July 9, 2009

Complete AIA Release in PDF Format

University of Dayton junior post player Devin Searcy has been chosen to be part of an Athletes In Action team that will travel to New Zealand for two weeks in August. The AIA team will play four games against the top professional team in that part of the world, the New Zealand Breakers, and two more games against New Zealand's Under-20 National Team.

Searcy played in 32 games last season for the Flyers, averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds a game in 11.8 minutes of play. He grabbed 33 offensive rebounds (third on the team), and his percentage of offensive rebounds (43%) was the best on the team. The 2007 graduate of Romulus High School in Romulus, Mich. was also second on the team in FG% (.493, 34-69).

The team will report to Athletes in Action's World Headquarters in Xenia, Ohio on July 31 for a five-day training camp. After which the team will fly to New Zealand's capital city of Auckland to begin the tour. AIA will also conduct youth clinics around the country while in New Zealand. The tour concludes August 19.

Dayton Dunbar product Norris Cole, who is a sophomore at Cleveland State University, is also on the 13-player team.

Athletes in Action is the sports division of Campus Crusade for Christ International. AIA's outreach range includes ministry to athletes and coaches at the college and professional levels athletes around the world in a great number of sports. Over 900 U.S. athletes are being sent worldwide this summer.

Dayton returns four starters and 10 of its top 11 scorers from last year's 27-8 team that reached the NCAA second round. The Flyer returnees include all four players who earned Atlantic 10 postseason honors in 2008-09: Chris Wright, Marcus Johnson, London Warren and Chris Johnson. Wright, who was also First Team NABC All-District, led UD in scoring (13.3) and rebounding (6.6), and set a school single-season record for dunks (54). Several 2009-2010 preseason polls, including those associated with Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com, CBS College Sports.com, NBC Sports.com and The Sporting News.com, have the Flyers ranked next season.