The University of Akron (18-1-2) is quite possibly facing their most challenging match of 2012. Fresh off an electric 2-1 win over Michigan last week, the Zips now head to their next opponent, the Bluejays of Creighton University (16-3-2). Creighton had four players drafted in January 2012, including Crew winger Ethan Finlay, a speedster that has a bright future in MLS. But like every other top program, Creighton reloaded nicely for the fall season. Bolstered by incoming freshmen and elite transfers
After a dominating 1-0 defeat of Michigan on Tuesday night, attention quickly turned to an even bigger announcement at the University of Akron the next day. Jared Embick was given the reins of the Akron men’s soccer program on December 15, thanks to the departure of Caleb Porter to MLS. Embick was rumored to be the favorite for the job since Porter decided he was leaving for the pros. He would be given a three-year contract, a real commitment to
Saying Caleb Porter is going to be difficult to replace is a bit of a simplistic statement. Porter, one of the top coaches in collegiate soccer history, has made The University of Akron a soccer school in the middle of American football country. Hiring someone to take over for Porter is a historic move for Akron AD Tom Wistrcill, who must carefully weigh all the options on the table. The options are many and the university appears to be investigating
I had a lot of thoughts come to mind when writing this article to support Caleb Porter. First and foremost, I wanted to tap into the positives of his career and all he has done for the University of Akron and the American game as a whole. My initial thought was to attack the critical comments made by our colleagues in the soccer media. There were two problems with this. It would bring back a lot of the negativity that
The U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team lost to Canada 2-0 in its second match of CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying on Saturday night at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn. With the loss, the U.S. sits in third place in Group A but still holds its destiny in its own hands, as a victory against El Salvador on Monday, March 26 would guarantee advancement to the semifinals and the opportunity to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London. The all-important final group game between
The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team opened the 2012 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament with style and substance, getting a hat trick from Joe Corona, one goal from Juan Agudelo, one from team captain Freddy Adu and an own goal in a 6-0 victory against Cuba to open Group A play. “We’re obviously pleased with the strong start, but we’re also not satisfied with the performance,” U.S. head coach Caleb Porter said. “Even though the result was lopsided, I still thought it could
Four home matches and two contests against NCAA Tournament qualifiers highlight the 2012 University of Akron men’s soccer spring schedule, as announced by head coach Caleb Porter Wednesday. The Zips will host Patriot League champion Colgate at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Apr. 7 and travel to two-time defending Atlantic-10 champion Xavier, which is coming off its best season in school history, in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Apr. 21. UA will also welcome a pair of in-state foes, Cleveland State (Apr.
Zemanski is the latest NE Ohio soccer star to play in MLS. When Ben Zemanski arrived on the campus of the University of Akron, Head Coach Caleb Porter knew he had something special in his hometown recruit. Even though Zemanski was a standout at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA), he emerged as an unheralded prospect at the collegiate level. But Porter saw him as a player he could build the program around and that he did. “Coming in I knew
Jared Montz is a former pro and the founder of OnlineSoccerAcademy.com and CollegeRecruitingWebsite.com. International Soccer Network syndicates his just about weekly Jared Montz Soccer Podcast and you can subscribe for free on iTunes. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.