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Looks like there's a new marketing director and a new title. https://gozips.com/staff-directory/ryan-koslen/709 There's also now an assistant marketing director. https://gozips.com/staff-directory/josh-smith/706

Yesterday I was on campus and did my usual rounds. For what it's worth: The renovation of Buchtel Commons is beautiful. The landscaping and pathway create a welcoming space all along the way. The entrance and arch leading to Buchtel Hall are impressive. On the other side Coleman Commons is a sight to behold. With the fountains now working it makes for a scenic place to take a walk. Fall enrollment appears to be up at an impressive double digits. Grad students are flat, but freshmen and transfers are up. Nemer's plan to get all deans and dept heads out to the high schools with our message seem to be working. Last year the football team had 11 of their athletes make their summer strength & conditioning goals. This year 51 have met their goals. Football GPA is at 2.94, the highest it has been in recent times. Those attending the first meeting of the football team described Joe as being the most positive and motivated he has ever been. His enthusiasm was infectious for all in the room. Soccer is loaded. There has been a slight setback with an incoming GK getting injured and possibly losing a season. The defense got the outside backs they needed. Goodrich has gone to bat for the soccer program adding Attila as a full time coach with a focus on operations and Bill as a GM with a focus on development. Andrew has said the soccer program will be the pre-eminent program at UA and he will not let it slip. Goodrich is highly thought of by the faculty. His door is open and he is transparent in all he does. Administrators feel we will go bowling. W's come from RMU, EMU, CMU, KSU, Mass and UB with the possibility of stealing one from WMU or OU. Some coaches feel UNLV is the best OOC team we play. They feel we will not sneak up on Wake or Minn. Crain's Cleveland Business ran an article yesterday citing UA as one of the best schools in the country (9th) for sports' achievement versus dollars spent. Go Zips!

Zips ranked #12 in the preseason poll.

I shared this earlier for our other commits so I figured I'd share Evan's as well. He's in the 64th percentile of wings in scoring efficiency, but is pretty elite at everything else, which seems to check out based off what we all saw last season.

Tomorrow is finally here. Meetings today; pads and camp tomorrow. Nothing negative, I know there have been a few minor injuries I just pray these young men have a healthy camp and can start the season pretty much injury free and let the chips fall where they may!!!! Good luck Zips...

I imagine they use the term help very loosely. I imagine it would mostly be sitting in a room with a few coaches and listen while the discuss. Perhaps pick their brain for knowledge. I'm not as opposed to this as I probably would have been 5, 10 years ago. It's a unique experience and as someone who really isn't all that invested in Zips football I would attend something like this just for the experience on learning the finer details of the game. Anything we can do to engage fans is a positive.

Bad news...Venezuela U21 won 3-2 yesterday. So the Dominican Republic U21 did not advance to the semifinals. Great news...Thomas O'Rourke will be returning to Akron soon...hopefully in time to be available for the August 8th exhibition match. Go Zips!!!

The University of Akron's endowment has grown from $204.2 million in 2016 to $376.5 million in 2026 per the audited financials. That would indicate to me that they aren't depleting the principle on restricted endowments to cover operational costs. Personally, I feel it's a positive these small private schools are going out of business. There is clearly a student debt crisis ongoing and frankly a Notre Dame College wasn't worth the ~$50K tuition+room and board it was charging. Both Akron and Kent were ranked ahead of them academically in just about everything and you could attend either school for ~$20K less each year. If they were a Case Western caliber school academically this would be different, but they offered a lowered quality product at an inflated price. Schools like them going out of business should help strengthen the ones that remain.

Yeah, I don't think they're going to just accept drawings or plays from NCAA video games from the winner. It's more of an opportunity to sit and listen. But if the drive leads to a TD, we need to hire whoever wins the promotion.

Unfortunate for Thomas but great for the Zips. I'm sure it was a great experience for him still.

We don't really have a position or money for him either. It's not really a winning formula if our 2 highest paid players are 2 6' guards who both demand the basketball offensively and are both defensive liabilities. IMO if we were able to pull magic to create an open roster spot plus find the money I would rather bring Lyles back. He would be a much bigger upgrade at C compared to what we currently have on the roster than what Tavari would be over Tahj IMO.

@Zippy87 shared a tweet from Jeff Goodman. Jeff is one of the most credible sources in all of college basketball. If he says Tavari is in the portal I'm inclined to believe him. The method of how we was able to enter I don't know.

So Bowen could transfer, I believe he had his name in the portal after the season

I saw on social media that Tavari visited Groce down in Charleston a few weeks ago. Not that I've followed CoC offseason closely, but I don't recall them having the kind of signing that would make it seem they're dropping the kind of cash that they advertised they had. Perhaps they have money left over to make a run at Tavari.

You're probably right. The Rule of Seven says an investment will double every seven years at 10% interest. I know from experience the school doesn't invest in investments that return 10% so they are doing well investing and getting more donations. I tip my hat.

Looks like the team will have new jerseys this season. Or at least new blue jerseys. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbllW6pFh7-/?img_index=10&igsh=bjQ1cG5vcjlsbDZ3

I saw Women's Soccer and Volleyball post links to their stores earlier. Open until August 17. Maybe we'll see football and MSOC soon also.