TennZip

Great to see some discussion on this board. I know that there are so many zip soccer fans that are anxious to learn who the zips will have on the field for the games in the Spring. I really think that fall 2020 is going to be a huge bounce back year for the Zips. I think that Natnael McDonald and Ivan Nikolic (both had to miss fall 2019 due to injuries)....will really be key contributors for the 2020 Zips.

Zip_ME87.....thank you for starting this topic. Hopefully, the zips have some good incoming transfers. I look forward to Gabriel Ramos joining the zips. I have been told that he played for an outstanding club in Brazil

this article has very complimentary words about one of the hardest working young men to ever wear a zips uniform I am rooting for this former zip .....to be drafted on Monday https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/10/mls-superdraft-2020-five-best-players-remaining-3rd-and-4th-rounds-travis-clark

The first 2 rounds of the MLS draft occurred today. Tom Smart was selected as the 19th pick in the 2nd round (45th overall) by the LA Galaxy. Rounds 3 and 4 of the draft will occur on Monday the 13th Zips have had players drafted(or signed as homegrowns) in every draft since the 2008 MLS draft

I like the Akron reference in this 2020 wish list article https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/01/new-year-wish-list-every-mls-team-j-sam-jones Columbus Crew SC: For those HalcyAkron days Darlington Nagbe and Caleb Porter are back together in Ohio. Ten years ago they won a national title together. Will the pairing have enough juice left in it for Columbus to make it back to the playoffs? Wait, no, I meant to say will it have enough Zip to it. For the whole Akron bit. Can we go back to the? No? Ok, moving on...

https://www.beaconjournal.com/photogallery/OH/20191217/PHOTOGALLERY/121709998/PH/1 Beacon Journal says that the zips have another 2021 recruit (#14 in the article) very familiar last name ??

Congratulations to these student athletes

https://gozips.com/news/2019/12/9/mens-soccer-egbo-and-ritaccio-garner-united-soccer-coaches-all-north-regional-accolades.aspx

news from this past Thursday

http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/ss/view_game_report.php?eventId=7269036&teamId=12553740 2021 recruit Jason Shokalook had 2 more goals today in a 3-0 win for the Internationals over Arsenal FC 7 freaking goals in 3 games for Jason Shokalook Top Drawer Soccer always selects an all tournament team. Jason should be on the team......possibly MVP of the entire tourney???? 2020 recruit Jordan Seaman again played all 90 minutes as a defender (2 shutouts for the Internationals in 3 games played) If you look closely at box score, team manager George Nanchoff and assistant coach Michael Nanchoff were in attendance hopefully, the zips assistant is lining up some good recruits at the development academy winter cup

http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/ss/view_game_report.php?eventId=7268952&teamId=12553740 the first article....says that the Internationals played to an opening game draw on Wednesday if you look at the game details, 2020 recruit Jordan Seaman played 90 minutes as a defender and Jason Shokalook played all 90 minutes and scored 2 goals in the 2-2 draw Goals - Internationals U-18/19 18Jason ShokalookGoal25 18Jason ShokalookGoal75

Top Drawer soccer currently has Jason as #49 in the class of 2021 He will probably rise in their rankings after doing so well in the Dev. Academy winter cup https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-player-profile/jason-shokalook/pid-96590

Jason Shokalook is currently the only announced Zip soccer recruit for 2021 Jason had a very good day yesterday at the Development Academy winter cup https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/boys-dev-academy-winter-cup:-best-of-day-2_aid47416 F Jason Shokalook, Internationals SC – The Akron commit scored a hat trick as Internationals bounced back from an opening day draw with a 4-0 win. Nick Scott accounted for the fourth goal.

a little bit older article....mid October.... but it has not been shared here... happy to see Marcel Zajac get to play many minutes in his first pro season https://www.insauga.com/inaugural-cpl-championship-brings-mississauga-flair Forward Marcel Zajac put in more than 1,000 minutes in the CPL debut season. He also made 54 appearances with 35 starts over three years at Akron (2016-18). The native of Mississauga represented Canada at the Youth National Team level, including matches with the U-17 squad. He also played his youth football at Sigma FC under Smyrniotis.

I do not believe that this Q&A has been posted on the board... Congrats to Niko https://www.timbers.com/post/2019/10/28/qa-timbers-2-defender-niko-de-vera-his-first-international-call

recruiting class is up to 5 now.... a former Atlanta United Academy teammate of Natnael McDonald....will join the zips in 2020 https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/high-school-soccer-article/daily-recruiting:-picking-for-2020-2021_aid47353 BOYS Remi Smith, Midfielder, Atlanta United Class: 2020 Commitment: Akron "The soccer program was good and I felt like to school fit me well," Smith said. "I liked the atmosphere around the team. I got the feeling that the players and the coaches were very close and had good relationships." Smith also was considering Brown and FIU.

West Virginia is making the MAC look very good tonight West Virginia leads 5-1 at Butler after 84 minutes winner plays at #11 seed Marshall

Caleb, Wil Trapp, and Darlington are all mentioned prominently in this article thought that zips fans and crew fans...might like to read https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20191117/columbus-crew-coach-caleb-porter-expects-more-scoring-from-artur-wil-trapp

I am optimistic that Natnael McDonald will have an impact in 2020. He missed the entire season due to injury. He was as highly touted as Will Jackson. When we look at the 2020 incoming recruiting class, hopefully a hidden gem from the 2019 recruiting class.....will have a large impact on the 2020 season. Wishing you good health to Natnael. The Zips need you.

on the coaching discussion, did Akron U. budget troubles cause a loss of one assistant? I know that Leo Chappell left mysteriously before the great NCAA run. However, for most of 2018, the team had Jared, Leo Chappell , Ger Coppinger and TJ Kolba 2019 team had Jared, Ger and Michael Nanchoff. 3 instead of 4.... I know that TJ deservedly earned a promotion to full time assistant and went to Michigan State I know that akron hired a director of soccer operations this year. Will Akron go back to having 3 assistants working for Jared in 2020?

The discussion on this board today has been outstanding...and super inspiring ZippyPitt commented on the generally positive overall vibe......... Yes, some posters definitely had rose colored glasses the most egregious example of this....was ZipaZip on September 30 (after the Cornell game) YipaZip post on September 30 Apart from Lundt, this team is stronger in all areas compared to last years team. MalonePioneer did a very good analysis today....on how much that the team lost from last year.... I made several posts after the Cornell game....arguing with YipaZip's inane statement... I followed up with a 2nd post....about Abdi and Skye... My first post arguing with YipaZip....mentioned a player that I don't think...has been mentioned today. (Morgan Hackworth). To follow up on someone's else post about last year's leaders keeping David Egbo positive.....Morgan was a very mature and smart team player and he provided good direction for David and others. my post from late September...early October Which outside forward on this year's team are you saying....is stronger than Marcel Zajac? this team is badly missing Marcel Zajac. Will Jackson is going to be a very good player....but Marcel Zajac was truly outstanding in the tournament run. Zajac was my zips MVP in the MAC tourney and NCAA tourney. Also, do not underestimate the loss of Morgan Hackworth. Morgan might not have the athletic ability of some on this team but he was a coach's son. Morgan was very technically sound and he was the ultimate team player. Morgan made others on the field better. He rarely made sloppy giveaways in the midfield and he won a large portion of 50/50 balls.

https://www.beaconjournal.com/sports/20191115/university-of-akron-mens-soccer-disappointing-season-for-zips-ends-in-1-0-loss-to-bowling-green-in-mac-tournament-semifinal “This has been our issue all year,” Zips coach Jared Embick said. “I thought we were coming close to overcoming it. We gave up a few chances, a goal and a couple chances. We had plenty of chances and hit two posts and had a couple other looks. We don’t put them away — 12 corner kicks and didn’t get after it. This group under adversity sometimes didn’t deal with it the right way.” “This was like the whole year,” Embick said. “We’ll have to evaluate some of the mindsets, but in terms of the games and performances, I think it was similar to the losses this season. We had good looks, good chances in key moments to take leads and go up and we didn’t. “There were chances that went against us that were a little more clinical this year and we paid the price.” “We underachieved and performed below expectations,” Embick said. “Us as coaches have to figure out where we went wrong. The players have to look in the mirror and let people know it’s one of those situations that may come from time to time. “It’s disappointing, but we’re going to spend time, evaluate it, correct it and get everyone back to the level we can be.”

great find, Blue and Gold.....on Jordan Seaman article below...has some more info https://www.mytownneo.com/sports/20191115/five-stow-student-athletes-commit-to-college-athletics While Seaman is a senior at Stow, he did play boys soccer for the Bulldogs, concentrating his play with the Cleveland Internationals academy. Seaman carries a 3.7 grade-point average at Stow and plans to major in political science/pre-law at Akron, while playing at left back for the Zips. While he also considered attending Wake Forest, Seaman said Akron was the right place for his professional aspirations. “I want to play professional soccer and Akron was the right program to help me get there,” Seaman said.

West Virginia won 3-2 they were 0-4-1 in the regular season and are now 2-0 in the conference tourney.... every team is dangerous...when the season comes downs to win or go home