The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Visits No. 13 Cornell
October 06 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – The 22nd-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team travels to Ithaca, N.Y., for a non-conference showdown at No. 13 Cornell on Tuesday (Oct. 7). The 7 p.m. match with the Big Red will be broadcast on ESPN+.
GAME INFO
Akron at Cornell | Oct. 7 | 7 PM | Ithaca, N.Y. | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Cornell: John Smith (Rollins, 1997), Overall Record: 144-75-24 (14th Season), Record at Cornell: 82-49-14 (Ninth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 199-85-45 (16th Season), Record at Akron: 152-64-37 (13th Season)
SCOUTING CORNELL
Cornell enters action against the Zips on Tuesday (Oct. 7) at 7-1-0 on the campaign, including 2-0-0 in the Ivy League, following a 6-2 victory at Dartmouth on Saturday (Oct. 4).
The Big Red are led by senior Giorgos Diakos who owns team-high marks in assists (5), points (11), shots (25) and shots on goal (11), while senior Westin Carnevale and freshman Sergio Zapata each have registered a team-best four goals apiece. Senior GK Ryan Friedberg has recorded 18 saves and maintains a 0.51 goals against average on the strength of four shutouts.
As a team, Cornell is rated first in the NCAA in shots on goal per tilt (9.50), second in points per match (9.00), shots per match (20.38) and scoring offense (3.00), fifth in assists per game (3.00), sixth in goal differential (20) and winning percentage (.875), ninth in goals against average (.500), 11th in shutout percentage (.625), 15th in total goals (24), 18th in total assists (24) and 20th in total points (72). Individually, Diakos is rated 11th in assists per game (0.63), 27th in total assists (5), 38th in points per match (1.38) and 45th in shots on goal (1.38), while Friedberg is 14th in goals against average (.506), 24th in save percentage (.818) and 33rd in shutouts (4).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Cornell are playing for only the third time in program history with the Big Red owning a 2-0-0 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Cornell earned a 3-2 double-overtime triumph at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sept. 28, 2019. Akron was bested in overtime, by an identical 3-2 score, on Oct. 5, 1980, as part of the Akron Children's Hospital Classic.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 28, 2019 – AKRON, OHIO)
Ryan Bayne's golden goal in the 102nd minute (101:59) propelled Cornell to a 3-2 double-overtime triumph past the Akron on Sept. 28, 2019, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The game-winning tally came on a header off a corner kick served into the box from Harry Fuller.
The final shot of the match provided the Big Red with a 13-12 overall edge in shots on the evening, including an 8-3 margin in shots on goal.
Diogo Pacheco and David Egbo contributed keys minutes in reserve duty for the Zips and paced Akron with four and two shots, respectively. George Pedlow led Cornell with a team-high three shots, all on frame, to spark the Big Red to the victory.
HONORING LEGENDARY COACH STU PARRY
Akron men's soccer honored legendary men's soccer coach Stu Parry, who passed away peacefully on Aug. 15, prior to the squad's match versus Cleveland State (Sept. 1).
The first head coach in Akron men's program history, Parry began a decorated career guiding the Zips in 1955 and led the squad for 15 seasons en route to posting an enviable 118-43-4 record.
In those 15 years, Parry directed the Zips to nine Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Championships and developed 10 All-America soccer players, including Ed Bender, Fritz Kungl, Pete Milch, Joe Queiroga, Ford Brummer, Jim Malcolm and Eugene Alfred, and numerous All-Ohio and All-Midwest players.
In 1961, the Zips were invited to participate in their first NCAA post-season game. On five more occasions, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1968, Akron earned NCAA invitations. In 1966 and 1968, Parry's fellow coaches honored him for his many years of devotion to and promotion of soccer by voting him the Ohio Soccer Coach of the Year.
AKRON VERSUS THE IVY LEAGUE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Ivy League for the first time this season and 10th time overall.
• Akron owns a 5-4-0 (.500) all-time record versus the current eight men's soccer members – Brown (0-1), Cornell (0-2), Penn (1-0), Princeton (3-1) and Yale (1-0) of the Ivy League.
• In their last encounter with a school from Ivy League, the Zips earned a 1-0 decision past Princeton on Nov. 21, 2024, at FirstEnergy Stadium in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
AKRON DROPS 2-1 DECISION TO ST. JOHN'S
Akron fell to St. John's, 2-1, on Friday (Oct. 3) at home at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The contest was a physical one from the start as the two teams were whistled for nine first-half fouls in a back-and-forth opening stanza.
Akron took a 1-0 lead when redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) recorded his first goal of the season in the 39th minute (38:31), assisted by freshman Jose Pedro (Porto, Portugal) and sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio).
The physicality began to ramp up in the second half, but the Zips held the momentum in the match until the Red Storm leveled the match on a goal from Gabe Smyth at the 71:39 mark, assisted by Ivar Na Aga and Julian Jakopovic. St. John's then scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on Andrew Porucznik's 85th-minute goal (84:32), assisted by Gabin Thomelier.
Redshirt senior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) totaled three saves for the Zips out of 10 total Red Storm shots.
ZIPS EARN 1-0 VICTORY AT BUTLER
No. 12 Akron garnered a game-winning goal from sophomore Remi Agunbiade (Toronto, Ontario) in the 77th minute (76:56) to earn a 1-0 shutout victory at Butler on Sept. 27.
The two sides battled through a scoreless tilt before Agunbiade netted what proved to be the game-winning tally at the 76:56 mark, assisted by junior Freddy Kossehasse (McKinney, Texas) and Jose Pedro. The goal represented the second career game-winner for Agunbiade.
Mitch Budler collected two saves for the Zips out of nine total Bulldogs shots to earn his NCAA-leading eighth shutout of the season.
Akron recorded an 18-9 advantage in shots, including 8-2 eight on goal. Agunbiade posted a game-high five shots, including four on goal, while junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.) added four shots for the Zips.
A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.736), with an overall record of 262-77-53. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 250-84-53 (.714), Maryland, 241-85-60 (.702), North Carolina, 235-86-67 (.692), Indiana, 259-99-71 (.686) and Georgetown, 235-90-52 (.692). 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 their last 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 36 times, including 20 of the past 24 seasons.
SEPTEMBER DOMINANCE
For the month, the Zips have been led by four goals and one assist from Jack Roman, while Caleb Borneo, Stefan Dobrijevic and Remi Agunbiade have added three, two and two tallies, respectively. Akron has outshot the opposition, 104-44, including 36-20 on frame. Mitch Budler has been stellar in goal for the Zips owning a 0.57 goal against average on the strength of 16 saves and five shutouts.
Over the last 23 seasons (2003-present), Akron boasts a 104-33-21 (.725) ledger in the month of September, including a 5-2 mark this fall.
OWNING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
The recent success of the Akron men's soccer program over the past 19 seasons (2007-present) can be attributed to its play in the month of October. Since the start of the 2007 campaign, the Zips own a 93-18-17 (.793) ledger in the month, including a 52-8-7 (.828) mark in matches at FirstEnergy Stadium.
ZIP TIDBITS
• The Zips are meeting Cornell for the third time in program history.
• Akron is playing its first ever road game at Cornell.
• Each of the two all-time meetings have gone to overtime.
• Akron is rated No. 26 in the latest NCAA men's soccer RPI report on Oct. 6.
• The Zips are 2-1-1 versus ranked teams this season following a 0-0 draw versus No. 8 West Virginia (Aug. 29), a 2-0 win at No. 16 Ohio State (Sept. 5), a 1-0 setback at No. 5 Vermont (Sept. 13) and a 3-0 triumph past No. 8 Saint Louis (Sept. 23).
• The Zips recorded a season-best 20 shots at VCU (Aug. 24).
• Akron have posted double-digit shots in 10 of 11 tilts in 2025.
• The Zips have not allowed a first-half goal this season.
• Seven different Zips have scored a goal this season, including a pair of newcomers.
• Nineteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including 10 newcomers.
• Budler collected his 150th career save against UConn (Sept. 19, 2025) and enters play versus Cornell with 157 career stops.
• The Zips are rated third in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.727), fourth in corner kicks (7.45), 12th in goals against average (0.545), 18th in total assists (24), 26th in assists per game (2.18), 27th in goal differential (11), 38th in shots per tilt (14.36), 39th in winning percentage (.682), 42nd in total points (58) and 45th in save percentage (.786).
• Individually, Budler is rated first in the NCAA in shutouts (8), sixth in goalie minutes played (990.00) 15th in goals against average (0.545*) and 46th in save percentage (.786). Additionally, Agunbiade, Borneo and Roman are 29th in game-winning goals (2) and Dobrijevic is 27th in total assists (5).
• Budler is rated first among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (31), third in goalie minutes played (5.943.51), 10th in goals against average (.893), 28th in saves (157), 35th in games played (67) and 40th in save percentage (.727). Additionally, Kamdem is 35th in games played (67) and Dobrijevic is 39th in games played (66).
• Through 67 career games, Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 157 saves en route to owning a 0.90 goals against average on the strength of 31 shutouts.
• Budler will surpass 6,000 career minutes in goal vs. Cornell (Oct. 7) having been in net for 5,943:51.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 37-25-11 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dobrijevic is Akron's active career leaders in goals (10), assists (15), points (35), shots (77), shots on goal (30) and game-winners (3). Dobrijevic, Borneo, Roman, Agunbiade, Kamdem and Nathan Ferguson have scored 10, four, four, four, three and three goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 152-64-37 mark over the last 13 seasons under Embick. Akron's 152 wins are ranked eighth in all of Division I.
• Under Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 31-15-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 115 of the squad's last 216 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 51 of its last 102 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 97-20-16 record in its last 131 home matches.
• The Zips average attendance in 2025 is 1,651 to rank 17th nationally. In 2024 it was 1,098 fans per game, while in 2023 Akron ranked 13th nationally (1,699), while rating 17th nationally (1,290) in 2022, 13th (1,565) in 2021, 12th in 2019 and 16th in the country (1,419) in 2018. In 2016 and 2017, the Zips rated 10th nationally in attendance averaging 2,147 and 1,819 fans per contest, respectively.
• Since 2007, Akron maintains a league record of 80-16-16 (.786) 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 105-51-33 record.
BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL
The University of Akron men's soccer program opens its 71st season of intercollegiate soccer tabbed to finish as the top team in the Midwest Division of the BIG EAST Conference, including earning 10 first-place votes in the division.
ZIPS IN THE CLASSROOM
Academic success has been a staple for the Zips under head coach Jared Embick. Akron has posted a cumulative team GPA's of 3.0 or better in 23 of 25 semesters overall under Embick, including registering cumulative marks of 3.11, 3.39, 3.01, 3.05, 3.40, 3.316, 3.21, 3.02, 3.09, 3.20 and 3.37 during the 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16, 2014-15 campaigns, respectively.
AKRON UNVEILS TALENTED 14-MEMBER RECRUITING CLASS
Akron under the leadership of 13th-year head coach Jared Embick, boast a talented 14-member signing class for 2025.
Donning the Akron uniform this fall will be Ignacio Alem (Potomac, Md.), Abdi Bahur (Toronto, Ontario), Gavin Crane (Hinckley, Ohio), Braxton Hayes, (Bowie, Md.), Logan LaMaina (Sellersville, Pa.), Farrel Ngongang, Matthew Paiva and Malte Schmaus (Hammersbach, Germany).
The nine players are part of Akron's 2025 signing class joining six members in Aljaz Dodig, Freddy Kossehasse, Tyler Morck, Jose Pedro, Jamai Royer (Markham, Ontario) and Jack Sullivan, that signed with the Zips prior to the spring semester.
DID YOU KNOW
• Zippy is just one of eight female-gendered college mascots in Division I athletics. Do you know the other seven? (YoUDee, the Delaware Blue Hen; Mrs. Wuf of N.C. State; Lucy Lobo of New Mexico; Sue E. Pig of Arkansas; Miss Pawla of South Alabama, Kate the Lion of Hofstra; and Wilma Wildcat of Arizona).
• One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
• Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
• Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
• The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
• The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
• "Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
• In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
UP NEXT
Akron hosts DePaul on Senior Night on Saturday (Oct. 11) at 6 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.
GAME INFO
Akron at Cornell | Oct. 7 | 7 PM | Ithaca, N.Y. | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Cornell: John Smith (Rollins, 1997), Overall Record: 144-75-24 (14th Season), Record at Cornell: 82-49-14 (Ninth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 199-85-45 (16th Season), Record at Akron: 152-64-37 (13th Season)
SCOUTING CORNELL
Cornell enters action against the Zips on Tuesday (Oct. 7) at 7-1-0 on the campaign, including 2-0-0 in the Ivy League, following a 6-2 victory at Dartmouth on Saturday (Oct. 4).
The Big Red are led by senior Giorgos Diakos who owns team-high marks in assists (5), points (11), shots (25) and shots on goal (11), while senior Westin Carnevale and freshman Sergio Zapata each have registered a team-best four goals apiece. Senior GK Ryan Friedberg has recorded 18 saves and maintains a 0.51 goals against average on the strength of four shutouts.
As a team, Cornell is rated first in the NCAA in shots on goal per tilt (9.50), second in points per match (9.00), shots per match (20.38) and scoring offense (3.00), fifth in assists per game (3.00), sixth in goal differential (20) and winning percentage (.875), ninth in goals against average (.500), 11th in shutout percentage (.625), 15th in total goals (24), 18th in total assists (24) and 20th in total points (72). Individually, Diakos is rated 11th in assists per game (0.63), 27th in total assists (5), 38th in points per match (1.38) and 45th in shots on goal (1.38), while Friedberg is 14th in goals against average (.506), 24th in save percentage (.818) and 33rd in shutouts (4).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Cornell are playing for only the third time in program history with the Big Red owning a 2-0-0 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Cornell earned a 3-2 double-overtime triumph at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sept. 28, 2019. Akron was bested in overtime, by an identical 3-2 score, on Oct. 5, 1980, as part of the Akron Children's Hospital Classic.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 28, 2019 – AKRON, OHIO)
Ryan Bayne's golden goal in the 102nd minute (101:59) propelled Cornell to a 3-2 double-overtime triumph past the Akron on Sept. 28, 2019, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The game-winning tally came on a header off a corner kick served into the box from Harry Fuller.
The final shot of the match provided the Big Red with a 13-12 overall edge in shots on the evening, including an 8-3 margin in shots on goal.
Diogo Pacheco and David Egbo contributed keys minutes in reserve duty for the Zips and paced Akron with four and two shots, respectively. George Pedlow led Cornell with a team-high three shots, all on frame, to spark the Big Red to the victory.
HONORING LEGENDARY COACH STU PARRY
Akron men's soccer honored legendary men's soccer coach Stu Parry, who passed away peacefully on Aug. 15, prior to the squad's match versus Cleveland State (Sept. 1).
The first head coach in Akron men's program history, Parry began a decorated career guiding the Zips in 1955 and led the squad for 15 seasons en route to posting an enviable 118-43-4 record.
In those 15 years, Parry directed the Zips to nine Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Championships and developed 10 All-America soccer players, including Ed Bender, Fritz Kungl, Pete Milch, Joe Queiroga, Ford Brummer, Jim Malcolm and Eugene Alfred, and numerous All-Ohio and All-Midwest players.
In 1961, the Zips were invited to participate in their first NCAA post-season game. On five more occasions, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1968, Akron earned NCAA invitations. In 1966 and 1968, Parry's fellow coaches honored him for his many years of devotion to and promotion of soccer by voting him the Ohio Soccer Coach of the Year.
AKRON VERSUS THE IVY LEAGUE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Ivy League for the first time this season and 10th time overall.
• Akron owns a 5-4-0 (.500) all-time record versus the current eight men's soccer members – Brown (0-1), Cornell (0-2), Penn (1-0), Princeton (3-1) and Yale (1-0) of the Ivy League.
• In their last encounter with a school from Ivy League, the Zips earned a 1-0 decision past Princeton on Nov. 21, 2024, at FirstEnergy Stadium in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
AKRON DROPS 2-1 DECISION TO ST. JOHN'S
Akron fell to St. John's, 2-1, on Friday (Oct. 3) at home at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The contest was a physical one from the start as the two teams were whistled for nine first-half fouls in a back-and-forth opening stanza.
Akron took a 1-0 lead when redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) recorded his first goal of the season in the 39th minute (38:31), assisted by freshman Jose Pedro (Porto, Portugal) and sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio).
The physicality began to ramp up in the second half, but the Zips held the momentum in the match until the Red Storm leveled the match on a goal from Gabe Smyth at the 71:39 mark, assisted by Ivar Na Aga and Julian Jakopovic. St. John's then scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on Andrew Porucznik's 85th-minute goal (84:32), assisted by Gabin Thomelier.
Redshirt senior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) totaled three saves for the Zips out of 10 total Red Storm shots.
ZIPS EARN 1-0 VICTORY AT BUTLER
No. 12 Akron garnered a game-winning goal from sophomore Remi Agunbiade (Toronto, Ontario) in the 77th minute (76:56) to earn a 1-0 shutout victory at Butler on Sept. 27.
The two sides battled through a scoreless tilt before Agunbiade netted what proved to be the game-winning tally at the 76:56 mark, assisted by junior Freddy Kossehasse (McKinney, Texas) and Jose Pedro. The goal represented the second career game-winner for Agunbiade.
Mitch Budler collected two saves for the Zips out of nine total Bulldogs shots to earn his NCAA-leading eighth shutout of the season.
Akron recorded an 18-9 advantage in shots, including 8-2 eight on goal. Agunbiade posted a game-high five shots, including four on goal, while junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.) added four shots for the Zips.
A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.736), with an overall record of 262-77-53. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 250-84-53 (.714), Maryland, 241-85-60 (.702), North Carolina, 235-86-67 (.692), Indiana, 259-99-71 (.686) and Georgetown, 235-90-52 (.692). 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 their last 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 36 times, including 20 of the past 24 seasons.
SEPTEMBER DOMINANCE
For the month, the Zips have been led by four goals and one assist from Jack Roman, while Caleb Borneo, Stefan Dobrijevic and Remi Agunbiade have added three, two and two tallies, respectively. Akron has outshot the opposition, 104-44, including 36-20 on frame. Mitch Budler has been stellar in goal for the Zips owning a 0.57 goal against average on the strength of 16 saves and five shutouts.
Over the last 23 seasons (2003-present), Akron boasts a 104-33-21 (.725) ledger in the month of September, including a 5-2 mark this fall.
OWNING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
The recent success of the Akron men's soccer program over the past 19 seasons (2007-present) can be attributed to its play in the month of October. Since the start of the 2007 campaign, the Zips own a 93-18-17 (.793) ledger in the month, including a 52-8-7 (.828) mark in matches at FirstEnergy Stadium.
ZIP TIDBITS
• The Zips are meeting Cornell for the third time in program history.
• Akron is playing its first ever road game at Cornell.
• Each of the two all-time meetings have gone to overtime.
• Akron is rated No. 26 in the latest NCAA men's soccer RPI report on Oct. 6.
• The Zips are 2-1-1 versus ranked teams this season following a 0-0 draw versus No. 8 West Virginia (Aug. 29), a 2-0 win at No. 16 Ohio State (Sept. 5), a 1-0 setback at No. 5 Vermont (Sept. 13) and a 3-0 triumph past No. 8 Saint Louis (Sept. 23).
• The Zips recorded a season-best 20 shots at VCU (Aug. 24).
• Akron have posted double-digit shots in 10 of 11 tilts in 2025.
• The Zips have not allowed a first-half goal this season.
• Seven different Zips have scored a goal this season, including a pair of newcomers.
• Nineteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including 10 newcomers.
• Budler collected his 150th career save against UConn (Sept. 19, 2025) and enters play versus Cornell with 157 career stops.
• The Zips are rated third in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.727), fourth in corner kicks (7.45), 12th in goals against average (0.545), 18th in total assists (24), 26th in assists per game (2.18), 27th in goal differential (11), 38th in shots per tilt (14.36), 39th in winning percentage (.682), 42nd in total points (58) and 45th in save percentage (.786).
• Individually, Budler is rated first in the NCAA in shutouts (8), sixth in goalie minutes played (990.00) 15th in goals against average (0.545*) and 46th in save percentage (.786). Additionally, Agunbiade, Borneo and Roman are 29th in game-winning goals (2) and Dobrijevic is 27th in total assists (5).
• Budler is rated first among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (31), third in goalie minutes played (5.943.51), 10th in goals against average (.893), 28th in saves (157), 35th in games played (67) and 40th in save percentage (.727). Additionally, Kamdem is 35th in games played (67) and Dobrijevic is 39th in games played (66).
• Through 67 career games, Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 157 saves en route to owning a 0.90 goals against average on the strength of 31 shutouts.
• Budler will surpass 6,000 career minutes in goal vs. Cornell (Oct. 7) having been in net for 5,943:51.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 37-25-11 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dobrijevic is Akron's active career leaders in goals (10), assists (15), points (35), shots (77), shots on goal (30) and game-winners (3). Dobrijevic, Borneo, Roman, Agunbiade, Kamdem and Nathan Ferguson have scored 10, four, four, four, three and three goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 152-64-37 mark over the last 13 seasons under Embick. Akron's 152 wins are ranked eighth in all of Division I.
• Under Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 31-15-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 115 of the squad's last 216 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 51 of its last 102 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 97-20-16 record in its last 131 home matches.
• The Zips average attendance in 2025 is 1,651 to rank 17th nationally. In 2024 it was 1,098 fans per game, while in 2023 Akron ranked 13th nationally (1,699), while rating 17th nationally (1,290) in 2022, 13th (1,565) in 2021, 12th in 2019 and 16th in the country (1,419) in 2018. In 2016 and 2017, the Zips rated 10th nationally in attendance averaging 2,147 and 1,819 fans per contest, respectively.
• Since 2007, Akron maintains a league record of 80-16-16 (.786) 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 105-51-33 record.
BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL
The University of Akron men's soccer program opens its 71st season of intercollegiate soccer tabbed to finish as the top team in the Midwest Division of the BIG EAST Conference, including earning 10 first-place votes in the division.
ZIPS IN THE CLASSROOM
Academic success has been a staple for the Zips under head coach Jared Embick. Akron has posted a cumulative team GPA's of 3.0 or better in 23 of 25 semesters overall under Embick, including registering cumulative marks of 3.11, 3.39, 3.01, 3.05, 3.40, 3.316, 3.21, 3.02, 3.09, 3.20 and 3.37 during the 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16, 2014-15 campaigns, respectively.
AKRON UNVEILS TALENTED 14-MEMBER RECRUITING CLASS
Akron under the leadership of 13th-year head coach Jared Embick, boast a talented 14-member signing class for 2025.
Donning the Akron uniform this fall will be Ignacio Alem (Potomac, Md.), Abdi Bahur (Toronto, Ontario), Gavin Crane (Hinckley, Ohio), Braxton Hayes, (Bowie, Md.), Logan LaMaina (Sellersville, Pa.), Farrel Ngongang, Matthew Paiva and Malte Schmaus (Hammersbach, Germany).
The nine players are part of Akron's 2025 signing class joining six members in Aljaz Dodig, Freddy Kossehasse, Tyler Morck, Jose Pedro, Jamai Royer (Markham, Ontario) and Jack Sullivan, that signed with the Zips prior to the spring semester.
DID YOU KNOW
• Zippy is just one of eight female-gendered college mascots in Division I athletics. Do you know the other seven? (YoUDee, the Delaware Blue Hen; Mrs. Wuf of N.C. State; Lucy Lobo of New Mexico; Sue E. Pig of Arkansas; Miss Pawla of South Alabama, Kate the Lion of Hofstra; and Wilma Wildcat of Arizona).
• One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
• Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
• Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
• The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
• The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
• "Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
• In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
UP NEXT
Akron hosts DePaul on Senior Night on Saturday (Oct. 11) at 6 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. St. John's - 10/3/25
Saturday, October 04
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer Post-Game Press Conference vs. Saint Louis - 9/23/25
Wednesday, September 24
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
