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Last week we learned of the Zips’ upcoming participation in The College Spring League. Fantastic! We are really looking forward to these matches against quality competition. This particular Spring indicates fresh lifeblood arriving to a program in desperate need of a transfusion. Yes. Desperate. I could not help but notice how the advertisement for The College Spring League boasted four participants in the previous NCAA MSOC Tournament, Akron not among those. And like rubbing alcohol applied to a flesh wound, the pain was searing and immediate, but ultimately worth bearing. Zips missed the NCAA Tournament. I can talk about it now. It is so unconscionable that one must reference the records to believe it: A handful of departing Akron seniors (because of the COVID-19 exemption) played 5 years of eligibility without ever winning an NCAA Tournament match. Even though this sad fact is mercifully in the past, out of respect for the players’ effort, I will not name the names. We know who they are. How many times in program history have the Zips missed the Tournament? Not bloody often! Somebody can research that if they like. Suffice it to say that Akron has qualified for the Tourney the great majority of the time, especially in recent decades. It is rarer still to find a player who exhausted all 4 years of their eligibility without an NCAA Tourney victory. It has happened more often than I would have guessed before consulting the books. The last class to play 4 years sans NCAA win was in the early 2000s under Ken Lolla. It is extraordinary that any player be granted 5 years of eligibility. Injuries and medical redshirt seasons usually accompany such scenarios. To think that a few players were around that long without even one NCAA post- season success is just astounding. The easy rationale would be to blame the afore-referenced players. They were not tough enough; they were of insufficient quality. “Good riddance! Bring in the new guys!” Surely participants ultimately rule any athletic contest. Having the best player almost always prevails over having the best coach. Sports is the essential reality drama. But in this instance, to place 100% of the fault on the players would be lazy if not disingenuous. I frankly trust that our coaching staff is severely scrutinizing themselves and each other. THEY are culpable. This result is not OK. This will not stand. THEY must hold themselves accountable. THEY must hold each other accountable. It is (past) time to rigorously re-evaluate previously successful methods and techniques. Change your process, coach. Test the old ways; keep only what proves out as viable. Scrap the rest. Assimilate new ideas and perspectives. Either you make changes or changes will be made for you. In the new millennium, Akron Zips MSOC have risen from the morass of anonymity, rerouting the apathy and mediocrity plaguing most MSOC programs. But we can easily return to that quagmire. We are much closer to it than most suspect.

Check out this assist @ 0:40.

Darlington Nagbe is simply the best! Everyone says so.

Last time Zips won an NCAA Tournament match, Micaletto was playing for Akron.

Absolutely ❤️ DarNag! He is my favorite professional athlete. Exemplary!

I have watched Notre Dame since we played them. Yes, they are better now than they were earlier this year. They seem to have found their scoring punch. I hope Kentucky pummels them! Death to ACC (metaphorically speaking)!

Indeed it will! Don’t sleep on Wildcats; they are a dangerous side right now.

Uh. No?

Preach It, Brother!!!! Welcome to the Team!

Any reader on this forum must read the comprehensive and historical review of NCAA MSOC Tournament selection authored by BigSoccer.com icon Sandon Mibut. Sandon Mibut's posts are toward the end of the thread, which was started by Gaucho Dan. Priceless! Enjoy! https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/ncaa-tournament-selection.2128408/

Humans who vote in polls may (or may not) evaluate the quality of individual wins or losses. Algorithms cannot make that sort of evaluation unless the formula is constructed to do. so. I do not believe RPI can distinguish between a 6-0 drubbing At Notre Dame and a 2-1 loss at Virginia. RPI does give weight to Away matches vs. Home matches. Otherwise, a loss is a loss, and an opponent's accumulated RPI is plugged into the algorithm. Nothing else is considered. Only humans can think outside the formula. RPI is far, far away from perfect. One might even describe RPI as an archaic, clumsy and lazy method of evaluation. Likewise, SOS is just mathematics; it is not voodoo. If I possessed the actual algorithm (and understood it) I would undoubtedly share it with you.

I agree with the Kentucky comments. Nobody wants to play Wildcats right now. I dislike ACC soccer elitism as much as anyone. But Pitt deserve to be in, for reasons discussed above.

I like that. Have you ever considered becoming an AD?

Pitt deserves to be in the tournament; Zips clearly do not.

The A-Roo flag came down for the year before High School Soccer even crowned a champion. Sad.

http://United Soccer Coaches Men's Top 25 Poll In the last coaches' poll, published 11/6, Akron was in the category of "also receiving votes". This means that in the eyes of United Soccer Coaches Men's Top 25 Poll, Zips are no worse than the 33rd best team in NCAA. There are 48 teams in the NCAA MSOC Tournament, as has been the format for quite some time. As you know, winners of conference tournaments automatically qualify. In this way, several teams with lower RPI than Akron made the tournament. (Someone can provide that total; I have no doubt.) Nothing unusual here; this occurs every single year. Aside from the automatic qualifiers, every team making the tournament had an RPI greater than 41, where our Zips are. https://rpiupdatemenssoccer.blogspot.com/search/label/RPI Rank The United Soccer Coaches Men's Top 25 Poll heavily suggests that the Zips should be in the NCAA Tournament. RPI indicates otherwise. As they nearly always do, with only rare and notable exceptions, the selection committee again chose according to RPI (outside of automatic qualifiers). Which is more relevant, polls or RPI?

So, what is the % difference between actual selection and RPI? Anyone?

Some players make their choice based on the school itself. Others seek to maximize their chances at hardware. Some are loyal to a team they have followed since childhood. But most NCAA players come for the coach. Period. It is time for Simonetti to engage in retail door to door recruiting. Every quality player in NEO, and there are many, should know about opportunities with Akron Zips.

Congratulations to Walsh Lady Warriors who are yet again state champions. One would sincerely hope that someone from that squad would play for Zips next year.

Check out Gaucho Dan's analysis. Final week analysis | BigSoccer Forum

XAV 1-0 AKR There is no credible way to sugar coat this. Zips are a worse side now than they were in August. Nothing has grown; nothing has improved. If each season is a journey, then this one has been a bad trip. Xavier is a mediocre team. Their strength is in their back four and GK. (In particular I would single out CB #3 Makel Rasheed.) But offensively, Musketeers scare no one. Zips could not (cannot) unlock the stout Xavier defense. Last night, the passes were consistently telegraphed, late, and without conviction. Seemingly gone are the days of three consecutive one-touch passes in the offensive third. Zips offense has become plodding, methodical and predictable. We are easily frustrated. And our defensive concentration wavers when our offense is stymied. Akron's participation in the NCAA Tournament is now dependent upon the charity of the committee. But it is difficult to argue that the Zips deserve one of the 48 slots. Our last victory was October 10th at Cleveland State, nearly a month ago. Since then, Zips have tied three matches and lost two. Our RPI is 38. We finished 7th in a twelve-team league and then failed to win the first-round match of the conference tournament. Our overall winning percentage is just shy of .700, but we are 1-2-4 away from home. Perhaps others on this forum can make a case for Zips qualifying for the tourney. I cannot. It probably does not matter too much anyway since our likely prospects would be traveling for a Thursday match. Players and Coaches always want one more chance to compete, and rightly so. They should want to prove themselves. But as a fan, it might be better to start looking toward Spring schedule. It is not too early to start gathering information on incoming recruits, and contemplating which current underclassmen will get their chances. I especially anticipate watching Caleb Borneo returning from injury and playing for Zips.

If Zips lose @ Xavier, it would make us a bubble team with RPI in mid 40s. A mediocre finish to the season and 7th place in conference is not a favorable resume for an At Large invitation. Zips best take care of business @ Xavier or the season might be over.

Ugh

This is not progress! We never finished 7th in the MAC!

Zips take another step toward their apparent goal of tying every team in the Big East.