Ken Lolla accepts job at Louisville

[Johnny Utah]

Found this article in the Canton Repository this morning...

COLLEGE SOCCER: Zips’ Lolla heading to Louisville

Thursday, December 15, 2005 Ken Lolla’s most successful season as University of Akron men’s soccer coach will be his last.

A source confirmed late Wednesday that Lolla is leaving the Zips to become the head coach at Louisville. The surprising move comes less than two weeks after Akron lost to eventual national champion Maryland on peanlty kicks in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I tournament.

Lolla led the 18-1-4 Zips to their most successful season in 19 years this fall. They became the first Akron and Mid-American Conference team in any sport to be ranked No. 1 in the nation, won the Mid-American Conference tournament for the second year in a row and qualified for the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight time. The Zips reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1986 when they made it to the national championship match.

Last month, Akron gave Lolla a five-year contract extension that was to go into effect when his current agreement expired in March. In 13 seasons, he compiled a 160-68-25 record, won eight MAC regular season championships, won four MAC tournament titles and lead his teams to the NCAA tournament six times.

Lolla faces a rebuilding task at Louisville. The Cardinals finished 5-11-2 this year.

This sucks!!!

[Quickzips]

Screw Ken Lolla and Screw the NCAA. Lolla is a little pussy if he wants to leave after the University showed its loyalty to him by giving him a nice fat new contract. Boo Hoo Hoo I don't get the seeding I wanted in the tourney. Shut up. Good coaches use stuff like that as motivation, not an excuse to run for the hills. I won't even get into the NCAA opening the door for Lolla to have that excuse.

[a-zip]

Screw Ken Lolla and Screw the NCAA

[zipper]

Running for the hills? The guy's been here 13 years or something like that. OVER A DECADE. You don't call that a commitment? He's been approached numerous times and has always said no. Even if Akron was willing to match whatever Louisville was giving him - they can't match the conference. It's the way it is.

Ken Lolla is a class act through and through. I am sure he is doing exactly what he thinks is best for his career and for his family, something every one of us would do in his shoes.

I cannot believe anyone here is criticizing the guy. You're the pussies.

[scottditzen]

Ouch. This is not good for Akron. I'm from Brick, NJ, the same town as him, and played soccer with his brother for years. He's always been a great guy.

I wish he would've stayed a Zip.

[Quickzips]

If he's so loyal and has turned down so many offers before then why leave now? And no, I don't buy the whole conference arguement.

[zipper]

Why don't you buy the conference argument? You can't possibly be so blind as to say it doesn't make a difference. Let me help you out: level of play, national exposure, ability to recruit, just to start. I'm sure I could think of more.

It is a compliment to Akron that they held on to Lolla this long. For you to think otherwise is not objective.

[AkronURocks]

From today's cleveland plain dealer:

Lolla leaving:

Ken Lolla, the successful University of Akron soccer coach, is expected to be hired today by the University of Louisville Cardinals as their next coach, according to sources close to the Zips and around the Mid-American Conference.

Lolla coached the Zips for 13 years and led Akron to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including this season

Sad day for the University of Akron. Don't know who is going to hire a new soccer coach when there is no AD. Bad, bad news for the zips. Sorry to see Ken leave, but somehow I imagine Louisville made an offer he couldn't resist.

Just checked the Zips Soccer roster and they have already taken down his name. Also took down both of his assistants, leading me to believe he is taking them with him.

Oy-vey!!!

[JP Morgan]

Let me help you out: level of play, national exposure, ability to recruit, just to start. I'm sure I could think of more.

apparantly the issues you list were not a problem..... I seem to recall we were # 1 in the nation at one point this season....but maybe that was just a rumor? The whole "better" conference thing is not a valid argument in my opinion.

If the guy wants to go, fine, he's free to do that, I just don't think he made a step up. Akron is a national power in soccer, hopefully we will continue that tradition without Mr Lolla.

[zip37]

OK, WHO OUT THERE WOULD TURN DOOWN PAY RAISE FOR "LOYALITY", NOT ME, AND I WORKED 35+ YEARS FOR THE SAME OUTFIT, I WANTED TO STAY IN THE AKRON AREA,

SO I DID AND WASN'T TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE MONEY, BECAUSE I WAS ADEQUATELY PAID. YOU MAKE CHOICES AND STICK WITH THEM. GOOD LUCK KEN.

BIG EAST VS. MAC--GET REAL THERE IS NO COMPARISON.

WBALAL

[Quickzips]

Come on, I can buy the arguement that the Big East is a better Basketball conference. I can even buy it on the level Football. But soccer? Do you really think that there is a HUGE pay increase from being a MAC soccer coach to being a Big East soccer coach? And yet you leave a #1 NATIONALY RANKED TEAM and a team that can easily compete any given year for the national championship for a team that had a wopping total of FIVE wins last season? No buy man. No buy.

[zip37]

YES! The Big East pays much better than MAC, just like OSU pays more than Uof A vome on you've got to get real, #1 ranking not withstanding, the pay was what it was & will be

what it it will be and higher in the Big East regardless of national ranking. Look in 5 years and see where LOU is.

[a-zip]

Running for the hills? The guy's been here 13 years or something like that. OVER A DECADE. You don't call that a commitment? He's been approached numerous times and has always said no. Even if Akron was willing to match whatever Louisville was giving him - they can't match the conference. It's the way it is.

Ken Lolla is a class act through and through. I am sure he is doing exactly what he thinks is best for his career and for his family, something every one of us would do in his shoes.

I cannot believe anyone here is criticizing the guy. You're the pussies.

No arguing that he has been a great asset and person BUT............You are either with us or against us.

Bring on Shaun Docking! Shaun Docking

[InTheZone]

Hey fuck Lolla. I can hear the song playing now in his head "Go on...take the money and run!!!!" What's even more sickening is that his players were taking him out for dinner saturday and he cancelled on them so he could go negotiate his fat new deal. Way to turn your back on your players and the university. I hope you don't win a game at Louisville faggot.

[grice]

Akron has a great soccer tradition which dates back even prior to Lolla's fine tenure. The Zips always play a very strong national schedule. Also Akron enjoys being located in very strong area for high school soccer talent. The next UA coach will be moving into a real opportunity for this one of the most respected programs in the Midwest and the nation. Zip soccer will take a backseat to no one.

[zipsbandman]

I say lets hire the best guy we can and then pound Lolla's team into the ground in some OOC action. This university did a lot for him and we all rallied behind our soccer program. Athletics spent quite a bit of $$ shuttling students over to Maryland to cheer our guys on. Too bad nobody cares about soccer in Louisville. You tend to get overshadowed when you got a top notch football and bball program.

[Quickzips]

37 man, you seem to not be looking at one thing. UA offered to match Louisvilles offer to Lolla. Check the Sad Sad day thread. It should be in there. So now what do we have?

-Equal money

-Leaving a team that was ranked #1 in the nation for about a month

-Going to a team that won a grand total of five games last year

-Leaving a program that he's been loyal to for 13 years and turned down jobs elsewhere for.

-Leaving a program that just gave him a nice new contract.

-Leaving a program where student and community support is at its highest.

-Going to a program where he will inevitably be overshadowed by Football and Basketball.

The ONLY arguement that can be made is that he is mad about the seeding and the prospect of being screwed again down the road. If that is the case then he's a little pussy and the heck with him. Good coaches use that kind of stuff as motivation, not only for that year but for future years to come. They use that as an extra tool to keep players pumped up to show the nation how good they really are. They don't run for the hills crying like little pansy's.

[zippyrifle32]

an sick as i am about him leaving, maybe he wanted the challenge of building a team from scratch. maybe it is more than money and fame. it would say a lot of his coaching abilities to bring a team like louisville up to where we were. i'm still on the same page as most people though...sick about it!

[zipper]

You guys who are saying such demeaning things about Lolla have never met him. The people I know in the athletic department swear by not only his character but his sincerity and ethics.

Knowing this, we can be assured he thought this one through carefully and, considering the needs of his family and his desired career path, made what he thought was the best decision. I am sure it was hard - I believe his wife's family is from this area.

So, for WHATEVER reasons, Lolla decided he had to make a switch. We will never know all the facets that went into making this decision, but I can't believe how much we can sit here and demand loyalty to an employer when most of us would do the same thing. Are you working for the fun of it? Do you have career goals? Would you seriously turn down more money? Do you care what things you are able to provide your wife and children?

Look, to me for Akron to excell we have to know who we are and then go be the best at it we can be. WE ARE IN A MID-MAJOR CONFERENCE. Period. There's nothing we or Kenny Lolla can do about that. We need to hire another up and comer - if he keeps us in the national spotlight and leaves for greener pastures in five years, so be it. Sad as we are, we should be thanking Lolla for staying as long as he did and for putting UA soccer on the map. It will enable us to hire a much more successful coach.

[a-zip]

Hey Zipper, it is as simple as this..........

AKRON ZIPS SOCCER = me

LOUISVILLE SOCCER KEN LOLLA

1- He was offered and excepted an extension earlier this year

2- The school matched the Louisville offer

3 - He has tremendous support from the fans

4- He would return a talented and young team

5- The Zips would no doubt enter next year as a Top 5 team

6- He signed recruits that will likely reconsider decisions on a coachless team

With regards to your argument about the conference and quality of play, lets compare

Teams played in NCAA Final top 25

Zips-5, SMU, Maryland, Penn St, St Johns, Indiana.

Louisville - 4, UConn, Notre Dame, St Johns, Indiana

Teams played in Preseason Top 25

Zips- 6, SMU, Maryland, Ohio St, Penn St, St Johns, Indiana

Louisville -5, UConn, Notre Dame, St Johns, Indiana, Ohio St.

How about tradition......who has more NCAA appearances, more Elite 8 appearances, been ranked the longest? Mr. Lolla did inherit a great program.

So, is'nt Mr Lolla doing the same thing the NCAA did.....Disregarding success on the field and choosing a more well known school? He is turning his back on us, giving us no respect just like everyone else! So........

[zipper]

I'm just wondering why you think this is more than a job for any coach. What makes his profession different from yours? Or are you still just an idealistic student with no idea of what you want to accomplish in life, or setting and attaining your own personal goals? He may have made Akron soccer one of the top programs in the country, but that doesn't mean he owes the University anything more than his 110% effort, which he apparently gave. My God, maybe he's ready for a challenge. But no, he can't do that, because you would be offended that he left us.

You act like he owes his employer more than he owes his family. You believe he owes the fans of UA soccer more than he owes his own life and career goals. You've got to be kidding. If that's selfish, then so are 99.9% of the posters on this board, including you I'd bet.

You're a hypocrite.

[Quickzips]

Noone is saying that this is more than just a job. What we are questioning is what makes the Louisville job any more enticing than staying at Akron? Lets look at the facts.

-Equal pay. And yes, Proenza and the University offered to match Louisvilles offer.

-His wife is from the area and his family has been settled here for 13 years.

-Success, Akron has it and has a history of it. On top of that this team is poised to make multiple NCAA championship runs. Louisville is a dismal team with no soccer history.

-Prestige, Akron soccer is one of the top 3 sports on campus. Take a look at the Buchtelite. 3 sports get the bulk of the sports coverage. Football, Basketball and Soccer. Going to Louisville you will constantly be overshadowed by a top 25 team in both Football and Basketball.

It just doesn't add up. The only thing that Louisville can possibly give is a guarunteed NCAA bid for the long term future that the MAC can't (If he can even bring their sad excuse for a program up to par in order to recieve that bid) and the title of Big East. Please feel free to come up with any other good arguements as to why he is leaving, but do yourselves a favor and cut the "He wanted better pay" crap. It just makes you look ignorant and bullheaded.

[zipper]

Trust me when I tell you I am not ignorant on the subject.

I just think people calling him out here are ridiculous and make Akron look ridiculous. Every good soccer coach who would be looking at this job as a step up are probably reading these boards, and those who personally attack Coach Lolla, a fine individual, for making what is surely a decision based on ALL the facts (not just those a bunch of fans can dream up) make all of us look pretty unappealing and idiotic.

But hey, keep it up. Maybe we can get a DIII assistant to apply for the job.

To Coach Lolla, on the off chance you subject yourself to these boards, a sincere THANK YOU for your years of service, dedication, and effort on behalf of our university. You deserve every good thing that comes your way. You have always represented Akron in the finest manner possible, both on and off the field. I, for one, am grateful for your years here, and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

[a-zip]

I'm just wondering why you think this is more than a job for any coach. What makes his profession different from yours? Or are you still just an idealistic student with no idea of what you want to accomplish in life, or setting and attaining your own personal goals? He may have made Akron soccer one of the top programs in the country, but that doesn't mean he owes the University anything more than his 110% effort, which he apparently gave. My God, maybe he's ready for a challenge. But no, he can't do that, because you would be offended that he left us.

You act like he owes his employer more than he owes his family. You believe he owes the fans of UA soccer more than he owes his own life and career goals. You've got to be kidding. If that's selfish, then so are 99.9% of the posters on this board, including you I'd bet.

You're a hypocrite.

So now I am a pussy and a hypocrite. FYI- I graduated from UA 20 years ago and have made many career decisions that included relocating my family. I accepted some, rejected others. Within each decision, family, career goals, money, challenge were all factors taken in to consideration. The fact is that neither you or I know what went in to his decision and everyone makes decisions for different reasons. I am not arguing that point and it is none of my business.

What I do know is this. HE IS NO LONGER A ZIP and my loyalty is not to Lolla, it is to the UofA.

If I extended a 5 year committment to one of my employees and they subsequently made a decision to go to a competitor, I would wish them well but kick their ass whenever we were in a competitive situation.

I guess you sided with Terrell Owens too, he held out so he could provide a living for his family. He helped bring the Eagles to the superbowl and played injured in the Superbowl. What do you think the Philly fans will do if T.O. comes to play in Philly.

If Lolla is so goal oriented.......was his goal to reach the elite 8? (that is not as good as the previous soccer coach at Akron).

If he is looking for a challenge, how is taking a "mid major" and winning the championship not a challenge.

If his goal was to win a national championship, he is closer to it at Akron than Louisville

[zipper]

A-zip, unless you are also QuickZip as an alias and are double posting, then no, you are not a pussy and a hypocrite. In looking back over your posts on this topic, you have not been slanderous to him. You also make the new point, that I AGREE with, that we can't know what went into his decision.

When UA plays Louisville in soccer, I also hope we kick their butts. That does not mean it is okay to make demeaning comments like these:

QuickZips: "Screw Ken Lolla and Screw the NCAA. Lolla is a little pussy..."

InTheZone: "Hey fuck Lolla."

QuickZips: "If that is the case then he's a little pussy and the heck with him."

Nice, guys. Nice lack of gratitude to a guy that took our alma mater to a number one ranking, the NCAA's, and several MAC championships. I would guess most of the other coaches in the country not only know but like and respect Ken Lolla. I would guess they're reading this and saying we're a bunch of assholes here if that's how we treat a great guy like Kenny and someone who's done this much for us - on their way out - and for whatever his reasons.