Akron Hosts Butler in BIG EAST Opener

Friday, September 20

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Butler

Buy Tickets

September 19 | Men's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer team opens BIG EAST Conference play welcoming Butler to FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday (Sept. 20). The 7 p.m. match with the Bulldogs will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Chad Welker on the call.

Tickets for the contest against the Bulldogs 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. Butler | Sept. 20 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | ESPN+

HEAD COACHES
Butler: Paul Snape (Oakland, 2000), Overall Record: 107-94-42 (14th Season), Record at Butler: 107-94-42 (14th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 181-80-43 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 134-59-35 (12th Season)

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus Butler on Friday (Sept. 20) at 1-3-3 following a 1-0 setback to Temple on Saturday (Sept. 14).

Redshirt seniors Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) leads the Zips in goals (3), points (8), shots (32) and shots on goal (12), while redshirt senior Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) have added a pair of goals to go along with senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) owning a team-best three assists on the campaign. Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 14 saves and owns a 1.43 goals against average.

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

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 BUTLER
Butler comes into play versus the Zips on Friday (Sept. 20) at 3-2-2 on the campaign following a 1-0 setback at No. 12 Ohio State on Friday (Sept. 13).

Junior Josemir Gomez leads the Bulldogs in goals (4), points (9), shots (19), shots on goal (7) and game-winners (1) this season. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Caleb Norris has posted 23 saves en route to posting a 1.29 goals against average.

The Bulldogs are ranked 17th in the NCAA in shots per game (15.86), 29th in total assists (12) and 47th in total points (37).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Butler for the fourth time in program history. The Bulldogs lead the series, 1-0-2. In the last meeting between the two schools, the Zips and Butler battled to a 0-0 draw on Oct. 28, 2023, in Indianapolis, Ind.

AKRON IN CONFERENCE OPENERS (SINCE 1993)
The Zips' contest versus Butler marks Akron's 2024 BIG EAST debut. Since 1993, the Zips own a 25-2-4 mark in league openers.

AKRON NOTES
• The Zips are in search of their first ever win over Butler.
• Akron and Butler battled to a 2-2 draw with the ninth-rated Bulldogs in the lone previous encounter between the two schools at FirstEnergy Stadium on Aug. 24, 2018.
• The Zips are rated eighth in the NCAA in shots per game (17.43), 11th in corner kicks (6.86) and 42nd shots on goal per contest (6.29).
• Individually, Mitch Budler is rated 12th in the NCAA in goalie minutes played (630:00), Emil Jaaskelainen is ranked sixth in shots per game (4.57) and 20th in shots on goal per contest (1.71). Additionally, Malik Henry is 20th in total assists (3).
• Mitch Budler is rated 16th among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (15), 20th in goals against average (1.06) and 38th in goalie minutes played (3,737.62). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (108), goals (46), goals per tilt (0.66) and points per game (1.54), 15th in assists (16) and 39th in games played (70).
• Through 42 career games, GK Mitch Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 98 saves en route to owning a 1.06 goals against average on the strength of 16 shutouts.
• Six different Zips have scored a goal this season, including two newcomers.
• Eighteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including nine newcomers.
• Ten Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in five consecutive contests on the campaign, including a season-best 27 shots against Temple (Sept. 14).
• 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 2010, the Zips are 30-5-5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 45-8-6 mark versus league foes at home.
• 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 (16), points (44), shots (111), shots on goal (53) and game-winners (6), while ranking third in assists (12). Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Stefan Dobrijevic have scored six and five goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 134-59-35 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 134 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• Under head coach Jared Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 27-14-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 103 of the squad's last 191 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 42 of its last 87 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 85-18-15 record in its last 118 home matches.
• Since 2007, Akron maintains a league record of 72-14-15 (.787) mark in league play. Furthermore, the Zips won 11 consecutive MAC regular season championships (2006-16) and 11 of the final 14 MAC Tournament titles.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 87-46-31 record.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Saint Francis in a 7 p.m. tilt on Tuesday (Sept. 24) 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.