The University of Akron Athletics
Read the Latest Edition of Zips Line – February 19, 2015
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A HALL OF FAME WEEKEND …
We’ll be recognizing the 40th annual Varsity “A” Sports Hall of Fame inductees, as we have a wonderful group to congratulate and celebrate starting at 6 p.m. tomorrow at the Quaker Station Ballroom (please note that the show will go on regardless of weather).
Inductees include Charlie Frye of Football, Joel Hawthorne of Baseball, Brande Lamb of Women’s Basketball and Track and Field, Dan McGrath of Wrestling, and Kim Schaper of Volleyball. In addition, for the first time, the Hall of Fame will recognize a Team of Distinction, as the 1963-64 men's basketball team that were national runners up will be honored. The Kenneth "Red" Cochrane Meritorious Service Award recipients, our good friends Vincent & Nancy DiGirolamo, and the Mike Krino Varsity “A” Achievement Awardee, Mike Dowling, who is as loyal a Zip as there is, will also be honored.
That doesn’t even mention our current Track and Field Head Coach, Dennis Mitchell, who also is being inducted. He’s not only a current coach (which is a rare feat in itself), but he actually will be currently coaching during the event, as our program, ranked No. 7 (Men) and 19 (women) in the final dual rankings of the indoor season, hosts the Zips Invitational at Stile Athletics Field House (he’ll try to get to some of the reception).
If you would like to attend, please call Alexa Doutt at 330-972-2695.
If you can’t, you can help us salute this outstanding class when we recognize them during our basketball doubleheader Saturday at James A. Rhodes Arena, which starts at 5 p.m. when our Women face Ohio in a battle between the top two teams in the MAC East, followed immediately by our Men facing Miami (Ohio) in a pivotal divisional matchup. One ticket is good for both games (click here to purchase). Please note that we will not open Tommy Evans Lounge until the conclusion of the Women’s game.
WE ARE THE CHAMPS!
Congratulations to Head Coach Newt Engle and our Rifle program for winning the Western Intercollegiate Rifle Conference Championship! The margin of victory was one point, which is one shot (out of hundreds) landing just one circle farther from the bull’s eye.
We wish the team the best as they compete Saturday at the NCAA Qualifier in Columbus.
The next conference championships begin next week, as Swimming and Diving looks to repeat as MAC champs starting Wednesday in Ypsilanti, Mich., and Track and Field will head to Mount Pleasant, Mich., for the MAC Indoor Championships starting next Friday.
CONGRATS TO …
… Baseball, for getting off to a terrific start by winning two of three in its opening weekend at Furman (with the lone loss coming in extra innings). Next up for Head Coach Rick Rembielak and team are a trip back south to Charlotte for two games Saturday and one Sunday …
… Softball, for winning the Jacksonville Invitational by taking four of five games, including both against ACC opponent Syracuse. Junior pitcher Erin Seiler was named MAC Pitcher of the Week and GoZips.com Student-Athlete of the Week after going 4-0 with four complete games and a 1.38 ERA. Head Coach Julie Jones and the squad have the weekend off before travailing to Nashville next weekend for Lipscomb’s Purple/Gold Challenge …
… Shawn Barber, Claudia Garcia Jou and Clayton Murphy, named MAC Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Athletes of the Week for their school-record performances at the Tyson Invitational, and Barber won his second consecutive USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week award afer smashing his own collegiate and national-leading record …
… senior forward Sina King, named MAC East Women’s Basketball Player of the Week …
… Women’s Golf, for finishing in eighth place at the FGCU Eagle Invitational …
... Men’s Soccer, which announced a challenging spring schedule …
… and finally, good luck to Women’s Tennis this weekend as the squad plays host to a pair of matches on Saturday, with the first match at 2 p.m. vs. Cleveland State and then at 7 p.m. later that day against Findlay …
TIMEOUT WITH DIRECTOR OF TICKET OPERATIONS ADAM O’CONNELL …
Director of Ticketing Adam O'Connell got his start in collegiate athletics at Akron after serving as the assistant director of ticket operations for five years. O'Connell is now in his fourth year as the director of the department.
How did you get started working in sports?
I started working in Minor League Baseball. Junior and senior year of college, I worked for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. I was there the first two years that they opened, then I interned with the then Akron Aeros in 2001. I wanted to work in minor league baseball so when I graduated college I went to the winter meetings. From there, I got three job offers in the MiLB, including a job with the Fresno Grizzlies, the Triple-A team for the Giants. I took the job out there and lived there for four and a half years, but I'm from the Warren area originally. Family brought me back, and after working in professional sports for a while, I wanted to transition into something else.
If you did not have a career in sports, where could you see yourself working?
I would still like to work in a University setting, doing something like fundraising or alumni relations. I like the environment here, it's something new every year and that's the best part about it; especially here where we are promoting so many different sports and doing five or six different things at once.
Why did working in ticketing appeal to you?
I love talking to people and I like being around people. What we do here in ticketing is deal with the family that has never been to a game, all the way to the million-dollar donor. People will ask me what I like about it, and it's probably dealing with all walks of life, which is an interesting way to think about it.
WORTH YOUR TIME
… to watch the latest versions of Zips Weekly and Z360…
… to read WKYC’s Matthew Florjancic on our Men’s Basketball team being focused on the good of the team …
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
