Photo Credit: Gary L. Moody Jr./ISNSoccer.com The No. 8 University of Akron men’s soccer team took to the pitch Wednesday for their first official training session of the fall collegiate season. The program is now in the capable hands of former assistant Jared Embick, who was promoted to head coach when Caleb Porter left for the Portland Timbers. Fans shouldn’t expect a lot of changes under Embick’s watch. “With Caleb I had a great mentor so I don’t have to change much,”
Coming off a victory over tough Mexican league club, Tigres UANL, Seattle advanced to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Djimi Traore and DeAndre Yedlin both had amazing, distance goals in the last match; Traore’s goal was world-class and floated around the Internet as a top goal for the week. Saturday night was no different as the Sounders and Timbers both used great goals to settle the score, finishing with a 1-1 draw. Seattle and Portland are longtime rivals. This
The Portland Timbers have acquired the right of first refusal to midfielder Michael Nanchoff from Vancouver Whitecaps FC in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2015 MLS Supplemental Draft, it was announced today. Nanchoff, 24, has been training with the Timbers since the start of preseason camp on Jan. 21, and has appeared in each of the club’s first four preseason matches, recording one assist. Selected No. 8 overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by Whitecaps FC, Nanchoff made 14 regular-season
Chivas USA announced today that the club has agreed to trade midfielder Ben Zemanski to the Portland Timbers in exchange for allocation money and the right of first refusal for former Chivas USA defender Jonathan Bornstein. Per league and club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Zemanski was drafted by Chivas USA out of the University of Akron in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft with the 45th overall pick. The 24-year-old Ohio native made 18 starts in 22 appearances last
The Columbus Crew announced on Thursday it has agreed to a Homegrown contract with Lewis Center native and University of Akron standout Chad Barson. Per Major League Soccer and club policy, details of the contract were not disclosed. Barson’s signature makes him the fifth Homegrown player in club history after his Akron teammate Wil Trapp signed with the Black & Gold last month. The Lewis Center native recently graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Akron with a 3.99
The New England Revolution has signed Braintree, Mass., product Scott Caldwell as a Homegrown player. The two-time All-American has played the last four seasons at collegiate powerhouse Akron while training with the Revolution’s first team each summer. He is the team’s second Homegrown player, joining Diego Fagundez, who was the team’s first-ever Homegrown signing in 2010. “We’re very pleased to add Scott to our roster as our second Homegrown player signing,” General Manager Michael Burns said. “He’s had a very successful
The Columbus Crew has agreed to terms with United States U-20 National Team midfielder and Gahanna native Wil Trapp to make the 19-year-old the fourth Homegrown signing in franchise history, the club announced this morning. Trapp joins Matt Lampson, Ben Speas and Aaron Horton as the only players to make the transition from the Crew Soccer Academy to the First Team. Per Major League Soccer and club policy, details of the contract were not disclosed. Trapp becomes a professional following
The University of Akron Department of Athletics will host a special event next Wednesday, Dec. 12, to thank Caleb Porter for seven historic seasons as head coach of the Zips men’s soccer program. The public is invited to attend the free celebration, which will run from 6-8 p.m., on the FirstMerit Foundation Club Level (fifth floor) of InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field. Please RSVP to Nancy Stott at nsstott@uakron.edu or
After leading the Zips back to the NCAA’s Round of 16 for the fifth consecutive season, four members of The University of Akron men’s soccer program earned All-American recognition from the National Soccer Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Friday. Seniors Chad Barson and Scott Caldwell each secured a spot on the 11-man First Team. It is the second straight year Caldwell, the 2012 MAC Player of the Year and Hermann Trophy semifinalist, has earned All-American honors from the NSCAA after