The University of Akron Athletics
athletics emails tom 2012 13 march 29 2013
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THE FUTURE OF ZIPS BASKETBALL
Our basketball season was one for the Zips record book, and the future for both our Men's and Women’s programs never has been brighter. I hope that you enjoyed this year as much as I did, and that you already are looking forward to next season.
MAC Coach of the Year Keith Dambrot led our Men to their second consecutive Mid-American Conference title, a 19-game winning streak, our first Top 25 ranking as a Division I program – not to mention our third MAC Tournament crown (and third NCAA Tournament appearance) in the last five years.
We caught some bad breaks in Detroit, as a couple student-athletes were ill the night before and day of our game against VCU. On game day, Brian Walsh had been in the emergency room from midnight to 7 a.m. and in his hotel room all day. When the team arrived at The Palace in Auburn Hills less than two hours before our NCAA game, Pat Forsythe walked in carrying the IV bag to which he was still hooked up. How either of them managed to play at all is beyond me, and I share these quick examples because I know you will appreciate as much as I do how hard our student-athletes work and how much pride they take in representing Zips Athletics.
Please join us to congratulate the team on their season – and seniors Chauncey Gilliam, Zeke Marshall and Brian Walsh on their careers – at our annual Men’s Basketball Celebration event in two weeks, on Friday, April 12. The early registration deadline is April 5 – you can RSVP online or by contacting Amanda Baird at 330-972-7781 or ama38@uakron.edu.
I wish things also had turned out differently for our Women in our WNIT game at Duquesne to cap the finest season in program history. Still, Head Coach Jodi Kest and her team have so much to be proud of: our first MAC East Division title, a record number of wins (23) in one season and our first MAC Tournament Championship game appearance. You can watch Jodi talk about the season and the future here. With MAC Player of the Year Rachel Tecca among five of the top six in our rotation returning, next year has tremendous potential.
THE MAC HAS ASKED FOR YOUR HELP
If you attended the 2013 MAC Basketball Tournament, please click here to take a brief survey that is helping to determine the economic impact that this event has on the economy in the Greater Cleveland area. As a reward, two sets of two all-session ticket packets for the 2014 MAC Tournament will be drawn among survey participants.
THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT
Speaking of surveys – and not that we needed more proof of the power and impact of Zips Nation – we received more than 1,200 responses in nine days to our survey as part of our Strategic Planning process. Thank you!
We are in the process of reviewing this feedback and will be sharing more with you in the weeks ahead. We appreciate everyone who took the time to submit their thoughts, which will help us get better.
And, please remember: If you did complete the survey or if you have other feedback you would like to share, you can always do so through our Ask the AD feature.
STUDENT-ATHLETE VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Watch Alexis Cooks, a sophomore thrower for our Track & Field team, discuss her pre-meet ritual, how she accidentally gave one of our coaches a concussion, and in which other sport she has an interest …
ZIPS CONGRATS TO …
… all of our Men’s Basketball fans, who helped make history off the court with record attendance increases this past season …
… Baseball for winning its first MAC series of the year, taking two of three at Ball State last weekend. Conditions have shifted this weekend’s series vs. Northern Illinois to All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, starting at 3 p.m. today.
…Gabriel Genovesi and Brittany Funk, who earned MAC honors after their performances at the LSU Tiger Relays, our first outdoor meet of the season. Gabriel was named MAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week by winning the 800 meters and Brittany earned MAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors after setting a personal record when she won the hammer throw. They and some of their teammates are competing this weekend at the prestigious Texas Relays.
… Women’s Tennis, which has won six straight matches after shutting out Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday …
…Zeke Marshall was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division I All-District first team. Alex Abreu and Demetrius Treadwell were named to the second team. Zeke also was named to the Lou Henson All-America Team.
… Women’s Golf, for battling tough conditions to earn a sixth-place finish a the 2013 Low Country Intercollegiate, led by Frida Fougberg’s top-five finish.
… Charlie
Bull, who posted a top-15 finish for Men’s Golf at the
Furman Intercollegiate. Carr
Vernon also scored his first collegiate round under
par.
… Good
luck to Softball, which opens MAC play this weekend with a
doubleheader today at Buffalo and then two games later this weekend
at rival Kent State. One point in the PNC Wagon Wheel
Challenge is on the line when we face the Flashes.
Saturday’s
game at KSU starts at 2 p.m. and Sunday's contest begins
at 1 p.m.
‘DRIVE FOR 5’ DONORS OF THE WEEK
Thanks to Thomas and Margaret Wartko for joining our team through the “Drive for 5”! You can join Margaret and Thomas – and our team – by signing up here as we seek to elevate Zips Athletics by having 5,000 donors and fundraising $5 million annually by 2015.
SAVE THE DATE!
Our second-annual Trivia Night will be held Saturday, May 18 at Rhodes Arena. If you attended last year's inaugural event, please share with your fellow Zips fans how much fun it was to gather with our coaches and staff for a night of food, trivia and good times.
If you're interested in purchasing a table, please contact Alexa Doutt at 330-972-2695 or asd9@uakron.edu.
ZIPS CLIPS …
… Bob Dyer of the Akron Beacon Journal on Keith Dambrot: “The 54-year-old Akron native, is, in short, exactly the kind of person who should be coaching college athletes.”
… George Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal on Jodi Kest: “[she] wears a smile these days … she can keep smiling knowing that her team is geared up for another special season.”
… Zeke Marshall, to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: “They say when you go to college, you find yourself. You find out more about who you are. Physically, mentally and psychologically, I’ve seen myself grow up in college.”
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
