The University of Akron Athletics

Photo by: Rafael Suanes
No. 14 Akron Hosts Notre Dame in Second Round of NCAA Tournament
November 22 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – The 14th-seeded University of Akron men's soccer team opens its quest for its second-ever NCAA Championship on Sunday (Nov. 23) welcoming Notre Dame to FirstEnergy Stadium in the second round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. The 1 p.m. match with the Fighting Irish will be broadcast on ESPN+ with John Higgins on the call.
Tickets for the contest against the Fighting Irish 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. Notre Dame | Nov. 23 | 1 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Notre Dame: Chad Riley (Notre Dame, 2004), Overall Record: 131-76-40 (13th Season), Record at Notre Dame: 80-50-26 (Eighth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 203-86-47 (16th Season), Record at Akron: 156-65-39 (13th Season)
SCOUTING NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame enters action on Sunday (Nov. 23) at 9-6-4 on the campaign, including 3-3-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, following a 1-0 win at Michigan on Thursday (Nov. 20).
The Fighting Irish are led by senior Mitch Ferguson, the brother of Akron redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.), who owns team-high marks in goals (5), points (11), and game-winners (2), while senior Wyatt Borso paces the squad in goals (5), shots (37) and shots on goal (11). Sophomore GK Blake Kelly has recorded 66 saves and maintains a 1.27 goals against average on the strength of six shutouts.
Individually in the NCAA, Brummett is ranked 23rd in goalie minutes played (1,740:59), 31st in total saves (66) and 48th in shutouts (6), while junior Nolan Spicer is rated 34th in total assists (7).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Notre Dame are meeting for the 17th time in program history with the Zips owning an 8-3-5 series advantage. In the last encounter between the two schools, Akron battled the second-rated Fighting Irish to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 22, 2023, in Notre Dame, Ind. The two schools are meeting for the second time in NCAA Tournament play as the Fighting Irish posted a 3-1 victory over the Zips on Nov. 22, 2002, in Notre Dame, Ind.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (AUG. 22, 2024 – NOTRE DAME, IND.)
Akron garnered a 1-1 draw at No. 2 Notre Dame in the season opener for both schools on Aug. 22, 2024, in Notre Dame, Ind.
The two sides battled through a scoreless opening stanza with the Fighting Irish posting a 5-0 edge in shots.
Notre Dame grabbed a 1-0 lead at the 50:49 when Matthew Roou found the back of the net on a successful penalty kick.
The Zips leveled the contest at one in the 62nd minute (61:09) on a goal from Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal. Senior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) and Emil Jaaskelainen earned assists on the score.
Redshirt senior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) recorded two saves for the Zips out of 11 total Fighting Irish shots. Five different Zips posted a shot in the match.
AKRON VERSUS ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time this season and 93rd time overall.
• Akron owns a 47-30-15 (.592) all-time record versus the current 15 members of the ACC.
• In their last encounter with a school from the ACC, the Zips battled Notre Dame to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 22, 2024.
ZIPS' NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Akron maintains a 34-30-9 mark in 73 matches in NCAA Championship history, including capturing the school's first national championship in any sport in 2010. The Zips are 13-7-3 under head coach Jared Embick. Since 2005, Akron owns a 25-10-9 ledger.
Six Zips have earned playing time in the NCAA Tournament during their Akron careers. Senior Stefan Dobrijevic and Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) have recorded a one shot for the Zips. Additionally, GK Mitch Budler has pulled in six saves for the Zips with one shutout.
FIVE ZIPS EARN ALL-BIG EAST ACCOLADES
Five Akron men's soccer standouts garnered All-BIG EAST accolades when the league unveiled in 2025 award winners in a vote of the league coaches released on Nov. 12.
Stefan Dobrijevic headlined the Zips' award winners as he named selected as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous First-Team honoree.
Mitch Budler garnered BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year accolades for the second consecutive campaign and was a First-Team All-Conference selection.
Senior Daragh Reilly (Navan, Ireland) rounded out the First-Team All-BIG EAST selections for the Zips.
Pulling in Second-Team All-BIG EAST laurels was junior Matt Dreas (Covington, Ky.), while Ashton Kamdem earned Third-Team honors.
Dobrijevic becomes the 15th Akron player to garner league Player of the Year accolades marking the third consecutive season in which a Zip has been named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. Dobrijevic joins Emil Jaaskelainen (2024) and Jason Shokalook (2023).
Budler is the first player to garner back-to-back Goalkeeper of the Year honors in program history and the first in the BIG EAST Conference since Giannis Nikopolidis from Georgetown in 2019 and 2020.
DOBRIJEVIC NAMED BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stefan Dobrijevic became the third consecutive Zip to be named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. In eight BIG EAST games for Akron, he recorded six of his eight goals on the strength of team-high marks in goals (6), assists (4), points (16), shots (24), shots on goal (14) and game-winners (2). He has delivered multi-goal games in a 3-1 victory at Xavier (Oct. 25) and a 2-0 victory past Marquette (Nov. 1), while adding tallies versus DePaul (Oct. 11) and UConn (Sept. 19) and contributing assists in four of Akron's last six contests against DePaul (Oct. 11), Seton Hall (Oct. 17), Xavier (Oct. 25) and Connecticut (Nov. 13).
Dobrijevic ranks second in the BIG EAST in assists per game (.556), third in points per contest (1.44), fourth in goals per outing (.444), fifth in shots per tilt (2.56) and game-winners (.167) and sixth in shots on goal (1.11). In league-only affairs, Dobrijevic was second the BIG EAST in points per game (2.00), goals per match (.750) and in game-winners (.250), third in assists per contest (.500) and shots on goal (1.75) and fourth in shots per tilt (3.00).
Individually, Dobrijevic is sixth in the NCAA in total assists (10), ninth in assist per contest (0.56), 18th in total points (26), 22nd in points per game (1.44) and 34th in game-winners (3).
BUDLER CHOSEN AS BIG EAST GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Mitch Budler has been chosen as the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, the conference unveiled on Nov. 12. Budler has posted 39 saves on the campaign en route to recording a 0.667 goals against average on the strength of 11 shutouts. In league play, Budler collected 18 saves and a 1.13 goals against average and notched three clean sheets in eight games.
AKRON TRIO GARNERS TDS MIDSEASON ACCOLADES
Akron's Mitch Budler, sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio) and freshman Jose Pedro (Porto, Portugal) were recognized for their stellar campaigns when TopDrawerSoccer.com named its 2025 Men's National Top 100 Midseason Upperclassmen and Freshmen lists.
Budler and Roman were tabbed No. 36 and No. 71, respectively, on the midseason ranking, while Pedro was rated No. 11 on the freshmen list.
BUDLER NAMED TO MIDSEASON HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
Mitch Budler, the nation's leader in shutouts, was named to the 2025 Midseason Hermann Trophy Award Watch List the United Soccer Coaches announced on Oct. 10.
Budler has started all 18 games for Akron in 2025 en route to recording 12 shutouts. He also ranks 13th in goals against average (0.667) and 32nd in the nation in goalie minutes played (1,620:00).
The 2025 and 2024 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, Budler has recorded 39 saves this season in net. He ranks first in the BIG EAST Conference in goals against average (0.667), shutouts (11) and fourth in save percentage (.765).
Budler is rated second among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (34), third in goalie minutes played (6,573.85), 16th in goals against average (.889), 26th in saves (174) and 35th in games played (74).
FIVE ZIPS HONORED ON SENIOR NIGHT
The Zips' contest versus DePaul on Oct. 11 marked Senior Night in the careers of Mitch Budler, Stefan Dobrijevic, Ashton Kamdem and Daragh Reilly as well as manager Yuga Takizawa.
Budler has started all 74 games of his Akron career en route to collecting 174 saves and owning a 0.89 goals against average on the strength of 34 shutouts.
Dobrijevic has appeared in 73 career games as a Zip, including 25 starts, recording 15 goals, 20 assists and 50 points on 100 shots, including 43 on goal, with five game-winning goals.
Kamdem has appeared in 74 career games as a Zip, including 62 starts, recording three goals, 11 assists and 17 points on the strength of registering 26 shots, including seven on frame. His defensive efforts have helped Akron record 37 shutouts over his four-year career.
Reilly has appeared in 49 career games as a Zip, including 19 starts, recording a goal on the strength of 10 shots, including three on net, while defensively sparking Akron to 30 shutouts.
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.
ZIPS FALL 2-1 TO CONNECTICUT IN BIG EAST SEMIFINALS
No. 14 Akron was unable to solve Connecticut for a second time this season as the Huskies rallied with a pair of second-half goals to stun the second-seeded Zips, 2-1, in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Tournament on Nov. 13 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.
The two sides battled through a scoreless opening half in which the Zips posted a 5-1 advantage in shots, including 2-1 on goal.
Akron assumed a 1-0 lead at the 48:16 mark when redshirt freshman Thomas O'Rourke (East Patchogue, N.Y.) found the back of the net for the second consecutive game off assists from sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio) and Stefan Dobrijevic.
The Huskies netted the equalizer in the 60th minute (59:02) on a tally from Austin Brummett. Preston Alessio connected on what proved to be the game-winner at the 70:40 mark to advance the Huskies to Sunday's title match.
The Zips registered an 11-8 advantage in shots, including 5-4 on goal. O'Rourke posted a team-high three shots with a pair falling on frame. Dobrijevic and Roman each collected a pair of shots for Akron.
Mitch Budler pulled in a pair of saves for Akron.
AKRON EARNS 1-0 WIN AT CREIGHTON
Sparked by the first career goal from Thomas O'Rourke, 18th-rated Akron garnered its second consecutive BIG EAST Conference Midwest Division title earning a 1-0 shutout victory past Creighton on Nov. 7.
After battling through a scoreless opening half where the Zips outshot the Bluejays, 9-4, Akron grabbed a 1-0 lead when O'Rourke scored his first goal of the season in the 63rd minute (62:12) on a ball served into the box from the corner by junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.).
The final 30 minutes proved to be a battle between two of the better defensive squads in the league with the Zips holding on to earn the victory.
Mitch Budler playing in his home state collected one save for the Zips out of seven total Bluejays shots to earn his NCAA-leading 11th shutout of the season.
Akron put seven shots on goal and posted a 12-7 overall advantage in shots. O'Rourke tallied a career- and game-high four shots, including three on goal, while Jack Roman added three shots with two coming on net.
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 266-78-55. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 252-85-56 (.712), Maryland, 247-86-60 (.705), North Carolina, 239-90-69 (.687), Indiana, 264-101-71 (.687) and Georgetown, 241-91-53 (.695). 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 37 times, including 20 of the past 25 seasons.
ZIP TIDBITS
• Eight of the 16 matches between Akron and Notre Dame have resulted in a shutout with the Zips owning a 4-1-3 mark in those contests.
• Akron maintains a 5-1-1 mark in its seven home encounters with the Fighting Irish. The Zips have outscored Notre Dame, 17-5, all-time at home.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in seven all-time meetings with Notre Dame.
• Akron is playing the Fighting Irish in the postseason for the second time in program history.
• Sunday's match will mark the 400th career game for Jared Embick as a head coach.
• Akron owns a 4-3-3 mark versus Top 100 teams in the latest NCAA RPI poll.
• Akron is rated No. 12 in the latest NCAA men's soccer RPI report on Nov. 21.
• The Zips' victory at Xavier (Oct. 25) represented the 800th triumph in program history as Akron enters its showdown versus Connecticut with an 802-305-123 (.702) overall record.
• Mitch Budler and Stefan Dobrijevic will appear in their 75th career games as a Zip against Notre Dame (Nov. 23), while it will mark the 50th appearance for Daragh Reilly.
• Stefan Dobrijevic recorded his 50th career point and 100th career shot versus Connecticut (Nov. 13), while Matt Dreas played in his 50th career contest against the Huskies.
• Thomas O'Rourke collected his first career point with a first-half assist on a Stefan Dobrijevic goal in a 3-1 win at Xavier (Oct. 25).
• Jack Roman garnered his first career multi-goal performance with a brace against Western Michigan (Sept. 9).
• The 4-0 win for the Zips over Western Michigan (Sept. 9) marked the 150th triumph for head coach Jared Embick at Akron.
• Daragh Reilly was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Defensive Player of the Week the league announced on Nov. 10.
• Mitch Budler and Stefan Dobrijevic were honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Goalkeeper and Offensive Player of the Week the league announced on Monday (Nov. 3).
• Sophomore Stefan Dobrijevic (Toronto, Ontario) was named by the TopDrawerSoccer.com to its National Men's Soccer Team of the Week Honor Roll on Tuesday (Nov. 4).
• Stefan Dobrijevic was named by the BIG EAST Conference as its Offensive Player of the Week the league announced on Monday (Oct. 27).
• Stefan Dobrijevic was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Oct. 13).
• Mitch Budler was tabbed as the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week (Sept. 29) and Daragh Reilly was honored as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 29).
• Remi Agunbiade was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Sept. 29).
• Reilly was honored by College Soccer News as its National Defensive Player of the Week, (Sept. 29) while Agunbiade was tabbed by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its National Team of the Week (Sept. 29).
• Akron's Jack Roman was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as a member of its Men's Soccer Honor Roll, the league announced on Sept. 15.
• Budler was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 8, while redshirt sophomore Caleb Borneo (Morgantown, W.Va.) was selected to the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
• Akron junior Matthew Paiva (Toronto, Ontario) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Sept. 2.
• Freshman Farrel Ngongang (Montreal, Quebec) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Freshman of the Week on Aug. 25.
• Dobrijevic and Ashton Kamdem were named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Aug. 25).
• The Zips are 2-1-2 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), a 3-0 triumph past No. 8 Saint Louis (Sept. 23) and a 0-0 draw at No. 13 Cornell (Oct. 7).
• The Zips recorded a season-best 20 shots at VCU (Aug. 24).
• Akron have posted double-digit shots in 16 of 18 tilts in 2025.
• The Zips have allowed only three first-half goals this season.
• Eleven different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Nineteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including 10 newcomers.
• Earning starts in their Akron debut at VCU was junior Freddy Kossehasse (McKinney, Texas) and Paiva, Jose Pedro and Jack Sullivan.
• Budler collected his 150th career save against UConn (Sept. 19, 2025) and enters play versus Notre Dame with 174 career stops.
• The Zips are rated fourth in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.611) and in corner kicks (7.44), 12th in goals against average (0.667), 24th in assists per game (2.11), 27th in winning percentage (.694), 28th in total assists (38), 31st in goal differential (16) and 44th in save percentage (.765).
• Individually, Budler is rated third in the NCAA in shutouts (11), 13th in goals against average (0.667) and 32nd in goalie minutes played (1,620:00). Additionally, Dobrijevic is sixth in total assists (10), ninth in assist per contest (0.56), 18th in total points (26), 22nd in points per game (1.44) and 34th in game-winners (3).
• Budler is rated second among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (34), third in goalie minutes played (6,573.85), 16th in goals against average (.889), 26th in saves (174) and 35th in games played (74). Additionally, Kamdem is 35th in games played (74) and Dobrijevic is 21st in total assists (20), 22nd in assists per game (0.27), 42nd in games played (73), 46th in total points (50) and 48th in points per match (0.68).
• Through 74 career games, Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 174 saves en route to owning a 0.889 goals against average on the strength of 34 shutouts.
• Budler surpassed 6,000 career minutes in goal vs. Cornell (Oct. 7) and has been in net for 6,573:51.
• Since 2021, the Zips own 36-6-9 record in regular season home games at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Since 2010, the Zips are 36-7-5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall, during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 52-10-6 mark versus league foes at home.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 37-25-12 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dobrijevic is Akron's active career leaders in goals (15), assists (20), points (50), shots (100), shots on goal (43) and game-winners (5). Dobrijevic, Agunbiade, Roman, Kamdem and redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have scored 15, six, five, four, three and three goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 156-65-39 mark over the last 13 seasons under Embick. Akron's 156 wins are ranked eighth in all of Division I.
• Under Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 31-15-8.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 118 of the squad's last 223 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 52 of its last 104 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 99-20-16 record in its last 133 home matches.
• The Zips average attendance in 2025 is 1,574 to rank 16th 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 84-16-17 (.791) 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 109-52-35 record.
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 95-18-19 (.792) ledger in the month, including a 53-8-7 (.831) mark in matches at FirstEnergy Stadium.
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 junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.) 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
The advancing team between Akron and Notre Dame will play the advancing squad between No. 3 Princeton and Duke on either Nov. 29 or Nov. 30.
Tickets for the contest against the Fighting Irish 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. Notre Dame | Nov. 23 | 1 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Notre Dame: Chad Riley (Notre Dame, 2004), Overall Record: 131-76-40 (13th Season), Record at Notre Dame: 80-50-26 (Eighth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 203-86-47 (16th Season), Record at Akron: 156-65-39 (13th Season)
SCOUTING NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame enters action on Sunday (Nov. 23) at 9-6-4 on the campaign, including 3-3-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, following a 1-0 win at Michigan on Thursday (Nov. 20).
The Fighting Irish are led by senior Mitch Ferguson, the brother of Akron redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.), who owns team-high marks in goals (5), points (11), and game-winners (2), while senior Wyatt Borso paces the squad in goals (5), shots (37) and shots on goal (11). Sophomore GK Blake Kelly has recorded 66 saves and maintains a 1.27 goals against average on the strength of six shutouts.
Individually in the NCAA, Brummett is ranked 23rd in goalie minutes played (1,740:59), 31st in total saves (66) and 48th in shutouts (6), while junior Nolan Spicer is rated 34th in total assists (7).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Notre Dame are meeting for the 17th time in program history with the Zips owning an 8-3-5 series advantage. In the last encounter between the two schools, Akron battled the second-rated Fighting Irish to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 22, 2023, in Notre Dame, Ind. The two schools are meeting for the second time in NCAA Tournament play as the Fighting Irish posted a 3-1 victory over the Zips on Nov. 22, 2002, in Notre Dame, Ind.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (AUG. 22, 2024 – NOTRE DAME, IND.)
Akron garnered a 1-1 draw at No. 2 Notre Dame in the season opener for both schools on Aug. 22, 2024, in Notre Dame, Ind.
The two sides battled through a scoreless opening stanza with the Fighting Irish posting a 5-0 edge in shots.
Notre Dame grabbed a 1-0 lead at the 50:49 when Matthew Roou found the back of the net on a successful penalty kick.
The Zips leveled the contest at one in the 62nd minute (61:09) on a goal from Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal. Senior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) and Emil Jaaskelainen earned assists on the score.
Redshirt senior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) recorded two saves for the Zips out of 11 total Fighting Irish shots. Five different Zips posted a shot in the match.
AKRON VERSUS ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time this season and 93rd time overall.
• Akron owns a 47-30-15 (.592) all-time record versus the current 15 members of the ACC.
• In their last encounter with a school from the ACC, the Zips battled Notre Dame to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 22, 2024.
ZIPS' NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Akron maintains a 34-30-9 mark in 73 matches in NCAA Championship history, including capturing the school's first national championship in any sport in 2010. The Zips are 13-7-3 under head coach Jared Embick. Since 2005, Akron owns a 25-10-9 ledger.
Six Zips have earned playing time in the NCAA Tournament during their Akron careers. Senior Stefan Dobrijevic and Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) have recorded a one shot for the Zips. Additionally, GK Mitch Budler has pulled in six saves for the Zips with one shutout.
FIVE ZIPS EARN ALL-BIG EAST ACCOLADES
Five Akron men's soccer standouts garnered All-BIG EAST accolades when the league unveiled in 2025 award winners in a vote of the league coaches released on Nov. 12.
Stefan Dobrijevic headlined the Zips' award winners as he named selected as the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous First-Team honoree.
Mitch Budler garnered BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year accolades for the second consecutive campaign and was a First-Team All-Conference selection.
Senior Daragh Reilly (Navan, Ireland) rounded out the First-Team All-BIG EAST selections for the Zips.
Pulling in Second-Team All-BIG EAST laurels was junior Matt Dreas (Covington, Ky.), while Ashton Kamdem earned Third-Team honors.
Dobrijevic becomes the 15th Akron player to garner league Player of the Year accolades marking the third consecutive season in which a Zip has been named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. Dobrijevic joins Emil Jaaskelainen (2024) and Jason Shokalook (2023).
Budler is the first player to garner back-to-back Goalkeeper of the Year honors in program history and the first in the BIG EAST Conference since Giannis Nikopolidis from Georgetown in 2019 and 2020.
DOBRIJEVIC NAMED BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stefan Dobrijevic became the third consecutive Zip to be named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. In eight BIG EAST games for Akron, he recorded six of his eight goals on the strength of team-high marks in goals (6), assists (4), points (16), shots (24), shots on goal (14) and game-winners (2). He has delivered multi-goal games in a 3-1 victory at Xavier (Oct. 25) and a 2-0 victory past Marquette (Nov. 1), while adding tallies versus DePaul (Oct. 11) and UConn (Sept. 19) and contributing assists in four of Akron's last six contests against DePaul (Oct. 11), Seton Hall (Oct. 17), Xavier (Oct. 25) and Connecticut (Nov. 13).
Dobrijevic ranks second in the BIG EAST in assists per game (.556), third in points per contest (1.44), fourth in goals per outing (.444), fifth in shots per tilt (2.56) and game-winners (.167) and sixth in shots on goal (1.11). In league-only affairs, Dobrijevic was second the BIG EAST in points per game (2.00), goals per match (.750) and in game-winners (.250), third in assists per contest (.500) and shots on goal (1.75) and fourth in shots per tilt (3.00).
Individually, Dobrijevic is sixth in the NCAA in total assists (10), ninth in assist per contest (0.56), 18th in total points (26), 22nd in points per game (1.44) and 34th in game-winners (3).
BUDLER CHOSEN AS BIG EAST GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Mitch Budler has been chosen as the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, the conference unveiled on Nov. 12. Budler has posted 39 saves on the campaign en route to recording a 0.667 goals against average on the strength of 11 shutouts. In league play, Budler collected 18 saves and a 1.13 goals against average and notched three clean sheets in eight games.
AKRON TRIO GARNERS TDS MIDSEASON ACCOLADES
Akron's Mitch Budler, sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio) and freshman Jose Pedro (Porto, Portugal) were recognized for their stellar campaigns when TopDrawerSoccer.com named its 2025 Men's National Top 100 Midseason Upperclassmen and Freshmen lists.
Budler and Roman were tabbed No. 36 and No. 71, respectively, on the midseason ranking, while Pedro was rated No. 11 on the freshmen list.
BUDLER NAMED TO MIDSEASON HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
Mitch Budler, the nation's leader in shutouts, was named to the 2025 Midseason Hermann Trophy Award Watch List the United Soccer Coaches announced on Oct. 10.
Budler has started all 18 games for Akron in 2025 en route to recording 12 shutouts. He also ranks 13th in goals against average (0.667) and 32nd in the nation in goalie minutes played (1,620:00).
The 2025 and 2024 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, Budler has recorded 39 saves this season in net. He ranks first in the BIG EAST Conference in goals against average (0.667), shutouts (11) and fourth in save percentage (.765).
Budler is rated second among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (34), third in goalie minutes played (6,573.85), 16th in goals against average (.889), 26th in saves (174) and 35th in games played (74).
FIVE ZIPS HONORED ON SENIOR NIGHT
The Zips' contest versus DePaul on Oct. 11 marked Senior Night in the careers of Mitch Budler, Stefan Dobrijevic, Ashton Kamdem and Daragh Reilly as well as manager Yuga Takizawa.
Budler has started all 74 games of his Akron career en route to collecting 174 saves and owning a 0.89 goals against average on the strength of 34 shutouts.
Dobrijevic has appeared in 73 career games as a Zip, including 25 starts, recording 15 goals, 20 assists and 50 points on 100 shots, including 43 on goal, with five game-winning goals.
Kamdem has appeared in 74 career games as a Zip, including 62 starts, recording three goals, 11 assists and 17 points on the strength of registering 26 shots, including seven on frame. His defensive efforts have helped Akron record 37 shutouts over his four-year career.
Reilly has appeared in 49 career games as a Zip, including 19 starts, recording a goal on the strength of 10 shots, including three on net, while defensively sparking Akron to 30 shutouts.
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.
ZIPS FALL 2-1 TO CONNECTICUT IN BIG EAST SEMIFINALS
No. 14 Akron was unable to solve Connecticut for a second time this season as the Huskies rallied with a pair of second-half goals to stun the second-seeded Zips, 2-1, in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Men's Soccer Tournament on Nov. 13 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.
The two sides battled through a scoreless opening half in which the Zips posted a 5-1 advantage in shots, including 2-1 on goal.
Akron assumed a 1-0 lead at the 48:16 mark when redshirt freshman Thomas O'Rourke (East Patchogue, N.Y.) found the back of the net for the second consecutive game off assists from sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio) and Stefan Dobrijevic.
The Huskies netted the equalizer in the 60th minute (59:02) on a tally from Austin Brummett. Preston Alessio connected on what proved to be the game-winner at the 70:40 mark to advance the Huskies to Sunday's title match.
The Zips registered an 11-8 advantage in shots, including 5-4 on goal. O'Rourke posted a team-high three shots with a pair falling on frame. Dobrijevic and Roman each collected a pair of shots for Akron.
Mitch Budler pulled in a pair of saves for Akron.
AKRON EARNS 1-0 WIN AT CREIGHTON
Sparked by the first career goal from Thomas O'Rourke, 18th-rated Akron garnered its second consecutive BIG EAST Conference Midwest Division title earning a 1-0 shutout victory past Creighton on Nov. 7.
After battling through a scoreless opening half where the Zips outshot the Bluejays, 9-4, Akron grabbed a 1-0 lead when O'Rourke scored his first goal of the season in the 63rd minute (62:12) on a ball served into the box from the corner by junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.).
The final 30 minutes proved to be a battle between two of the better defensive squads in the league with the Zips holding on to earn the victory.
Mitch Budler playing in his home state collected one save for the Zips out of seven total Bluejays shots to earn his NCAA-leading 11th shutout of the season.
Akron put seven shots on goal and posted a 12-7 overall advantage in shots. O'Rourke tallied a career- and game-high four shots, including three on goal, while Jack Roman added three shots with two coming on net.
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 266-78-55. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 252-85-56 (.712), Maryland, 247-86-60 (.705), North Carolina, 239-90-69 (.687), Indiana, 264-101-71 (.687) and Georgetown, 241-91-53 (.695). 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 37 times, including 20 of the past 25 seasons.
ZIP TIDBITS
• Eight of the 16 matches between Akron and Notre Dame have resulted in a shutout with the Zips owning a 4-1-3 mark in those contests.
• Akron maintains a 5-1-1 mark in its seven home encounters with the Fighting Irish. The Zips have outscored Notre Dame, 17-5, all-time at home.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in seven all-time meetings with Notre Dame.
• Akron is playing the Fighting Irish in the postseason for the second time in program history.
• Sunday's match will mark the 400th career game for Jared Embick as a head coach.
• Akron owns a 4-3-3 mark versus Top 100 teams in the latest NCAA RPI poll.
• Akron is rated No. 12 in the latest NCAA men's soccer RPI report on Nov. 21.
• The Zips' victory at Xavier (Oct. 25) represented the 800th triumph in program history as Akron enters its showdown versus Connecticut with an 802-305-123 (.702) overall record.
• Mitch Budler and Stefan Dobrijevic will appear in their 75th career games as a Zip against Notre Dame (Nov. 23), while it will mark the 50th appearance for Daragh Reilly.
• Stefan Dobrijevic recorded his 50th career point and 100th career shot versus Connecticut (Nov. 13), while Matt Dreas played in his 50th career contest against the Huskies.
• Thomas O'Rourke collected his first career point with a first-half assist on a Stefan Dobrijevic goal in a 3-1 win at Xavier (Oct. 25).
• Jack Roman garnered his first career multi-goal performance with a brace against Western Michigan (Sept. 9).
• The 4-0 win for the Zips over Western Michigan (Sept. 9) marked the 150th triumph for head coach Jared Embick at Akron.
• Daragh Reilly was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Defensive Player of the Week the league announced on Nov. 10.
• Mitch Budler and Stefan Dobrijevic were honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Goalkeeper and Offensive Player of the Week the league announced on Monday (Nov. 3).
• Sophomore Stefan Dobrijevic (Toronto, Ontario) was named by the TopDrawerSoccer.com to its National Men's Soccer Team of the Week Honor Roll on Tuesday (Nov. 4).
• Stefan Dobrijevic was named by the BIG EAST Conference as its Offensive Player of the Week the league announced on Monday (Oct. 27).
• Stefan Dobrijevic was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Oct. 13).
• Mitch Budler was tabbed as the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week (Sept. 29) and Daragh Reilly was honored as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 29).
• Remi Agunbiade was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Sept. 29).
• Reilly was honored by College Soccer News as its National Defensive Player of the Week, (Sept. 29) while Agunbiade was tabbed by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its National Team of the Week (Sept. 29).
• Akron's Jack Roman was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as a member of its Men's Soccer Honor Roll, the league announced on Sept. 15.
• Budler was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 8, while redshirt sophomore Caleb Borneo (Morgantown, W.Va.) was selected to the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
• Akron junior Matthew Paiva (Toronto, Ontario) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Sept. 2.
• Freshman Farrel Ngongang (Montreal, Quebec) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Freshman of the Week on Aug. 25.
• Dobrijevic and Ashton Kamdem were named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Aug. 25).
• The Zips are 2-1-2 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), a 3-0 triumph past No. 8 Saint Louis (Sept. 23) and a 0-0 draw at No. 13 Cornell (Oct. 7).
• The Zips recorded a season-best 20 shots at VCU (Aug. 24).
• Akron have posted double-digit shots in 16 of 18 tilts in 2025.
• The Zips have allowed only three first-half goals this season.
• Eleven different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Nineteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including 10 newcomers.
• Earning starts in their Akron debut at VCU was junior Freddy Kossehasse (McKinney, Texas) and Paiva, Jose Pedro and Jack Sullivan.
• Budler collected his 150th career save against UConn (Sept. 19, 2025) and enters play versus Notre Dame with 174 career stops.
• The Zips are rated fourth in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.611) and in corner kicks (7.44), 12th in goals against average (0.667), 24th in assists per game (2.11), 27th in winning percentage (.694), 28th in total assists (38), 31st in goal differential (16) and 44th in save percentage (.765).
• Individually, Budler is rated third in the NCAA in shutouts (11), 13th in goals against average (0.667) and 32nd in goalie minutes played (1,620:00). Additionally, Dobrijevic is sixth in total assists (10), ninth in assist per contest (0.56), 18th in total points (26), 22nd in points per game (1.44) and 34th in game-winners (3).
• Budler is rated second among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (34), third in goalie minutes played (6,573.85), 16th in goals against average (.889), 26th in saves (174) and 35th in games played (74). Additionally, Kamdem is 35th in games played (74) and Dobrijevic is 21st in total assists (20), 22nd in assists per game (0.27), 42nd in games played (73), 46th in total points (50) and 48th in points per match (0.68).
• Through 74 career games, Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 174 saves en route to owning a 0.889 goals against average on the strength of 34 shutouts.
• Budler surpassed 6,000 career minutes in goal vs. Cornell (Oct. 7) and has been in net for 6,573:51.
• Since 2021, the Zips own 36-6-9 record in regular season home games at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Since 2010, the Zips are 36-7-5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall, during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 52-10-6 mark versus league foes at home.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 37-25-12 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dobrijevic is Akron's active career leaders in goals (15), assists (20), points (50), shots (100), shots on goal (43) and game-winners (5). Dobrijevic, Agunbiade, Roman, Kamdem and redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have scored 15, six, five, four, three and three goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 156-65-39 mark over the last 13 seasons under Embick. Akron's 156 wins are ranked eighth in all of Division I.
• Under Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 31-15-8.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 118 of the squad's last 223 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 52 of its last 104 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 99-20-16 record in its last 133 home matches.
• The Zips average attendance in 2025 is 1,574 to rank 16th 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 84-16-17 (.791) 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 109-52-35 record.
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 95-18-19 (.792) ledger in the month, including a 53-8-7 (.831) mark in matches at FirstEnergy Stadium.
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 junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.) 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
The advancing team between Akron and Notre Dame will play the advancing squad between No. 3 Princeton and Duke on either Nov. 29 or Nov. 30.
Players Mentioned
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer Selection Show Comments - 11/17/25
Monday, November 17
Akron Zips Men's Soccer - Stu Parry Tribute - Chapter 7 - Bill Parry
Saturday, November 08
Akron Zips Men's Soccer - Stu Parry Tribute - Chapter 6 - Pat Nash
Saturday, November 08
Akron Zips Men's Soccer - Stu Parry Tribute - Chapter 5 - John Kissner
Saturday, November 08




































