continued to thrive. Joe went on to play at Johns Hopkins University while pursuing a master’s and is now a financial analyst in Chicago. Matt is in dental school at Pitt, and Sarah is getting her master’s at Mercyhurst University. 

Advantage, DeMarcos.