Former walk-on helps UD make tournament push

Engineering student leads the unbeaten Flyers in minutes played this season.

Dayton’s Emily Kenyon and Saint Louis’ Ashley Brazill collide as they reach head first for the ball during a match at the University of Dayton’s Baujan Field Sunday, Oct. 11.

Staff photo by Teesha McClam Dayton’s Emily Kenyon and Saint Louis’ Ashley Brazill collide as they reach head first for the ball during a match at the University of Dayton’s Baujan Field Sunday, Oct. 11.

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By Debbie Juniewicz, Contributing Writer Updated 2:41 AM Friday, November 6, 2009

Science and soccer. University of Dayton sophomore Emily Kenyon loves them both. She excels in both disciplines, too.

The Canton native maintains a 3.96 grade-point average as a chemical engineering major, even with challenging classes such as thermodynamics on her schedule. Kenyon also was recently named to the CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District second team.

On the field, the 19-year-old has started all 40 games in her two-year UD career and leads the Flyers in minutes played this season with 1,814.

Not bad for a walk-on who made an immediate impression on UD coach Mike Tucker when she arrived on campus during the soccer preseason a little more than a year ago. Kenyon now is on a partial scholarship.

“I remember thinking, 'Wow, this girl is special,’ ” Tucker said. “There was nothing about her that said she was a freshman. She looked like a returning player right from the get-go.”

With the top-seeded Flyers battling for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament this weekend in the Atlantic 10 Women’s Soccer Championship, Kenyon and the rest of the team will try to extend their first-ever undefeated season. The Flyers take a 14-0-5 mark into postseason play.

Kenyon, for one, is ready for the challenge.

Q: What brought you to the University of Dayton?

A: The engineering department is one of the best around, and it’s a Division I school for soccer, so it had both of the things I was looking for. And, even though there wasn’t an athletic scholarship available, I definitely knew I wanted to play soccer, but I also knew I would have to prove myself.

Q: How have you improved since you started your collegiate career as a walk-on?

A: I was nervous all the time when I was a freshman because I was so worried that I would mess up. But my confidence has grown so much since last year, and I’ve definitely become a stronger player. I’m also more defense-oriented than I used to be.

Q: Did you ever imagine that you’d lead the team in minutes played?

A: Not at all. I mean I was very surprised when I heard I was in the starting lineup that first game last season. I wasn’t sure I heard it right. I knew I was at their level but I thought, as a walk-on, I’d be lucky to get any playing time because this is such a great program.

Q: Engineers are sometimes thought of as nerds. Do you fit that stereotype?

A: I guess I don’t like to think of myself as nerdy but people hear 'chemical engineer’ and I’m sure that’s what they think — and my roommates call me a nerd all the time. Math and science have always come easy to me. Chemistry is my favorite science subject; I mean chemistry is everything and everywhere. And I’m doing a lot more studying this year. If I’m not going to class or doing soccer stuff, I’m probably studying.

Q: The Flyers have hit a lot of milestones this season, but what is the ultimate goal?

A: It’s a huge deal to get to the NCAA tournament, and that’s what we’ve focused on all season. Not making it to the NCAA last season was great motivation for us this year. It was really tense waiting to see if we’d get an at-large bid last year and then it all crashed down when we didn’t. I don’t want to see that look on the seniors’ faces again this year.

Atlantic 10  Women’s Soccer  Championship

When: Today through Sunday

Where: Charlotte, N.C.

Top seeds:

1. Dayton (14-0-5, 10-0-1 A-10);

2. Charlotte (15-2-2, 9-0-2)

3. Fordham (8-11-1, 7-4-0)

UD schedule: Semifinals today vs. No. 5 St. Louis (8-8-4, 4-4-3), which beat No. 4 St. Bonaventure 3-0 Thursday. Finals are 1 p.m. Sunday.

Flyers milestones

Top five in the nation in several categories: 1st in goals-against average (0.245); 2nd in shutout percentage (.737) and save percentage (.912); 3rd in won-loss-tied percentage (.868).

Won Atlantic 10 regular-season title for the first time since 2004. The Flyers won eight A-10 titles in nine seasons from 1996-2004.

League-record 14th consecutive trip to the Atlantic 10 championship tournament.

Tied with No. 1 Stanford for the longest unbeaten streak in the nation.

Broke school record for shutouts with 14; allowed only five goals in regular season.

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