The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Draws Rider in Opening Round of NCAA Tournament
November 12 | Men's Soccer
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Purchase 2018 Men's Soccer Single-Game Tickets Click Here
PHOTO GALLERY | SELECTION SHOW COMMENTS | 2018 NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET (PDF)
AKRON, Ohio – The 16th-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team learned its draw for the 2018 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship on Monday, Nov. 12, and the Zips (10-6-2) will host Rider (10-9-1) in opening-round action on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field with the winner advancing to face 14th-seeded Syracuse (7-6-4) on Sunday, Nov. 18, in second-round play.
In the other half of the Zips' draw, No. 1 Wake Forest (17-2-0) awaits the winner of Thursday's New Hampshire (12-3-2)/Colgate (12-4-5) tilt on Sunday.
Akron earned its seventh consecutive league tournament title with a 3-0 triumph over Western Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 11, in Morgantown, W.Va., and will be making its 12th straight and 33rd overall NCAA Tournament appearance.
When postseason play begins, the Zips will join an elite group of just four Division I programs that have qualified for the NCAA Championships in each of the past 12 seasons. Only Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia can share that claim.
Also seeded in the Zips' region are No. 8 Saint Mary's (Calif.) (17-0-1) and No. 9 Stanford (11-3-4). The remaining top-four overall national seeds went to No. 2 Indiana (17-2-1), No. 3 Kentucky (17-1-1) and No. 4 Louisville (11-4-3).
The 2018 College Cup will be played at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Dec. 7 and 9.
The Zips, who have won four-consecutive matches, will be making their 33rd all-time appearance in the NCAA postseason. Akron has advanced to the round of 16 in seven of the last 10 seasons and captured the school's first national championship in any sport in 2010.
A year ago, Akron registered 3-0 and 3-2 victories past Seattle and Wisconsin in the second and third rounds, respectively, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field, before advancing to its fifth College Cup on penalty kicks, 4-3 (in six rounds), in a 0-0 double-overtime draw at Louisville in the quarterfinal round. The Zips' postseason run ended after dropping a 2-0 decision to Stanford at the College Cup.
Rider will be making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. The Broncs enter the tournament at 10-9-1 overall after finishing third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 6-4-0 mark. Rider and Akron shared one common opponent this season as the Broncs bettered Canisius, 2-0, on Oct. 31.
Syracuse has advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last four seasons and sixth time overall and comes into action on Sunday with a mark of 7-6-4 overall, including a 1-4-3 record en route to finishing fifth in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Orange registered a 3-1 victory over the Zips earlier this season on Oct. 1 at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
Tickets are available now by calling or texting the Akron ticket office at 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.
Season ticket holders can purchase their same seats for the NCAA games by calling or texting the ticket office. All tickets will be available for pick-up on the day of the game at the Will Call window at Gate 1 (Southeast Corner) at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
Prices for all NCAA games are $20 for Reserved, $10 for General Admission and we have a family four pack in General Admission for $35.
750 free tickets will be provided to University of Akron students with a valid Zip Card (limit one per Zip Card). Tickets can be picked up at Gate Two of FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field on Thursday with a valid Zip Card.
Purchase 2018 Men's Soccer Single-Game Tickets Click Here
PHOTO GALLERY | SELECTION SHOW COMMENTS | 2018 NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET (PDF)
AKRON, Ohio – The 16th-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team learned its draw for the 2018 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship on Monday, Nov. 12, and the Zips (10-6-2) will host Rider (10-9-1) in opening-round action on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field with the winner advancing to face 14th-seeded Syracuse (7-6-4) on Sunday, Nov. 18, in second-round play.
In the other half of the Zips' draw, No. 1 Wake Forest (17-2-0) awaits the winner of Thursday's New Hampshire (12-3-2)/Colgate (12-4-5) tilt on Sunday.
Akron earned its seventh consecutive league tournament title with a 3-0 triumph over Western Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 11, in Morgantown, W.Va., and will be making its 12th straight and 33rd overall NCAA Tournament appearance.
When postseason play begins, the Zips will join an elite group of just four Division I programs that have qualified for the NCAA Championships in each of the past 12 seasons. Only Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia can share that claim.
Also seeded in the Zips' region are No. 8 Saint Mary's (Calif.) (17-0-1) and No. 9 Stanford (11-3-4). The remaining top-four overall national seeds went to No. 2 Indiana (17-2-1), No. 3 Kentucky (17-1-1) and No. 4 Louisville (11-4-3).
The 2018 College Cup will be played at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Dec. 7 and 9.
The Zips, who have won four-consecutive matches, will be making their 33rd all-time appearance in the NCAA postseason. Akron has advanced to the round of 16 in seven of the last 10 seasons and captured the school's first national championship in any sport in 2010.
A year ago, Akron registered 3-0 and 3-2 victories past Seattle and Wisconsin in the second and third rounds, respectively, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field, before advancing to its fifth College Cup on penalty kicks, 4-3 (in six rounds), in a 0-0 double-overtime draw at Louisville in the quarterfinal round. The Zips' postseason run ended after dropping a 2-0 decision to Stanford at the College Cup.
Rider will be making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. The Broncs enter the tournament at 10-9-1 overall after finishing third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 6-4-0 mark. Rider and Akron shared one common opponent this season as the Broncs bettered Canisius, 2-0, on Oct. 31.
Syracuse has advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last four seasons and sixth time overall and comes into action on Sunday with a mark of 7-6-4 overall, including a 1-4-3 record en route to finishing fifth in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Orange registered a 3-1 victory over the Zips earlier this season on Oct. 1 at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
Tickets are available now by calling or texting the Akron ticket office at 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.
Season ticket holders can purchase their same seats for the NCAA games by calling or texting the ticket office. All tickets will be available for pick-up on the day of the game at the Will Call window at Gate 1 (Southeast Corner) at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
Prices for all NCAA games are $20 for Reserved, $10 for General Admission and we have a family four pack in General Admission for $35.
750 free tickets will be provided to University of Akron students with a valid Zip Card (limit one per Zip Card). Tickets can be picked up at Gate Two of FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field on Thursday with a valid Zip Card.
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