The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio State
In-State Battle on Tap as Akron Visits Ohio State
October 25 | Men's Soccer
Follow Akron Men's Soccer on Twitter and Facebook
Purchase 2016 Men's Soccer Individual Game Tickets Click Here
MATCH NOTES NO. 15 AT OHIO STATE (PDF)
No. 24 Akron (7-5-2) at Ohio State (5-10-1)
Wednesday, Oct. 26
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (8,000)
Columbus, Ohio • 7 p.m.
Live Stats: www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com
Live Stream: www.btn2go.com ($)
WHAT'S AHEAD
Akron renews its annual in-state rivalry with Ohio State as the Zips travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a showdown with the Buckeyes on Wednesday, Oct. 26. Game time at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
Ohio State (5-10-1) enters its in-state battle with Akron on Wednesday, Oct. 26, having garnered a point in three of its last four matches, including a 1-0 double-overtime victory past Michigan on Friday, Oct. 21. Junior Nate Kohl leads the Buckeye's offensive attack owning team-high marks in goals (6), points (14), shots (29), shots on goal (15) and game-winners (1), while sophomore Abdi Mohamed and senior Danny Jensen have each recorded four goals. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Parker Siegfried owns a 1.43 goals against average on the strength of 55 saves and three shutouts.
As a team, the Buckeyes are ranked 75th in the NCAA in assists (19).
SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday evening's game is the 40th meeting between Akron and Ohio State in series history. The Zips lead, 28-6-5, and are unbeaten in the last 11 encounters. A year ago, Akron and the Buckeyes battled to a 3-3 double-overtime draw on Sept. 16, 2015, at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
IN OUR LAST MEETING
No. 7 Akron ties Ohio State, 3-3 (Sept. 16, 2015)
AKRON, Ohio - Five second-half goals highlighted a spirited in-state showdown in which the seventh-rated Akron and Ohio State fought to a 3-3 double-overtime draw at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
The Zips twice overcame second-half deficits to net the equalizer and eventually force the contest in overtime where Akron outshot the Buckeyes in extra time, 7-2, including 3-2 on net.
Sean Sepe opened the scoring in the affair in the eighth minute (7:44) chesting the ball past Ohio State goalkeeper Chris Froschauer to give the Zips a 1-0 advantage. Registering the first of three assists on the night after playing the ball in from the corner to a charging Sepe was Sam Gainford (Liverpool, England).
The Zips held a 1-0 lead at the intermission despite being outshot in the initial stanza, 7-6, including 3-2 on goal.
Danny Jensen netted the equalizer for the Buckeyes in the 49th minute (48:09).
Kyle Culbertson gave Ohio State a 2-1 advantage in the 56th minute (55:15) delivering a ball from approximately 13 yards out.
Inserted into the game in the 64th minute, Tyler Sanda (North Royalton, Ohio) made the most of his opportunity scoring his first career goal on a sliding shot in front of the box at the 68.46 mark. Sanda was the beneficiary of strong passes into the box from Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) and Gainford.
The momentum quickly swung back in favor of Ohio State as Abdi Mohamed extended the Buckeye's lead to 3-2 in the 70th minute (69:34).
Scoring a dominating equalizer at the 76:43 mark with a header to score his fourth goal of the year was Najem. Gainford served a ball in from the corner that Najem propelled into the back of the net.
Goalkeeper Jake Fenlason made two of his five saves for Akron in overtime. Froschauer registered six saves for Ohio State.
The Zips bettered the Buckeyes on the evening in shots, 24-13, including a 9-8 margin in shots on goal. Akron outshot Ohio State in the second half and overtime, 17-6.
Sepe recorded a game-high five shots, while Najem, Gainford and Laryea added four, three and three shots, respectively, to the Zips' offensive efforts.
THE COACHES
Ohio State: John Bluem is in his 20th season as head coach of the Ohio State program, owning a 198-148-57 (.562) record. He is 284-178-69 (.600) overall as a head coach over his 26-year career.
Akron: In his fourth year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, and 10th season overall, is Jared Embick, who has a 55-18-8 mark (.728), including 102-39-18 (.698) overall, in his seventh year as a head coach.
AKRON HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK
Jared Embick, who had previously served as the Zips' associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, officially became the seventh head coach in the history of The University of Akron men's soccer program in December of 2012.
The 2016 campaign marks his fourth year leading the Zips having registered a 55-18-8 (.728) ledger after posting an 18-3-3 record a season ago.
During Embick's time at Akron, the Zips have posted the highest winning percentage in the nation with an overall record of 165-31-24 (.805), including a 50-3-2 (.927) mark in Mid-American Conference play, while securing eight conference tournament titles, nine trips to the NCAA Tournament and two appearances in an NCAA final.
Recording their 15th consecutive double-digit victory campaign, the Zips finished the 2015 season ranked No. 3 nationally with an 18-3-3 ledger, including 4-0-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference. Akron's efforts were rewarded as the Zips earned the MAC's regular season and tournament crowns en route to collecting a No. 4 national seed and a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the 30th time in program history.
The Zips became one of just five Division I programs to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in each of the past nine seasons with their 30th overall selection.
Akron was led by the play of Adam Najem and Richie Laryea, who garnered second- and third-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America accolades, respectively, en route to directing the Zips to rank second in the NCAA in points (159), goals (56), and scoring offense (2.33), third in points per game (6.63) and shots per contest (17.54), fourth in assists (47), seventh in winning percentage (.813) and 10th in shots on goal per game (7.13).
The Zips also found success in the classroom as Akron boasted a team 3.1955 grade-point average, while Najem was tabbed a first-team NSCAA Academic All-American.
Led by Sam Gainford, Stuart Holthusen, Laryea, Najem, Brad Ruhaak and Andrew Souders, who were selected as first-team All-MAC men's soccer selections, eight Akron student-athletes garnered All-MAC accolades a year ago. Additionally, Jake Fenlason and Sean Sepe were recognized as second-team selections.
The Zips came into the campaign maintaining a No. 25 preseason ranking by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) as well as being tabbed preseason No. 24 by College Soccer News.
After opening the season splitting a pair of matches at VCU and Old Dominion, Akron rolled off three consecutive victories over ranked opponents registering a 1-0 triumph at No. 4 Georgetown before notching a 3-2 road win at No. 6 Maryland and then opening its home campaign downing No. 14 Saint Louis, 3-2.
In a rematch of its 2014 NCAA Tournament showdown, the Zips battled Ohio State to a 3-3 double-overtime draw before No. 8 Wake Forest bettered Akron, 2-1.
The Zips then began a run of seven straight wins with a 2-0 triumph at No. 25 UC Santa Barbara. Akron followed with victories past Penn State (1-0), UAB (2-1 in OT), Santa Clara (2-0), Buffalo (2-1), Northern Illinois (4-0) and Michigan State (4-1) before earning a 1-1 double-overtime draw at Western Michigan.
Akron closed out the month of October recording a 2-0 win at West Virginia before dropping a 4-2 decision against No. 25 UCLA to open the month of November.
The Zips registered a 4-0 victory over Bowling Green to earn the right to host the MAC Championship at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field after claiming the schools 18th regular season league title.
Akron captured the MAC Tournament crown with a 1-0 victory past Buffalo before opening NCAA Tournament play downing No. 25 Rutgers, 6-1, in the tournament's second round.
The Zips continued tournament besting No. 11 SMU, 2-1, before earning a 3-2 overtime victory over No. 3 Creighton in the Elite Eight to advance to the College Cup where Akron battled eventual national champion Stanford to a 1-1 double-overtime draw, before the Cardinal advanced on penalty kicks, 8-7 in 10 rounds.
In January, 2016, Laryea became the 11th Zip to have his name called during the first round of the MLS SuperDraft with his selection seventh overall in the MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City.
A 2000 graduate of Indiana Wesleyan, Embick was named an All-American by the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) in 1998 and 1999 as a player. He was also an NAIA honorable mention All-America honoree in 1999 and was twice named to the All-Mid-Central Conference squad.
WEST VIRGINIA EARNS 3-1 VICTORY OVER AKRON
A goal just 39 seconds into the game proved to be too much for Akron to overcome as the Zips suffered a 3-1 setback versus West Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 22, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
The loss marked the first for Akron in Mid-American Conference play since Western Michigan bested the Zips, 1-0, on Oct. 25, 2014.
Akron bettered the Mountaineers in the affair in shots, 19-10, including 13-5 in the second half, but West Virginia outshot the Zips on goal, 7-6.
Freshman Jonathan Lewis (Plantation, Fla.) directed Akron with a game-high five shots, while senior Brad Ruhaak (Akron, Ohio), Sam Gainford and senior Goncalo Soares (Lisbon, Portugal) recorded four, two and two shots, respectively. Jad Arslan led West Virginia with a team-high three shots.
Sophomore goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany) finished the evening with four saves for the Zips, while Jose Santos made five stops for the Mountaineers.
Joey Piatczyc scored what proved to be the game-winning tally just 39 seconds into the game sending the ball into the net off of a pair of assists from Felix Angerer and Sebastian Garcia-Her.
Akron trailed at the intermission, 1-0, despite posting a 6-5 advantage in shots.
Redshirt sophomore Ezana Kahsay (Asmeras, Eritrea) nearly netted the equalizer in the 60th minute (59:54) as his shot inside the box found the back of the net. Unfortunately for the Zips, a call of offsides negated the tally for Akron.
West Virginia capitalized on the call as Arslan scored the first of two second-half tallies at the 62:32 mark. to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead. Arslan finished the give-and-go goal off an assist from Angerer.
Arslan pushed the Zips into a 3-0 deficit in the 71st minute (70:11) scoring an unassisted tally.
Akron had strong scoring opportunities at the 78:47 and 78:55 marks from Lewis and freshman Nick Hinds (Plantation, Fla.), but both were thwarted as Lewis' attempt was saved by Santos and Hinds' shot sailed high.
The Zips denied Santos from achieving the shutout as Ruhaak registered his fourth goal of the season off a header in the 87th minute (86:04). The ball was served into the box off a corner kick from redshirt freshman Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio).
AKRON BATTLES PENN STATE TO 2-2 DOUBLE-OVERTIME DRAW
Stuart Holthusen's (Auckland, New Zealand) two-goal performance directed the Zips to a 2-2 double-overtime draw at Penn State in men's soccer action on Oct 18.
Holthusen garnered three of his team-high five shots in overtime for Akron, and narrowly missed connecting on a golden goal with a header in the 109th minute (108:25).
Holthusen finished the affair posting his team-best fourth career multi-goal tilt to direct the Zips to a 23-18 advantage in shots, including a 9-1 difference in overtime. Sam Gainford, Adam Najem, freshman Marcel Zajac (Mississauga, Ontario), Brad Ruhaak and Jonathan Lewis added four, three, three, two and two shots, respectively, to Akron's offensive attack. Dayonn Harris and Connor Maloney combined to post 12 shots for Penn State in the affair.
Goalkeeper Ben Lundt made six saves for the Zips, while his counterpart, Evan Finney also corralled six stops.
Holthusen garnered his first goal of the season at the 10:59 mark to give the Zips an early 1-0 advantage. Earning the assist on the tally was redshirt junior Pau Belana (Barcelona, Catalonia).
Penn State bettered Akron in shots in the initial stanza, 9-7, including 5-3 on goal.
Maloney netted the equalizer for the Nittany Lions in the 66th minute (65:24) to square the contest at one off an assist from Harris.
Maloney gave Penn State a 2-1 lead at the 74:30 mark, as he slotted in a ball past Lundt off of a defensive deflection.
Holthusen recorded his second tally of the evening in the 81st minute (80:40) to level to score at two, heading in a cross from the corner of the box off the foot of Nick Hinds.
The Zips bettered the Nittany Lions in shots on goal over the final 45 minutes of regulation, 4-3, despite being outshot overall, 9-7.
NAJEM AMONG THE NCAA'S ELITE
One of the most dynamic players in men's collegiate soccer, Adam Najem enters play this Wednesday, Oct. 26, versus Ohio State as the only active men's soccer player in Division 1 to have scored more than 25 career goals and registered 25 or more career assists. He has amassed 33 goals and 27 assists in 81 career games. Najem is currently ranked second, third, third, fifth, eighth and 11th, respectively, among active career leaders in assists (27), games played (81), points (93), goals (33), assists per contest (0.33) and points per game (1.15). Across all divisions of men's soccer, Najem is rated 15th in games played and 20th in assists.
NAJEM RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF NATION'S BEST PLAYERS
Adam Najem was recently named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Midseason National Top 100 list of men's collegiate soccer players. Najem checked in at No. 24 on the midseason rankings.
Najem has started all 14 games for the Zips this season owning team-high marks in goals (5), points (3), shots (32) and shots on goal (13), while ranking second game-winners (1) and third in assists (3).
RUHAAK LEADS ZIPS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE FIELD
Brad Ruhaak, a team captain, has led the Zips at both ends of the field this season. A former walk-on, Ruhaak has started the last 56 contests for Akron, and has recorded four goals and two assists from his defender's slot this season. Defensively, he has directed the Zips to seven shutouts on the campaign and 23 over the last three years.
In conference play this season, he has shined leading Akron in goals (3), points (6) and game-winners (1), while rating third in shots (six) and shots on goal (3) en route to the Zips posting a pair of shutouts.
Ruhaak has started all 58 of the 62 games in which he has appeared in as a Zip, registering seven goals and two assists.
OWNING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
The recent successes of the Akron men's soccer program over the past 10 seasons (2007-present) can be attributed to its play in the month of October. Since the start of the 2007 campaign, the Zips own a 61-9-6 (.842) ledger in the month, including a 32-4-3 (.859) mark in matches at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
LEWIS MAKING HIS MARK
Jonathan Lewis has provided a dynamic presence for the Zips on the offensive end this season as he enters play versus Ohio State on Wednesday, Oct. 26, second nationally among NCAA Division I freshmen having recorded a team-leading six assists on the campaign. Only Nick King (Bucknell) has recorded more assists as a freshman this season nationally.
TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM RECOGNIZES TRIO OF AKRON FRESHMEN
A trio of freshmen for the Zips this season in Nick Hinds, Jonathan Lewis and Marcel Zajac have been named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Midseason Men's Freshman Top-100 list. Hinds checks in at No. 5 nationally and is followed by Lewis at No. 10, while Zajac was tabbed at No. 44. Akron was one of two teams nationally to have a pair of freshman standouts chosen among the top 10 selections, joining North Carolina.
Hinds has appeared in 13 contests for the Zips as a rookie, including 11 starts, helping anchor an Akron defensive unit that has posted seven shutouts. Offensively, he has added a pair of assists on seven shots.
Lewis has played in all 14 matches for the Zips this fall, including 12 starts, and has been a key offensive playmaker for Akron owning a team-high six assists. He has also contributed 23 shots, including a team-best 13 on frame.
Having played in 11 tilts, including five starts, Zajac has recorded a goal on 17 shots, including six on goal.
ZIPS TIDBITS
• Over the Zips' last five contests, Brad Ruhaak has paced the Akron attack registering three goals, while Sam Gainford and Stuart Holthusen have each scored a pair. As a team, the Zips are averaging 3.00 goals per game en route to a 2-2-1 ledger.
• The Zips had their 12-match home unbeaten streak snapped following Akron's 3-1 setback versus West Virginia, Oct. 22. The loss snapped the Zips' run dating back to the 2015 campaign.
• Akron run of not allowing a home goal in 2016 came to an end at 561 minutes in the opening minute versus West Virginia, Oct. 22. Dating back to the 2015 campaign, the Zips had not surrendered a home tally in nearly 580 minutes (578:17).
• Akron has now held opponents scoreless in six of its seven home contests this season at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
• Since 2007, Akron owns a league record of 50-3-2 (.927) mark in the Mid-American Conference. Furthermore, the Zips have won 10 consecutive MAC regular season championships and seven of the last eight MAC Tournament titles.
• The Zips have proven a daunting task for visiting opponents over recent history as Akron has won nine or more home contests in every season since 2005, including earning 13 triumphs during the 2009 campaign. Through seven games this season, the Zips own five home victories on the campaign.
• The Zips' offensive eruption in a 7-0 win over Northern Illinois, Oct. 15, marked the most goals in a game for Akron since registering a 7-1 decision past Michigan on Oct. 29, 2010. The seven-goal winning margin also represented the largest scoring difference for the Zips in a triumph since downing Wright State, 8-0, on Oct. 15, 2008.
•The Zips will be looking to continue their domination of the MAC over the last decade as Akron owns a 14-0-1 mark in conference road games during the regular season since the start of the 2001 campaign. Additionally, the Zips continued their league road success at Northern Illinois, Oct. 15, as Akron has registered a 5-0 record in league road tilts following a setback since 2007.
• The Zips are 3-3 this season versus ranked opponents following wins over No. 7 Georgetown (Aug. 26, No. 9 Seattle (Aug. 28) and No. 5 UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 12).
• Akron owns a 31-4-3 record in its last 38 home matches.
• Following its 4-0 win over Buffalo, Akron owns a 22-1-1 mark all-time in MAC openers.
• In all, Akron leads all league members with 18 regular-season and 12 tournament championships since joining the MAC in 1993, and has won both titles in the same season 11 times after doing so in 2015.
• In 23 seasons in the MAC, the Zips have produced 169 All-MAC honorees, including a conference-record nine first-team selections in 2010.
• The Zips have posted a winning record in the month of September in each of the last 14 seasons, including a 3-3-1 mark this season.
• Akron's 2-0 triumph over No. 5 UC Santa Barbara, Sept. 12, marked the third win of the season for Akron over a ranked opponent through 13 games this season.
• Akron's 2-1 victory over Tulsa on Sept. 16 represented the 100th career coaching win for Zips' head coach Jared Embick.
• The Zips have made the most of the initial and final 15 minutes of their games this season as Akron has recorded 14 of its 27 goals in this span. Three of the Zips' eight tallies in the final 15 minutes have been game-winners.
• Akron has seen eight newcomers, including five true freshmen, earn playing time through 14 games this season. Of that group, Jonathan Lewis and Nick Hinds have started 12 and 11 contests, respectively, and have combined to record eight of the Zips' 27 assists on the campaign.
• Adam Najem owns 194 career shots, the fifth-highest total in program history. He is 10 shots behind Michael Apple for fourth place.
• Freshman Jonathan Lewis and Nick Hinds registered the first points in their Zips' careers as the duo netted two and one assist, respectively, versus Oregon State on Sept. 9.
• Akron has garnered scoring contributions from 18 players this year, while 19 players have recorded a shot. Of those players, all but one have placed a shot on goal.
• In just his second career contest and first start, Skye Harter posted a pair of tallies in a 2-0 victory over Oregon State on Sept. 9. It marked the first multi-goal game for a Zip since Stuart Holthusen recorded a pair of goals in a 6-1 win over Rutgers in the 2015 NCAA Tournament on Nov. 22, 2015.
• Akron has found success at home this season as the Zips own a 5-1-1 mark and have posted shutouts in all but one of those contests. Akron is averaging 18.3 shots per tilt at home, while limiting the opposition to 11.0 shots a game.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 10-6-1 mark against ranked opponents. In 2015, Akron registered seven victories over ranked opponents defeating No. 3 Creighton (3-2 on Dec. 5), No. 4 Georgetown (1-0 on Sept. 4), No. 6 Maryland (3-2 on Sept. 7), No. 11 SMU (2-1 on Nov. 29), No. 14 Saint Louis (3-2 on Sept. 11), No. 23 Rutgers (3-1 on Nov. 22) and No. 25 UC Santa Barbara (2-0 on Sept. 25).
• The Zips are ranked 13th nationally in attendance in 2016 averaging 2,506 in seven home games. A year ago, Akron rated seventh nationally in attendance in 2015 averaging 2,187 fans per contest.
• On the season, Ben Lundt owns seven shutouts on the strength of 46 saves. His efforts helped the Zips extend their shutout streak dating back to last season to nearly 369 minutes (368.32) before the run was halted by a San Diego State penalty kick on Sept. 2 at the 60:55 mark.
• Akron's 1-0 victory over No. 9 Seattle represented the 50th career win for Zips' head coach Jared Embick at Akron.
• Tyler Sanda connected on his first-ever game-winning goal with his tally in the 88th minute (87:49) against No. 9 Seattle on Aug. 28.
• Najem is Akron's active career leader in goals (33), assists (27), points (93), shots (194) and shots on goal (90).
• Ben Lundt, Adam Najem, Danilo Radjen (Broadview Heights, Ohio) and Victor Souto were named all-tournament selections after leading the Zips to the title at the Akron Classic.
• By virtue of its back-to-back shutouts to open the 2016 campaign, Akron has now opened a season with consecutive shutouts for the sixth time in the last nine years.
• Brad Ruhaak's game-winning goal in a 1-0 win past Georgetown on Aug. 26, was the second of his career. He also netted game-winner in a 2-0 victory at West Virginia last season.
• Ben Lundt made the most of his Akron debut as he registered the shutout on the strength of two saves in a 2-0 win against No. 7 Georgetown on Aug. 26.
• Adam Najem has started in each of the last 72 games in which he has played in.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 26 of the squad's last 44 matches, including on seven occasions this season.
• Akron advanced to the College Cup for the fourth time (1986, 2009, 2010 and 2015) in program history in 2015.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 19-6-4 record.
• Najem and Brad Ruhaak have been named as team captains for the 2016 campaign.
• In all, the Zips have produced 22 Academic All-American honors in its history, dating back to the 1998 season.
• Akron has long been associated with academic excellence. In addition to posting a team GPA's of better than 3.20 in 2015 and 3.37 in 2014, the Zips finished second in Division I in 2011-12 with a cumulative mark of 3.44. The remarkable feat follows years that saw the Zips post GPAs of 3.43 in 2010-11 and 3.33 in 2009-10.
• Richie Laryea became the 11th Zip to have his name called during the first round of the MLS SuperDraft with his selection seventh overall in the MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City SC in January.
A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.805) through games of Oct. 24, with an overall record of 165-31-24. The Zips are followed by Maryland, 156-39-30 (.760), Creighton, 139-39-26 (.745), North Carolina, 141-43-32 (.727) and Connecticut, 134-41-38 (.718). Akron has made nine straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2007-15), earning a first-round bye in seven seasons. The Zips have advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 in seven of the last nine years. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 30 times, including each of the past nine seasons and 14 of the past 15.
PROTECTING OUR HOUSE
Since 2007, the Zips have recorded an 99-8-13 (.879) ledger in home matches at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. Akron owns four unbeaten campaigns during that span, including posting home marks of 12-0-1, 13-0-0, 12-0-1 and 10-0-2 during the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012 seasons, respectively.
GAINFORD GARNERS CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL HONORS
Sam Gainford was selected by the Mid-American Conference as the MAC Men's Soccer Athlete of the Week, the league announced on Oct. 17. Additionally, he was named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its National Team of the Week.
The conference award was the first in Gainford's career and marked the third weekly conference accolade for a Zip in 2016.
Gainford registered team-high marks in goals (2), points (5), shots (5), shots on goal (2) and game-winners (1) en route to leading Akron to a 1-1 mark this past week.
Gainford sparked the Zips to a 7-0 road victory at Northern Illinois on Oct. 15, collecting a pair of goals, while adding an assist.
Gainford scored what proved to be the game-winning tally in the fourth minute (3:16) beating goalkeeper Drew Donnally for his first goal of the season. He then again found the back of the net at the 27:12 mark to extend the Zips' lead to 2-0.
The tally enabled Gainford to record his third career multi-goal performance of his career and first since scoring twice in a 3-2 win past Saint Louis on Sept. 11, 2015.
Additionally, he posted one of eight shots for the Zips in a 2-1 setback at No. 14 Michigan State on Oct. 11.
RUHAAK NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Brad Ruhaak has been named a semifinalist for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award® in men's collegiate soccer. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
A mechanical engineering major, Ruhaak maintains a 3.651 cumulative grade point average.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Outside of academics and athletics, all candidates also have been consistently involved in community service on their campus or in their communities.
The men's candidate class will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C's of community, classroom, character and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2016 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup® championships in December.
RUHAAK GARNERS NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORS
Brad Ruhaak was named by College Soccer News to its National Men's Soccer Team of the Week on Oct. 10, as well as by TopDrawerSoccer.com's National Men's Team of the Week on Oct. 11.
Ruhaak played a key role at both ends of the field to help spark the Zips to a 4-0 victory past Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference openers for both schools on Oct. 7, at FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field.
Ruhaak scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the fifth minute (4:19) delivering a header within the six-yard box past Bulls' goalkeeper Joseph Kuta off a corner kick from Pau Belana.
Ruhaak led a defensive charge that allowed Akron to post its sixth shutout of the season and extend its run of not allowing a home goal in 2016 to 560 minutes.
KAHSAY EARNS NATIONAL AND LEAGUE ACCOLADES
Ezana Kahsay was selected by the Mid-American Conference as the MAC Men's Soccer Athlete of the Week, the league announced on Sept. 19.
The conference award was the first in Kahsay's career and marks the second weekly conference accolade for a Zip in 2016. He was also named by College Soccer News to its National Team of the Week on Sept. 19.
Kahsay turned in a strong week helping the Zips extend their then winning streak to three straight on the strength of team-high marks in goals (2) and point (4), while registering four shots, all on frame.
In Akron's 2-0 triumph past No. 5 UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 12, Kahsay recorded his first goal of the season in the 83rd minute (82:42) to secure the Zips' victory. He finished the affair posting two shots.
Kahsay followed notching his first career game-winning goal at the 87:18 mark to provide the difference in a 2-1 triumph at Tulsa on Sept. 16. He finished the tilt with two shots, both on frame.
NAJEM NAMED TO MAC HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
Adam Najem added another accolade to his growing resume with his selection to the 2016 Missouri Athletic Club's (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Najem is one of 28 men tabbed for consideration for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer presented annually to one male and one female athlete. The winners will be announced Jan. 6, 2017, at the trophy presentation banquet at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
Near the end of the collegiate regular season, NCAA Division I coaches whose programs are current NSCAA College Services members will vote on their top choices and the lists will be narrowed down to the top 15 players.
College soccer fans will also have the opportunity to participate in the selection process, by voting for their favorite semifinalist in November at the MAC Hermann Trophy website, managed by LockerDome.
From that pool of 28, six finalists (three men, three women) will be chosen for the award. The winners will be announced in January.
LUNDT EARNS NATIONAL HONORS
Ben Lundt garnered recognition for his early season play as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) named him as their National Player of the Week on Aug. 30.
Lundt also earned recognition by the Mid-American Conference as its Men's Soccer Athlete of the Week on Aug. 29, as well as by TopDrawerSoccer.com, who named him to its National Team of the Week. On Aug. 31, he was selected by an online vote at the NCAASoccer.com National Player of the Week.
EMBICK GARNERS NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Akron head coach Jared Embick received high praise for his efforts leading the Zips as TopDrawerSoccer.com named him as one of the Top-10 coaches in the country.
TopDrawerSoccer.com described Akron as a machine with talented young players, and much of that goes down to Embick's aesthetic. Akron seeks to dominate possession, build from the back and create scoring opportunities that way. That, in turn, creates well-rounded pros.
ZIPS PAIR WITH TEAM IMPACT TO ADD MAVERICK WESTOVER TO 2016 ROSTER
The University of Akron men's soccer team and head coach Jared Embick announced the signing of Maverick Westover on Aug. 19. The 11-year-old Akron native, signed a national letter of intent to join the Zips' men's soccer squad this season.
Team IMPACT, an organization that connects children facing chronic or life threatening illnesses to college athletic teams in an effort to improve their quality of life, orchestrated Maverick's recruitment with the Akron men's soccer program.
Maverick deals with Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID), which makes him highly susceptible to infection, especially in his lungs, sinuses, and ears.
ZIPS PRIMED FOR BIG THINGS IN 2016
The Zips enter the 2016 campaign looking to build upon an 18-3-3 mark last season, including a 4-0-1 ledger in the Mid-American Conference, an return to the College Cup in search of winning the program's second national championship.
Akron is seeking to integrate 12 newcomers Manuel Cordeiro (Porto, Portugal), Jackson Crawford (Massillon, Ohio), Nick Hinds, Joe Korb (Willowick, Ohio), Reggie Laryea (Toronto, Ontario), Jonathan Lewis, Ben Lundt, Alex Mapp (Medina, Ohio), Jesus Perez (Waukegan, Ill.), Jeremy Pollard (Sydney, Australia), Tor Saunders (Bothell, Wash.) and Marcel Zajac this season onto a roster that boasts seven returning starters from a year ago.
AKRON TABBED TO CAPTURE MAC REGULAR AND POSTSEASON TITLES
Akron was tabbed to capture the Mid-American Conference regular and postseason titles in a preseason poll of six conference coaches.
The Zips under fourth-year head coach Jared Embick, were picked to repeat as conference champions in the MAC Coaches Preseason poll with five first-place votes. Akron (29 points) was followed by Western Michigan (17 points), who also garnered a first-place tally.
Rounding out the rest of the poll was 2015 MAC Tournament participants West Virginia (16 points) and Buffalo (15 points), along with Bowling Green (11 points) and Northern Illinois (two points).
Also voted on by the coaches was the predicted 2016 MAC Tournament Champion where Akron was a unanimous selection to repeat as league tournament winner.
NAJEM, SOUTO AND HINDS RECOGNIZED TO TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM
Three University of Akron men's soccer standouts were recognized as some of the game's best when TopDrawerSoccer.com unveiled its Men's Preseason Best XI squads.
Adam Najem was honored as a first-team honoree in the midfield, while Victor Souto and freshman Nick Hinds were recognized as third- and freshman-team selections.
NAJEM AND SOUTO GARNER MEN'S NATIONAL TOP 100 HONORS
Adam Najem and Victor Souto were honored as members of the initial Men's National Top 100 list compiled by TopDrawerSoccer.com. Najem was tabbed as the No. 2 player in the country, while Souto came in at No. 32.
NAJEM AND LARYEA EARN 2015 ALL-AMERICA HONORS
University of Akron men's soccer standouts Adam Najem and Richie Laryea garnered All-America accolades when the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) unveiled its 2015 All-American teams on Dec. 11, 2015. Both Zips earned All-America status for the first time in their respective Akron careers as Najem and Laryea were tabbed as second- and third-team honorees. The NSCAA All-America citations were the 54th and 55th in the Zips' storied men's soccer history.
NAJEM SELECTED AS FIRST-TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN
Adam Najem was selected as a First-Team Scholar All-America award winner when the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) unveiled its 2015 Scholar All-American team last season.
Najem became the sixth Zip to garner First-Team NSCAA Scholar All-America accolades and the first since Reinaldo Brenes in 2013. The NSCAA Scholar All-America citation was the ninth in the Zips' storied men's soccer history, while also marking the 22nd overall academic All-America honor in program history.
SANDA NAMED 2015 ELITE 90 WINNER
Tyler Sanda was named the recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 award for the 2015 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship.
In its seventh year, the award recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships.
Sanda appeared in 14 games for Akron this past fall and registered a pair of goals, while adding two assists. He maintains a 3.954 GPA majoring in biology.
FOUR FORMER ZIP STANDOUTS SEE THEIR MLS SQUADS QUALIFY FOR RUN AT MLS CUP
The final day of the MLS regular season on Sunday, Oct. 23 was termed as Decision Day, as all 20 teams squared off at the same time with six squads vying for he final four postseason berths. Colorado Rapids (Dillon Serna), D.C. United (Chris Korb), Montreal Impact (Evan Bush) had all qualified for the playoffs, while several former Zips' teams still remained in contention; New England Revolution (Teal Bunbury and Scott Caldwell), Portland Timbers (Darren Mattocks, Darlington Nagbe, Zarek Valetin and Ben Zemanski) and Sporting KC (Saad Abdul-Salaam). After all matches were complete, Colorado, the No. 2 seed in the West earned a first-round bye, while in the East, No. 4 D.C. United battles No. 5 Montreal on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET. In the Western Conference, fifth-seeded Sporting KC will square off versus No. 4 Seattle on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 10 p.m. ET.
KITCHEN AND YEDLIN ADDED TO USMNT ROSTER FOR PAIR OF FRIENDLIES
Perry Kitchen and DeAndre Yedlin were added to the USMNT roster for a pair of recent friendlies as the Americans defeated Cuba, 2-0, Oct. 7, before they battled New Zealand to a 1-1 draw on Oct. 11, at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
Beginning in November, the USMNT embarks on the last leg of the journey to qualify for its eighth-consecutive World Cup. The six-team, 10-game Final Round – also known as the Hex – will span 11 months and see three teams from CONCACAF automatically qualify for Russia 2018.
KITCHEN SELECTED AS TEAM CAPTAIN FOR HEARTS SQUAD
Former Akron standout Perry Kitchen, the U.S. men's national team midfielder, was named captain of Heart of Midlothian, whom he joined in March after five seasons with D.C. United. He has played in eight matches this season, including three in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds.
MLS TOP 24 UNDER 24
The annual MLSsoccer.com's "24 Under 24" list was released on Sept. 22 and former Zip Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew) made the list checking in at No. 7.
Trapp, who was a two-time first-team All-MAC selection in 2011 and 2012 and a third-team NSCAA All-American in 2012, was previously tabbed as the fourth- and ninth-best prospect on the 24 under 24 list a in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
NAGBE AND YEDLIN HELP LEAD USMNT IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
A pair of former Zips in Darlington Nagbe and DeAndre Yedlin helped lead the USMNT as the Americans in their advancement to the Final Round of World Cup Qualifying, a.k.a. 'The Hex.' Yedlin started and played all 90 minutes in the United States' 6-0 victory in the semifinal round past St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Sept. 2. The United States propelled itself to the top spot in Group C of Semifinal Round CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, as well as a berth in the Final Round beginning in November with a 4-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 6, at Everbank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.
YEDLIN JOINS NEWCASTLE UNITED
Former Akron standout DeAndre Yedlin recently joined Newcastle United after transferring from Tottenham Hotspur and signing a five-year deal. A year ago, he joined Sunderland on loan for the Premier League season from Tottenham. A 40-cap international, Yedlin made his debut in February 2014 and had represented his country at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Copa America
ZIPS LIVE RADIO SHOW
Every Thursday throughout the 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 the Spaghetti Warehouse (510 S. Main Street). A free audio stream is available on www.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.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Redshirt junior MF/D Robby Dambrot (Akron, Ohio) is the son of Zips' men's basketball coach Keith Dambrot.
• Eleven Zips have had their names called during the first round of the MLS SuperDraft, including a league record five selections in the first eight picks in 2011 following the Zips' national championship season.
• Akron broke a second MLS record that day as seven Akron players were chosen in the first two rounds, the most from a single team in draft history.
• Zippy is just one of five female-gendered college mascots in Division I athletics. Do you know the other four? (YoUDee, the Delaware Blue Hen; Mrs. Wuf of N.C. State; Lucy Lobo of New Mexico; and Wilma Wildcat of Arizona).
UP NEXT
Akron travels to Bowling Green, Ohio, for the Zips' final regular season road match of the season on Saturday, Oct. 29, versus Bowling Green. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
