2024 Women's soccer

[72 Roo]

In sports a turnaround in a program is all about coaching. The right coach can find success even in the face of poor facilities, low budget or little administration support. None of those issues are applicable to the UA women's program. I still hope that Jen can build a team to match the men's, but to be honest I see little reason for optimism.

[Blue & Gold]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2025/04/01/university-of-akron-women-soccer-coach-jen-simonetti-personnel-file-investigation-update/82754602007/?tbref=hp

[TennZip]

as far as I know, Jen Simonetti is still being investigated???

 

Top Drawer soccer is reporting this morning that Akron's women's soccer has signed a 3 star rated forward for the class of 2026

 

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-player-profile/emma-ogdahl/pid-172642

[Z.I.P.]

FYI, Sept '24 article from Toledo Blade about the Perrysburg HS team and their two senior stars.  Too bad we couldn't have gotten them both, but Camille Francis committed to Ohio per TDS.  I really hope coach Simonetti is able to overcome her trials and remain in charge for this upcoming season to show what she can accomplish with a clearly upgraded roster.  Stability is the most important thing for a growing program.

 

https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/high-school/2024/09/04/francis-and-ogdahl-form-power-pair-for-perrysburg-girls-soccer/stories/20240904086

[NYC ZIP]

Jen Simonetti is no longer on the goZips website and Maggie Kuhn is listed as interim head coach. It would appear she’s been dismissed.

[clarkwgriswold]

Here's the Beacon article on the firing.  Unfortunately it is paywalled.  Some ugly allegations.  I'll try to get a summary up later if I have time.

 

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/education/2025/05/21/akron-zips-womens-soccer-coach-fired-jen-simonetti-platts/83742740007/

[TennZip]

17 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

Here's the Beacon article on the firing.  Unfortunately it is paywalled.  Some ugly allegations.  I'll try to get a summary up later if I have time.

 

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/education/2025/05/21/akron-zips-womens-soccer-coach-fired-jen-simonetti-platts/83742740007/

some of the most concerning.................

 

The investigation began this year after an Akron Children's Hospital sports physical therapist outlined a dozen concerns in an email sent to UA on Feb. 6.

 

In the email, the physical therapist accused Simonetti of pushing back on medical advice, including when a concussed athlete was sent to the emergency room because she had unequal pupils.

 

In another alleged incident, Simonetti told an athlete she was having shin pain because she was "unfit." That athlete was later diagnosed with a tibial stress fracture and was recommended for surgery, but a member of the coaching staff reportedly said the recommendation was made "because surgeons want money."

 

Hospital staff, who sometimes worked with Simonetti, said they felt she ignored their injury reports.

[WeRise225]

This program is a dumpster fire

[72 Roo]

This is sad for women's soccer. But it is also an opportunity to get it right with a change in leadership. It will be the first chance for Goodrich to show that he can find the best coaches when openings arise. This program should be top of the MAC year in year out. In fact, like the men it should aspire and perform at a level higher than the MAC. If all that is in the Beacon report is true I am glad to see a change. Ignoring medical advice is a total focus on short term outcomes at the expense of long term success. Our ladies deserve better and we should demand it.

[mes102]

1 hour ago, 72 Roo said:

This is sad for women's soccer. But it is also an opportunity to get it right with a change in leadership. It will be the first chance for Goodrich to show that he can find the best coaches when openings arise. This program should be top of the MAC year in year out. In fact, like the men it should aspire and perform at a level higher than the MAC. If all that is in the Beacon report is true I am glad to see a change. Ignoring medical advice is a total focus on short term outcomes at the expense of long term success. Our ladies deserve better and we should demand it.

 

First named that I thought of was Brian Jankowski. A Strongsville native who was a volunteer assistant at Akron in 2010 and 2011 under Chris Pfau. Jankowski is currently the associate head coach at Ohio State. 

 

This program needs someone from NE Ohio that has D1 experience. 

[ZippyRulz]

I would throw out the name Drew Crawford who was an assistant Zips men's coach and is now an assistant at Yale. North Canton native, knows the area, good character.

 

Edited May 21 by ZippyRulz

[clarkwgriswold]

Sounds like she would have been a great high school JV football coach in the 1960s.

[ZipsBBjunkie]

That's for sure definitely sounds like old school coach Bob Knight-like approach along with team hazing that is no longer tolerated this day and age! Teammates kicking a teammate tossed out of practice! I wonder if there were just no strict guardrails like Akron Children's has in place at UA now at her previous programs including Case. I would have thought athletes at a school like Case would have been even more sensitive to these types of bullying tactics then DI athletes and it doesn't appear she had any of these types of issues at Case where she was incredibly successful. Definitely came in without the DI experience but other than that her resume was quite impressive and she is known to have deep ties with the local clubs though maybe the reputation was more known locally as those ties never did pay off for Akron.

 

https://athletics.case.edu/sports/womens-soccer/roster/coaches/jen-simonetti/245