The University of Akron Athletics
Saturday, August 11
Akron, Ohio
7:00 PM
University of Akron
vs
Denver (EXH)
Akron Opens Exhibition Campaign Hosting Denver
August 09 | Men's Soccer
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HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK COMMENTS (8/8) | 2018 AKRON MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE | ZIPS' 2018 MEN'S SOCCER ROSTER
AKRON, Ohio – The fourth-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team under the direction of sixth-year head coach Jared Embick will play the first of two home exhibition contests at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Saturday, Aug. 11, as the Zips host Denver in a 7 p.m. tilt.
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 Pioneers return six starters from a squad that posted an 11-6-2 ledger a season ago, including a 5-0-0 mark in the Summit League.
Denver enters the 2018 campaign owning the second-highest winning percentage (.750) in NCAA DI over the past five seasons having posted a 70-19-11 mark. The Pioneer's 70 victories are tied for fifth-most in DI over that span.
Denver's leading returning scorer is senior Andre Shinyashiki, the 2017 Summit League Player of the Year, who registered team-high marks in goals (9), assists (4), points (22), shots (67) and shots on goal (33) in 2017.
Senior Nick Gardner returns in goal for the Pioneers after starting each of the 18 games he appeared in last season en route to collecting 34 saves and owning a 0.76 goals against average with seven shutouts.
In the first-ever regular season meeting between the two programs a year ago, then third-ranked Denver posted a 1-0 home triumph over the Zips on Aug. 28, 2017.
Akron will close out the home portion of its exhibition campaign on Monday, Aug. 13, as the Zips host Cleveland State in a 7 p.m. tilt at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
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.
The Zips open their 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.
Six of the Zips' 2018 opponents were rated in the preseason United Soccer Coaches 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).
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).
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
HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK COMMENTS (8/8) | 2018 AKRON MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE | ZIPS' 2018 MEN'S SOCCER ROSTER
AKRON, Ohio – The fourth-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team under the direction of sixth-year head coach Jared Embick will play the first of two home exhibition contests at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Saturday, Aug. 11, as the Zips host Denver in a 7 p.m. tilt.
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 Pioneers return six starters from a squad that posted an 11-6-2 ledger a season ago, including a 5-0-0 mark in the Summit League.
Denver enters the 2018 campaign owning the second-highest winning percentage (.750) in NCAA DI over the past five seasons having posted a 70-19-11 mark. The Pioneer's 70 victories are tied for fifth-most in DI over that span.
Denver's leading returning scorer is senior Andre Shinyashiki, the 2017 Summit League Player of the Year, who registered team-high marks in goals (9), assists (4), points (22), shots (67) and shots on goal (33) in 2017.
Senior Nick Gardner returns in goal for the Pioneers after starting each of the 18 games he appeared in last season en route to collecting 34 saves and owning a 0.76 goals against average with seven shutouts.
In the first-ever regular season meeting between the two programs a year ago, then third-ranked Denver posted a 1-0 home triumph over the Zips on Aug. 28, 2017.
Akron will close out the home portion of its exhibition campaign on Monday, Aug. 13, as the Zips host Cleveland State in a 7 p.m. tilt at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
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.
The Zips open their 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.
Six of the Zips' 2018 opponents were rated in the preseason United Soccer Coaches 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).
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).
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.
Players Mentioned
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