The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Tabbed No. 4 in United Soccer Coaches Preseason Men’s Soccer Poll
August 07 | Men's Soccer
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UNITED SOCCER COACHES PRESEASON MEN'S SOCCER POLL
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer program will debut this season with a top-10 ranking as United Soccer Coaches tabbed the Zips fourth in its preseason poll released on Tuesday, Aug. 7.
Six of the Zips' 2018 opponents were rated in the preseason top-25 led by No. 7 Michigan State (Oct. 9), No. 9 Butler (Aug. 24), No. 14 Western Michigan (Nov. 3), No. 17 Notre Dame (Oct. 23), No. 22 Seattle (Sept. 7) and No. 24 Washington (Sept. 9).
Akron will welcome Butler and Western Michigan to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Aug. 24 and Nov. 3, respectively, while encountering road tilts at No. 7 Michigan State (Oct. 9), No. 17 Notre Dame (Oct. 23), No. 22 Seattle (Sept. 7) and No. 24 Washington (Sept. 9).
Additionally, the Zips will play five opponents receiving votes in the preseason poll, including hosting Pittsburgh (Sept. 1), Connecticut (Sept. 15) and Creighton (Oct. 16), while facing road tests at Grand Canyon (Sept. 20) and VCU (Sept. 26).
In all, the Zips will square off against ranked teams in seven of their first eight matches in 2018 as Akron plays No. 9 Butler (Aug. 24), North Carolina State (Aug. 27), Pittsburgh (RV-Sept. 1), at No. 22 Seattle (Sept. 7), at No. 24 Washington (Sept. 9), Connecticut (RV-Sept. 15), at Grand Canyon (RV-Sept. 20) and at VCU (RV-Sept. 26).
Akron opens its 64th season of intercollegiate soccer with a top-10 showdown hosting No. 9 Butler on Aug. 24 in a 7 p.m. tilt at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. The Bulldogs registered a mark of 14-5-2 a season ago, including battling then top-rated and preseason No. 2 Indiana to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on the way to advancing the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
A talented North Carolina State squad, who went 8-6-4 in 2017, including a 3-3-2 ledger in the ACC is in the opening run of matches for Akron. A year ago, the Wolfpack registered triumphs over No. 3 Clemson (1-0) and No. 5 Louisville (3-2), while battling No. 6 Virginia to a 0-0 double-overtime draw. North Carolina State is led by rising sophomore Manny Perez the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, who has earned call ups to the U.S. U-20 Men's National Team.
The Zips close their season-opening three-match homestand welcoming Pittsburgh to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Sept. 1. Akron battles the Panthers for the 27th time in program history and for the first time at home in the regular season since the 1982 campaign. A year ago, the Zips garnered a 3-0 victory at No. 20 Pittsburgh.
The Zips have found success on their home pitch throughout their storied history as Akron was recently being tabbed as one of the nine-best places to watch college soccer by NCAA.com.
Since 2007, the Zips have recorded a 115-8-13 (.893) ledger in home matches at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field, including an NCAA-best 17 consecutive victories dating back to the 2016 season. Akron owns five unbeaten campaigns during that span, including posting home marks of 12-0-1, 13-0-0, 12-0-1, 10-0-2 and 12-0-0 during the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2017 seasons, respectively.
A year ago, the Zips were one of three teams in Division I that maintained an undefeated home mark joining SMU (13-0) and Pacific (7-0) as Akron posted a 12-0-0 mark at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. That run of victories included triumphs over No. 1 Michigan State (4-1), No. 8 Notre Dame (2-0), No. 10 Washington (2-0), No. 13 Wisconsin (3-2), No. 21 UMass Lowell (5-0) and No. 22 Seattle (3-0).
In 2018 the Zips' 10-match home slate includes visits to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field by Butler and Creighton from the Big East, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh and Syracuse from the ACC and Connecticut from the AAC. A very fan-friendly slate features six of Akron's 10 home games taking place on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
The Zips under the direction of sixth-year head coach Jared Embick will commence the 2018 campaign playing five of their first six contests on their home field.
Akron is set to return four starters in 2018, including senior goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany), redshirt junior Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio), junior Marcel Zajac (Mississauga, Ontario) and sophomore Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) from a squad that captured Mid-American Conference tournament title en route to advancing to the College Cup for the fifth time in program history on the strength of an overall record of 18-4-2 mark during the 2017 campaign.
The Zips will host preseason exhibitions versus Denver and Cleveland State on Aug. 11 and 13, respectively. Both matches will kick off at 7 p.m. Akron then battles national runner-up and preseason No. 2 Indiana in its final exhibition tilt on Aug. 17 at Bishop D'Arcy Stadium on the University of Saint Francis campus in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Limited Reserved Bleacher Back ($110) and General Admission ($60) 2018 season tickets as well as single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by logging on to GoZips.com/tickets, call or text 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 Akron 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.
As another option, all Akron 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.
Purchase 2018 Men's Soccer Season and Single-Game Tickets Click Here
UNITED SOCCER COACHES PRESEASON MEN'S SOCCER POLL
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer program will debut this season with a top-10 ranking as United Soccer Coaches tabbed the Zips fourth in its preseason poll released on Tuesday, Aug. 7.
Six of the Zips' 2018 opponents were rated in the preseason top-25 led by No. 7 Michigan State (Oct. 9), No. 9 Butler (Aug. 24), No. 14 Western Michigan (Nov. 3), No. 17 Notre Dame (Oct. 23), No. 22 Seattle (Sept. 7) and No. 24 Washington (Sept. 9).
Akron will welcome Butler and Western Michigan to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Aug. 24 and Nov. 3, respectively, while encountering road tilts at No. 7 Michigan State (Oct. 9), No. 17 Notre Dame (Oct. 23), No. 22 Seattle (Sept. 7) and No. 24 Washington (Sept. 9).
Additionally, the Zips will play five opponents receiving votes in the preseason poll, including hosting Pittsburgh (Sept. 1), Connecticut (Sept. 15) and Creighton (Oct. 16), while facing road tests at Grand Canyon (Sept. 20) and VCU (Sept. 26).
In all, the Zips will square off against ranked teams in seven of their first eight matches in 2018 as Akron plays No. 9 Butler (Aug. 24), North Carolina State (Aug. 27), Pittsburgh (RV-Sept. 1), at No. 22 Seattle (Sept. 7), at No. 24 Washington (Sept. 9), Connecticut (RV-Sept. 15), at Grand Canyon (RV-Sept. 20) and at VCU (RV-Sept. 26).
Akron opens its 64th season of intercollegiate soccer with a top-10 showdown hosting No. 9 Butler on Aug. 24 in a 7 p.m. tilt at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. The Bulldogs registered a mark of 14-5-2 a season ago, including battling then top-rated and preseason No. 2 Indiana to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on the way to advancing the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
A talented North Carolina State squad, who went 8-6-4 in 2017, including a 3-3-2 ledger in the ACC is in the opening run of matches for Akron. A year ago, the Wolfpack registered triumphs over No. 3 Clemson (1-0) and No. 5 Louisville (3-2), while battling No. 6 Virginia to a 0-0 double-overtime draw. North Carolina State is led by rising sophomore Manny Perez the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, who has earned call ups to the U.S. U-20 Men's National Team.
The Zips close their season-opening three-match homestand welcoming Pittsburgh to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Sept. 1. Akron battles the Panthers for the 27th time in program history and for the first time at home in the regular season since the 1982 campaign. A year ago, the Zips garnered a 3-0 victory at No. 20 Pittsburgh.
The Zips have found success on their home pitch throughout their storied history as Akron was recently being tabbed as one of the nine-best places to watch college soccer by NCAA.com.
Since 2007, the Zips have recorded a 115-8-13 (.893) ledger in home matches at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field, including an NCAA-best 17 consecutive victories dating back to the 2016 season. Akron owns five unbeaten campaigns during that span, including posting home marks of 12-0-1, 13-0-0, 12-0-1, 10-0-2 and 12-0-0 during the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2017 seasons, respectively.
A year ago, the Zips were one of three teams in Division I that maintained an undefeated home mark joining SMU (13-0) and Pacific (7-0) as Akron posted a 12-0-0 mark at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. That run of victories included triumphs over No. 1 Michigan State (4-1), No. 8 Notre Dame (2-0), No. 10 Washington (2-0), No. 13 Wisconsin (3-2), No. 21 UMass Lowell (5-0) and No. 22 Seattle (3-0).
In 2018 the Zips' 10-match home slate includes visits to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field by Butler and Creighton from the Big East, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh and Syracuse from the ACC and Connecticut from the AAC. A very fan-friendly slate features six of Akron's 10 home games taking place on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
The Zips under the direction of sixth-year head coach Jared Embick will commence the 2018 campaign playing five of their first six contests on their home field.
Akron is set to return four starters in 2018, including senior goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany), redshirt junior Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio), junior Marcel Zajac (Mississauga, Ontario) and sophomore Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) from a squad that captured Mid-American Conference tournament title en route to advancing to the College Cup for the fifth time in program history on the strength of an overall record of 18-4-2 mark during the 2017 campaign.
The Zips will host preseason exhibitions versus Denver and Cleveland State on Aug. 11 and 13, respectively. Both matches will kick off at 7 p.m. Akron then battles national runner-up and preseason No. 2 Indiana in its final exhibition tilt on Aug. 17 at Bishop D'Arcy Stadium on the University of Saint Francis campus in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Limited Reserved Bleacher Back ($110) and General Admission ($60) 2018 season tickets as well as single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by logging on to GoZips.com/tickets, call or text 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 Akron 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.
As another option, all Akron 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.
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