UAZipster0305

This isn't a bad thing, it's a dream come true! All the players that are leaving are going to go on to be some of the best professional players the United States has ever produced after winning a National Championship for the Zips. All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, National Champions, and gentleman off the field who are proud to be from Akron! Other than earning their degrees (which some or many may still do), what else can you ask for? Ideally, I'd like to see all student-athletes graduate, but how can you ask someone to delay their dream with the risk of future injury? 50 years ago and maybe even 20 years ago, this was a legitimate argument, but these players can always go back to school or into coaching. We were worried when Zakuani left, then when Bunbury bounced, and this season and the following will be no different. Coach Porter has made UA THE program for blue chip recruits, and this will continue in the future.

Great responses, Z.I.P. and sportsfan. I wasn't intending to suggest that we oust Coach Pfau at all. No doubt the woman's program is greatly improved. I was merely wondering how much success on the men's side could benefit the woman, and if Coach Pfau were to leave or no longer make progress, could/would Coach Porter translate everything he has done on the men's side to the women's? I was previously unaware of the coach at Portland doing the same thing, but it does provide an excellent precedent for what I was suggesting. I don't buy the argument that X BCS school has these grand facilities, and we can't compete. I have been to both UNC and Lee Jackson Field and ours is a much nicer stadium. Say what you will about the lockerroom facilities (http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/facilities/unc-mccaskill-soccercenter.html), but UNC is the quintessential woman's soccer program (with 20 of 28 National Championships) and their men have the same advantage yet our current program is superior. We can compete at the highest level of woman's soccer if the administration recognizes these things and makes them a priority. Of all the BCS programs with beautiful facilities, only UNC (20), George Mason (1), Notre Dame (3), Florida, Santa Clara, Portland (2), and USC have ever even won the National Championship. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Women%27s_Soccer_Championship). To me, this lack of parity means that regularly making the NCAA Tournament and cracking the Top 25 is possible within 5 years; however, becoming one of the truly elite top 5 to 10 programs on an annual basis will be much more difficult for the woman than it was for the men. Go Zips! P.S. I love how the moderators have renamed the soccer forum, "Akron Zips NCAA Championship Soccer."

The band is definitely what separates its atmosphere from that of a professional game. I like when the band played at soccer games a few years back too.

I am all for Frenchy!

Still waiting for GP1 or Z.I.P. to drop in on this one.

I am all for the rail. I have used it in the northeast and it is a wonderfully relaxing alternative to flying or driving. If I could take the train from Pittsburgh to Akron and vice versa, I would. Doing away with 3C rail service is yet another example of Ohio holding itself back and proving it is behind the times. The fact that Akron was not included on the 3C route was sick. Especially considering Dayton and Medina were.

It sounds like another installment of dominant (possession) soccer is long over due.

+1! This was precisely my point in starting this thread. Other than tradition, there is nothing preventing UA from catching up to UNC and ND in women's soccer. And no, this does not require a diminished investing in football or basketball. I would guess that the extra ca$h to put the women's program over the top is relatively small.

That wasn't at all what I meant. I think this is a new ZNO record...hijacked in the very first response. Anyone care to hate on OSU here and at least take this off on a familiar tangent?

Given the success of the men's program and the world-class facilities, how long will it be before the women's side is regularly seen in the top 25 and NCAA Tournament? As a new program, tradition is not in their favor. Could Coach Porter run both through a puppet coach on the women's side that employs his coaching philosophies? It would be an epic accomplishment unparalleled in other programs and sports if he could. I would love to see us as Soccer U with Akron Soccer being branded as opposed to just Akron Men's Soccer. Hey, I'm not complaining. We're still

We will likely never be competitive for National Championships in the other three big notoriety sports (Football and Men's and Woman's BB) because of the BCS establishment. However, the growing popularity of soccer and our players playing on the USMNT and throughout the world will make the respect and dignity achieved through Coach Porter's success worth every penny. We are the new soccer establishment. Here's to dominant soccer, National Championships, All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, and one of the best coaches in the country in any sport!

You can't win the lottery if you don't play. I have been plenty critical of iCoach thus far. However, recruiting is supposedly his bread and butter. Show us what you can do. Let's get competitive and successful in a hurry! Go Zips!

What's good for an individual school and the MCA at the national level is good for all its members.

http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page14066.htm Love that Caleb Porter's class in acknowledging Ken Lolla's building of the program and that "In 2010 the most talented team in the country did survive and win it all." Kudos to the players and coaches. I enjoyed every minute of this season.

Our current defensive coach and JD is on to coach special teams?! Is anyone out there familiar with the last 3-4 years of Zips football?

I think he was on the third team. Everyone is talking the guy up wayyy too much. Check out his stats and watch another game of him. We also saw a better goalie than him this year (Creighton's Brian Holt). And the best goalie in the country is Zac MacMath on Maryland. He is fantastic. You seem to be quite knowledgeable about men's college soccer. Why doesn't ASN make up their own All-American teams? I also think the Aero's should be a feature on ASN.

So UA doesn't receive any of the gate receipts from the three extra home games and has to pay out of it's own pocket for the team to travel to Santa Barbara?

I think he was on the third team.

Does anyone know how much financial reward UA will receive for progressing through the NCAA Tournament? For football games and the NCAA basketball tournament, I know the incentives are potentially huge. Just wondering how soccer compares (if at all).

If we win on Sunday, would this be the MAC's first team National Championship? I know Miami was close in hockey a year or two ago, but I don't think they got the job done.

I am looking for this game to be wide-open because UM knows they have to attack to beat us, which will leave them vulnerable in the back. While their offense is comparable to ours, we are simply a more balanced team than they are. I see us up 2-0 at the half then 4-1 down the stretch with UM getting a goal in garbage time to make it a 4-2 final.

http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page413.htm It's a big surprise to me that Darren Mattocks and Michael Nanchoff were not given the nod. Otherwise, pretty fair.

http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page1515.htm

Yes, Ken Lolla is a decent person and made the move to UL for purely professional reasons. I can't fault him for that. A match-up against UNC would arguably be a higher profile match for the sake of national TV and exposure. Nonetheless, we have already beaten UNC this season and faced them in the College Cup last year. A win against Louisville would be more memorable to the casual fan because of the back story with Ken Lolla (if the announcers discuss it) and really makes our program look like ground zero for men's college soccer. I also like the notion of beating the "#1" team and that we trail in the all-time series against UL. That being said, it would make a loss that much more bitter. I say, bring on Louisville! Let's get past UM first though.

I wonder why the UVA goalkeeper was left off the list? Z.I.P., any thoughts?