The University of Akron Athletics
athletics emails tom 2012 13 august 10 2012
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August is one of my favorite times of year as our Football, Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Volleyball teams all have reported for fall camp. With their seasons quickly approaching, the excitement and anticipation continues to build … I hope you’re looking forward to another year of Zips Athletics as much as I am!
KICKOFF FOOTBALL SEASON AT THE KICKOFF LUNCHEON!
We are thrilled to announce that you can have lunch with Head Coach Terry Bowden, his coaching staff and our football team at a new event that we’re launching prior to the season. We will host our inaugural Kickoff Luncheon on Friday, Aug. 24 at noon at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.
For the last few weeks we have begun reaching out to businesses and other partners of ours to be gold-level table sponsors, which includes eight seats plus one member of our coaching staff and one student-athlete. That package also includes eight club seats for the UCF game with admission to our pre-game Hoppy Hour event for the season opener, and some other great prizes as well. We also have a blue table sponsor package that provides many of these same benefits – including the eight seats at the Kickoff Luncheon and UCF game – for a reduced cost. These are great opportunities to support our football program and Zips Athletics, and to hear firsthand how we’ll look on the field. More information about both events and sponsorship details can be found here.
Coach Bowden and a few others will address the crowd and look ahead to the 2012 season, which will start six days after that event. I promise you it will be a terrific and festive event, and it will be well worth it to spend your lunch hour with a team that is doing all it can to live up to the one word Coach Bowden has used as a mantra this year: Believe.
To order tickets for this event, please call our tickets sales staff at 888-99-AKRON (25766) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The order form also can be found here.
While we’re talking about our football team, please remember that those student-athletes and coaches also will be available to meet fans, sign autographs and take photographs this Sunday (Aug. 12) from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Stile Athletics Field House on campus. The event is free.
JOIN US FOR HOPPY HOUR BEFORE BOWDEN BALL STARTS
In addition to the Kickoff Luncheon, we also are working with the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce to promote “Hoppy Hour”, a networking event for professionals prior to the season opener vs. UCF on Thursday, Aug. 30. Join us at 5 p.m. under a tent located between our softball field and outdoor track for food from Old Carolina Barbeque, $2 draft beers, and a unique and fun opportunity to connect with others in the greater Akron community. Special thanks to Catavolos Funeral Home and Dignity Memorial for sponsoring this event.
Admission to “Hoppy Hour” – which can be purchased as a combo package with a game ticket – is secured by contacting our sales staff at 888-99-AKRON (25766). Here is more information about this event.
We also have packages that combine both the Kickoff Luncheon and Hoppy Hour on sale now … I look forward to seeing you at these events!
SIGN UP YOUR KIDS …
… for the new and improved Zippy’s Kids Club, presented by North Akron Savings Bank and exclusive for Zips fans ages 12 and under. There are two options: the Blue package is free of charge, and the Gold package costs just $30 for a year-long membership and includes not only a t-shirt but also free admission to designated games in each sport. We have a lot of fun activities and touch points built in to cultivate the next generation of Zips fans, so spread the word.
Register online by clicking here.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE …
… as you know, football and men’s and women’s soccer season tickets have been on sale for some time now, and will continue to be sold through the start of their season. Earlier this week, we went on-sale with single-game tickets for those three sports plus volleyball. Add in our football mini plans, 10-Pack voucher packages and group sales efforts, and we have made a dedicated effort to present a lot of options for every type of Zips fan. The 10-Pack is unique and includes 10 vouchers redeemable for general admission tickets to any 2012-13 regular-season home Zips Athletics contest as well as 10 buy-one, get-one-free breakfast or lunch extra value meal coupons at McDonald's – all for just $90. The key – and here is where I need your help – is for everyone to make sure that their friends, co-workers, family and classmates all are aware of these options.
More information about tickets is available on our new fan-friendly website, ZipsTickets.com. We also have a lot of detailed information about ticket packages and parking available at GoZips.com/tickets.
NEXT WEEK’S ZIPS LINE WILL BE E-MAILED FROM LONG DISTANCE …
Head Coach Jodi Kest and our Women’s Basketball team departs Sunday on an eight-day, three-game trip to Costa Rica. I look forward to joining them for a few days to watch our women compete.
If you follow @AkronCoachKest on Twitter, then you have read about how pleased Coach Kest has been with their preseason practices to prepare for this trip. With so many new faces and a great group of returning starters, this tour is perfectly timed to provide our program with a team-building experience that also permitted our coaches to have more practice time this summer to prep for the competition we’ll face on the trip.
We’ll update an online blog throughout the trip that is available here, and more information about the team and our roster is included in this Foreign Tour Prospectus.
THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TEE OFF …
…with Men’s Basketball at its annual Summer Classic Golf Outing, on Monday, Aug. 20 at Medina Country Club. Just a few foursomes remain available, so sign up today if you would like to play! We have a morning and afternoon flight. Please contact Amanda Aller at (330) 972-7782 or at ama38@uakron.edu.
CONGRATS TO …
… incoming freshman Shawn Barber, who shattered the national high school pole-vaulting record at the AAU Junior Olympics in Houston, clearing over 18 feet (which would make him the record holder if he can replicate that in a Zips uniform) …
… our Men’s Golf team for being named to the All-Academic Team at the Division I level by the Golf Coaches Association …
… Prang Pantusart and Ksenia Berestetska from the Women's Tennis team for being named to the ITA Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll …
… Keri Sarver and Mike Lambeck on joining our Women’s Soccer staff as assistant coaches.
ZIPS CLIPS
… comprehensive coverage by our Communications staff with our Football Preseason Camp Central page …
… The national media coverage continues of Terry Bowden’s first season with the Zips, with this profile from Matt Hayes of The Sporting News …
… Adrienne continues to take on our student-athletes, and in Week 5 she faces off with Volleyball …
ASK THE AD
As always, if you have a question or want to comment about Zips Athletics, click here now or at any time on the “Ask the AD” button on the home page of GoZips.com.
Go Zips!
Tom Wistrcill
Director of Athletics
