The University of Akron Athletics
athletics emails tom 2012 13 february 5 2013
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THE NATION’S LONGEST WINNING STREAK …
… resides in Akron with our Men’s Basketball program! After defeating rival Ohio, 86-72, on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference showdown televised nationally on ESPNU and in front of a Coach Dambrot Era record-setting sold-out home crowd of 5,770, the Zips have won 13 straight games, the longest current streak in the country.
Our growing fan base is one of many ways that all of us are showing the college basketball world that we continue to #ThinkBigger about our program. Not only did we have a record crowd, but the Social Media Night participation by fans both at the game and watching on television led our #ZipsGameday hashtag to trend nationally on Twitter during parts of Saturday. The black merchandise was a hit as well, and as soon as more is available we’ll communicate that here. Others are noticing, too, as for the first time in our history we received votes in both the Associated Press media and USA Today coaches’ polls in the same week.
We don’t have to wait long for No. 14 in a row, as we host Central Michigan at 7 p.m. tonight. It’s Dollar Dog Night at James A. Rhodes Arena while they last, so come early and hungry. At halftime we will present on the court our more than 200 student-athletes, band members, cheerleaders, dance team members and Zippys who earned Dean’s List honors during 2012. This is one of my favorite recognitions that we stage each year, and I know many of you have shared with me how much you enjoy seeing our men and women publicly honored for their impressive academic achievements. I hope to see you there – here’s a link for tickets.
If you can’t make it in person, this game will be televised on SportsTime Ohio in addition to being carried by the Akron IMG Sports Network on Fox Sports Radio 1350 AM and iHeart Radio.
Tonight is one of five remaining home games. We still have 3- and 5-game mini plans as well as our McDonald’s All-Access 10-Pack that can get you into any or all of these contests, including the season finale vs. Kent State, at a discounted rate!
SIGNING DAY
Tomorrow will be among the busiest days of traffic all year for GoZips.com, as the annual National Signing Day for football (as well as a few other sports) will receive wall-to-wall activity. Follow our coverage all day long on our Signing Day Blog, starting bright and early with blog updates live from the football coaches’ offices and concluding with a 6 p.m. press conference that will be streamed live.
This press conference, held on the Towpath Credit Union Press Level (7th floor) of InfoCision Stadium, is open to the public. We have sent an electronic invitation to all of our football season ticketholders for whom we have e-mail addresses (and if you know someone for whom we don’t have their e-mail address, please ask them to call 888-99-AKRON (25766) so we can add it to their account).
For anyone who attends the press conference, we will provide complimentary tickets to our Women’s Basketball game at 7 p.m. tomorrow night so you can cheer on Coach Jodi Kest’s team as we go for three straight in the JAR. After two HUGE wins last week at home against Bowling Green and Buffalo, we are just one game behind first place in the MAC East!
HALL OF FAME BANQUET LOCATION CHANGE
Because of the great demand we already have received to attend this year’s Varsity “A” Association Annual Hall of Fame Banquet, we have moved venues to accommodate the larger crowd. We will now host this event at the University's Quaker Square Inn Grand Ballroom in downtown Akron.
All other details for the Friday, Feb. 15 event remain the same – if you’d like to attend, please RSVP ASAP to Alexa Doutt at 330-972-2695 or asd9@uakron.edu.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS AT THE JAR!
Last night during the ESPNU Ramada Worldwide BracketBusters Selection Show, we learned that our Men’s Basketball team will face North Dakota State (18-5, 9-2 in Summit League) on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. at the JAR, in a game televised on ESPN2. Because of our success this year, we were selected for one of just nine network television games, and we’re one of just two TV contests that night.
BUS TRIP TO OU
If you enjoyed Saturday’s Men’s Basketball game, then you need to make plans to join us on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Our next Z-Fund ZipsTrip departs at noon that day for Athens, Ohio, for a pre-game dinner at Abrios Vera Cucina and then the Zips’ rematch with the Ohio Bobcats. The cost is just $59 (bus, game ticket and dinner). To register, please contact Matt Sharp at 330-972-7142 or mbs35@zips.uakron.edu. You must sign up by Feb. 18!
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR!
Even though Punxutawney Phil predicted an early spring when he did not see his shadow on Saturday, our spring sports already were ready to launch their season. Softball heads to Statesboro, Ga., to compete in Georgia Southern’s Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, and Men’s Golf will tee off in Tampa as part of MAC Match Play from Sunday through Tuesday.
Baseball’s opening day is a week later, at Georgia Tech the following weekend, and Women’s Golf doesn’t tee off until March 8-9 in Rio Verde, Ariz.
Good luck to all of our Zips!
Men's Basketball senior shooting guard Brian Walsh shares some of his favorite moments as a Zip.
"DRIVE FOR 5" DONOR OF THE WEEK
Mary DiDonata, a Zips alumnae and longtime supporter of the University, has been out recruiting new members as part of the “Drive for 5.” Thanks, Mary! You can help Mary and us by signing up here as we seek to elevate Zips Athletics by having 5,000 donors and fundraising $5 million annually by 2015.
ZIPS CONGRATS TO …
… junior shooting guard Hanna Luburgh, who was named MAC East Division Player of the Week after averaging a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds in our two wins over a three-day span vs. BG and UB …
… junior point guard Kacie Cassell, who set the Akron Women’s Basketball single-season record for assists with the 10 she posted against Buffalo. She already has 157 on the year, with eight regular-season games plus postseason remaining ...
… senior center Zeke Marshall, who won his fourth MAC East Division Player of the Week award after going 7-for-9 from the field at Bowling Green before making it a perfect 8-for-8 vs. Ohio …
… freshman pole vaulter Shawn Barber, who was named National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association after jumping 18-03.75 at the Akron Invitational last weekend …
ZIPS CLIPS …
NBC Sports.com’s CollegeBasketballTalk checks in on the nation’s hottest team …
The Beacon Journal also covered our 75-57 Women’s Basketball win over Buffalo, while the Dover-New Philadelphia Times Reporter noted one of its own – former Zip Michelle Heck-Herron – served as honorary coach during this game, which raised funds for and awareness about breast cancer by partnering with Play 4Kay …
Marla Ridenour also talked with former Zip Dwight Smith about playing in
the Super Bowl …
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
