TennZip

Top Drawer soccer(TDS) released today...their July recruiting rankings for Fall 2025. It is a premium article...so you will probably only be able to see the top 5 teams that they have rated. https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/2025-mens-di-recruiting-rankings:-july_aid54877 I never put much stock in their recruiting ratings....because 1) TDS only has 2 or 3 employees so it is impossible for them to be aware of every talented high school player, every international player and every college transfer.....and most importantly - 2) they can't accurately rate Akron because Akron has not yet released their fall signing class. TDS is not aware of the May transfer windown players that the Zips are bringing in. They are also not aware of any freshman joining the team from Europe. UCLA #1 ; Portland #2 ; North Carolina #4 and Maryland #5 in recruiting rankings...are not included in the top 25 preseason ranking done by the United Soccer coaches. Stanford at #3 in the recruiting rankings...is the only top 5 recruiting school ranked in the pre season team rankings. TDS has Akron ranked at #43....Again, I think that Akron is under ranked.....as the Akron new player announcement will includes players that TDS does not know about....and ZNO posters (like us) do not know about. Hopefully, we have some good transfers coming in and some freshman internationals. Jared and his coaches (unless the rules have changed) can begin coaching the players 15 days before the regular season opener, With the opener at VCU on Aug. 21, that would mean that Jared and team can begin active coaching on August 6. I would anticipate that the new Zips fall player announcement will come on August 5 or August 6. 43. Akron (39) Commitments: M Braxton Hayes (Nashville SC – No. 116), GK Gavin Crane (Cleveland Force), F Aljaz Dodig (Celje), M Logan LaMaina (Sporting Athletic), D Jose Pedro (Rio Ave), D Jamai Royer (Vaughan SC) Transfers: M Jack Sullivan (Saint Louis), M Abdi Bahur (East Tennessee Sate), M Tyler Morck (St. John’s), D Freddy Kossehasse (Iowa Western Community College) Georgetown is the highest rated big east team....in the recruting rankings 8. Georgetown (8) Commitments: F Charlie Rosenthal (LAFC – No. 44), M/D Timothy Logan (New York Red Bulls – No. 97), M/F Casey Milliken (NEFC – No. 124), D William Caldwell (Toronto FC), M Loukas Maroutsis (AEK Athens), M Noah Satriano (Baltimore Armour), GK Dimy Toruba (Inter Miami CF) Transfers: D Jackson Lindimore (Indiana) There are several programs staking a strong claim on this last spot. Georgetown holds the edge as the attacking reinforcements of Rosenthal and Milliken offer high-level promise. Lindimore is a big-time add via the transfer portal. Maroutsis is a late addition, joining from a club in Greece. Other teams that are included in the recruiting rankings St. Louis is #9 in the recruiting rankings. They have signed 4 freshman that are ranked in the top 200 incoming domestic freshamen (Akron has 1...Braxton Hayes) not on Akron's schedule....Pittsburgh was #19 in the June recruits/transfer rankings. Pitt jumped to #12 in July rankings due to adding Josh Hardin from Akron. Ohio State is #19 West Virginia is #37 Cornell is #42

When you look at the preseason 2025 rankings, you can see that they are identical to the Final Dec. 16, 2024 rankings The United soccer coaches put no thought or research into the pre season rankings. They just started with the end of year 2024 rankings. https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-men/d1/united-soccer-coaches

Congratulations to SHOOKY !!! MLS Next Pro player of the week https://www.chicagofirefc.com/two/news/chicago-fire-fc-ii-named-mls-next-pro-team-of-matchweek-20

JASON SHOKALOOK !!! Well done, former Zip !!! https://www.instagram.com/p/DMoGKKMhhvo/

Congratulations to Darlington Nagbe He definitely deserves to be included on the list of the greeatest 11 players to ever play for Portland Timbers What a Tremendous career!!! A National title for the Zips and MLS titles with 3 different winners. https://www.timbers.com/news/timbers-all-time-xi-presented-by-toyota-midfielder-darlington-nagbe

For the 2nd straight game, there are 6 or 7 paragraphs written about the unselfishness and talent of Richie Laryea https://www.tfcrepublic.ca/july-20-toronto-fc-nashville-sc/ comments from their coach "I thought he was great. I thought he was very good. Again, Richie's understanding of what's dangerous, what's not, when to close, when to close hard, when to be patient, I think all of that [was good]. I knew Richie [when] he first came to TFC in 2019, and he was young and naïve then, and I feel like he's a completely different person now," Robin Fraser said. "He is a seasoned pro who we've obviously asked him to play in a number of different positions in the last couple of games, and he just does what's asked of him because it's what the team needs. So, I thought he put in a really incredible shift."

I had penciled Simon G. in as a starter for fall 2025. Beto and Jonas were a great center back combo last year. I hope that the incoming recruit announcement ...includes some center back. I wish Simon G. well at Nebraska-Omaha.

This article has 7 paragraphs ...praising the performance of Richie Laryea. Click on the link below....to read about unselfish, team oriented Richie. this is the subheadline of the article TFC posted a big road win over the Western Conference leaders, highlighted by Richie Laryea's brilliant performance. https://www.tfcrepublic.ca/july-17-toronto-fc-san-diego-fc/

All of us fans knew that the Zips graduated 7 starters from last year's team. With Josh Hardin transferring, the zips will now have 8 new starters. (Mitch Budler, Ashton Kamdem and Matt Dreas are the 3 returning starters) Like all fans, I anxiously await the zips news release that will tell us about incoming fall 2025 transfers and about any new international freshmen joining the program.

This is an absolutely gigantic loss for Zips men's soccer. Josh Hardin was so good for the zips in fall 2024. Pitt Panthers have added a very good player. https://www.instagram.com/p/DMIYZkJsJ8h/

Defending national champion Vermont finally released their schedule today. as ZipTopper told us in late June, the Zips Will play at Burlington on Saturday September 13. weird start time of 6 pm game will be televised on ESPN +

Speaking of Vermont, their soccer team is going to Germany in June.... very good article....about the We Five......greatly helped Vermont mens soccer https://uvmathletics.com/news/2025/6/24/peter-bernhardt-72-champions-global-experience-for-mens-soccer-national-champions.aspx

you have great sources !!!.... Wow....road game at the defending national champions !!!! Sweet !!!! also, a road game against the team (OSU) that was ranked number 1 for most of last year. 8 non conference games Vermont Ohio State Western Michigan West Virginia St. Louis VCU Cleveland State Northern Kentucky RPI bonanza.... Bring on the Catamounts !!!

announced exhibition games: Saturday August 9: vs. St. Bonaventure Wednesday August 13: vs. WVU Tech (Beckley) Friday, August 15: vs. Detroit Mercy Titans REgular season announced games: Thursday, August 21: @ VCU (regular season opening game for the Zips) Sunday August 24: vs. Northern Kentucky (home regular season opener) Friday, August 29: vs. West Virginia Monday, September 1 : vs. Cleveland State Friday, September 5: @ Ohio State Tuesday, September 9: vs. Western Michigan Friday, September 19: vs. Connecticut * Tuesday, September 23: vs. St Louis Saturday, September 27: @ Butler* Friday, October 3: vs. St John’s* Tuesday, October 7: @ Cornell Saturday, October 11: vs. DePaul* Friday, October 17 : @ Seton Hall* Saturday, October 25: @ Xavier* Saturday, November 1: vs. Marquette* Friday, November 7: @ Creighton * (last regular season game) I think that the regular season schedule will be 17 games. 16 games have been announced. Expect that the remaining road game will be on Saturday September 13

announced exhibition games: Friday, August 15: vs. Detroit Mercy Titans REgular season announced games: Thursday, August 21: @ VCU (regular season opening game for the Zips) Friday, August 29: vs. West Virginia Friday, September 5: @ Ohio State Tuesday, September 9: vs. Western Michigan Friday, September 19: vs. Connecticut * Tuesday, September 23: vs. St Louis Saturday, September 27: @ Butler* Friday, October 3: vs. St John’s* Tuesday, October 7: @ Cornell Friday, October 17 : at Seton Hall* Saturday, October 25: at Xavier* Saturday, November 1: vs. Marquette* Friday, November 7: @ Creighton * (last regular season game) I think that 13 of the 17 regular season games are shown above....Zips should host DePaul in the 8th Big East conference game. Neither Akron or DePaul has released their schedule.

Most NCAA Division 1 soccer teams will start their regular season on Thursday night August 21. I am sure that the zips will play 2 or 3 exhibition games Detroit Mercy has announced their full schedule and they will play an exhibition game at Akron on Friday August 15. https://detroittitans.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule/2025 announced exhibition games: Friday, August 15: vs. Detroit Mercy Titans REgular season announced games: Friday, September 5: @ Ohio State Tuesday, September 9: vs. Western Michigan Friday, September 19: vs. Connecticut * Tuesday, September 23: vs. St Louis Saturday, September 27: @ Butler* Friday, October 3: vs. St John’s* Tuesday, October 7: @ Cornell Friday, October 17 : at Seton Hall* Saturday, October 25: at Xavier* Saturday, November 1: vs. Marquette*

I think that the Zips alternate years on Big East Eastern Division opponents...(always play the 5 other teams in Big East Mid west and 3 games against Big East Eastern teams) in 2023, the Zips played Connecticut, St. John's and Seton Hall Those 3 teams have already released their 2025 schedules and the Zips play all 3 teams in 2025. In 2024, the Zips played Georgetown, Providence and Villanova. Villanova announced their schedule today and the Zips are not on their schedule. 3 big east Midwest teams ..(Xavier, Butler and Marquette) have released their schedules.... so....of the 10 games announced so far, 6 of the games are conference games. The 2 remaining Big East conference games....will be against Midwest foes Creighton and DePaul. I would anticipate that it will be a while before DePaul releases their schedule. DePaul had to announce a tragic event yesterday involving a player that started in 16 games for them last year. I am sure that all of us in the Akron zips soccer community want to extend our deepest sympathy to the family of this young man and to the coaches and the players of the DePaul Men's soccer community. https://depaulbluedemons.com/news/2025/6/2/athletics-depaul-university-mourns-the-loss-of-student-athlete-chase-stegall

I missed this Big East news release from yesterday...(I just added Western Michigan news release above) this post is about Seton Hall Akron will play at Seton Hall on Friday October 17 https://shupirates.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule Friday, September 5: @ Ohio State Tuesday, September 9: vs. Western Michigan Friday, September 19: vs. Connecticut * Tuesday, September 23: vs. St Louis Saturday, September 27: @ Butler* Friday, October 3: vs. St John’s* Tuesday, October 7: @ Cornell Friday, October 17 : at Seton Hall* Saturday, October 25: at Xavier* Saturday, November 1: vs. Marquette*

Western Michigan will play at Akron on September 9. https://wmubroncos.com/news/2025/6/3/mens-soccer-announces-2025-schedule.aspx Friday, September 5: @ Ohio State Tuesday, September 9: vs. Western Michigan Friday, September 19: vs. Connecticut * Tuesday, September 23: vs. St Louis Saturday, September 27: @ Butler* Friday, October 3: vs. St John’s* Tuesday, October 7: @ Cornell Saturday, October 25: at Xavier* Saturday, November 1: vs. Marquette*

The UConn Huskies will come to Akron on September 19th. This must be the first Big East game of 2025 https://uconnhuskies.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule Friday, September 5: @ Ohio State Friday, September 19: vs. Connecticut * Tuesday, September 23: vs. St Louis Saturday, September 27: @ Butler* Friday, October 3: vs. St John’s* Tuesday, October 7: @ Cornell Saturday, October 25: at Xavier* Saturday, November 1: vs. Marquette*

The Zips will host Marquette on Saturday November 1 https://gomarquette.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule/2025

Zips play at Xavier on October 25. https://goxavier.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule

it will probably be a while before the zips announce the official schedule. Some schools have announced their schedule. Huge early season test for the Zips. Zips play at Ohio State on September 5. https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule Zips will play at Butler on September 27 https://butlersports.com/news/2025/5/8/mens-soccer-mens-soccer-releases-2025-schedule-featuring-matches-with-six-ncaa-tournament-teams.aspx

Kamden Held, who was on the zips fall and spring roster......has transferred to Wisconsin Green Bay https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ48YGbTrPG/?hl=en

as always, great find.... Top Drawer soccer has him rated #129 in the class of 2025. https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/mls-next-flex:-under-19-players-to-watch_aid54577 Braxton Hayes, Nashville SC – The central midfielder remains an intriguing prospect who has trained with the NEXT Pro team. The Maryland native could get run as a key player centrally.