The University of Akron Athletics
Read the Latest Edition of Zips Line – November 13, 2014
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IF YOU LOVE ZIPS ATHLETICS …
… then we’ll see you almost non-stop from Friday through Tuesday, as we have one of the busiest stretches of competition on campus that I can remember. Here’s everything you need to know about the extra-long, extra special weekend ahead:
FRIDAY, NOV. 14
-Our 13th-ranked Rifle team starts the day bright and early at 9 a.m. as the second weekend of our Zippy Open begins at the Robert A. Pinn Shooting Range in Schrank Hall South. We lead after the first weekend …
-Women’s Basketball hosts a season-opening tournament, with our team tipping off against Binghamton at 6 p.m. at Rhodes Arena (which is the second game that day, following Delaware State vs. Northern Kentucky at 3:30 p.m.). We’re unveiling our 2014 MAC Championship banner and handing our 2014 MAC Tournament Champion hats to the first 200 fans!
-Men’s Soccer won its 10th consecutive MAC regular-season title and earned the right to host the MAC Tournament, facing fourth-seed Western Michigan at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field (West Virginia faces Bowling Green at 4 p.m.)
-Men’s Basketball begins its season vs. UMBC after our Women’s Basketball game, with tip-off sometime after 8 p.m.
A few notes about these events:
-If you have a ticket to either our Men’s or Women’s Basketball game you can stay for both games (actually for all three, counting the other women’s game before ours) and for this one day only, you can re-enter the JAR if you choose to start by watching Women’s Basketball, go out to Men’s Soccer and then come back for Men’s Basketball (but you need your ticket to get back in). Fans with women's tickets will have to move to the General Admission seating prior to the men's basketball game, unless they have a reserved ticket …
-Tickets are available for purchase online, by calling 888-992-5766 (99-AKRON) or at each of the venues
-Parking will be what is typically done for Men’s Basketball – Lots 2, 4, 8 and 13 are reserved for those with passes, and will open at 4 p.m. – with free parking available to fans in Lot 1 … for this game, our new Women’s Basketball floor-seat season ticketholders will be able to park in Lot 8 if they don’t have a Men’s Basketball Lot 2 pass.
-Having game times overlap isn’t ideal, but it just happened to fall that way, as both basketball teams already were scheduled to play at home and we were fortunate to win the MAC regular season in Men’s Soccer once again. We looked at moving game times, but with three basketball games in the JAR we couldn’t go any earlier and allow fans to get to our Women’s game, and we wanted Men’s Soccer to maintain its typical schedule to provide them their usual routine as we look to secure the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Appreciate your understanding and I look forward to bouncing around all of the venues with many of you!
-Due to the MAC Tournament matches on Friday, we will not be streaming the men's and women's basketball games.
SATURDAY, NOV. 15
-Rifle continues its Zippy Open at 9 a.m.
-Our Women’s Basketball team hosts the second day of the Akron Classic, with our team facing Northern Kentucky at 3:30 p.m. (Delaware State-Binghamton tips at 1 p.m.)
SUNDAY, NOV. 16
-Rifle wraps up the Zippy Open with competition commencing at 9 a.m.
-The MAC Men’s Soccer Championship at 1 p.m.
TUESDAY, NOV. 18
-Our second-annual Women’s Basketball Education Day tips off at 10:30 a.m. vs. Northern Iowa, as we expect more than 800 elementary school students to pack the JAR. It’s also UA Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day, and for those who purchase a ticket we’ll serve lunch for Old Carolina BBQ at halftime in Tommy Evans Lounge.
-Football kicks off its final home game of 2014 at 7 p.m. against UMass, and it’s a huge game for two reasons: 1) It’s Senior Day, and we’ll recognize our 26 seniors who have worked so hard to rebuild our program, and 2) A win keeps us in line for a bowl game as we head into the final game of the season, next week at Kent State.
MEANWHILE, AWAY FROM HOME …
… Cross Country heads to Madison, Wisc., for the Great Lakes Regional Championship on Friday, and Women’s Volleyball finishes its season with matches at Buffalo tonight and at Ball State on Saturday. Good luck to all Zips!
A CHANGE IN WOMEN’S SOCCER
Earlier this week we announced that we will be hiring a new Women’s Soccer head coach. I want to thank Vernon Croft for his efforts over the last three years, and we look forward to moving in a new direction.
We have already begun conducting a national search to find our next leader, and I welcome your feedback – especially from our Women’s Soccer alumnae. You can contact me here.
CONGRATS TO …
… the newest class of incoming Zips, as yesterday was National Letter of Intent signing day for many sports, including Swimming and Diving (an impressive 11-women class), Women’s Basketball (two new members) and Men's Basketball (three new members) …
… Men’s Basketball senior forward Demetrius "Tree" Treadwell, named a Lou Henson Preseason All-American, which recognizes the best mid-major players in the country. And speaking of mid-major basketball, Men’s Basketball is ranked 14th in that Top-25 Preseason Poll …
… Women’s Soccer senior forward Lani Smith was named All-MAC First 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
