Akron Zips men's soccer

Akron Zips
men's soccer
2018 Akron Zips men's soccer team
Founded 1954
University University of Akron
Head coach Jared Embick (3rd season)
Conference MAC
Location Akron, OH
Stadium FirstEnergy Stadium
(Capacity: 4,000+standing room)
Nickname Zips
Colors Blue and Gold[1]
         
Home
Away
NCAA Tournament championships
2010
NCAA Tournament runner-up
1986, 2009
NCAA Tournament College Cup
1986, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
1967, 1986, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017
Division II – 1972
NCAA Tournament Round of 16
1967, 1986, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017
Division II – 1972
NCAA Tournament appearances
1966, 1967, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Division II – 1972
Conference Tournament championships
1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Conference Regular Season championships
1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

The Akron Zips men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of the University of Akron. The team is a member of the Mid-American Conference of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Akron is regularly ranked in the Top 10 NSCAA collegiate men's soccer poll. They have been ranked No. 1 previously in 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2016. The Zips have played their home games at FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field, formerly named Lee R. Jackson Soccer Field and Cub Cadet Field, since 1966. They won their first national championship in 2010.

History

In 1954, an Oberlin College transfer named Stu Parry started the soccer team at Akron. That year, they finished the season with two wins and one tie. The next year, men's soccer was officially offered by the university and after starting the season with two losses, they ended with a 2–4–1 record, with the team's first win coming against rival Kent State.

Parry eventually led the team to nine Ohio College Soccer Association titles as well as six NCAA playoff appearances.[2] In 1986, the men's soccer team gained the most exposure in the NCAA tournament, finishing second to Duke by a score of 1–0. A Duke player, Ken Lolla, took over the program in 1993 and then became Akron's all-time winningest coach, with a record of 160–68–25. He also led the team to their first No. 1 ranking, which was also the first ever MAC team in any sport to be ranked No. 1.[2]

In 2006, Caleb Porter became head coach, leading the team to first-place finishes in the conference every year from 2007 to 2012, an appearance in the final of the national championship (the College Cup) in 2009, and a national championship in 2010.

Jared Embick succeeded Porter as head coach after the 2012 season. The team has finished first in the conference every year since, and reached the national semi-final in 2015.

Colors and badge

The team uses the school colors of blue and gold.[3]

Stadium

Lee Jackson Field was dedicated on October 22, 1966. Along with the soccer venue, the 23-acre (93,000 m2) complex also includes fields for the school's baseball, softball, and track and field competition areas along with a practice field for the football team. The fields are located towards the southeast corner of the University of Akron campus, just west of InfoCision Stadium.

Other expansions and upgrades for the stadium have included a grandstand with seating capacity of 2,200, berm seating around the stadium with a capacity of 2,600, and lighting which meets national television specifications.[4]

Announced in March 2011 was a partnership between The University of Akron and Cub Cadet, the premier brand of Cleveland-based MTD Products, which will rename the Zips' new, state-of-the-art grass soccer field Cub Cadet Field.[5]

In June 2011, the field was renamed FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet field after Cub Cadet as well as First Energy plans were announced to build 300 new bleacher seats, permanent restrooms, and a concession stand along with the renaming.[6]

Supporters

The AK-ROWDIES are a student organization which cheer on sports teams in various sports at the university. The ROWDIES were formed as an official student organization in 2005. During the soccer games, they can be found behind the goal area, heckling the opponent's goalie.[7]

Roster

As of March 27, 2017[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Germany GK Ben Lundt
2 United States MF Jackson Crawford
3 United States DF Nick Hinds
4 United States DF Niko de Vera
5 United States DF Danilo Radjen
7 England FW Sam Gainford
9 New Zealand FW Stuart Holthusen
12 Canada MF Reggie Laryea
13 Spain MF Pau Belana
14 Canada FW Marcel Zajac
15 Eritrea FW Ezana Kahsay
16 United States MF Sam Tojaga
No. Position Player
18 United States DF Nate Shultz
19 United States MF Tyler Sanda
20 United States DF Brad Ruhaak
21 United States MF Skye Harter
23 Cameroon DF Barth-Luther Mouafo
26 Portugal MF Manuel Cordeiro
27 United States MF Alex Mapp
28 United States GK Nick Costa
29 Brazil MF Dener Dos Santos
30 United States GK Tor Saunders
31 United States MF Joe Korb

Coaching staff

2016–2017 Coaching Staff[9]
Position Staff
Head CoachUnited States Jared Embick
Assistant CoachesUnited States T.J. Kolba, United States Leo Chappel
Goalkeepers CoachRepublic of Ireland Ger Coppinger

Notable alumni

Previous head coaches

Listed according to when they became head coach for Akron (year in parentheses):

  • 1950s–1960s: Stu Parry (1955)
  • 1970s–1980s: Bill Killen (1970), Robert Dowdy (1974), Steve Parker (1982)
  • 1990s–2000s (decade): Ken Lolla (1993), Caleb Porter (2006)

Achievements

  • NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship:
    • Winners (1): 2010
    • Runners-up (2): 1986, 2009
  • Mid-American Conference Tournament:
    • Winners (14): 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
    • Runners-up (4): 1995, 1997, 2001, 2006
  • Mid-American Conference Regular Season:
    • Winners (17): 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
    • Runners-up (5): 1994, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004
  • Ohio College Soccer Association:
    • Winners (19): 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987
  • Mid-Continent Conference Regular Season:
    • Winners (1): 1991

Records

  • Most Goals in a game: 14 (12–2) vs. Cleveland State, September 9, 2005
  • Most Goals in a half: 8 vs. Green Bay, 1986
  • Lee Jackson Field attendance: 4,744 vs. Tulsa, September 22, 2010
  • FirstEnergy Stadium–Cub Cadet Field attendance: 5,819 vs. Ohio State, September 28, 2011

See also

References

  1. ↑ The University of Akron Department of Athletics Brand Guide (PDF). June 19, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Program Timeline" (PDF). 2009 University of Akron Men's Soccer Media Guide. University of Akron. 2009. p. 37. Retrieved 21 September 2009.
  3. ↑ "{title}". Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
  4. ↑ "Home Field Advantage" (PDF). 2009 University of Akron Men's Soccer Media Guide. pp. 4–5.
  5. ↑ "Men's Soccer Announces 2011 Fall Schedule". GoZips.com.
  6. ↑ http://www.uakron.edu/im/online-newsroom/news_details.dot?newsId=2041333&crumbTitle=FirstEnergy%20Stadium–Cub%20Cadet%20Field%20is%20new%20name%20for%20soccer%20venue
  7. ↑ Wheeler, Jeff (2007-11-20). "'Rowdie' for UA sports". The Buchtelite. College Publisher. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
  8. ↑ "2016 Men's Soccer Roster". University of Akron. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  9. ↑ "Coaching Staff". University of Akron. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.