Akron Battles Indiana in Second Round of NCAA Tournament

Sunday, November 24

Bloomington, Ind.

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Indiana

Akron Battles Indiana in Second Round of NCAA Tournament

November 23 | Men's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio – The 13th-rated University of Akron men's soccer team will continue its drive for its second-ever NCAA Championship on Sunday (Nov. 24) traveling to Bloomington, Ind., for a showdown with 14th-seeded Indiana in the second round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. The 1 p.m. tilt with the Hoosiers will be broadcast on ESPN+.

GAME INFO
Akron at Indiana | Nov. 24 | 1 PM | Bloomington, Ind. | Live Stats | ESPN+

HEAD COACHES
Indiana: Todd Yeagley (Indiana, 2002), Overall Record: 210-78-59 (16th Season), Record at Indiana: 203-69-57 (15th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 192-81-44 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 145-60-36 (12th Season)

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus Indiana on Sunday (Nov. 24) at 12-4-4 on the campaign, including 7-0-1 in the BIG EAST Conference, following a 1-0 victory over Princeton on Nov. 21.

Redshirt senior Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) leads the Zips in goals (23), points (54), shots (92), shots on goal (45) and game-winners (6), while redshirt seniors Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) and Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) along with senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio), redshirt freshman Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) and senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) have added five, four, four, two, two and two goals, respectively, to go along with Henry owning a team-best nine assists. Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 51 saves and owns a 0.95 goals against average.

Akron returns six starters in 2024, including 2023 All-BIG EAST Conference performers, seniors Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and Henry.

The Zips will also be bolstered by the return of key 2023 contributors in Budler, Clapier, Dobrijevic, juniors Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) and Daragh Reilly (Meath, Ireland) and Wan Kamal.

SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana comes into play versus the Zips on Sunday (Nov. 24) at 10-4-5 on the campaign, including a 7-1-2 mark in the Big Ten Conference, following a 1-0 setback to Michigan in the semifinals of the Big Ten Conference Championship on Nov. 14.

Senior Tommy Mihalic leads the Hoosiers in goals (10), points (25), shots (57), shots on goal (19) and game-winners (3). Redshirt senior goalkeeper JT Harms has posted 52 saves en route to posting a 1.17 goals against average and four shutouts.

The Hoosiers are ranked 14th in the NCAA in total goals (39), 18th in total points (114), corner kicks (6.21) and goal differential (17), 20th in scoring offense (2.05), 25th in points per tilt (6.00), 31st in shots per game (14.05), 33rd in total assists (36), 34th in winning percentage (.658) and 35th in assists per contest (1.89).

Individually, Mihalic is rated 25th in total goals (10), 26th in shots per game (3.00), 27th in total points (25), 38th in game-winning goals (3), 44th in points per contest (1.32) and 46th in goals per match (0.53), while senior Samuel Sarver is ranked 32nd in total assists (8) and 38th in assists per game (0.44) and Harms is 27th in goalie minutes played (1,691:26).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Indiana are meeting for the 37th time in program history and eighth in postseason history with the Hoosiers owning a 25-8-3 series advantage. In the last encounter between the two schools, the Hoosiers earned a 2-0 victory over the Zips on Sept. 9, 2022, in Bloomington, Ind. Akron is facing its fifth postseason road tilt at Indiana and first since a 1-0 setback on Nov. 20, 2016. The Zips own a 4-2-2 mark in the last eight contests between the schools.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 9, 2022 – BLOOMINGTON, IND.)
A pair of first-half goals proved too much for the ninth-rated Akron to overcome as No. 11 Indiana registered a 2-0 victory over the Zips on Sept. 9, 2022, in Bloomington, Ind.

The Hoosiers cracked the scoring column first when Samuel Sarver found the back of the net at the 11:53 mark to give Indiana a 1-0 lead. Indiana extended its advantage to 2-0 in the 39th minute (38:51) with a tally from Nate Ward.

Mitch Budler finished the match with nine saves for Akron.

Akron garnered a shot apiece from Josh Hallenberger, Jason Shokalook and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, along with Joel Sangwa.

AKRON VERSUS THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Big Ten Conference for the second time this season and 209th time overall. Akron is 0-1-0 against the conference this season as the Zips dropped a 2-0 decision to Ohio State on Aug. 25.
• Akron owns a 109-78-21 (.575) all-time record versus the current 18 members of the Big Ten Conference.
• The Zips have gone 26-12-7 against the league since 2012.
• In all, Akron is 43-17-10 (.671) versus teams from the Big Ten since 2007. During that time, the Zips have out-scored the competition, 125-71.

ZIPS' NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Akron maintains a 34-29-9 mark in 72 matches in NCAA Championship history, including capturing the school's first national championship in any sport in 2010. The Zips are 13-6-3 under head coach Jared Embick. Since 2005, Akron owns a 25-9-9 ledger.

Seventeen Zips have earned playing time in the NCAA Tournament during their Akron careers. Victor Gaulmin enters action versus Indiana as the team's NCAA Tournament career scoring leader with a goal, while Emil Jaaskelainen, Jonas Buechte and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal each own an assist.

Dyson Clapier has recorded a team-best 10 shots. Additionally, Jaaskelainen, Wan Kamal, Buechte, Malik Henry, Gaulmin, redshirt senior Beto Ydrach (Orlando, Fla.), Stefan Dobrijevic and Nicholas Beier (Dietzenbach, Germany) have registered 7 (3), 5 (2), 5 (0), 4 (3), 3 (2), 2 (0), 1 (0) and 1 (0) shots (shots on goal), respectively. Mitch Budler has pulled in six saves for the Zips with one shutout

JAASKELAINEN NAMED BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Emil Jaaskelainen has turned in an amazing run of play this season and was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year. In eight BIG EAST games for Akron, he recorded 12 of his NCAA-leading 23 goals on the strength of team-high marks in goals (12), points (28), shots (34), shots on goal (18) and game-winners (4), while ranking second in assists (4). He delivered a hat trick against Villanova (Oct. 12), while posting league braces versus Marquette (Oct. 26), Creighton (Oct. 23), DePaul (Oct. 19) and Butler (Sept. 20). Overall, he has recorded nine multi-goal affairs on the season.

Jaaskelainen ranks first in the BIG EAST in goals (1.15), points (2.70), shots (4.60), shots on goal (2.25) per game as well as leading the league in total goals (23), shots (92), shots on goal (45), points (54) and game-winning goals (6) and rating third in assists (8). In league-only affairs, Jaaskelainen led the BIG EAST in total goals (12), points (28), shots (34), shots on goal (18) and game-winners (4), as well as goals (1.50), points (3.50), shots (4.25), shots on goal (2.25) and game-winners (0.50) per contest, while rating third in total assists (4) and fifth in assists per tilt (0.50).

Individually, Jaaskelainen leads the NCAA in total goals (23), total points (54), game-winning goals (6), goals per game (1.15) and points per tilt (2.70), while ranking third in shots per match (4.60) and shots on goal per outing (2.25) and 32nd in total assists (8).

YDRACH HONORED AS BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Beto Ydrach was honored as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. He helped direct the defensive efforts of the Zips, who posted nine shutouts on the campaign, including recording six clean sheets in eight league contests. Offensively, Ydrach added three assists on the strength of 13 shots, including three on goal.

BUDLER CHOSEN AS BIG EAST GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Mitch Budler was chosen as the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year. Budler has posted 51 saves on the campaign en route to recording a 0.95 goals against average on the strength of nine shutouts. In league play, Budler collected 23 saves and a 0.63 goals against average and notched six clean sheets in eight games.

SEVEN ZIPS EARNS ALL-BIG EAST ACCOLADES
Seven Akron men's soccer standouts garnered All-BIG EAST accolades when the league unveiled in 2024 award winners in a vote of the league coaches released on Nov. 12.

Emil Jaaskelainen headlined the Zips' award winners as he selected as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous First-Team honoree.

Beto Ydrach was tabbed as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year and pulled in First-Team All-League honors.

Mitch Budler garnered BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year accolades and was a First-Team All-Conference selection.

Akron head coach Jared Embick and his staff of Ger Coppinger, Michael Nanchoff and Attila Schmidt were recognized as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.

Dyson Clapier rounded out the First-Team All-BIG EAST selections for the Zips.

Pulling in Second-Team All-BIG EAST laurels were Malik Henry and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, while Jonas Buechte earned Third-Team honors.

AKRON CAPTURES BIG EAST TITLE
Akron captured its first-ever BIG EAST regular season title with a 3-0 triumph at Marquette (Oct. 26), a game after claiming the BIG EAST Midwest Division crown on the strength of a 3-0 victory past Creighton (Oct. 23).

AKRON NOTES
• Twenty two of the 36 matches between Akron and Indiana, including the seven of the last 10 meetings, have resulted in a shutout. Since 2003, the Zips own a 3-3-2 mark in those contests.
• Seven of the last eight tilts between Akron and Indiana have been decided by a goal or less.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in five all-time meetings with Indiana.
• The Zips are in search of their first victory at Indiana since posting a 2-1 triumph on Oct. 4, 1975.
• Emil Jaaskelainen equaled the BIG EAST record for goals (12) and points (28) scored. Jaaskelainen matched Ryan Finley of Notre Dame in 2012 (12 goals in 8 games) and Jarrod Smith of West Virginia in 2006 (12 goals in 10 games) in goals scored, while equaling Smith in the same season with 28 points.
• The Zips allowed the fourth-fewest goals (5) in conference play this season in BIG EAST history.
• Emil Jaaskelainen's 12-shot performance versus Villanova (Oct. 12) equaled a BIG EAST record in league play set by Mac Steeves of Providence on Oct. 24, 2015.
• Akron's victory at DePaul (Oct. 19) marked the 250th triumph for the Zips since head coach Jared Embick joined the staff for the 2007 campaign.
• Emil Jaaskelainen has posted nine multi-goal efforts on the season after recording a brace against DePaul (Nov. 9). He collected a first-half hat trick against Villanova (Oct. 12) after netting a pair of goals against Wright State (Oct. 8). He also notched a hat trick in an 8-0 Akron victory over Saint Francis (Sept. 24) and added a pair of goals in 3-0 triumphs over Marquette (Oct. 26) and Creighton (Oct. 23), 4-0 victory past DePaul (Oct. 19), a 4-3 win over Butler (Sept. 20) and a 3-3 draw versus Cleveland State (Sept. 2).
• The Zips have allowed only seven first-half goals this season, including only two over the final 30 minutes of the initial stanza.
• Emil Jaaskelainen enters play versus Indiana with 66 career goals, a mark that is rated No. 1 among active career leaders in Division I and third overall across all divisions. Additionally, he is ranked third in career points (154) across all divisions.
• In league-only affairs, Emil Jaaskelainen led the BIG EAST in total goals (12), points (28), shots (34), shots on goal (18) and game-winners (4), as well as goals (1.50), points (3.50), shots (4.25), shots on goal (2.25) and game-winners (0.50) per contest, while rating third in total assists (4) and fifth in assists per tilt (0.50).
• The Zips are rated second in the NCAA in total assists (59), third in assists per tilt (2.95), fourth in total points (155) and goal differential (29), fifth in total goals (48) and in points per match (7.75), seventh in scoring offense (2.40), eighth in shots per game (15.95), 17th in shutout percentage (0.45) and in shots on goal per contest (6.50), 26th in winning percentage (.700), 28th in goals against average (0.95) and 39th in corner kicks (5.70).
• Individually, GK Mitch Budler is rated third in the NCAA in shutouts (9), eighth in goalie minutes played (1,808:13) and 31st in goals against average (0.94), Emil Jaaskelainen is ranked first in total goals (23), total points (54), goals per match (1.15), game-winning goals (6) and points per outing (2.70), third in shots per game (4.60) and in shots on goal per contest (2.25) and 32nd in total assists (8). Additionally, Malik Henry is 15th in total assists (9) and 32nd in assists per game (0.45), while Dyson Clapier, Victor Gaulmin and Jaaskelainen are 32nd in total assists (8).
• Mitch Budler is rated eighth among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (23), 18th in goals against average (0.97) and 24th in goalie minutes played (4,915.83). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (154) and goals (66), second in points per game (1.86) and in goals per tilt (0.80), 13th in assists (22), 21st in assists per contest (0.27) and 28th in games played (82). Malik Henry is rated 18th in career assists (21) and 20th in assists per tilt (0.28).
• Through 55 career games, GK Mitch Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 135 saves en route to owning a 0.98 goals against average on the strength of 23 shutouts.
• Thirteen different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Twenty-three Zips have registered a shot this season, including 11 newcomers.
• All but one field player for the Zips to have played in a game this season has posted a shot for Akron.
• Eleven Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• The Zips recorded a season-best 27 shots against Princeton (Nov. 21) and Temple (Sept. 14).
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in 15 tilts this season.
• The Zips are 2-1-2 versus ranked teams this season following a 1-0 victory past Princeton (Nov. 21) as well as a 2-1 overtime setback against No. 24 Georgetown (Nov. 14), 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).
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 35-23-10 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dyson Clapier is Akron's active career leaders in goals (18), assists (20), points (56), shots (146), shots on goal (66) and game-winners (6). Emil Jaaskelainen, Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Stefan Dobrijevic have scored 23, seven and six goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 145-60-36 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 145 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• Under head coach Jared Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 29-14-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 111 of the squad's last 204 matches.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 98-47-32 record.

UP NEXT
The advancing team between Akron and Indiana will meet the advancing squad between Denver and Gardner-Webb in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.