The Akron Zips men's soccer team is an intercollegiate
varsity sports
In most English-speaking countries, varsity is an abbreviation of the word ''university''. In the United States and Canada, the term is mostly used in relation to sports teams.
Varsity in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, varsity team ...
team of the
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a public research university in Akron, Ohio. It is part of the University System of Ohio. As a STEM-focused institution, it focuses on industries such as polymers, advanced materials, and engineering. It is classified ...
. The team is a member of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Division I Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twel ...
through the 2022 season, after which it will join the
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and M ...
as a single-sport member. Akron is regularly ranked in the Top 10
NSCAA
The United Soccer Coaches (formerly known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)) is an organization of American soccer coaches founded in 1941. It is the largest soccer coaches organization in the world, with more than 30 ...
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
FirstEnergy Corp is an electric utility headquartered in Akron, Ohio. It was established when Ohio Edison acquired Centerior Energy in 1997. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the distribution, transmission, and generation of electri ...
, 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
Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...
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
Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in Ash ...
.
Parry eventually led the team to nine Ohio College Soccer Association titles as well as six NCAA playoff appearances.
In 1986, the men's soccer team gained the most exposure in the NCAA tournament, finishing second to
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
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.
[
In 2006, ]Caleb Porter
Caleb Porter (born February 18, 1975) is an American soccer coach who most recently served as the head coach of Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew from 2019 to 2022. He was previously head coach of the Portland Timbers from 2013 until 201 ...
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
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...
(the College Cup) in 2009, and a national championship in 2010.
Jared Embick
Jared Embick is an American college soccer coach, currently serving as head coach of the Akron Zips men's soccer team.
Career
He played college soccer at Indiana Wesleyan University.
He was the head coach for Missouri Baptist University
Misso ...
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.
After the 2022 season, the MAC, whose men's soccer league had been decimated by conference realignment earlier in the decade, dropped that sport. Akron moved men's soccer to the Big East Conference, making it the only one of the four full MAC members with men's soccer teams that did not move that sport to the Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest.
History
The MVC was established ...
.
Colors and badge
The team uses the school colors of blue and gold.
Stadium
Lee Jackson Field was dedicated on October 22, 1966. Along with the soccer venue, the 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
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...
. The fields are located towards the southeast corner of the University of Akron campus, just west of InfoCision Stadium
InfoCision Management Corporation is a company that operates call centers. Based in Bath Township, Ohio outside of Akron, it is the second-largest teleservice company in the United States. It operates 30 call centers at 12 locations in Ohio, West ...
.
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.
Announced in March 2011 was a partnership between The University of Akron and Cub Cadet
Cub Cadet is an American company that produces outdoor power equipment and services, including utility vehicles, handheld and chore products as well as snow throwers.
History
IH Cub Cadet was a premium line of small tractors, established in 196 ...
, the premier brand of Cleveland-based MTD Products, which will rename the Zips' new, state-of-the-art grass soccer field Cub Cadet Field.
In June 2011, the field was renamed FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet field after Cub Cadet as well as First Energy
FirstEnergy Corp is an electric utility headquartered in Akron, Ohio. It was established when Ohio Edison acquired Centerior Energy in 1997. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the distribution, transmission, and generation of electri ...
plans were announced to build 300 new bleacher seats, permanent restrooms, and a concession stand along with the renaming.
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.
Notable alumni
* Niko De Vera (2014-2017) - Currently with Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
* Conrad Earnest
Conrad Earnest (born December 20, 1957) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and well respected exercise physiologist. He spent two seasons in the American Soccer League.
Career
Earnest began playing soccer at the age of 16. Within two y ...
* George Nanchoff
George Nanchoff (born 1954 in Resen, Yugoslavia ( SR Macedonia)) is a retired Yugoslavian-American soccer player. He spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League and seven seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned t ...
(1973–1976) – Retired
* Louis Nanchoff
Louis "Louie" Nanchoff (born May 13, 1956 in Resen, Yugoslavia) is a retired U.S.-Yugoslavian soccer player. He spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League and seven seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned ten ca ...
(1974–1977) – Retired
* Benny Dargle
Bernard "Benny" Dargle (born 2 January 1957) is an American retired professional soccer player who played as a defender, making over 400 career appearances in a professional career which lasted from 1978 to 1992.
Career
Dargle was born in Liv ...
(1975–1977) – Retired
* Shaun Pendleton
Shaun Pendleton, born in Sheffield, England, was an English-American soccer defender who played four seasons in the American Indoor Soccer Association before becoming a college soccer coach. His teams won the 1991 NAIA and 2003 NCAA Division ...
(1982–1985) – Retired
* Roderick Scott
Roderick Scott (born 27 December 1965) is a Canadian former soccer player and coach.
Club career
University of Akron
Scott attended the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship after a recruiter spotted him playing for the Canadian U-19 nat ...
(1985–88) – Retired
* Cameron Knowles
Cameron Knowles (born 11 October 1982 in Auckland) is a New Zealand football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of MLS Next Pro side Minnesota United 2.
Playing career
College and Amateur
Knowles played college soccer f ...
(2001–04) – Retired
* Devon McKenney
Devon McKenney (born September 14, 1984 in North Olmsted, Ohio) is an American soccer player.
Career
College and Amateur
McKenney attended North Olmsted High School, helping them to the conference and district championships his senior season, w ...
(2003–2007)
* Siniša Ubiparipović
Siniša Ubiparipović ( sr-Cyrl, Синиша Убипариповић; born 25 August 1983) is a retired Bosnian-born American footballer.
Early life
Ubiparipović was born in the town of Zenica, at the time part of SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, ...
(2004–2006) – Retired
* Evan Bush
Evan William Bush (born March 6, 1986) is an American soccer player, who plays as a goalkeeper for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.
Career
College and amateur
Bush attended Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, Ohio and played college so ...
(2005–2008) – Currently with Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
* Justin Sadler (2005)
* Ben Zemanski
Ben Zemanski (born May 12, 1988 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American retired soccer player and current assistant coach for the Portland Pilots.
Career
College and Amateur
Zemanski attended the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, where he ...
(2006–2009)
* Steve Zakuani
Steve Zakuani (born 9 February 1988) is a Congolese former footballer. He was born in Zaire—now the Democratic Republic of the Congo—and grew up in London. After a successful college career, he played for the Seattle Sounders FC and the Port ...
(2006–2007) – Retired
* Chris Korb
Chris Korb (born October 8, 1987) is a former American soccer player who last played in 2017, for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.
Early life
Korb was born on October 8, 1987 in Ohio to Rozann and Kenneth Korb. His dad coached his first s ...
(2007–2010)
* Michael Nanchoff
Michael Nanchoff (born September 23, 1988) is an American retired soccer player who is currently an assistant coach for the Akron Zips men's soccer team.
Career
College and Amateur
Before college, Nanchoff played for Walsh Jesuit High School i ...
(2007–2010) – Retired
* Blair Gavin
Blair Gavin (born January 8, 1989) is a former American association football, soccer player who is head coach of USL Championship side FC Tulsa.
Career
College and Amateur
Gavin grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, played club soccer for the Sereno ...
(2007–2009) – Retired
* Teal Bunbury
Teal Alexander Bunbury (born February 27, 1990) is a professional soccer player who plays as a forward and midfielder for Nashville SC in Major League Soccer. Born in Canada, he represented the United States national team.
Early life
Bunbury ...
(2008–2009) – Currently with Nashville SC
Nashville Soccer Club is a Major League Soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The team began play in the league in 2020 as a continuation of the USL club of the same name and plays its home matches at Geodis Park. It is principally owned ...
* Darlington Nagbe
Darlington Joephillip Nagbe (born July 19, 1990) is an professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer. Born in Liberia, he represented the United States national team.
Nagbe spent the first seven ...
(2008–2010) – Currently with Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
* Anthony Ampaipitakwong
Anthony Petch Ampaipitakwong ( th, แอนโธนี่ เพ็ชร อําไพพิทักษ์วงศ์; born 14 June 1988) is a retired professional association football, footballer who played as a Midfielder (association fo ...
(2007–2010) – Currently with Bangkok United
True Bangkok United Football Club ( th, สโมสรฟุตบอลทรู แบงค็อก ยูไนเต็ด) is a Thai professional football club based in Pathum Thani province. Formerly known as Bangkok University Foot ...
* Kofi Sarkodie
Kofi Kwarteng Frempong Sarkodie (born March 22, 1991) is an American soccer player.
Career
Youth, College and Amateur
After graduating from the IMG Soccer Academy in 2008, Sarkodie attended the University of Akron. Sarkodie started in all ...
(2008–2010)
* Zarek Valentin
Zarek Chase Valentin (born August 6, 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a right back for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United. A former youth international for the United States, Valentin represents the Puerto Rico national t ...
(2009–2010)- Currently with the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo FC (formerly officially, but still commonly, called the Houston Dynamo) is an American professional soccer club based in Houston. The Dynamo compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Establi ...
* Scott Caldwell
Scott Caldwell (born March 15, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.
Career
Youth, college and amateur
Caldwell spent a year with the New England Revolution academy, making six app ...
(2009–2012) – Currently with the Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in 20 ...
* Chad Barson (2009–2012) – Retired
* Darren Mattocks
Darren Dimitri Mattocks (born 2 September 1990) is a Jamaican professional footballer who last played as a forward for Phoenix Rising FC and the Jamaica national football team.
College career
Mattocks played for the University of Akron where he ...
(2010–2011) – Currently with FC Cincinnati
Football Club Cincinnati, commonly known as FC Cincinnati, is an American professional association football, soccer club based in Cincinnati. The club plays in the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The ...
* Perry Kitchen
Perry Allen Kitchen (born February 29, 1992) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder.
He was part of the Akron Zips side that won the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, and was a firs ...
(2010) – Currently with LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy, also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy, are an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Galaxy competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), as a member of the Western Conference. The club began pl ...
* DeAndre Yedlin
DeAndre Roselle Yedlin (born July 9, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the United States national team. Primarily a right-back, he has also featured as a right wing-back and ...
(2011–2012) – Currently with Inter Miami CF
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, known as Inter Miami CF or simply Inter Miami, is an American professional soccer club based in the Miami metropolitan area. Established in 2018, the club began play in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the 2020 ...
* Aodhan Quinn
Aodhan Quinn (born March 22, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who currently plays for Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Championship.
Career
Early career
Quinn played college soccer at Bradley University in 2010 and at the University ...
(2011–2013) – Currently with Phoenix Rising
* Wil Trapp
William Alexander Trapp (born January 15, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Trapp graduated from Lincoln High School, ...
(2011–2012) – Currently with Minnesota United FC
Minnesota United FC is an American professional soccer club based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that plays in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer. The club began play in 2017 as the league's 22nd club, and replaced the North American Socc ...
* Dillon Serna
Dillon Paul Serna (born March 25, 1994) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Colorado Rapids 2 in MLS Next Pro. He previously played in Major League Soccer for Colorado Rapids and in the USL Championship for ...
(2012) – Currently with the Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1995, as part of the Anschutz Corporation, la ...
* Saad Abdul-Salaam
Saad Abdul-Salaam (born September 8, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for San Antonio FC in the USL Championship.
Career Early career
Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Abdul-Salaam grew up in Gahanna, Oh ...
(2012–2014) – Currently with Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's association football, soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club w ...
* Richie Laryea
Richmond Mamah Laryea ( ; Ga: ; born January 7, 1995) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a right-back or midfielder for Major League Soccer club Toronto FC, on loan from Premier League club Nottingham Forest, and the Canada ...
(2014–2015) – Currently with Toronto FC
Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BMO ...
* Adam Najem (2013–2016) – Currently with Memphis 901
Memphis 901 FC is an American professional soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019.
Stadium
The club currently plays on the grounds of AutoZone Park, a baseball stadiu ...
* Jonathan Lewis (2016) – Currently with Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1995, as part of the Anschutz Corporation, la ...
* João Moutinho
João Filipe Iria Santos Moutinho (; born 8 September 1986) is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Portugal national team.
Moutinho began his professional career ...
(2018) - 2018 MLS Superdraft First-Overall Draft Pick for Los Angeles FC
Los Angeles Football Club, commonly referred to as LAFC, is an American professional Association football team based in Los Angeles. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The club ...
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
Ken Lolla is a soccer coach who was formerly head men's soccer coach at the University of Louisville. He is also a writer and professional speaker. Lolla played collegiate soccer at Duke University and professionally at various US professional ...
(1993), Caleb Porter
Caleb Porter (born February 18, 1975) is an American soccer coach who most recently served as the head coach of Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew from 2019 to 2022. He was previously head coach of the Portland Timbers from 2013 until 201 ...
(2006)
Achievements
* NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship
The NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate College soccer, soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the NCAA Division I, ...
:
** Winners (1): 2010
** Runners-up (3): 1986, 2009, 2018
* Mid-American Conference Tournament:
** Winners (15): 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
** 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
Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in operation since 1923. ...
, September 9, 2005
* Most Goals in a half: 8 vs. Green Bay, 1986
* Lee Jackson Field attendance: 4,744 vs. Tulsa
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
, September 22, 2010
* FirstEnergy Stadium–Cub Cadet Field attendance: 5,819 vs. Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
, September 28, 2011
See also
* Akron Zips football
Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...
* Akron Zips men's basketball
The Akron Zips men's basketball team represents the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. The team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference East division. The Zips are currently coached by John Groce. Prior to becoming members of the MAC in ...
* Collegiate soccer
* 2010 Akron Zips men's soccer team
References
External links
*
{{Big East Conference men's soccer navbox
Akron Zips
Soccer clubs in Ohio
1954 establishments in Ohio
Association football clubs established in 1954