The University of Akron Athletics

Photo by: Tony Davis
Akron Battles Wright State
October 07 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer team welcomes Wright State to FirstEnergy Stadium for the team's final non-conference showdown of the regular season campaign on Tuesday (Oct. 8). The 7 p.m. match with the Raiders will be broadcast on the Zips Digital Network with Chad Welker on the call.
Tickets for the contest against the Raiders are available for purchase at http://www.gozips.com/Tickets. Fans are asked to park in Lots 6, 9 and 10 surrounding InfoCision Stadium and the Stile Athletics Field House. For complete parking information click here.
GAME INFO
Akron vs. Wright State | Oct. 8 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | Zips Digital Network
HEAD COACHES
Wright State: Alex Van der Sluijs (Wilmington, 2007), Overall Record: 140-92-21 (11th Season), Record at Wright State: 9-13-7 (Second Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 185-80-43 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 138-59-35 (12th Season)
SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus Wright State on Tuesday (Oct. 8) at 5-3-3 on the campaign, following an 1-0 victory over Xavier on Friday (Oct. 4).
Redshirt seniors Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) leads the Zips in goals (9), assists (5), points (24), shots (46), shots on goal (21) and game-winners (3), while senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), redshirt seniors Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) and redshirt freshman Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have added three, three, two and two goals, respectively, to go along with Jaaskelainen and Gaulmin owning a team-best six and five assists, respectively, on the campaign. Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 32 saves and owns a 1.18 goals against average.
Akron returns six starters in 2024, including 2023 All-BIG EAST Conference performers, seniors Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario).
The Zips will also be bolstered by the return of key 2023 contributors in Budler, Clapier, junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown Ohio), juniors Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) and Daragh Reilly (Meath, Ireland) and Wan Kamal.
SCOUTING WRIGHT STATE
Wright State comes into play versus the Zips on Tuesday (Oct. 8) at 5-4-2 on the campaign, including 2-1-1 in the Horizon League, following a 2-1 setback versus Green Bay on Saturday (Oct. 5).
Senior Cole Werthmuller leads the Raiders in goals (7), points (16), shots (31), shots on goal (15) and game-winners (2) this season. Senior goalkeeper Joel Shaw has posted 16 saves en route to owning a 1.57 goals against average and two shutouts.
The Raiders are ranked sixth in the NCAA in total goals (27), 10th in scoring offense (2.45), 13th in total points (76), 15th in shots on goal per tilt (6.73), 20th in points per game (6.91), 27th in total assists (22) and 34th in assists per match (2.00).
Individually, Werthmuller is rated 21st in total points (16), 18th in total goals (7), 23rd in goals per outing (0.70), 27th in points per game (1.60), 28th in game-winning goals (2) and 32nd in shots on goal per match (1.50) and shots per tilt (3.10).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron is encountering Wright State for the 14th time in program history with the Zips owning a 12-1-0 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron bested the Raiders, 5-1, on Sept. 2, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 2, 2022 – AKRON, OHIO)
The 14th-ranked Akron men's soccer team registered four second-half goals en route to pulling away in a 5-1 triumph past Wright State on Sept. 2, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Akron received goals from Josef Paulus, senior Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah), Ryan Kingsford, junior Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) and Santiago Frias in the 44th (43:02), 46th (45:33), 63rd (62:26), 76th (75:54) and 90th (89:06) minutes, respectively.
Akron finished the evening recording a 21-7 margin in shots, including 10-3 in shots on goal. Kingsford and Jason Shokalook turned in a game-high four shots apiece for the Zips.
AKRON VERSUS HORIZON LEAGUE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Horizon League for the third time this season and 148th time overall.
• Akron owns a 107-30-10 (.762) all-time record versus the current 12 members of the Horizon League.
• Earlier this season, the Zips battled Cleveland State to a 3-3 draw on Sept. 2, before dropping a 2-1 decision to IU Indianapolis on Sept. 14 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
AKRON NOTES
• Seven of the 13 matches between Akron and Wright State have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips owning a 6-1-0 mark in those contests.
• The Zips have outscored Wright State, 39-7, in eight home games against the Raiders.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 11 all-time meetings with Wright State.
• Emil Jaaskelainen enters play versus Wright State with 52 career goals, a mark that is rated No. 1 among active career leaders in Division I and 10th overall across all divisions. Additionally, he is ranked seventh in career points (125) across all divisions.
• The Zips are rated third in the NCAA in total assists (31), seventh in total points (79) and in assists per tilt (2.82), 12th in shots per game (15.82), 13th in total goals (24) and in points per match (7.18), 21st in corner kicks (6.18), 24th in scoring offense (2.18), 26th in goal differential (11) and 34th in shots on goal per contest (6.27).
• Individually, GK Mitch Budler is rated fourth in the NCAA in goalie minutes played (990:00) and 25th in shutouts (4), Emil Jaaskelainen is ranked first in total points (24), third in game-winning goals (3), sixth in total goals (9), seventh in shots per game (4.18) and in points per outing (2.18),, eighth in shots on goal per contest (1.91), 12th in total assists (6), 15th in goals per match (0.82) and 28th in assists per tilt (0.55). Additionally, senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) and junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) are 46th in total assists (4), while redshirt senior Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) is 25th in total assists (5) and 43rd in assists per contest (0.50).
• Mitch Budler is rated 12th among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (18), 19th in goals against average (1.03) and 34th in goalie minutes played (4,097.62). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (124), goals (52) and points per game (1.68), second in goals per tilt (0.70), 11th in assists (20) and assists per contest (0.27) and 36th in games played (74). Malik Henry is rated 33rd in career assists (16).
• Through 46 career games, GK Mitch Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 116 saves en route to owning a 1.04 goals against average on the strength of 18 shutouts.
• Ten different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Twenty-one Zips have registered a shot this season, including 11 newcomers.
• Eleven Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Stefan Dobrijevic enters play against Wright State needing one shot for 50 for his Akron career.
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in seven tilts this season.
• The Zips are 1-0-2 versus ranked teams this season following a 1-1 draw at No. 2 Notre Dame (Aug. 22), a 1-1 tie at No. 5 Western Michigan (Aug. 30) and a 4-0 triumph past No. 13 VCU (Sept. 6). A year ago, Akron was 2-0-1 against ranked squads after a 0-0 draw with No. 15 Notre Dame (Sept. 19), a 2-0 victory over No. 11 Florida International (Sept. 11) and a 1-0 triumph past No. 7 Vermont (Aug. 28).
• Since 2021, the Zips own 27-4-8 record in regular season home games at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 34-22-10 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dyson Clapier is Akron's active career leaders in goals (17), points (48), shots (120), shots on goal (56) and game-winners (6), while ranking third in assists (14). Emil Jaaskelainen, Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Stefan Dobrijevic have scored nine, six and five goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 138-59-35 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 138 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 105 of the squad's last 195 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 44 of its last 90 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns an 88-18-15 record in its last 121 home matches.
UP NEXT
Akron hosts Villanova in a 7 p.m. Senior Night match on Saturday (Oct. 12) at FirstEnergy Stadium.
AKRON ATHLETICS NOW CASHLESS
The University of Akron Athletics Department announced its transition to cashless payments for all ticketing, concessions, and merchandise purchases at all Akron athletic venues, concession stands, and gear shops, beginning with the start of the 2024-25 sports seasons. For more information click here.
Tickets for the contest against the Raiders are available for purchase at http://www.gozips.com/Tickets. Fans are asked to park in Lots 6, 9 and 10 surrounding InfoCision Stadium and the Stile Athletics Field House. For complete parking information click here.
GAME INFO
Akron vs. Wright State | Oct. 8 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | Zips Digital Network
HEAD COACHES
Wright State: Alex Van der Sluijs (Wilmington, 2007), Overall Record: 140-92-21 (11th Season), Record at Wright State: 9-13-7 (Second Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 185-80-43 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 138-59-35 (12th Season)
SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus Wright State on Tuesday (Oct. 8) at 5-3-3 on the campaign, following an 1-0 victory over Xavier on Friday (Oct. 4).
Redshirt seniors Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) leads the Zips in goals (9), assists (5), points (24), shots (46), shots on goal (21) and game-winners (3), while senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), redshirt seniors Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) and redshirt freshman Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have added three, three, two and two goals, respectively, to go along with Jaaskelainen and Gaulmin owning a team-best six and five assists, respectively, on the campaign. Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 32 saves and owns a 1.18 goals against average.
Akron returns six starters in 2024, including 2023 All-BIG EAST Conference performers, seniors Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario).
The Zips will also be bolstered by the return of key 2023 contributors in Budler, Clapier, junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown Ohio), juniors Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) and Daragh Reilly (Meath, Ireland) and Wan Kamal.
SCOUTING WRIGHT STATE
Wright State comes into play versus the Zips on Tuesday (Oct. 8) at 5-4-2 on the campaign, including 2-1-1 in the Horizon League, following a 2-1 setback versus Green Bay on Saturday (Oct. 5).
Senior Cole Werthmuller leads the Raiders in goals (7), points (16), shots (31), shots on goal (15) and game-winners (2) this season. Senior goalkeeper Joel Shaw has posted 16 saves en route to owning a 1.57 goals against average and two shutouts.
The Raiders are ranked sixth in the NCAA in total goals (27), 10th in scoring offense (2.45), 13th in total points (76), 15th in shots on goal per tilt (6.73), 20th in points per game (6.91), 27th in total assists (22) and 34th in assists per match (2.00).
Individually, Werthmuller is rated 21st in total points (16), 18th in total goals (7), 23rd in goals per outing (0.70), 27th in points per game (1.60), 28th in game-winning goals (2) and 32nd in shots on goal per match (1.50) and shots per tilt (3.10).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron is encountering Wright State for the 14th time in program history with the Zips owning a 12-1-0 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron bested the Raiders, 5-1, on Sept. 2, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 2, 2022 – AKRON, OHIO)
The 14th-ranked Akron men's soccer team registered four second-half goals en route to pulling away in a 5-1 triumph past Wright State on Sept. 2, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Akron received goals from Josef Paulus, senior Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah), Ryan Kingsford, junior Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) and Santiago Frias in the 44th (43:02), 46th (45:33), 63rd (62:26), 76th (75:54) and 90th (89:06) minutes, respectively.
Akron finished the evening recording a 21-7 margin in shots, including 10-3 in shots on goal. Kingsford and Jason Shokalook turned in a game-high four shots apiece for the Zips.
AKRON VERSUS HORIZON LEAGUE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Horizon League for the third time this season and 148th time overall.
• Akron owns a 107-30-10 (.762) all-time record versus the current 12 members of the Horizon League.
• Earlier this season, the Zips battled Cleveland State to a 3-3 draw on Sept. 2, before dropping a 2-1 decision to IU Indianapolis on Sept. 14 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
AKRON NOTES
• Seven of the 13 matches between Akron and Wright State have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips owning a 6-1-0 mark in those contests.
• The Zips have outscored Wright State, 39-7, in eight home games against the Raiders.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 11 all-time meetings with Wright State.
• Emil Jaaskelainen enters play versus Wright State with 52 career goals, a mark that is rated No. 1 among active career leaders in Division I and 10th overall across all divisions. Additionally, he is ranked seventh in career points (125) across all divisions.
• The Zips are rated third in the NCAA in total assists (31), seventh in total points (79) and in assists per tilt (2.82), 12th in shots per game (15.82), 13th in total goals (24) and in points per match (7.18), 21st in corner kicks (6.18), 24th in scoring offense (2.18), 26th in goal differential (11) and 34th in shots on goal per contest (6.27).
• Individually, GK Mitch Budler is rated fourth in the NCAA in goalie minutes played (990:00) and 25th in shutouts (4), Emil Jaaskelainen is ranked first in total points (24), third in game-winning goals (3), sixth in total goals (9), seventh in shots per game (4.18) and in points per outing (2.18),, eighth in shots on goal per contest (1.91), 12th in total assists (6), 15th in goals per match (0.82) and 28th in assists per tilt (0.55). Additionally, senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) and junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) are 46th in total assists (4), while redshirt senior Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) is 25th in total assists (5) and 43rd in assists per contest (0.50).
• Mitch Budler is rated 12th among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (18), 19th in goals against average (1.03) and 34th in goalie minutes played (4,097.62). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (124), goals (52) and points per game (1.68), second in goals per tilt (0.70), 11th in assists (20) and assists per contest (0.27) and 36th in games played (74). Malik Henry is rated 33rd in career assists (16).
• Through 46 career games, GK Mitch Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 116 saves en route to owning a 1.04 goals against average on the strength of 18 shutouts.
• Ten different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Twenty-one Zips have registered a shot this season, including 11 newcomers.
• Eleven Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Stefan Dobrijevic enters play against Wright State needing one shot for 50 for his Akron career.
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in seven tilts this season.
• The Zips are 1-0-2 versus ranked teams this season following a 1-1 draw at No. 2 Notre Dame (Aug. 22), a 1-1 tie at No. 5 Western Michigan (Aug. 30) and a 4-0 triumph past No. 13 VCU (Sept. 6). A year ago, Akron was 2-0-1 against ranked squads after a 0-0 draw with No. 15 Notre Dame (Sept. 19), a 2-0 victory over No. 11 Florida International (Sept. 11) and a 1-0 triumph past No. 7 Vermont (Aug. 28).
• Since 2021, the Zips own 27-4-8 record in regular season home games at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 34-22-10 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dyson Clapier is Akron's active career leaders in goals (17), points (48), shots (120), shots on goal (56) and game-winners (6), while ranking third in assists (14). Emil Jaaskelainen, Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Stefan Dobrijevic have scored nine, six and five goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 138-59-35 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 138 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 105 of the squad's last 195 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 44 of its last 90 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns an 88-18-15 record in its last 121 home matches.
UP NEXT
Akron hosts Villanova in a 7 p.m. Senior Night match on Saturday (Oct. 12) at FirstEnergy Stadium.
AKRON ATHLETICS NOW CASHLESS
The University of Akron Athletics Department announced its transition to cashless payments for all ticketing, concessions, and merchandise purchases at all Akron athletic venues, concession stands, and gear shops, beginning with the start of the 2024-25 sports seasons. For more information click here.
Players Mentioned
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. UConn - 9/19/25
Saturday, September 20
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer - Post-Game Comments at Vermont - 9/13/25
Sunday, September 14
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. Western Michigan - 9/9/2025
Wednesday, September 10
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. Cleveland State - 9/1/2025
Tuesday, September 02