“Growing up around the Dayton area, I’ve always loved the Flyers,” Iiams said. “I’ve been coming to basketball games since I was 6 years old. Being the hometown kid, it’s different putting the D on the chest. It’s phenomenal.”
Iiams is a Springboro High School graduate. He’s one of a number of local graduates on Dayton’s 2025 roster and one of three offensive linemen from Springboro, along with freshman Wade Shellhause and redshirt freshman Matthew Appel.
• Redshirt junior Luke Mitchell (Vandalia Butler) is a returning starter at safety. His brother Sam is a redshirt freshman linebacker.
• Redshirt sophomores Bryce Schondelmyer (Springfield) and Liam Poronsky (Tippecanoe) are two of the top backups to returning starter Drew VanVleet.
• Redshirt sophomore cornerback Josh Williams (Wayne) and redshirt sophomore linebacker Sam Schmiesing (Piqua) each appeared in 11 games last season.
• The other locals on the roster are: redshirt junior running back Levi Moell (West Liberty-Salem); redshirt junior defensive tackle Elliott Braun (Carroll); redshirt sophomore tight end Carson Labensky (Bellbrook); redshirt freshman tight end Bryce Cowgill (Centerville); redshirt freshman offensive lineman Charlie Olds (Bellbrook); freshman kicker Cameron Stoltz (Troy); and freshman wide receiver RJ Shepherd (Hamilton).
Iiams started his career at Robert Morris University near Pittsburgh. He appeared in four games as a freshman and started every game the next season, including in a 22-20 loss to Dayton at Robert Morris in the first game of the 2022 season.
Iiams transferred to Dayton in January 2023 and has started every game of the past two seasons.
“I knew people that went here and always knew about the program,” he said, “and then I came home one Thanksgiving break and my parents were like, ‘Hey, you should look at Dayton.’ Dayton beat us that year, and my dad also owns a company in the Dayton area. I just felt like everything was kind of going toward that direction.”
Iiams earned All-Pioneer Football League honorable mentions the last two seasons. He was named to the All-PFL preseason team this year. He was voted a captain in the spring along with redshirt junior cornerback Cam Cope and redshirt junior offensive lineman Ben Huefner.
“Especially being a fifth-year player, I feel like I have a lot of advice I can give these guys,” Iiams said. “I try to look at every guy, especially the younger guys, like, ‘Hey, I was in your position once. Things aren’t that scary. You can get to where I’m at right now just by coming in every single day, putting your head down and working.’”
Dayton finished 4-7 in 2023, Iiams’ first with the program, and improved to 6-5 last season. He will graduate after this semester.
“They’ve been some of the best years of my life, hence why I’m coming back for my fifth year,” Iiams said. “I’ve met a lot of great people, a lot of smart people at this university. I have a lot of great memories. Football is something that I’m trying to get all I can out of for the rest of my life. It’s been an amazing three years.”
Dayton’s first opponent, Eastern Illinois, finished 3-9 last season. Dayton last played the Panthers in the second game of the 2021 season, winning 17-10. That’s the only matchup in the series.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Iiams has high hopes for the season.
“Practices are definitely the most competitive they’ve been since I’ve been here,” he said. “The offense has really taken the next step this year, and the defense has a lot of new young guys, but they’re hungry and it’s exciting going against them every single day.”
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