Akron Tabbed Third in United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll

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2019 UNITED SOCCER COACHES MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL (PDF)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The University of Akron men's soccer program will debut this season with a top-five ranking as United Soccer Coaches tabbed the Zips third in its preseason poll released on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

The Zips under the direction of seventh-year head coach Jared Embick will commence the 2019 campaign with the challenging task of playing five of their first six regular-season contests on the road.

Akron is set to return 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.

Four of the Zips' 2019 opponents are rated in the preseason top-25 led by No. 1 Maryland (Sept. 13), No. 5 Stanford (Sept. 2), No. 7 Michigan State (Oct. 15) and No. 23 West Virginia (Nov. 7).

Akron will welcome Stanford and Michigan State to FirstEnergy Stadium on Sept. 2 and Oct. 15, respectively, while encountering road tilts at No. 1 Maryland (Sept. 13) and No. 23 West Virginia (Nov. 7).

Additionally, the Zips will play at Creighton, who is receiving votes in the preseason poll, on Sept. 6, while hosting No. 24 Michigan in an exhibition tilt on Aug. 23.

Akron will host preseason exhibitions versus Evansville, Charleston and No. 24 Michigan on Aug. 18, 21 and 23, respectively. Matches will kick off at 2 p.m., 7 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively.

The Zips open their 65th season of intercollegiate soccer on Aug. 30 squaring off against Xavier for the eighth time in program history, and first in Cincinnati since Akron recorded a 3-2 overtime victory on Sept. 12, 1997. Despite posting a 6-7-6 record a season ago, the Musketeers registered a 3-2 triumph over nationally-ranked Georgetown, while also garnering ties versus No. 6 Kentucky, as well as Northwestern and Oregon State.

The Zips open their home slate with one of the marquee matches of the 2019 season, welcoming three-time NCAA champion Stanford to FirstEnergy Stadium on Sept. 2. The Cardinal will be visiting Akron for only the second time in program history and first since the Zips earned a memorable 2-0 triumph over Stanford in the third round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

A year ago, Akron ended the reign of the three-time defending NCAA champions as sophomore Colin Biros' (Canton, Ohio) tally in the 81st minute lifted the Zips to a dramatic 3-2 road victory past the Cardinal in the Elite Eight on Nov. 30, 2018 in Stanford, Calif. The two teams have met in three of the last four seasons, all in postseason play, with the first two encounters coming in the semifinals of the College Cup in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

A rematch of the title match of the 2018 College Cup awaits Akron on Sept. 13 as the Zips travel to College Park, Md., to take on defending national champion and top-rated Maryland. The Terrapins finished the 2018 campaign with a 13-6-4 ledger, including a 4-4-0 mark in the Big Ten Conference.

The two sides will be squaring off for this sixth time in program history and first since the Terrapins bested Akron, 1-0, in the finale of the College Cup a season ago. The Zips captured a 3-2 victory over Maryland in their last visit to Ludwig Field on Sept. 7, 2015.

Akron opens up defense of its 2018 MAC Tournament crown on Oct. 12 as Bowling Green invades FirstEnergy Stadium. The Zips and Falcons battled to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on Oct. 6, 2018 in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Akron follows with a rematch of its College Cup showdown with No. 7 Michigan State on Oct. 15 at FirstEnergy Stadium. A year ago, a goal in the 82nd minute from Egbo lifted the Zips to a 2-1 road victory past the then eighth-ranked Spartans on Oct. 9, 2018, in East Lansing, Mich. The two sides later met again on Dec. 7, 2018, in the semifinals of the College Cup in Santa Barbara, Calif., where Akron advanced to the NCAA title match with a 5-1 win over No. 4 Michigan State. The Spartans turned in a 14-5-4 record a season ago, including a mark of 4-2-2 in the Big Ten, en route to advancing to the College Cup for the first time since 1968.

In its final regular season road tilt the Zips will play 2018 MAC regular season champion and 23rd-rated West Virginia on Nov. 7. A year ago, Akron suffered 2-1 home overtime setback to the Mountaineers in the regular season on Oct. 13, 2018, before besting then 12th-rated West Virginia in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament, 3-1, behind the first two collegiate goals for Ritaccio, on Nov. 9, 2018 in Morgantown, W.Va.

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 120-11-14 (.876) ledger in home matches at FirstEnergy Stadium. 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.

In 2019, the Zips' 11-match season-ticket package features visits to FirstEnergy Stadium from Stanford from the Pac-12 Conference, Michigan and Michigan State from the Big Ten, Cornell from the Ivy League, Florida International from Conference USA and Virginia Commonwealth from the Atlantic-10. A very fan-friendly slate features six of Akron's 11 home games taking place on a Saturday or Sunday.

2019 Season Tickets are available now. Fans can renew or purchase new season tickets by calling or texting the C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting 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. Renewal invoices for existing season ticket holders were previously mailed out.

Limited Bleacher back seats are available for $110 per seat, General Admission are available for $60, and 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 soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, and a reserved seat for football.

One of the benefits of being a season-ticket holder is postseason ticketing priority.

Single-game tickets went on sale July 1.

The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Tabbed Third in United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll

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Colin Biros

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Carlo Ritaccio

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