The University of Akron Athletics
Akron unveils challenging 2015 men's soccer schedule
April 09 | Men's Soccer
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AKRON, Ohio – Three Big Ten, one Atlantic Coast Conference and one Pacific-12 Conference teams will visit FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field as part of The University of Akron men's soccer squad's 2015 schedule, third-year head coach Jared Embick announced today.
In 2015 the Zips will face at least 11 opponents from the 2014 NCAA Tournament field, including three that advanced to the Round of 16. This year's 10-match season ticket package features visits to Akron by Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State of the Big Ten, Wake Forest from the ACC and 2014 national runner-up UCLA of the Pac-12.
"We are very happy with this schedule," Embick said. "I am excited for our students and fans as the get the chance to see many of the top teams come to our field. We also have a challenging road schedule. At the end of the day we want a high seed and home games in the NCAA Tournament, and we need a schedule like this to accomplish it."
Other notable home highlights include September showdowns with Saint Louis (Sept. 11), Ohio State (Sept. 16), Wake Forest (Sept. 22), and Penn State (Sept. 30).
The month of October includes home contests versus Santa Barbara (Oct. 6), Northern Illinois (Oct. 17), and Michigan State (Oct. 21).
The Zips close out their regular season campaign welcoming UCLA and Bowling Green to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field for matches on Nov. 1 and Nov. 7, respectively.
Limited Reserved Bleacher Back ($110) and General Admission ($60) season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by logging on to GoZips.com/tickets, calling 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting The C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the corner of E. Exchange and S. Union streets) Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Discounted General Admission season tickets for UA Faculty/Staff are also available for $48 and must be purchased in person or on the phone. Additionally, General Admission Family Plans ($200), which include a combination of two adult and two youth tickets or one adult and three youth tickets, are available for the fall at this time.
New and renewal soccer accounts will receive with their purchase one complimentary Akron Soccer scarf, which is exclusive to season ticketholders (one per season ticket) while supplies last.
As another option, all UA Alumni are eligible to purchase the Alumni All-Sport Season Ticket Package for $175, which includes General Admission season tickets for men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, and a reserved seat for football.
As a reminder, season ticket holders from the 2014 campaign have until June 1 to renew and guarantee their seat(s) for next fall.
The Zips will take the field for the first time on Aug. 18 when 2014 NCAA Tournament participant and Horizon League champion Oakland visits FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field for an exhibition tilt.
The Golden Grizzlies registered a 2-0 road victory over 24th-ranked Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before suffering a 1-0 setback at Michigan State, who went on to advance to the quarterfinal round.
Akron opens its 61st season of intercollegiate soccer traveling to Richmond, Va., for the VCU Tournament where the Zips will square off against host VCU and Old Dominion on Aug. 28 and Aug. 30, respectively.
Akron and VCU have met just once before in the regular season with the then No. 19 Rams earning a 1-0 triumph over the seventh-rated Zips on Sept. 13, 2013.
Akron and Old Dominion, who advanced to the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, will be playing for the first time in program history.
The following weekend the Zips visit Washington, D.C., for a three-team tournament hosted by Georgetown.
Akron opens play against the host Hoyas, who earned a No. 8 seed for last year's NCAA Tournament. Georgetown advanced to the quarterfinal round where it battled eventual national champion Virginia to a 1-1 double-overtime time draw, before falling in penalty kicks, 5-4.
The only previous meeting between the two schools occurred on Sept. 28, 1991, a 1-1 tie at the Cleveland State Classic.
Only the third-ever encounter between the Zips and Maryland looms on Labor Day as the two sides will play in College Park, Md. The Terrapins were awarded the No. 4 seed for the NCAA Tournament last fall and were stunned by UMBC, 1-0, in the second round. Akron last faced the Terrapins in 2005 during the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Zips commence their home campaign on Sept. 11 hosting Saint Louis for the first time since 2009. The Billikens posted an opening-round 2-0 triumph past Tulsa in last year's tournament before falling to Louisville, 2-1, in the second round.
For the 12th consecutive year the Zips and Buckeyes will square off in an all-time series that dates back to the program's first season in 1955. The Sept. 16 showdown will be a rematch of the 2014 NCAA Tournament showdown between the Zips and Buckeyes in which the two teams battled to a 1-1 double-overtime tie, before Ohio State advanced on penalty kicks, 13-12.
Looking to build off their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago, the Demon Deacons return to Akron for the third time in the last five seasons with the Zips having registered a 1-0 triumph in the last home meeting with Wake Forest on Oct. 15, 2013.
Akron then travels to Santa Barbara, Calif., the site of its 2010 NCAA College Cup triumph, for only the third meeting versus UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 25. Owning 11 all-time tournament appearances, the Gauchos captured the 2006 College Cup.
Akron closes out the month playing Penn State for the 14th consecutive season. The Nittany Lions advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament a year ago before falling to ninth-seeded Syracuse in the tournament's second round.
The Zips open up the month of October visiting UAB on Oct. 3 before returning home to host Santa Clara on Oct. 6.
Akron opens defense of its 2014 Mid-American Conference regular season crown on Oct. 9 when the Zips visit Buffalo in their league opener.
Northern Illinois comes to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Oct. 17 for Akron's home conference debut before the Zips close out a two-game homestand entertaining NCAA quarterfinalist Michigan State (Oct. 21).
Akron will travel to Western Michigan (Oct. 24) and West Virginia (Oct. 30) as part of its final road swing of the regular season before returning home
For only the third time in program history and first since the 1991 campaign, the Zips will square off against UCLA as Akron hosts the Bruins on Nov. 1.
As the No. 2 national seed a season ago, UCLA advanced all the way to the championship match of the 2014 College Cup where the Bruins fought their way to a 0-0 double-overtime draw versus 16th-seeded Virginia. UCLA came up short in its bid for its fifth national title as the Cavaliers outlasted the Bruins in penalty kicks, 4-2.
The Zips close out the regular season facing Bowling Green in a rematch of the 2014 MAC Championship game, won by Akron, 2-1.
The league's regular-season champion will host the 2015 MAC Tournament Nov. 13-15, while the NCAA College Cup, which will be played at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Mo., is scheduled for Dec. 11-13.
In all, Akron, which will compete in 18 regular-season matches, is scheduled to play five games against the MAC, four versus the Big Ten, two apiece against the Atlantic 10 and Conference USA and one each versus the ACC, Big East, Big West and Pac-12 conferences.
All Zips home games will once again start at 7 p.m., with the exception of a Sunday matinee against UCLA.
Additionally, for the seventh consecutive season, select Zips men's soccer matches will be carried on the Akron IMG Sports Network, 1350 AM (WARF). The complete broadcast schedule will be announced at a later time.
Akron is set to return nine starters, including all Mid-American Conference first-team performers Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.), Jake Fenlason (San Diego, Calif.) and Andrew Souders (Amherst, Ohio) in 2015 from a squad that captured Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament titles while posting an overall record of 13-6-2 during the 2014 campaign.
The Zips were playing their best soccer in the final half of the season – posting an 8-2 mark over their final 10 games entering the NCAA Tournament.
2015 AKRON MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE
| Date | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 18 |
OAKLAND (EXHIBITION) | 7 P.M. |
| Aug. 28 |
at VCU ^ |
7:30 P.M. |
| Aug. 30 |
vs. Old Dominion (Richmond, Va.) ^ |
7 P.M. |
| Sept. 4 |
at Georgetown $ |
4:00 P.M. |
| Sept. 7 |
at Maryland $ |
7 P.M. |
| Sept. 11 |
SAINT LOUIS |
7 P.M. |
| Sept. 16 |
OHIO STATE |
7 P.M. |
| Sept. 22 |
WAKE FOREST |
7 P.M. |
| Sept. 25 |
at UC Santa Barbara |
10:30 P.M. ET |
| Sept. 30 |
PENN STATE |
7 P.M. |
| Oct. 3 |
at UAB |
8:00 P.M. ET |
| Oct. 6 |
SANTA CLARA |
7 P.M. |
| Oct. 9 |
at Buffalo * |
7 P.M. |
| Oct. 17 |
NORTHERN ILLINOIS * |
7 P.M. |
| Oct. 21 |
MICHIGAN STATE |
7 P.M. |
| Oct. 24 |
at Western Michigan * |
1 P.M. |
| Oct. 30 |
at West Virginia * |
7:30 P.M. |
| Nov. 1 |
UCLA | 1 P.M. |
| Nov. 7 |
BOWLING GREEN * |
7 P.M. |
| Nov. 13-15 |
MAC Championship (Highest Seed Hosts) |
TBA |
| Dec. 11-13 |
NCAA College Cup (Kansas City, Mo.) |
TBA |
* Indicates Mid-American Conference game
^ Indicates VCU Tournament (Richmond, Va.)
$ Indicates Georgetown Tournament (Washington, D.C.)
All dates and times subject to change
Homes matches in BOLD CAPS
