TennZip

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/mls/2024/12/20/emil-jaaskelainen-mls-superdraft-pick-st-louis-sc-akron-zips-soccer/76945512007/ Incidentally, Akron has had at least one player chosen in the SuperDraft in 16 of the last 17 seasons. “A lot of players coming into their senior year of high school have aspirations of going pro,” Zips coach Jared Embick said. “To continue to get the good players, you have to show you can get guys to the next level. To have the continuity to do that every year is extremely important to the program and our ability to track players.” “In their(St. L) system of play, they need a target,” Embick said. “They need a guy that can get on the end of things and score. When you look at St. Louis last year, they lacked a goal scorer that stepped up and helped carry the team. I think it’s smart of them to take the best goal scorer eligible in the draft.”

Congratulations to Emil !!!! picked by St. Louis City SC.....in the first round #7 overall pick

not sure if this was posted.... https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/darlington-nagbe-receives-2024-audi-goals-drive-progress-impact-award

speaking of the super talented Steve Z., zips fans might like this article one of my sisters moved to Bainbridge Island, WA in April 2024. My sister sent me this article on Steve Z...from the Bainbridge Island newspaper https://www.bainbridgereview.com/sports/ex-sounders-star-overcomes-adversity-using-strength-within/

Wake Forest did not make the NCAA final that year.... yet, they had 2 of the 3 Hermann Trophy finalists voters must love the Arrogant Coast Conference (ACC)

he was not..... https://gocreighton.com/news/2011/12/9/205344617.aspx your question made me think about Joao Moutinho and 2017 The three men's finalists for 2017 are Wake Forest University senior forward Jon Bakero (Stiges, Spain), Stanford University senior defender Tomas Hilliard-Arce (Matthews, N.C.) and Indiana University senior defender Grant Lillard (Hinsdale, Ill.).

What a long and distinguished pro career....that he has had.... I think this will be his 17th year in pro soccer. I think that Montreal was in the NASL in 2011 and that Montreal debuted in MLS in 2012 (so , I think that this will be his 14th year in MLS) Evan Bush needs to be applauded for his extraordinary professional career.

Here is another MLS Mock Draft https://draftutopia.com/2025mlsmockdraft.html Good news and bad news for Zips fans..... Emil is again forecasted to be the #2 overall pick in the draft. The bad news is that the writer lists 90 players that he thinks....will be drafted. Emil is the only zip forecasted to be drafted. Be sure to read to the bottom of the note....at the bottom, I share who the ESPN soccer broadcaster....predicted to win the Hermann Trophy That just does not pass my smell test. Dyson Clapier and Malik Henry were both drafted in the top 40 last year. Are they tied to the team that drafted them last year? There is no possible way that Beto Ydrach is not one of the 90 best draft eligible players. Mitch Budler was 3rd team all american. I do not know if Mitch is draft eligible (Juniors can be drafted) but Mitch is one of the Best GK's in the country. In this mock draft, I was absolutely floored by the dominance of the 4 college cup teams in this mock draft. This writer predicts that Ohio State will have 3 players selected in the top 10 and that Denver will have 5 players selected in the top 25. Again, I know nothing about this writer.....but The talent gap between Akron and the college cup teams .....to me ...is not this extreme. Writer has 7 players being drafted for 3 different teams (Denver, Vermont and Marshall) 1 player for Akron ????? - I Just don't agree with this writer. Let's look at the 4 college cup teams Ohio State 1. Michael Adedokun 8. Siggi Magnusson 10. Nathan Demian (this was the young man , who was shot as he was walking home....the night of OSU QF win...he was innocent bystander and was not able to play against Marshall) 33. Deylan Veilos 41. Anthony Samways Denver 4. Sam Bassett 16. Ian Smith 19. Jason Belloli 20. Trevor Wright 25. Ronan Wynne 62. Oje Ofurein 68. Ben Smith Vermont 9. Yaniv Bazini 11. Sydney Wathuta 24. Nathan Simeon 34. Mike Bleeker 40. Aarean Schultze Solano 55. Zach Barrett 69. Max Murray Marshall 13. Lineker Rodrgiues Dos Santos 21. Marco Silva 29. Tarik Pannholzer (this young man was super impressive in college cup....if Marshall had won, Pannholzer should have been voted Most outstanding player) 39. Takahiro Fujito 42. Tajima Okiyoshi 43. Alex Bamford 51. Theo Goddard At halftime, the one ESPN soccer broadcaster....asked the other Broadcaster(Devon Kerr).....to predict the final 3 for the Hermann Trophy...and to predict the winner Devon Kerr could not narrow it down to 3 his final four were: Michael Adedokun , Ohio State ....11 goals and 11 assists Sam Bassett, Denver......13 assists Lineker Rodrigues Dos Santos, Marshall....15 goals Emil Jaaskilainen, Akron......23 goals Devon Kerr said that Emil Jaaskilainen has been the best player in college soccer and that Emil should win the Hermann Trophy

Tremendous final..... Well played by both teams..... Congratulations to Vermont.

this is the first mock draft that I have seen... https://www.instagram.com/p/DDn1LvHv5tg/

Today (Monday 12/16) is the last day to vote

Heather Lyke was being paid $1.5 million a year at Pittsburgh. She recently interviewed for the AD job at Northwestern. I don't believe that Heather Lyke is in the U of A desired price range. GVD (as he is known by Lane Kiffin) only knows the "Akron way". Akron needs someone that understands how successful schools work.

Congratulations to Emil and Mitch https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/ncaa-division-i-mens-all-america-teams-announced/

I voted once yesterday and once today. I am going to keep voting once a day until the voting ends. Emil truly had a very elite season and is very deserving of winning the Hermann trophy.

Personally, I think that the college cup.....should alternate beween east coast, west coast and middle of the country the powers that be......definitely like Cary, NC https://www.ncaa.com/news/ncaa/article/2024-12-08/ncaa-announces-extended-host-agreements-multiple-championships

Ohio State mauled the Wake Forest whiners 3-0

One NCAA semifinal is set for next week Denver will face Vermont Vermont upset number 2 seed Pittsburgh 2-0 number 3 seed Denver defeated UMass 3-0

Mr. Spelling was also an amazing high school soccer coach as well. His results at Medina were extraordinary. For many years, Mr. Spelling would bring 7 to 8 Meidna players to Akron home games and they would sit a row or two behind me. Coach Spelling would often point out good technique and great efforts to the young men from Medina during the Akron game.

@fknbuflobo you will enjoy the memories with this article Simon Spelling was told that he was not good enough to play for Duke ??? Simon was fantastic. https://gozips.com/sports/2018/4/25/team-of-distinction-1986-mens-soccer

https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2024/12/is-akron-football-coach-joe-moorhead-a-candidate-to-become-michigan-football-offensive-coordinator-3-names-to-watch.html

top drawer soccer is reporting that Akron has signed a player for 2026 rated 3 stars by Top Drawer soccer M Callee Dalbon (Beadling SC/[Bethel Park pa-w]) committed to Akron. https://www.instagram.com/p/DCsTKpfNgrh/