The University of Akron Athletics
UA, Porter Agree on New Five-Year Contract
December 16 | Men's Soccer
- University of Akron Director of Athletics Tom
Wistrcill announced Tuesday that men's soccer head coach
Caleb Porter has signed a new
five-year contract that will keep him on campus through the 2014
season.
The current agreement will begin immediately and replaces the
contract Porter signed in 2008.
"I want to thank our President, Dr. (Luis) Proenza, and our
Director of Athletics, Tom Wistrcill for their commitment to the
future of the University of Akron Men's soccer program," Porter
said. "My wife, Andrea, and I are humbled by the support we have
received from alumni, friends and fans and we are thrilled to
continue raising our family in this community. I am extremely proud
of the brand of program we have built and the accomplishments that
our student-athletes have had over the last four seasons.
"After reaching the pinnacle of college soccer this season, my
vision will be to sustain the program for long-term success as one
of the nation's elite programs. This an exciting time for Akron
Soccer and with upgrades to the facility on the horizon I am
confident we have all the resources necessary to continue competing
for national championships for many years to come."
The announcement comes on the heels of the school's second
appearance in a national championship game and one of the greatest
seasons in NCAA history.
Under Porter's leadership, the Zips matched a Division I milestone
for consecutive wins in a season (23) in 2009 and took a perfect
record to the NCAA College Cup. Along the way, Akron set program
records for wins (23), shutouts (19), fewest goals allowed (7) and
lowest goals-against-average (GAA) (0.27), among others.
"This new contract shows the level of commitment the University is
making to ensure the best collegiate coach remains at Akron and
this program continues to be at the forefront of collegiate soccer
for years to come," Wistrcill said. "Since my arrival, I have made
it a priority to do what is best for the Akron men's soccer program
and Dr. Proenza agrees that keeping Caleb is a must."
Of all the 203 Division I teams, none was more dominant in 2009 as
Porter's Zips. Akron led the nation in goals per game (2.32) and
goals-against-average (0.27 GAA) as the consensus No. 1-ranked team
for the final nine weeks of the regular season. Additionally, Akron
established these milestones while playing the most difficult
schedule in the country with the nation's No. 1-ranked RPI in the
final regular-season release.
UA's 19 shutouts represent the second-highest total in NCAA history
while its goals-against-average and shutout percentage (.760) are
third all-time.
Since taking over in 2006, Porter has taken the Zips' program to
unprecedented heights. During his tenure, Akron has posted an
overall record of 68-12-8 (.818) overall and 20-1-1 (.932) in
Mid-American Conference play. Moreover, since 2005 UA has logged
the highest winning percentage in the nation, going 86-13-12
(.829).
Porter's Zips have claimed four straight MAC regular-season
championships, three straight MAC Tournament titles and qualified
for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons,
culminating in last Sunday's appearance in the national
championship game.
The foundation of Porter's success has been the accumulation of the
nation's top talent. He and his staff - including assistants Dave
Giffard, Jared Embick and Oliver
Slawson - recruited the No. 1 class in the nation in 2009 after
recording No. 5 designations for both 2007 and 2008.
Porter is a three-time MAC Coach of the Year (2007, 2008, 2009) and
the NCAA Division I All-Ohio Coach of the Year in 2008.
Defensive efficiency has been the hallmark of Porter's teams at UA
and for the second straight season, the Zips led the nation in
goals-against-average. In fact, Akron allowed more than one goal in
a game once in 2009 and just twice in the past two years.
Of Akron's many remarkable trends under Porter, the Zips are 63-1-1
(.977) when scoring first, 45-0-0 (1.000) when leading at halftime
and 49-0-0 (1.000) when scoring two or more goals since 2006.
Individually speaking, a number of performers have blossomed under
Porter's guidance. The Zips have produced the MAC Player of the
Year in each of his four seasons as well and the nation's leading
goal scorer in each of the last two.
English-born striker Steve Zakuani became the No.
1 overall selection of the 2009 Major League Soccer SuperDraft
after just two years in Porter's system. Zakuani led the nation
with 20 goals 47 points in 2008 while finishing runner-up for the
prestigious Hermann Trophy as a sophomore. Furthermore, Zakuani was
an NSCAA first team All-American and the Player of the Year
according to Soccer America and Top Drawer Soccer
publications.
In that same mold, sophomore Teal Bunbury was the
country's top goal scorer in 2009 with 17 goals to his name and an
NSCAA first team All-American. Bunbury, the MAC and
Goal.com Player of the Year, will also be representing the
University of Akron as one of three finalists for this year's
Hermann Trophy.
Porter also had the privilege of working with current MLS star
Sinisa Ubiparipovic in 2006. Ubiparipovic was the
first of six UA All-Americans produced since Porter's arrival.
Junior Anthony Ampaipitakwong is a
two-time honoree while Bunbury and Darlington Nagbe became
first-time honorees in 2009.
The Zips have been just as impressive in the classroom under
Porter's watch with nine players named to the all-conference
academic team; with more expected this season. UA posted a team GPA
of 3.256 in 2009 and were led by a pair of Academic All-Americans,
sophomore Kofi Sarkodie (first team)
and senior Ben Zemanski (third team). Elliot
Bradbrook earned Academic All-American honors (second team) in
2007.
