Soccer Recruits

[Z.I.P.]

Website for Cleveland Soccer Academy states that two members of their boys 1990 Impact squad are headed to Akron to play next year.The two are Solon HS, first team Div I all-Ohioan Ryan Greenhill, one of just three NE Ohioans on the D-1 all-state team. Joining Ryan as UA recruit is Berea High School's Thomas Schmitt, a third team all-state player. I'm not sure about positions, but suspect both may be forwards.Bad news -- not sure just how much chance Caleb had to get him -- is that Mr Everything in Ohio HS football (soccer), Strongsville forward Michael Green (recently added to the US U-18 national squad) is headed to Albuquerque, to join the Lobos. This Birmingham, England-born phenom will be a big name player for UNM.Please add any info you have on the recruiting front.

[UAZipster0305]

Thanks for the info. Both recruits seem to be very strong players.At least we didn't lose the OHIO POY to OSU who had an almost miraculous run to the finals in the NCAA tournament this year. If Green gets home sick at UNM, I could see him transferring to UA.

[rln]

According to Rise Magazine, the Zips have added two nationally ranked recruits to their roster for 2008:Teal Bunbury, Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Faribault, Minn.), (Ranked as the 20th best HS player in the country; 6th best forward)Darlington Nagbe, St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), (Ranked as the 21st best HS player in the country; 7th best forward) PS - Green is ranked as the 15th best HS player

[72 Roo]

Caleb also has more people coming. He has a verbal from a player who is ranked the best in the country at his position.We are in a very strong position. If we can get soccer in another conference as an affiliate and solve the funding problem for the new stadium, we will challenge to win a national championship. The conference issue is being worked on. The coaching staff is confident it will become a reality and we will get out of the MAC, which is holding soccer back. Unfortunately, the stadium can't move forward w/o private funding. If anyone has $12,000,000 laying around Caleb will show you plans for the new stadium that will knock your socks off. A less exciting alternative will be to build it in stages. The good news is the program has the OK to build it if funding steps forward.

[Z.I.P.]

According to Rise Magazine, the Zips have added two nationally ranked recruits to their roster for 2008:Teal Bunbury, Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Faribault, Minn.), (Ranked as the 20th best HS player in the country; 6th best forward)Darlington Nagbe, St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), (Ranked as the 21st best HS player in the country; 7th best forward) PS - Green is ranked as the 15th best HS player

Thanks! Yes -- Nagbe is considered the #2 player in Ohio. At least going into his senior HS season he was considered the only one capable of challenging Green for state POY. His fall to third-team all-state makes you wonder if he had a disappointing year, but it could be based on his team's performance or a number of factors.I'm not too familiar with Bunbury. WIll look for that site. Mahalo nui loa from home of the upcoming Pan Pacific Cup with Landon Donovan and LA Galaxy (oh, yeah, they have another player ...Carlos Ruiz!) Look for the tourney I hear to be picked up by ESPN!?

[br30302004]

Word on campus is that the 09 recruiting is well underway. My friend heard that Caleb received 2 verbals from National Team members for 09. One being the goalie who is ranked as the #1 goalie in the country and the other is the brother of someone who played at Wake and is currently on the LA Galaxy. I apologize as I can not remember the names, but will have to do a bit of research and post later.

[Z.I.P.]

Word on campus is that the 09 recruiting is well underway. My friend heard that Caleb received 2 verbals from National Team members for 09. One being the goalie who is ranked as the #1 goalie in the country and the other is the brother of someone who played at Wake and is currently on the LA Galaxy. I apologize as I can not remember the names, but will have to do a bit of research and post later.

The youngster who attended CVCA and was on the US 91 or 92 squad last summer (the one that eliminated him from qualification for last year's WC). He will be a HS senior in 08-09, and I would think UA should have a real chance at him.My dream: Kofi Sarkodie! Star of the US U-17s last summer, and an Ohioan from Huber Heights. But he's more likely to be playing in Europe or MLS.Blair Gavin getting some more good international experience with Thomas Rongen and staff (US U-20s). Did Blair get any PT last fall? Red shirt?

[2zip2]

Word on campus is that the 09 recruiting is well underway. My friend heard that Caleb received 2 verbals from National Team members for 09. One being the goalie who is ranked as the #1 goalie in the country and the other is the brother of someone who played at Wake and is currently on the LA Galaxy. I apologize as I can not remember the names, but will have to do a bit of research and post later.

The youngster who attended CVCA and was on the US 91 or 92 squad last summer (the one that eliminated him from qualification for last year's WC). He will be a HS senior in 08-09, and I would think UA should have a real chance at him.My dream: Kofi Sarkodie! Star of the US U-17s last summer, and an Ohioan from Huber Heights. But he's more likely to be playing in Europe or MLS.Blair Gavin getting some more good international experience with Thomas Rongen and staff (US U-20s). Did Blair get any PT last fall? Red shirt?

[2zip2]

Blair started 17 out of the 20 games he played in as a freshman.

[ZippyRulz]

Caleb also has more people coming. He has a verbal from a player who is ranked the best in the country at his position.We are in a very strong position. If we can get soccer in another conference as an affiliate and solve the funding problem for the new stadium, we will challenge to win a national championship. The conference issue is being worked on. The coaching staff is confident it will become a reality and we will get out of the MAC, which is holding soccer back. Unfortunately, the stadium can't move forward w/o private funding. If anyone has $12,000,000 laying around Caleb will show you plans for the new stadium that will knock your socks off. A less exciting alternative will be to build it in stages. The good news is the program has the OK to build it if funding steps forward.

The MAC only has 6 soccer teams, one of which is Hartwick. If UA leaves it will be pretty weak. I wouldn't be surprised if BG or WMU drops mens soccer at some point since they also have hockey. Would UA womens soccer go to the other conference as well? $12M for a soccer stadium seems like a long shot at best. Are you saying they won't show the plans until they have funding? Is there room at Lee Jackson for a fancy facility or would it have to be somewhere else?

• Men's Soccer
• MAC record
• Overall record

• Akron
• 4-0-1
• 15-4-2

• Buffalo
• 3-2-0
• 10-7-2

• Hartwick
• 2-1-2
• 5-6-7

• Bowling Green
• 2-2-1
• 6-10-3

• Northern Illinois
• 1-3-1
• 7-9-4

• Western Michigan
• 0-4-1
• 7-10-2

[ZachTheZip]

Caleb also has more people coming. He has a verbal from a player who is ranked the best in the country at his position.We are in a very strong position. If we can get soccer in another conference as an affiliate and solve the funding problem for the new stadium, we will challenge to win a national championship. The conference issue is being worked on. The coaching staff is confident it will become a reality and we will get out of the MAC, which is holding soccer back. Unfortunately, the stadium can't move forward w/o private funding. If anyone has $12,000,000 laying around Caleb will show you plans for the new stadium that will knock your socks off. A less exciting alternative will be to build it in stages. The good news is the program has the OK to build it if funding steps forward.

Get out of the MAC... I like that idea. Maybe they can get the soccer team into the Big East? It would be nice to have one foot in the door when the conferences shift again.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Why get out of the MAC? We win the league and get an automatic bid every 4 out of 5 years. We can schedule a home/home series with just about any BCS school. Be to MAC soccer what Memphis is to C-USA basketball, and enjoy it.

[johnnyzip84]

Why get out of the MAC? We win the league and get an automatic bid every 4 out of 5 years. We can schedule a home/home series with just about any BCS school. Be to MAC soccer what Memphis is to C-USA basketball, and enjoy it.

That would appear to be a good strategy assuming the MAC continues to get an automatic bid. I would think that if BG or WMU or both drop the sport, the NCAA might revoke it (automatic bid).

[ZachTheZip]

Why get out of the MAC? We win the league and get an automatic bid every 4 out of 5 years. We can schedule a home/home series with just about any BCS school. Be to MAC soccer what Memphis is to C-USA basketball, and enjoy it.

Easy. MAC might not have men's soccer in a few years. I would rather be in a conference that is stable in that sport, even if we don't get to be the "big fish in the little pond". We might even get an at-large bid every once in a while with the added respect that comes from being a non-MAC team.

[Z.I.P.]

Why get out of the MAC? We win the league and get an automatic bid every 4 out of 5 years. We can schedule a home/home series with just about any BCS school. Be to MAC soccer what Memphis is to C-USA basketball, and enjoy it.

Easy. MAC might not have men's soccer in a few years. I would rather be in a conference that is stable in that sport, even if we don't get to be the "big fish in the little pond". We might even get an at-large bid every once in a while with the added respect that comes from being a non-MAC team.

Akron's program is on the way to being a "big fish in a big pond". Now, where is anyone getting this news f-lash about MAC teams dropping men's soccer? Soccer has traditionally been a strong sport at BeeGee, who for many years battled Cleveland State and Akron for #1 in Ohio honors (notice who was traditionally left out?). Western Michigan and Northern Illinois are located in soccer hotbeds that should make both very competitive in future years (ala Loyola and IUC). Trust me, Akron soccer isn't going anywhere. Except back to the NCAA tourney again. And hopefully a Men's Cup final four.

[LosAngelesZipFan]

Why doesn't the soccer team play at the new stadium? I think spending $12M on a soccer only facility is a luxury the U can't really afford. They should have designed the stadium so that a soccer crowd could be intimately seated imho.

[ZachTheZip]

Why doesn't the soccer team play at the new stadium? I think spending $12M on a soccer only facility is a luxury the U can't really afford. They should have designed the stadium so that a soccer crowd could be intimately seated imho.

It doesn't matter if we can't afford it. A top team that goes to the tournament every year deserves their own stadium. They've earned it.

[Z.I.P.]

Why doesn't the soccer team play at the new stadium? I think spending $12M on a soccer only facility is a luxury the U can't really afford. They should have designed the stadium so that a soccer crowd could be intimately seated imho.

Well, a soccer pitch is about 10-12 yards wider than a American football field, and the Infocision Stadium is not designed for soccer. Apparently they felt sharing is NOT caring. Actually, I'm sure Caleb and the former regime were in favor of a soccer-specific stadium. Just like in MLS, the soccer team will get to keep all gate receipts, concession and parking $$. Right?

[2zip2]

Both the womens (9:00am) and Mens (after womens) are scrimmaging today.

[ZippyRulz]

Why get out of the MAC? We win the league and get an automatic bid every 4 out of 5 years. We can schedule a home/home series with just about any BCS school. Be to MAC soccer what Memphis is to C-USA basketball, and enjoy it.

I gathered from a previous post that it's the coaches who feel the league is holding back the program. Maybe they feel they could recruit easier/better in a stronger league or grow attendance/revenue/donations. I didn't know a MAC school could just move one of its sports to another conference like that though...surely the league would have some say-so or could impose repercussions if they didn't approve(?)

[ZachTheZip]

Why get out of the MAC? We win the league and get an automatic bid every 4 out of 5 years. We can schedule a home/home series with just about any BCS school. Be to MAC soccer what Memphis is to C-USA basketball, and enjoy it.

I gathered from a previous post that it's the coaches who feel the league is holding back the program. Maybe they feel they could recruit easier/better in a stronger league or grow attendance/revenue/donations. I didn't know a MAC school could just move one of its sports to another conference like that though...surely the league would have some say-so or could impose repercussions if they didn't approve(?)

The MAC might be glad to dump Men's Soccer. Only half the league has a team, and that includes Hartwick. If Akron leaves, MAC soccer will die. It would be like Memphis leaving C-USA in basketball.It might be too much of a drain on their resources and they could re-focus the freed money and time into basketball or football. I think it's up to the individual schools as to what athletic teams they field, as long as they have football, basketball, and track, plus comply with Title IX.

[Z.I.P.]

Blair started 17 out of the 20 games he played in as a freshman.

You know something strange occurred to me watching the start of the LA Galaxy-Hong Kong United match on FSC last night! I realized two weeks too late that the young Prince Valiant-looking forward I had briefly spoken to here on O'ahu during the Pan-Pacific Cup was not just named Michael Gavin He was Michael Gavin, MLS rookie out of U of Portland Pilots -- and brother of Akron Zip freshman Blair Gavin. I may write a book, "Chatting With MLS Players for Idiots".In any case, as those of you who have watched the Galaxy pre-season games -- all of which have been televised (Gee, can anyone imagine why?) -- Michael Gavin is one of the big surprises and potential future stars that have surfaced on the #2 Los Angeles-based MLS squad. He carries great running lines on his lanky 6'+ Leo Messi-haired frame, and has the athleticism and skills to score goals right away for this team, if Ruud Gullit is smart enuph to give him the PT he looks to deserve. Playing with Carlos Ruiz is going to really prepare this kid for top-flight football. Ruiz and Becks on the field at one time? There may not be enuph ego space in the interview room. Sorry Ruud, you'll have to wait. So, I can't help thinking that if the younger Mr Gavin is anythjing like his older brother, he has a great future ahead of him. Can't wait to see him playing, creating and scoring for the top-5 ranked Akron Zips in 2008.

[zoomtime]

The youngster who attended CVCA and was on the US 91 or 92 squad last summer (the one that eliminated him from qualification for last year's WC). He will be a HS senior in 08-09, and I would think UA should have a real chance at him.My dream: Kofi Sarkodie! Star of the US U-17s last summer, and an Ohioan from Huber Heights. But he's more likely to be playing in Europe or MLS.Both of the above mentioned players will be at Akron in the next 2 years.

[Z.I.P.]

The youngster who attended CVCA and was on the US 91 or 92 squad last summer (the one that eliminated him from qualification for last year's WC). He will be a HS senior in 08-09, and I would think UA should have a real chance at him.My dream: Kofi Sarkodie! Star of the US U-17s last summer, and an Ohioan from Huber Heights. But he's more likely to be playing in Europe or MLS.Both of the above mentioned players will be at Akron in the next 2 years.

Ben (as in Speas) has gotten enough discussion (on and off this board), that most apparently expect him to be a future Zip. That's great and shows Caleb's continued coaching and recruiting acumen. But PLEASE... don't give us false hopes about a player the likes of Kofi Sarkodie playing college football (i.e., soccer) at Akron -- or anywhere else. Seeing that kid's abilities in Korea last summer, I have to say Sarkodie is the next Jozy Altidore. As much as I would love to see America's premier 17 y.o. someday in an Akron uni, I have to say that it would be against his best interests to even consider playing US college ball when he could be learning the game at the international level day in and day out. Adu, Edu, Altidore, Sarkodie, that's the line of up and coming US superstars. Surely the kid will be entering into the Generation Adidas program.

[zoomtime]

The youngster who attended CVCA and was on the US 91 or 92 squad last summer (the one that eliminated him from qualification for last year's WC). He will be a HS senior in 08-09, and I would think UA should have a real chance at him.My dream: Kofi Sarkodie! Star of the US U-17s last summer, and an Ohioan from Huber Heights. But he's more likely to be playing in Europe or MLS.Both of the above mentioned players will be at Akron in the next 2 years.

Ben (as in Speas) has gotten enough discussion (on and off this board), that most apparently expect him to be a future Zip. That's great and shows Caleb's continued coaching and recruiting acumen. But PLEASE... don't give us false hopes about a player the likes of Kofi Sarkodie playing college football (i.e., soccer) at Akron -- or anywhere else. Seeing that kid's abilities in Korea last summer, I have to say Sarkodie is the next Jozy Altidore. As much as I would love to see America's premier 17 y.o. someday in an Akron uni, I have to say that it would be against his best interests to even consider playing US college ball when he could be learning the game at the international level day in and day out. Adu, Edu, Altidore, Sarkodie, that's the line of up and coming US superstars. Surely the kid will be entering into the Generation Adidas program.

No, they are both going to Akron for sure...they told me.