The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Winthrop
Akron Classic Set as Zips Host Winthrop and Florida Gulf Coast
November 19 | Women's Basketball
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GAME NOTES NO. 2/3 AKRON VS. WINTHROP/FLORIDA GULF COAST (11/20 & 11/21) (PDF)
Akron (0-1) vs. Winthrop (0-2)
Friday, Nov. 20
James A. Rhodes Arena (5,500)
Akron, Ohio • 10:30 a.m.
Akron (0-1) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (1-1)
Saturday, Nov. 21
James A. Rhodes Arena (5,500)
Akron, Ohio • 3:30 p.m.
Live Stats (Winthrop): www.gozips.com
Live Stats (Florida Gulf Coast): www.gozips.com
Webstream (Winthrop): www.gozips.com
Friday Radio: SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), for free at SportsRadio1350.com and on iHeartRadio. Bill Morgan and David Suntup will have the call starting with the pre-game show starting at 10:20 a.m.
Saturday Radio: Akron News and Talk 640 AM (WHLO) in Akron, for free at 640whlo.com and on iHeartRadio. Bill Morgan and David Suntup will have the call starting with the pre-game show starting at 3:20 p.m.
Television: None
What's Ahead
The Akron Classic kicks off the home portion of the Zips' 2015-16 ledger this weekend as Akron welcomes Florida Gulf Coast, Winthrop and Mid-American Conference rival Ohio to James A. Rhodes Arena. The Zips will open the four-team, four-game event battling Winthrop on Friday, Nov. 20, at 10:30 a.m., before squaring off against Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3:30 p.m. Ohio will play Florida Gulf Coast on Friday, Nov. 20, and then Winthrop on Saturday,Nov. 21, to round out the tournament slate. Both games for the Bobcats are slated for 1 p.m. each day.
A Look at Winthrop
Winthrop enters play this weekend with an 0-2 record after suffering season-opening setbacks at No. 17 Oklahoma, 78-48, and at No. 14 Duke, 78-50, this past Friday, Nov. 13, and Sunday, Nov. 15, respectively. Junior Erica Williams and freshman Arianne Whitaker are leading the Eagles in scoring averaging 14.0 and 11.0 points per contest. Whitaker is pulling down a team-best 6.5 caroms a night, while shooting more than 61 percent (.611) from the field. Winthrop is averaging 49.0 points per game and is connecting at nearly 35 percent (.347) from the field.
A Look at Florida Gulf Coast
Florida Gulf Coast has gotten off to a 1-1 start to its campaign after a 60-36 season-opening triumph at North Carolina A&T last Friday, Nov. 13, and a 62-55 home setback versus Florida Atlantic on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The Eagles are receiving votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches' top 25 polls this week. Redshirt sophomore Taylor Gradinjan and senior Kaniesha Atwater lead the offensive efforts for Florida Gulf Coast averaging 14.0 and 12.5 points per outing. Seniors DyTiesha Dunson and Katie Meador are each recording a team-best 5.0 rebounds per tilt. As a team, the Eagles are posting 57.5 points a night and are connecting at a nearly 41-percent clip (.405) from the field this season.
Series History
Akron and Winthrop are meeting for the second time with the Zips registering a 74-65 home victory past the Eagles on Jan. 4, 2004 in the lone previous encounter between the two schools.
Akron and Florida Gulf Coast are squaring off for the first time in program history.
The Coaches
Winthrop: Kevin Cook is in his fourth season as head coach of the Winthrop program, owning a 62-36 (.633) record. He maintains a 109-92 (.542) ledger in nine years as a head coach.
Florida Gulf Coast: Karl Smesko is in his 14th season as head coach of the Florida Gulf Coast program, recording a 346-68 (.836) ledger. In 17 years overall, he owns a 407-95 (.811) mark.
Akron: In her 10th year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, is Jodi Kest, who has a 142-140 mark (.504), including 368-293 (.557) overall, in her 24th year as a head coach.
Four Zips Score in Double Figures but Akron Falls 91-77 at Florida Atlantic
Florida Atlantic jumped out to an early lead and Akron trailed the entire game as the Zips' women's basketball team dropped a 91-77 decision in the regular season opener at the FAU arena last Friday night, Nov. 13.
Four Zips players scored in double figures led by senior Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio), who was Akron's leading scorer with 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Junior Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) chipped in 21 points making three baskets from long range, while sophomore's Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio) and Alli Ball (St. Louis, Mo.) each posted their first career double-doubles.
Burry went for career highs in points (14) and rebounds (12), while Ball tallied career-best marks in points (13), while pulling down a career-high 11 boards. Senior Megan Barilla (Fairview Park, Ohio) added five assists for the Zips.
Akron shot 42.3 percent (30-71) from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc shooting 6-of-22 for 27.3 percent. Florida Atlantic connected on 46.7 percent (28-of-60) of its shots from the floor, and went 11-of-29 (37.9 percent) in three-point shooting. Akron rebounded Florida Atlantic 42-23, but the Owls had the advantage in points off turnovers 28-to-5.
Heading into the locker room trailing 39-32, Akron shot at a 30-percent clip (11-for-36) from the field in the initial stanza and just 18.8 percent (3-for-16) from beyond the three-point line.
Akron trailed by just six points, 69-63, to begin the fourth quarter. The two teams went back-and-forth in the opening minutes of the quarter. Florida Atlantic opened up the game courtesy of an 11-4 run.
Three Players Score in Double-Figures to Lead Akron
Three players scored in double figures along with a huge third-quarter run sparked Akron to a 79-50 exhibition victory over Clarion on Sunday, Nov. 8, at James A. Rhodes Arena.
Anita Brown led the Zips with a 23-point, seven-rebound, and four-assist performance. DiAndra Gibson added 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Greta Burry scored 11 points, and had nine rebounds.
Akron shot 45.2 percent (33-of-74) from the field, and was 7-of-21 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc. Clarion hit 16-of-58 (27.6 percent) of its shots from the floor, and connected on 6-of-21 (28.6 percent) in three-point shooting. Akron outrebounded Clarion in the game, 49-39, which allowed the Zips to outscore the Golden Eagles in the paint, 48-22.
Adding three and two points, respectively, in their collegiate debuts were freshmen Lilli Piper (Norton, Ohio) and Fredniqua Walker (Cleveland, Ohio).
Brown Named MAC East Player of the Week
Anita Brown was selected as the Mid-American Conference East Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Brown directed Akron's efforts in the Zips' 91-77 setback at Florida Atlantic last Friday, Nov. 13, registering a team-high 27 points.
She connected on nearly 48 percent (.476) of her shots from the field, while going 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. She also pulled down seven rebounds, while dishing out three assists.
The accolade is the fourth in Brown's Akron career and the first for a Zip this season.
Akron Hosts Third-Annual Education Day
The University of Akron Women's Basketball team will hold its third-annual Education Day on Friday, Nov. 20, as the Zips host Winthrop in the opening game of the Akron Classic. Game time at James A. Rhodes Arena is set for 10:30 a.m.
The Zips are expecting nearly 1,000 fifth-grade students, which is the largest class yet in the event's three years of existence. Students are all coming from all across Akron with nearly 20 schools attending.
Students will have pre-, in-, and post-game "homework" that they will complete based on the outcome of the game. Questions have been integrated into the assignments relating to the game of basketball for example: score at halftime, leading scorer, scoring percentages, etc. as well as a portion about promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.
The importance of staying active and eating healthy is the overriding theme of the event. Lunch will be provided by Panera, a before and after food pyramid has been integrated for the students to complete to see what they have learned.
Members of the team have answered questions that will be displayed on the video board reminiscing about when they were in fifth grade and how they stayed active and how they were healthy, in order for the classes to make a connection with the team.
Friday's game will also serve as Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day with the first 100 faculty/staff receiving a Zips Mug. Students are encouraged to come back for "Family Night" on Jan. 2, 2016 as Akron hosts Northern Illinois.
On These Dates in Akron Women's Basketball History
The Zips will be playing for only the second time in program history on Nov. 20 when Akron battles Winthrop on Friday. The Zips bested Wright State, 64-47, on the date in 1997. Akron will be challenged by its fifth contest on Nov. 21 when the team faces Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. The Zips own a 2-2 mark in the previous four matches on the date registering victories over Indiana (70-67 in OT in 1998) and Niagara (77-58 in 2010).
News, Notes and Story lines
• The Zips have won 20 or more games in each of the last three seasons.
• With its win against Bowling Green (March 7), Akron surpassed the 2012-13 squad for the most regular season victories (22) in program history.
• The Zips' 12 league wins represented the second-best single-season mark in program history.
• With its 67-55 triumph over Miami (March 4), Akron's established a new school record for home wins in a season (13).
• The Zips have won 10 or more home games in four of the last six seasons under head coach Jodi Kest.
• Akron enters its home opener versus Winthrop on Friday, Nov. 20, having won 38 of its last 50 games dating back to the 2013-14 campaign.
• With its triumph at Kent State (Feb. 25), Akron registered its third-consecutive 20-win season. On the strength of the win, Akron currently owns the longest active streak among league teams of winning 20 or more games having done so in each of the previous three campaigns (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15).
• Akron posted the second-, third-, third-, third-, third-, fourth-, fourth-, fourth- and fifth-best single-season marks in program history in winning percentage (.710), assists (508), field-goal percentage (.435), scoring average (74.4), three-pointers made (205), points scored (2,307), field goals made (858), triples attempted (596) and three-point percentage (.344).
• Akron's 10-game winning streak to begin last season represented the second-longest such streak in program history.
• Megan Barilla checked in at No. 9 nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.77) on the strength of dishing out 3.5 per night.
• Anita Brown entered the 2015-16 campaign as the Zips' active leader in career scoring. She will enter Akron's game with Winthrop having amassed 894 points and has shot better than 45 percent (.451) from the field and at a 38.2-percent clip from beyond the arc.
Nationally Speaking
The Zips are nationally-ranked in several categories this season (as of Nov. 19). As a team, Akron is 10th in rebounding margin (+21.0), 15th in offensive rebounds per game (22.0) and 62nd in assists per outing (17.0).
Individually, Greta Burry is fourth in offensive rebounding (8.0), 34th in double-doubles (1) and 48th in rebounding (12.0). Alli Ball is 14th, 17th, 31st and 34th, respectively, in defensive rebounding (9.0), field goal percentage (.714), rebounding (11.0) and double-doubles (1). Anita Brown is rated seventh in scoring (27.0), while Hannah Plybon in ranked 52nd in scoring (21.0) and 70th in three-pointers made per game (3.00).
Akron Notes
• Greta Burry and Alli Ball registered their first career double-doubles at Florida Atlantic.
• The Zips' 53 rebounds against Florida Atlantic represented a season-high mark, while the +21 rebounding advantage was the largest margin for Akron since outrebounding Bowling Green, 56-32, in the 2014-15 regular season finale on March 7, 2015.
• Akron's 22 offensive rebounds at Florida Atlantic equaled the top-performance for the Zips during the entire 2014-15 campaign. Akron pulled down 22 offensive caroms in a 79-71 victory at Bowling Green on March 7, 2015.
• Five Zips' established new career-high marks versus Florida Atlantic, including Greta Burry and Alli Ball establishing career-best scoring marks pouring in 14 and 13 points, respectively.
• Akron has now equaled or outrebounded its opponent in 14 consecutive games dating back to last season.
• Greta Burry's eight offensive rebounds against Florida Atlantic equaled the top single-game performance last season by a Zip, set by Anita Brown, who pulled down eight offensive boards in an 80-49 triumph over Binghamton.
• Anita Brown and Hannah Plybon recorded their 13th and sixth career 20-point performances with 27- and 21-point efforts at Florida Atlantic.
• Four players in Anita Brown, Hannah Plybon, Greta Burry and Alli Ball scored in double figures for the Zips at Florida Atlantic. A year ago, led by 31 and 28 double-figure scoring games, respectively, from Sina King and Brown and 18 and courtesy of Plybon, Akron had players surpass the double-digit scoring plateau 91 times a year ago.
• The Zips have won 25 of their last 29 games at the James A. Rhodes Arena, including a 13-2 mark last season.
• Akron was 16-2 last season when scoring 70 or more points.
• Akron equaled a school record connecting on 13 three-pointers in its win at Central Michigan on Jan. 24, 2015. The Zips' effort matched the 13 triples Akron drained versus the Chippewas on Feb. 21, 2005.
• Anita Brown's 36 points against Toledo (Jan. 14) represented the fourth-highest single-game scoring effort in program history, while Megan Barilla notched the ninth-best performance for assists with 10 dimes.
• Since 2010, Akron has surpassed the 100-point plateau in scoring on seven occasions, including versus Valparaiso and Toledo last season. The Zips' record all-time when scoring 100 or more is 10-0.
• The Zips' 102 points at Toledo (Jan. 14) represented the fifth-best single-game scoring output in program history.
• The Zips displayed their defensive presence in the squad's 31 games last season as Akron committed the same or fewer turnovers than its opponents in 15 of its 31 games.
• The Zips have garnered eight Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week selections last season with Anita Brown (Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Jan. 20) and Sina King (Nov. 24, Jan. 26, Feb. 16 and March 9) leading the way earning the award three times each. Taking home accolades on Jan. 12 was Hannah Plybon.
• The Zips' 67-59 win over Bowling Green marked only the fourth-ever triumph by Akron versus the Falcons.
• The 100 points scored against Valparaiso (Nov. 25) marked the ninth-highest single-game point total in program history. Seven of the top-nine single-game scoring outputs have occurred under 10th-year head coach Jodi Kest.
• The Zips' 100-65 win over Valparaiso marked the 350th in the coaching career of Kest.
• The Zips made their fourth postseason appearance in the last six years last season, advancing to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Zips ended their postseason run with an 86-68 loss at Kansas State.
• Kest, now in her 10th season at the helm of the program, has collected the most wins of any Akron women's basketball head coach in the history of the program.
Zips Add Six the 2016 Recruiting Class
The University of Akron women's basketball team, under the leadership of 10th-year head coach Jodi Kest, has announced the addition of six student-athletes joining the Zips' squad for the 2016-17 campaign.
Donning the Akron uniform next season will be Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike), Shaunay Edwards (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle), Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley), Brooke Kurucz (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg), Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) and Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio/Revere), who have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Zips' program for the 2016-17 campaign.
A 5-8 guard from Pike High School in Indianapolis, Ind., averaged 11.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest as a junior en route to earning honorable mention all-state accolades. She has helped guide the Red Devils to back-to-back sectional championships and was tabbed to the 2015 Indiana Junior All-Star team. A strong student, Clay owns a 4.45 grade-point average and is the top-ranked student in her graduating class.
A 5-3 guard, Edmonds averaged 11.0 points, 8.0 assists, 6.0 steals and 4.0 rebounds per contest as a junior at Seton LaSalle High School in Pittsburgh, Pa. The 27th-rated point guard in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz rankings, she helped lead the Rebels to a state championship as a freshman in 2013 and a runner-up performance as a sophomore in 2014. She was named the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League championship game most valuable player as a junior.
A 5-9 guard from Teays Valley High School in Ashville, Ohio, Harmon recorded 20.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 4.8 steals a game as a junior en route to earning All-Ohio special mention honors. She has garnered recognition as the 25th-rated guard in the country by Prospects Nation and is ranked 74th nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz. She was selected as the Ohio District 10 Player of the Year in 2015.
A 5-9 guard out of Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, W.Va., Kurucz posted 18.5 points and 5.8 rebounds as a junior en route to earning third-team All-State and first-team all-conference accolades in 2015.
A 6-2 forward from Westfield, Ind., Reinoehl averaged nearly a double-double as a junior for Westfield High School registering 12.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest. An honorable mention All-State and first-team all-county selection in 2015, she is the 46th-rated forward in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz.
A 6-1 forward out of Revere High School in Richfield, Ohio, Vari was named an honorable mention All-Ohio recipient as a junior after averaging 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Additionally, she was selected as an all-county honoree in 2015.
King Earns Her Crown
Sina King became only the second Zips' player to be named the Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year with her selection as the league's top player for the 2014-15 campaign.
She led the conference in scoring (20.3), rebounding (9.3) and defensive rebounding (6.8), while ranking third in three-point shooting (.382), sixth in field-goal percentage (.478) and in free-throw percentage (.789).
She scored in double figures in all 31 games en route to posting a league-best 16 double-doubles.
In conference-only affairs, she rated first in scoring (20.7) and three-point percentage (.407), and second in rebounding (9.3), while shooting 47.5 percent from the floor (sixth in the MAC).
King capped her career with 888 rebounds and 1,634 points, the third- and fourth-highest totals in program history, while playing in 124 career games.
Three Zips Earn All-MAC Honors
Led by Sina King, who was tabbed as first-team All-Mid-American Conference women's basketball selection, three Akron student-athletes garnered all-conference accolades during the 2014-15 season.
Anita Brown and Hannah Plybon were tabbed second- and third-team selections, respectively.
A second-team honoree as a sophomore and a third-team selection during her junior campaign, King started all 31 games for the Zips last season, registering team- and conference-best marks in scoring (20.7) and rebounding (9.3).
Assuming a spot in the Zips' starting line-up last season for the first time, Brown stepped into Akron's rotation and responded averaging 18.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest. She scored in double figures in 28 games and shot 47.3 percent from the floor.
In league-only affairs, Brown registered 16.9 points and 6.8 rebounds a night, while connecting on 43.1 percent of her shots from the field.
A starter in all 31 games on the campaign, Plybon connected on a school-record 97 three-pointers, while shooting 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. She ranked third on the team in scoring (13.2), fourth in assists (60) and fifth in steals (24) and scored in double figures in 18 games, including five contests recording 20 or more points.
Akron in Close Games
Akron has been involved in 52 games decided by five points or fewer under head coach Jodi Kest. A breakdown of those matches is as follows; one-point difference (9-8), two-point difference (9-4), three-point difference (1-4), four-point difference (4-5) and five-point difference (2-6).
Zips' Offensive Progress Report
In Akron's one game this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .423 (Florida Atlantic), 30 percent: NA, 20 percent: NA.
Akron's Defensive Progress Report
In the Zips' one game this season, this is how Akron's opponents have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .467 (Florida Atlantic), 30 percent: NA, 20 percent: NA.
Bench Production
Akron is averaging 15.0 points of production from its bench through the Zips' first game this season. Alli Ball and sophomore Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.) lead the way registering 13 and two points, respectively. Ball paces the reserves in rebounding pulling down 11.0 caroms per tilt.
An Unsung Warrior
The mark of a quality team is the willingness of every player to do the little things that may not always show up in the boxscore that helps win ballgames. For the Zips, one of those players last season was DiAndra Gibson.
Gibson averaged 5.9 points, 6.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 40 percent from the floor. She recorded five or more rebounds in 24 of the Zips' 31 games, including pulling down a career-best 16 rebounds in a 67-59 win over Bowling Green (Jan. 7).
She scored in double figures four times during the 2014-15 campaign and connected on 50 percent or better from the field in 11 tilts, including eight of Akron's 18 conference games.
A Steady Hand
Megan Barilla proved to be a steadying force for the Zips off the bench last season averaging 3.5 assists. She recorded the ninth-best assist-turnover ratio in the country (2.77) and has posted five or more assists in 10 games last season. In 18 league contests, Barilla distributed 3.3 assists per tilt and committed zero turnovers in five of those contests.
Preseason Predictions
University of Akron women's basketball senior Anita Brown and junior Hannah Plybon were named to the Preseason All-Mid-American Conference East team in a preseason poll of 12 conference coaches, the league office announced on Oct. 27.
The Zips under 10th-year head coach Jodi Kest, were picked to finish second as a team in the MAC East Division behind Ohio, who was tabbed to win the conference's regular and postseason championships. Following Akron (53 points) was Bowling Green (51 points), Miami (26 points), Buffalo (25 points) and Kent State (25 points).
In the MAC West, Eastern Michigan (64 points) received four first-place votes and was named the favorite to win the division. Ball State (63 points) captured eight first-place votes, but was selected to finish second. The Cardinals were followed by Western Michigan (45 points), Toledo (42 points), Central Michigan (24 points) and Northern Illinois (14 points).
Also voted on by the coaches was the predicted 2015 MAC Regular Season Champion. Ohio received 10 of the 12 first-place votes, while Ball State and Eastern Michigan each collected one championship vote.
In a tabulation of the MAC Championship winner, Ohio was selected as the favorite earning five first-place tallies. The Bobcats were followed by Ball State and Eastern Michigan with three votes apiece, while Buffalo rounded out the poll with the final tally.
King Garners All-America Accolades
Sina King was named an honorable mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) for the 2014-15 campaign.
King was one of 52 other student-athletes from across all of Division I women's basketball to be honored by the WBCA. Her selection marked the second-straight year that Akron had a player earn honorable mention All-America accolades by the WBCA.
King joined Rachel Tecca (2013-14), Cheryl Bowles (1999-2000) and Pam Arnold (1986-87) as Zips who have been honored as earned honorable mention All-America recipients during their distinguished Akron careers.
Zips' Duo Earns Academic All-MAC Honors
Sina King and Hannah Plybon were named to the 2014-15 Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Academic All-MAC team. In all, a total of 29 student-athletes were named to the squad for last season. The duo was also named to the MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete list in 2014-15.
Newcomer Notes
• Lilli Piper - Fr., Norton, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit: averaged 14.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a senior en route to earning all-conference and honorable mention All-Ohio honors. As a junior, she recorded 12.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per contest and garnered All-Ohio Special Mention recognition, and was also named first team all-district. A multi-sport athlete, Piper was tabbed the 2014 softball player of the year by Cleveland.com, and maintained a 3.6 GPA.
• Fredniqua Walker - Fr., Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw: averaged a double-double as a senior posting 16 points and 12 rebounds per contest en route to earning all-conference, all-district and third-team All-Ohio accolades and being named as a McDonald's All-American nominee. As a junior, averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. She earned all-district recognition following her junior campaign in 2013-14. Walker boasted a 4.3 GPA and ranked No. 1 in her class.
Zips Live Radio Show
Every Monday throughout the basketball season from 7-8 p.m. ET, Akron head coaches can be heard on the weekly radio program Zips Live, presented by Lee Hyder and Associates. The show airs locally on 1350 AM (WARF) and originates from Johnny J's Pub and Grill in the Valley (1282 Weathervane Lane). A free audio stream is available on SportsRadio1350.com.
What Is a Zip?
• One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
• Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
• Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
• The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
• The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
• "Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
• In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
Up Next
The Zips travel to San Diego, Calif., to compete in the USD-Courtyard San Diego Central Classic next weekend. Akron will open tournament play versus Northern Colorado on Friday, Nov. 27, in a 5 p.m. ET contest. The Zips will then face host San Diego in a 7 p.m. ET tilt on Saturday, Nov. 28.
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