Zip_ME87

http://www.soundersfc.com/post/2016/02/03/national-signing-day-sounders-fc-academy-alums-announce-college-commitments A pair of Sounders FC Academy players have committed to perennial powerhouse Akron and another will play for NCAA College Cup finalist Clemson, as part of 14 commitments on NCAA’s National Signing Day on Wednesday. Defender Nicholas Hinds and goalkeeper Tor Saunders are both headed to Akron, one of the premier college soccer programs in the country over the past decade. The Zips reached the College Cup for the third time in seven seasons in 2015 and have qualified for the NCAA tournament every year since 2005. ... Welcome to Akron! Edit: Tor Saunders Retweeted Monte ‏@Mik_Monte 2h Can't smile or remove the headphones...just a normal day in the life of Tor #famous #MLS @SaundersTor

Alex Mapp ‏@AMAPP18 Feels good to be official! Thanks to everyone who has helped me reach this goal #GoZips Retweet 1 Likes 2 3:24 PM - 3 Feb 2016

Ben Speas on trial with Seattle Sounders http://www.sounderatheart.com/2016/1/27/10838162/meet-the-trialists-and-guest-players-trying-to-earn-an-mls-contract Ben Speas: The former Columbus Crew HGP signee was not retained by Gregg Berhalter after playing in only eight matches last season, a drop off from the 19 in 2013 and 13 in 2014. Speas split his time roughly 50/50 between starting out wide and as the attacking midfield in Columbus' 4-5-1. He played as a right mid mostly during the eight-a-side matches during Saturday's training and showed his ability to cut inside. Naturally right footed, he'd fit in better as an inverted winger on the left for the Rave Green, which is how he played in Columbus. He just turned 25, the question will be is he better than a player like Kovar, will he be an improvement off the bench? He's intriguing but if he isn't a vast improvement from how he played for the Crew, don't expect him to continue after Arizona.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/02/01/portland-timbers-fullbacks-chris-klute-zarek-valentin-look-pick-where-departed

http://www.timbers.com/post/2016/02/01/timbers-tucson-zarek-valentin?autoplay=true

Portland Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe's attacking skill praised by Jurgen Klinsmann in USMNT camp

U.S. Soccer ‏@ussoccer 13h13 hours ago The jerseys are numbered, the names are in place. Tomorrow is game day. #USAvISL 215 retweets 931 likes USMNT v Iceland with Wil Trapp, Darlington Nagbe, & Perry Kitchen at 4 pm today on ESPN2. Go USA. Go Zips!

ondacerodeporcoruña ‏@ondadeporcoruna 3h3 hours ago Manu Mosquera, míster @RCDeportivo B en http://www.ondacero.es/emisoras/galicia/coruna/audios-podcast/onda-deportiva-coruna-012016_2016012956ab82f24beb28d54e7a8798.html …. Adam Najem no pasa la prueba con Fabril. View summary 3 retweets 4 likes Google translation of the last part of this tweet is: Adam Najem fails the test. I hope he hasn't lost NCAA eligibility in doing this. I'd sure love to see him back in the Fall. Edit: I should have stated that I'd like to see Adam successfully transition to the professional ranks, but I'm concerned about the approach he is trying. If it doesn't work out, I'd sure love to see him with the Zips in the Fall.

found these on twitter... RCDLC.com ‏@rcdlccom Jan 27 Fabril are currently playing a friendly game Vs. Segunda B club Racing Ferrol. Pletikosa and USA midfielder Adam Najem are part of the team. 2 retweets 0 likes RCDLC.com ‏@rcdlccom Jan 27 Najem is a 21-year-old attacking midfielder currently on trial at Depor B.

Vancouver Whitecaps' Darren Mattocks ready to serve after finding "perspective" in reflective offseason

By the Numbers | A look at Caleb Porter's accomplishments in three years as head coach of the Portland Timbers ... -- Porter is one of four head coaches to win an NCAA national championship and an MLS Cup. Porter completed the feat at the age of 40, which made him the youngest coach of the four to accomplish the championship double. -- The Timbers have the most shutouts in MLS in last three seasons with 35. -- Porter is the first Timbers manager (all eras) to lead his side to a league's semifinals in multiple seasons (2013, 2015) and the only manager to lead the Timbers to a league title. ...

Major League Soccer Verified account ‏@MLS Akron --> MLS --> #USMNT The similar stories of @darlingtonnagbe & @wil_trapp: http://soc.cr/XC9EU ...From Ohio boyhoods and collegiate fame at NCAA powerhouse Akron to rising fortunes with their club teams, the duo will perhaps, sooner or later, constitute a productive partnership in the Yanks' midfield.... ...“Both are very gifted players, and both are very driven players,” the USMNT coach said ahead of the Yanks' game Sunday afternoon against Iceland at StubHub Center (3:45 pm ET, ESPN2). “I think Darlington, especially in the attacking third, can really make a difference because he's calm on the ball, he has great vision, he sees runs of players, and he knows how to connect all the way around. Very complete in what he's doing. “With Wil, you have a very young, driven kid that shows already at that young age a lot of leadership. He's an organizer. He wants to have the game in front of him, so he's more a [No.] 6 player. Darlington is a little bit more forward-minded.”...

http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2016/01/watch_caleb_porter_talks_of_lo.html?hootPostID=8e63e3053bb734f1893085b7d974c4e3 Caleb mentions Akron around 1:37.

Don't know the details, but I heard that there is a 2-game SoCal trip on the 2016 schedule. My guess is UCLA + ? CSUN or Cal Poly SLO would be ok.

Hiring Jared as Caleb's replacement was the highlight of TW's tenure. Jared knows the game and is completely committed to Akron's maintaining it's position at or near the top of NCAA D1 Mens Soccer. Our 2015 schedule. so successfully navigating through it, and getting to the College Cup was a huge statement to others of how great our program remains under our current head coach. Couple that with our close ties to an MLS Club that won the 2015 MLS Cup in our backyard and what a great storyline you get for recruiting top players. By the way... 2015 Was A Season To Remember At These Schools Akron - The Zips had an outstanding season in 2015 during which they had an 18-3-3 overall record and advanced to the College Cup for the first time since 2010. Akron won both the MAC regular season and tournament titles. They were awarded the number four seed in the NCAA Tournament and then topped Rutgers, SMU and Creighton to advance to the Final Four where their season came to an end when fell to eventual national champion Stanford 8 to 7 in a penalty kick shootout after the game was tied 0-0 at the end of 110 minutes of play. Junior midfieder Adam Najem was named an All-American by both the NSCAA and College Soccer News. Najem, sophomores Sam Gainford, Stuart Holthusen, Richie Laryea and junior Brad Rhaak and senior Andrew Souders were named to the All-MAC First Team. Akron along with Indiana, Maryland, UCLA and Virginia are the only five teams to have earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the past nine seasons. Akron is 48-13-6 in the three seasons that Jared Embick has been the head coach of the program. Thanks @TennZip for the updated recruiting information. With the losses of Andrew Souders (Sr), Sean Sepe (Sr), Jake Fenlason (Sr), Richie Layrea (Gen Adidas), and not knowing the status of Adam Najem's return, every top player we add raises my expectations for 2016. I try to get to know our players during the year by talking with them after matches at home and on the road. I'm happy for them when they get to move on and take that next step toward fulfilling their dreams. But, at the same time, I want to see the Zips compete for a National Championship again, like every Zips' fan. It's tough balancing emotions sometimes. I know we still have many talented players, but replacing 4 or 5 starters is always tough as we all know it takes time for a team to gel.

Shawn Barber joins 6-metre club, sets Canadian pole vault record...World pole vault champion Shawn Barber literally reached new heights on Friday, breaking his own Canadian record with a clearance of six metres at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nevada. ... Canada’s Shawn Barber joins pole vaulting’s six-metre club...Shawn Barber set two goals for himself this season: clear six metres and win an Olympic medal. The Canadian pole vaulter has knocked off one goal already. ,,, Like Canadian sprint star Andre De Grasse, Barber opted to turn pro this season and forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility with the University of Akron. He said Friday night’s result was validation he made the right decision. “Absolutely, I was worried that I wouldn’t perform this year,” he said. “Everybody has that fear of going pro, and then not performing, and so this kind of solidified my decision to go pro.” Barber is the youngest jumper to ever clear 6.00 indoors. ...

Shawn Barber Clears 6.00m at Pole Vault Summit 2016 in Reno, NV. I believe he broke his own Canadian indoor record. youtu.be/fjVhKtkHS7c

Another MLS scarf, Orlando City, that i have to buy. All the Zips who go to Portland save me some cash. Come on Merritt Paulson...sign "#alltheZips".

Richie to Orlando at #7.

Tweet from the Portland Timbers owner a few minutes ago... Merritt Paulson Verified account ‏@MerrittPaulson @ZarekValentin welcome, Zarek!! ...and there are still some Akron teammates we have not signed...have to change that #alltheZips Retweet 1 Likes 8 1:30 PM - 12 Jan 2016

Portland Timbers ‏@TimbersFC 26m26 minutes ago Timbers acquire @ZarekValentin from Montreal in exchange for int'l roster spot: http://ow.ly/WXDHJ #RCTID “We are getting Zarek at an optimum time in his playing career,” said Caleb Porter, head coach of the Timbers. “He cut his teeth in MLS as a promising young defender and now his stint in Norway has matured his game even further. He is capable of playing any position in the back four and I expect him to earn a significant role in our squad.” FIVE THINGS: Learn more about defender Zarek Valentin ... -- Valentin was the fourth overall pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by Chivas USA. -- He was a teammate of Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe when the pair won the 2010 NCAA College Cup Championship with the University of Akron. ...

Zarek Valentin ‏@ZarekValentin 10m10 minutes ago I couldn't be more excited to join the @TimbersFC! Great times ahead in the Rose City #RCTID 11 retweets 39 likes

Funny that Mary (Zips Soccer fan who sits 2 rows behind me at FES-CCF) mentioned this exact issue at the Mens Basketball game Saturday evening: Richie Laryea (Akron) – Also had an improved Day 2, but still pretty quiet. He cut down on the sloppy giveaways that plagued him on Friday, but the midfielder needs to do more to make an impact on games.

MLS: Trapp takes the lessons of 2015 into promising year ahead As Wil Trapp reflects on 2015 the first word that comes to mind is ‘roller coaster’.

A Look At The 2016 Generation Adidas Signings - By Ben Roth...Richie Laryea (Akron): Add another one to the Zips historic list of GA signings. Laryea, another playmaker has play reminiscent to former Akron star and U.S. national teamer, Darlington Nagbe. The Canadian international and Sigma FC product was part of one of the most dynamic attacks in college soccer this past year as he notched 11 goals and 7 assists of his own. ...