Akron Set to Open Campaign at No. 12 Kentucky

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GAME NO. 1 - AKRON AT KENTUCKY NOTES (2/25)

No. 6 Akron (0-0-0) at No. 12 Kentucky (7-1-0)
Thursday, Feb. 25
Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex
Lexington, Ky. • 4 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 8-4-2
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron men's soccer team is set to kick off its 66th season of intercollegiate soccer as the Zips travel to Lexington, Ky., for a showdown with 12th-rated Kentucky on Thursday, Feb. 25. The 4 p.m. clash with the Wildcats will be broadcast on ESPN+.

HEAD COACHES
Kentucky: Johan Cedergren (Cincinnati, 2001), Overall/Kentucky Record: 97-49-22 (Ninth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 147-61-23 (14th Season)/Akron Record: 100-40-15 (Eighth Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is battling Kentucky in the regular season for the first time since Sept. 23, 2007, a 1-0 Zips' victory. The Wildcats posted a 5-1 mark during the fall 2020 campaign after advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019 on the strength of a 13-5-3 mark. Kentucky opened the NCAA Tournament with a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Loyola of Chicago, before dropping a second-round decision at Indiana.

A trio of Wildcats in sophomore Eythor Bjorgolfsson and juniors Daniel Evans and Brock Lindlow, own a team-high three goals apiece. Evans paces the squad in assists (3) and points (9), while Bjorgolfsson directs Kentucky in shots (17) and shots on goal (7). Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Ryan Troutman has recorded nine saves on the strength of two shutouts and a 0.53 goals against average.

As a team, Kentucky is third the NCAA in assists (18), fifth in goals (17) and points (52), seventh in goal differential (10), 29th in assists per game (2.25), 32nd in points per contest (6.50) and scoring offense (2.12), 35th in shots per contest (13.62), 38th in winning percentage and 42nd in goals against average (.853). Individually, Bjorgolfsson is third in the NCAA in game-winning goals (2), 18th in goals (3), 19th in points (8) and 31st in assists (2), while Evans ranks ninth in assists (3), 14th in points (9), 18th in goals (3) and 21st in game-winning goals (1).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Kentucky are meeting for the 15th time in program history and first since the 2007 campaign with the Zips owning a 8-4-2 series advantage. Akron registered a 1-0 home triumph on Sept. 23, 2007 in the last encounter between the two schools, while the Zips are playing at Kentucky for the first time since the 2003 season.

AKRON VERSUS CONFERENCE USA
• The Zips are meeting a team from Conference USA for the first time this season and 50th time overall.
• Akron owns a 27-14-8 (.649) all-time record versus the current nine members Conference USA.
• In their last encounter with a school from Conference USA, the Zips earned a 1-1 double-overtime draw with No. 10 Florida International on Oct. 5, 2019. Earlier in the campaign, Akron dropped a 2-0 decision at Marshall on Sept. 21, 2019.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (as of games on Feb. 23) (.767), with an overall record of 210-53-31. The Zips are followed by Maryland, 195-59-40 (.731), Wake Forest, 189-59-35 (.730), North Carolina, 186-62-42 (.714) and Creighton, 185-67-28 (.711). Akron made 12 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2007-18), earning a first-round bye in eight seasons. The Zips have advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 in eight of the last 12 years. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 33 times, including 17 of the past 19 seasons.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Nine of the 14 matches between Akron and Kentucky, have resulted in a shutout, including two straight and three of the last four overall, with the Zips owning a 6-3-0 mark in those contests.
• The Zips have registered five goals all-time at Kentucky, while surrendering the same total in six contests in Lexington.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in five all-time meetings with Kentucky.
• Akron head coach Jared Embick registered the 100th victory in his Zips' coaching career with a 1-0 triumph at West Virginia on Nov. 7, 2020.
• Sophomore Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio) led the MAC in game-winning goals (2), while rating second in goals (0.60), fourth in points (1.40), seventh in shots (2.20) and eighth in shots on goal (1.00) per game in conference-only matches.
• Six Zips finished among the league leaders in several statistical categories for conference-only matches as David Egbo led the league in goals (0.75), points (2.25) and shots (4.00) per outing, while rating second in assists (0.75) and fifth in shots on goal (1.25) per game. Tor Saunders paced the conference in goal against average (0.68) and shutouts per contest (0.67), while Joe Bowles was second in goals against average (0.90) and Will Jackson was first in game-winning goals (0.40). Mani Austmann ranked first in shots per contest (2.80), shots on goal per game (1.40) and game-winning goals (0.20), while junior Pol Hernandez (Teia, Spain) was third in assists per game (0.60).
• Twelve different Akron players earned an assist in 2019.
• Senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) ranked fifth in the MAC in shots per contest (2.23) after equaling a career-best mark with a five-shot effort at Maryland on Sept. 13, 2019.
• Twenty-four Zips saw action in 2019, including 11 newcomers.
• Eighteen different Zips registered a shot in 2019, including six newcomers.
• As a team, the Zips rated second in the NCAA in corner kicks (7.72) and 22nd in shots per game (14.94).
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 26-17-3 mark against ranked opponents.
• Will Jackson paced a talented core of freshmen for Akron in 2019 leading the newcomers in goals (4), assists (3), points (11), shots (40), shots on goal (20) and game-winners (3).
• Since joining the MAC in 1993, the Zips have responded with a double-digit victory campaign after recording a tie or setback in their season opener seven times, including in each of the last two years, both of which ended with College Cup appearances.
• The Zips own a 11-9-2 mark in their last 22 matches away from home on the strength of four and three goals, respectively, from Diogo Pacheco and junior Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.). The Zips have also posted a 154-97 margin in corner kicks and a 284-251 edge in total shots.
• Diogo Pacheco is Akron's active career leaders in goals (7), points (18), shots (50) and shots on goal (22). Junior Colin Biros (Jackson, Ohio) and Pol Hernandez directs the squad in assists (5), Will Jackson paces the team in game-winning goals (3), while senior Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) has appeared in a team-high 74 games.
• The Zips own a 100-40-15 mark over the last seven seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 100 wins are ranked fourth in all of Division I.
• Since 2008, Akron leads the country with eight players selected among the top-five selections in the MLS SuperDraft. The Zips also boast the highest total of players chosen among the top-10 draftees over the same span with 13.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 67 of the squad's last 118 matches.

RITACCIO NAMED TO TDS PRESEASON BEST XI SQUAD
Carlo Ritaccio was named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Preseason Best XI Third-Team squad.

A year after garnering second-team all-league honors, Ritaccio, who started each of the 15 matches he appeared in for Akron in 2019, was elevated to a First-Team All-MAC recipient as a sophomore. He helped anchor a Zips' defensive unit that has posted four shutouts on the campaign, while adding an assist on the strength of eight shots, including three on frame.

EGBO DRAFTED NO. 9 BY VANCOUVER IN MLS SUPERDRAFT
David Egbo culminated his stellar Zips' career with his selection ninth overall in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Jan. 21.

Egbo became the 14th Zip to have their name called during the first round of the MLS SuperDraft, including a league record five selections in the first eight picks in 2011 following the Zips' national championship season. Additionally, he is the 28th Zip to be drafted during the MLS SuperDraft overall with his selection.

Since 2008, Akron leads the country with eight players chosen among the top-five selections in the MLS SuperDraft. The Zips also boast the highest total of players picked among the top-10 draftees over the same span with 13.

A 2018 All-America honoree, Egbo appeared in 56 career contests for Akron, registering 21 goals and adding 13 assists for 55 points, while collecting 132 shots, with 50 falling on frame.

Pulling in First-Team All-Mid-American Conference honors for the second straight year in 2019, Egbo started 13 of the 15 games in which he appeared in that season, registering team-leading marks in goals (9), assists (4), points (18), shots (49) and shots on goal (19).

Egbo rated second in the MAC in goals (0.47), points (1.20), shots (3.27) and shots on goal (1.27) per contest. In league-only affairs, he led the conference in goals (0.75), points (2.25) and shots (4.00) per outing, while pacing all players in total goals (3) and points (9), and ranking second in total assists (3) and shots (16).

AKRON EARNS ACADEMIC TEAM HONORS
The University of Akron was one of 188 schools nationwide to have its men's and women's soccer teams recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as 2019-20 Collegiate Team Academic Award winners.

The Zips were the only school in the Mid-American Conference to have both of their respective soccer programs honored.

The Akron men's team under eighth-year head coach Jared Embick was honored for the 13th consecutive year and 14th time overall after registering a cumulative 3.316 grade point average for the 2019-20 academic year.

To qualify for the award, the team must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher for the entire academic year. The team GPA is determined by adding every player's GPA, then dividing by the number of players.

ZIPS' DUO COLLECTS TOP-100 ACCOLADES
University of Akron men's soccer juniors Carlo Ritaccio and Colin Biros were named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Preseason Top-100 Players to Watch men's soccer squad.

Ritaccio and Biros were tabbed No. 24 and No. 47, respectively, as the lone representatives from the Mid-American Conference.

A year after garnering second-team all-league honors, Ritaccio, who started each of the 15 matches he appeared in for Akron in 2019, was elevated to a First-Team All-MAC recipient as a sophomore. He helped anchor a Zips' defensive unit that has posted four shutouts on the campaign, while adding an assist on the strength of eight shots, including three on frame.

Named a First-Team All-MAC honoree for the first time as a sophomore, Biros, started 16 of Akron's 18 games in 2019. Sparked by 13 shots, including six on goal, he recorded two goals and one assist, and ranked third in the conference in game-winning goals (1) in league-only affairs.

UP NEXT
Akron is scheduled to open its home campaign welcoming No. 9 Marshall to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 3 p.m. contest on Tuesday, March 2.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mani Austmann

Colin Biros

Joe Bowles

David Egbo

Pol Hernandez

Will Jackson

Diogo Pacheco

Carlo Ritaccio

Tor Saunders

Daniel Strachan

The University of Akron Athletics