The University of Akron Athletics
Read the Latest Edition of Zips Line – February 6, 2015
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WELCOME TO THE NEWEST ZIPS!
On Wednesday we offered National Letters of Intent to prospective student-athletes in Football, Men’s Soccer and Women’s Soccer, and Head Coach Terry Bowden addressed campus and the media at a press conference in our Student Union that had a few hundred people in attendance. Thanks to all who came out to support our program. It was another successful Signing Day, and we hoped you enjoyed our live online coverage.
We have 18 new Zips football student-athletes, who you can read about here, and we’ll be releasing more information soon about the other sports.
THE NEXT FEW DAYS …
We have lots of fun planned for you in the coming days when we host the following events:
-Women’s Tennis vs. NJIT at 1 p.m. today at LaTuchie Tennis Center in Stow, fresh off its fourth consecutive win with a victory Tuesday at Youngstown State …
-11th Annual Akron Invitational for Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field at 3 p.m. today and 10 a.m. tomorrow at Stile Athletics Field House. We’re ranked No. 15 in the Women and No. 18 in the Men …
-Men’s Basketball vs. Buffalo at 7 p.m. tomorrow at James A. Rhodes Arena (on Time Warner Cable’s SportsChannel and ESPN3). Click here for tickets – including a 5-game mini plan for our remaining five home games …
-Women’s Tennis vs. Liberty at 10 a.m. Sunday at LaTuchie Tennis Center in Stow …
-Men’s Basketball vs. Kent State, as part of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the JAR (on Time Warner Cable’s SportsChannel and ESPN3). We’ll be recognizing all 280 student-athletes, spirit squad and band members who made the Dean’s List in Spring 2014 and/or Fall 2014. We’ll also help Zippy find her wallet. Click here for tickets …
-Women’s Basketball vs. Buffalo at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the JAR (our team had a great win Wednesday night over MAC West leader Western Michgan thanks to a late-game three-pointer by Hannah Plybon, and we defeated Kent State last weekend). Click here for tickets …
TIMEOUT WITH …
Erica Schmidt, who is completing her second year as our Assistant Director for Compliance. At 26, she is one of the younger staff members of Zips Athletics, yet she is a recent recipient of our Teammate of the Month award. She just finished a very busy time for our Compliance office with Signing Day on Wednesday …
Many people may not be familiar with what the compliance department does, so can you describe a typical day?
It depends on time of the year. August is crazy with eligibility and applying scholarships and getting textbooks. Any other day can consist of a lot of paperwork, like transfer releases, scholarship questions and textbooks. It's a lot of behind the scenes. I like working with the coaches and the student-athletes; the environment is what I thrive on the most.
How did you get started working in compliance?
At first, I thought that I wanted to do athletic training and be a coach, versus administration. Then I changed my mind when I saw the time commitments of coaching. It's a constant 24/7 job so I went the administrative route. I figured out during my senior year of college that it was the route I wanted to take. I did an internship in compliance, then I was a GA in compliance at West Florida, and it evolved from there.
Many people working in athletics have a background as an athlete. Is that true for you as well?
Yes, I did softball and ice skating, then gymnastics took over my life; I did that for about 13 years. From gymnastics, I took up pole vaulting, which turned into track and field. I was a track and field athlete in college (at Robert Morris). I knew I wanted to stay involved in sports, so I went to the West Florida for grad school where I got my masters in college student personnel administration (CSPA).
What do you do outside of work?
I work out a lot, I'm a big workout fiend. Also, I really enjoy doing things outside whenever possible. It's on my agenda to get into skiing.
Read the full feature story on Erica Schmidt in the Zips Insider blog.
CONGRATS AND GOOD LUCK TO …
… Softball, which begins is 2015 season today with a doubleheader in DeLand, Florida. Our team was picked third in the MAC East preseason poll. The team’s Media Guide is posted here, as is an in-depth season preview, and Erin Seiler and Kellie Roudabush received MAC preseason honors …
… Rifle, which completes its regular season when it competes at Ole Miss tomorrow …
… Shawn Barber and Claudia Garcia Jou, named MAC Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Athletes of the Week. Claudia high-jumped over six feet at the Penn State National, and Shawn won the pole vault competition at the Armory Track Invitational. He also was named to the February Watch List for The Bowerman Award …
… senior Olga Shkundina of Women’s Tennis, named our Student-Athlete of the Month …
… junior Alica Hottensmith from our Diving Team, named MAC Swimmer of the Week and our GoZips.com Student-Athlete of the Week …
WHAT TO WATCH
… The latest version of Zips Weekly, which recaps the past week for our teams, as well as Z360, which looks at the Purple Out, Women’s Tennis captain Martina Zerbola, and the recently completed NCAA Convention …
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
