The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Men’s Soccer Selected to Capture MAC Regular and Postseason Championships
August 26 | Men's Soccer
Follow Akron Men's Soccer on Twitter and Facebook
Purchase 2019 Men's Soccer Season and Single-Game Tickets Click Here
2019 MAC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The University of Akron men's soccer program will open its 65th season of intercollegiate soccer on Aug. 30 squaring off against Xavier as the favorite to capture the Mid-American Conference regular and postseason titles in a preseason poll of six conference coaches, the league office announced Monday, Aug. 26.
The Zips under seventh-year head coach Jared Embick were picked to capture the conference regular season championship in the MAC Coaches Preseason poll with five first-place votes. Following Akron (35 points) in the rankings was Western Michigan (27 points). The Broncos garnered the lone remaining first-place tally.
Rounding out the rest of the poll was West Virginia (22 points) and SIU Edwardsville (15 points), Bowling Green (14 points) and Northern Illinois (13 points).
Also voted on by the coaches was the predicted 2019 MAC Tournament Champion where Akron recorded five of six votes to repeat as league tournament winner.
Akron returns seven starters in 2019, including 2018 All-Mid-American Conference performers, senior Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio), junior David Egbo (Enugu, Nigeria) and sophomores Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.) and Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.) from a squad that captured the MAC Tournament title en route to advancing to title match of the College Cup for the fourth time in program history on the strength of an overall record of 15-7-2.
Ranked No. 2, No. 3 and No. 3 in the country in the TopDrawerSoccer.com, United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News preseason polls, Akron begins league play on Saturday, Oct. 12 hosting Bowling Green at FirstEnergy Stadium before hitting the road for the initial time visiting Western Michigan on Oct. 20.
The Zips then close out the home portion of their conference slate battling SIU Edwardsville on Friday, Oct. 25, before hosting Northern Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 2 for Senior Night.
Akron concludes its regular season campaign traveling to West Virginia on Thursday, Nov. 7.
The MAC Tournament this year will open with a pair of quarterfinal matches on Nov. 12 at campus sites, before the No. 1 seed hosts the semifinal matches on Friday, Nov. 15. The championship match is slated for Sunday, Nov. 17.
Akron opens its campaign this week visiting Xavier on Friday, Aug. 30, before welcoming No. 4 Stanford to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt on Sept. 2. The contest with the Cardinal will be broadcast on ESPN+.
2019 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Akron — 35 total points (5 first-place votes)
2. Western Michigan — 27 (1)
3. West Virginia — 22
4. SIU Edwardsville — 15
5. Bowling Green — 14
6. Northern Illinois — 13
Purchase 2019 Men's Soccer Season and Single-Game Tickets Click Here
2019 MAC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The University of Akron men's soccer program will open its 65th season of intercollegiate soccer on Aug. 30 squaring off against Xavier as the favorite to capture the Mid-American Conference regular and postseason titles in a preseason poll of six conference coaches, the league office announced Monday, Aug. 26.
The Zips under seventh-year head coach Jared Embick were picked to capture the conference regular season championship in the MAC Coaches Preseason poll with five first-place votes. Following Akron (35 points) in the rankings was Western Michigan (27 points). The Broncos garnered the lone remaining first-place tally.
Rounding out the rest of the poll was West Virginia (22 points) and SIU Edwardsville (15 points), Bowling Green (14 points) and Northern Illinois (13 points).
Also voted on by the coaches was the predicted 2019 MAC Tournament Champion where Akron recorded five of six votes to repeat as league tournament winner.
Akron returns seven starters in 2019, including 2018 All-Mid-American Conference performers, senior Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio), junior David Egbo (Enugu, Nigeria) and sophomores Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.) and Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.) from a squad that captured the MAC Tournament title en route to advancing to title match of the College Cup for the fourth time in program history on the strength of an overall record of 15-7-2.
Ranked No. 2, No. 3 and No. 3 in the country in the TopDrawerSoccer.com, United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News preseason polls, Akron begins league play on Saturday, Oct. 12 hosting Bowling Green at FirstEnergy Stadium before hitting the road for the initial time visiting Western Michigan on Oct. 20.
The Zips then close out the home portion of their conference slate battling SIU Edwardsville on Friday, Oct. 25, before hosting Northern Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 2 for Senior Night.
Akron concludes its regular season campaign traveling to West Virginia on Thursday, Nov. 7.
The MAC Tournament this year will open with a pair of quarterfinal matches on Nov. 12 at campus sites, before the No. 1 seed hosts the semifinal matches on Friday, Nov. 15. The championship match is slated for Sunday, Nov. 17.
Akron opens its campaign this week visiting Xavier on Friday, Aug. 30, before welcoming No. 4 Stanford to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt on Sept. 2. The contest with the Cardinal will be broadcast on ESPN+.
2019 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Akron — 35 total points (5 first-place votes)
2. Western Michigan — 27 (1)
3. West Virginia — 22
4. SIU Edwardsville — 15
5. Bowling Green — 14
6. Northern Illinois — 13
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer2026 Akron Zips Day of Giving (Dr. Andrew T. Goodrich) - Mid Day Message
Wednesday, April 22
2026 Akron Zips Day of Giving (Marty Hauser)
Wednesday, April 22
2026 Akron Zips Day of Giving (Dr. Tim Meyers)
Wednesday, April 22
2026 Akron Zips Day of Giving (Men's Soccer)
Wednesday, April 22
