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They lost a ton, but retaining Skaljac, Atlason, Ipsaro, and Kirby will help them a ton. Stevie Elam is going to be good for them, too. They'll take a step back like us, but I think they'll be a contender again.

Butler will play at Akron on September 18th. https://butlersports.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule

I'm honestly not opposed to the top 40-50 programs splitting off and forming a professional league. It might be what's best for collegiate athletics as a whole. Perhaps that could help create stability for everyone else. It's evident we'll never get back to what things where 10-20+ years ago.

Things are moving fast.......in the transfer portal Top Drawer soccer is reporting some moves....that impact the zips Zips have added a GK from Italy....Francesca Tricarico from Biola University in La Mirada, CA in the year before that, the zips new addition to the GK corps....led Iowa Western JC to a national title transfers out Josh Bartels to Fairleigh Dickinson GK Lincoln McCarty to UNC Asheville Angel Lopez leaves after one semester and goes to South Carolina https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/mens-division-i-may-transfer-tracker_aid55916 https://athletics.biola.edu/sports/mens-soccer/roster/francesco-tricarico/8711

FE/CC is among the best playing surfaces in the NCAA. It is also the envy of many MLS franshises. Infocision may be good enough for lower tiered minor league. But not good enough for Zips. Only First Energy stadium/Cub Cadet field is home.

The Starters: M. Williams returns after a 2025 season that saw him land 2nd Team All-MAC honors. He had as good of a four-game stretch to close out the year as anyone in the nation — hauling in 30 receptions for 458 yards during that span. Williams was an explosive player coming out of high school and there’s no reason to think his role will be diminished in 2026. K. Mason may be small in stature, but he’s as dynamic as anyone on the roster. Mason split snaps with Walker in the slot last season and should take over the starting role full-time in 2026. Barring injury, it’d be surprising if Mason doesn’t find himself on an All-MAC team this year. The Returners: P. Davis is a former Duke commitment out of high school who also considered Mississippi State. Needless to say, he has not lived up to the billing thus far. Davis is now a redshirt junior, meaning it’s time for him to start pushing for meaningful snaps. B. Hills transferred in from Washington State last offseason and while he did not see much action offensively, Hills locked down the kickoff return role. He came close to breaking a few for touchdowns, but surprisingly never managed to take one to the house. With a full year and offseason in the program, Hills should be in a much better position to carve out a role offensively while continuing to impact special teams. J. Louis signed in the same class as P. Davis and A. Norton. At the time, he was probably the least physically developed of the trio, but he eventually managed to carve out a role as a backup in 2025 — appearing in seven games and even starting the finale against Bowling Green. Louis will likely serve as Mason’s backup in the slot. C. Monteiro transferred in from Pittsburgh last offseason and spent 2025 backing up Polk and M. Williams. He should compete for the receiver spot opposite Williams and Mason this season. Monteiro had six power conference offers coming out of high school and still possesses plenty of upside. He didn’t face what most would consider elite competition in Massachusetts high school football, so in his case, taking a little longer to develop is not unusual. If he can take the next step in 2026, it’ll give the offense another weapon in what is already a deep receiver room. L. Sivon was an underrecruited prospect out of high school that could end up being a steal. Sivon has good size, body control, and can really move. @Captain Kangaroo called Sivon his “Sleeper of the Year,” and that’s probably a safe bet. When players with Sivon’s physical traits begin developing technically, they can become dangerous. This feels like one of those situations where Akron was his only DI offer out of high school, yet there’s little chance he avoids getting poached by a bigger program down the road if things click. Newcomers: M. Burris transfers in from UNC Charlotte where he was a part-time starter. Burris is not going to run by many defensive backs vertically, but he runs solid routes and flashes reliable hands. He was credited with catching all 14 of his receptions without a drop last season. He’s also a willing blocker and was frequently used in Charlotte’s “pick” concepts. Burris will play on the perimeter and is currently listed as the biggest receiver on the roster. Akron also offered him out of high school. T. Myers was the top option on his JUCO squad in 2024 — totaling 888 receiving yards — yet hardly saw the field last season at Old Dominion. Myers is another one that Akron previously offered and he’ll likely be a depth addition for this year. G. Hilburn is another JUCO addition who should immediately add competition at kickoff returner. He may also carve out some offensive snaps as he’s a shifty player with legitimate speed who can be utilized in multiple ways. JUCO receivers haven’t provided much more than depth under this staff, but Hilburn has a chance to develop into more over the next few seasons. One Freshman: I’d like to know the story behind J. Riggins ending up at Akron because Kentucky insiders seemed convinced he was a lock to sign with the Wildcats. At different points in his recruitment, Vanderbilt and Florida were major players as well. Regardless, Riggins is one of the most talented high school receivers this staff has signed during the Moorhead era. Still, I’m going to stop short of placing major expectations on him in 2026 because he’ll likely need time to add mass, learn the offense, and adjust to FBS speed. After that, we’ll see just how high his ceiling is. Outlook: The receiver room may have lost All-MAC wideout I. Polk and former All-MAC receiver A. Adams (who unfortunately looked like a shell of himself after the injuries) but this group appears deeper than before. In my opinion, this is one of the most talented positions on the roster from top to bottom. If quarterback play is at least on par with last season and the unusual rash of early-season drops doesn’t resurface, this offense should once again field one of the MAC’s better passing attacks. Returning: P. Davis (R. Jr.) B. Hills (R. Jr.) J. Louis (R. Jr.) K. Mason (R. So.) C. Monteiro (R. So.) M. Williams (R. So.) L. Sivon (R. Fr.) New: M. Burris (Jr.) = Charlotte T. Myers (Jr.) = Old Dominion G. Hilburn (So.) = JUCO J. Riggins (Fr.) Out: A. Adams = Graduation/Portal T. Grear = Graduation M. Walker = Graduation I. Polk = Oklahoma State (All-MAC)

Returning Starter: Last year, C. Cravaack took advantage of Newell missing time with an injury to lay claim to the starting tight end position. I thought Cravaack was playing substantially better than Newell by the end of 2025 and I imagine that played at least a part in Newell deciding to transfer out. New Faces: W. Hook comes in as a transfer from Michigan State. Although Hook only saw snaps on special teams during his time as a Spartan, he easily has the most upside of all the newcomers. An insider at MSU compared Hook to Josh Whyle, who was selected in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. I don’t know if I’d go that far with the praise, but Hook definitely has the potential to immediately step in and be a productive player for the Zips. E. Alexander is a JUCO signee with some potential. He’s a good athlete with a long frame and uses it well to gain yards after the catch. He may not be a great blocker at this time, but he is a willing blocker and should improve in that area with some added mass and experience. Y. DeReese is the most recent, and probably final, addition to the tight end room. He’s actually listed as the smallest TE on the roster, but looks bigger on film, so there’s some discrepancy there. The way he moves reminds me of former Bowling Green and current Wisconsin tight end Jacob Harris. My guess is DeReese is more of a depth addition at this time, but he has the ability to eventually become a contributor down the line. Conclusion: I thought the tight end room had the potential to be one of the best in the MAC last year between Newell and Cravaack, however that did not come to pass. Cravaack came on strong the more he played, while Newell only saw action in six games and didn’t necessarily play all that well when he was on the field. This season will feature some new faces alongside Cravaack that should have enough ability to help this offense be productive. Returning: Cravaack (R. Jr.) In: DeReese (Jr.) - JUCO Hook (R. So.) = Michigan State Alexander (So.) = JUCO Out: Newell = Toledo Whisner = Sam Houston Witherspoon = Still in portal (Transitioned to WR)