The University of Akron Athletics
Tuesday, September 9
Akron, Ohio
7:00 PM
University of Akron
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Western Michigan
No. 11 Akron Hosts Western Michigan
September 08 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – The 11th-rated University of Akron men's soccer team welcomes Western Michigan to FirstEnergy Stadium on Tuesday (Sept. 9). The 7 p.m. match with the Broncos will be broadcast on ESPN+ with John Higgins on the call.
Tickets for the contest against the Broncos are available for purchase at http://www.gozips.com/Tickets. Fans are asked to park in Lots 6, 9 and 10 surrounding InfoCision Stadium and the Stile Athletics Field House. For complete parking information click here.
GAME INFO
Akron vs. Western Michigan | Sept. 9 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Western Michigan: Chad Wiseman (Western Michigan, 2007), Overall Record: 189-87-43 (17th Season), Record at WMU: 136-62-37 (13th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 196-82-45 (16th Season), Record at Akron: 149-61-37 (13th Season)
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan enters action on Tuesday (Sept. 9) at 1-4-0 on the campaign following a 2-1 setback at Butler on Friday (Sept. 5).
The Broncos are led by junior Braxton Arpachinda, redshirt senior Piero Sabroso, senior Jonathan Stout and redshirt senior Roni Sylejmani, who each own a goal for Western Michigan. Redshirt junior GK Alex Lindewirth has recorded 11 saves and maintains a 1.43 goals against average.
Individually, Sylejmani is rated 35th in the NCAA in game-winning goals (1).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Western Michigan are squaring off for 53rd time in program history with the Zips owning a 39-7-6 series advantage. In the last encounter between the two schools, Akron battled the Broncos to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 30, 2024, in Kalamazoo, Mich.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (AUG. 30, 2024 – KALAMAZOO, MICH.)
In a battle between Akron and No. 5 Western Michigan, the Zips statistically dominated the Broncos before exiting the WMU Soccer Complex with a 1-1 draw on Aug. 30, 2024.
Akron outshot Western Michigan in the match 15-8, including a decisive 10-4 margin in the second half, while posting an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Akron assumed a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute (27:15) when Victor Gaulmin connected on a goal off an assist from Malik Henry, before the tally was ruled an own goal.
Akron took a 1-0 lead into the intermission before Western Michigan was awarded a penalty kick at the 49:10 mark, one that was successfully converted by Owen Smith.
AKRON VERSUS THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time this season and 184th time overall.
• Akron owns a 132-34-17 (.768) all-time record versus the current nine members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
• The Zips are 117-24-14 (.800) against former Mid-American Conference rivals Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan.
• The Zips have outscored the competition, 443-145, in 183 meetings with schools from the Missouri Valley Conference.
HONORING LEGENDARY COACH STU PARRY
Akron men's soccer honored legendary men's soccer coach Stu Parry, who passed away peacefully on Aug. 15, prior to the squad's match versus Cleveland State (Sept. 1).
The first head coach in Akron men's program history, Parry began a decorated career guiding the Zips in 1955 and led the squad for 15 seasons en route to posting an enviable 118-43-4 record.
In those 15 years, Parry directed the Zips to nine Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Championships and developed 10 All-America soccer players, including Ed Bender, Fritz Kungl, Pete Milch, Joe Queiroga, Ford Brummer, Jim Malcolm and Eugene Alfred, and numerous All-Ohio and All-Midwest players.
In 1961, the Zips were invited to participate in their first NCAA post-season game. On five more occasions, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1968, Akron earned NCAA invitations. In 1966 and 1968, Parry's fellow coaches honored him for his many years of devotion to and promotion of soccer by voting him the Ohio Soccer Coach of the Year.
AKRON EARNS 2-0 WIN AT OHIO STATE
No. 11 Akron got a pair of goals from redshirt sophomore Caleb Borneo (Morgantown, W.Va.) in a 2-0 shutout win over No. 16 Ohio State on Friday (Sept. 5) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
The Buckeyes nearly cracked into the scoring column at the 14:54 mark of the first half before video review negated a goal due to an offsides call against Ohio State.
The Zips were outshot in the opening stanza, 8-6, before Akron (4-0-1) broke the scoreless tie when Borneo notched his first goal of the season in the 54th minute (53:07), assisted by sophomore Remi Agunbiade (Toronto, Ontario) and junior Matt Dreas (Covington, Ky.).
The Zips extended their lead to 2-0 on the first career brace from Borneo - his second goal of the season - at the 76:33 mark, assisted by freshman Jose Pedro (Porto, Portugal).
Redshirt senior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) collected seven saves for the Zips out of 13 total Buckeye shots to earn his fifth straight shutout to open the campaign.
ZIPS POST 1-0 TRIUMPH PAST CLEVELAND STATE
The 16th-rated Akron men's soccer team garnered a goal in the 60th minute (59:45) from sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio) to lift the Zips to a 1-0 victory past Cleveland State on Sept. 1 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Following a tightly-contest battle in the opening half, Akron broke the scoreless contest Roman notched his first career goal, assisted by senior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) and Jose Pedro.
The Zips posted a 15-2 advantage in shots on the evening, including 12-0 in the second half, while holding the Vikings without a shot on goal.
BUDLER HONORED AS BIG EAST GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK; BORNEO NAMED TO HONOR ROLL
Akron's Mitch Budler was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week, the league announced on Monday (Sept.8) .
Caleb Borneo was also named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
Budler anchored the defensive efforts for the Zips versus No. 16 Ohio State registering a season-best seven saves to extend the team's shutout streak to five to start the season. He is one of two goalies in the country to register an NCAA-best five shutouts en route to owning a 0.00 GAA and a 1.000 save percentage on the year.
Borneo garnered his first career brace to complete the Zips first victory in Columbus since 2016. He finished the game with two shots, both on goal, connecting on tallies in the 54th (53:07) and 77th (76:33) minutes, respectively.
A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.740), with an overall record of 259-74-53. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 248-81-51 (.720), Maryland, 238-85-58 (.701), North Carolina, 233-86-64 (.692), Indiana, 257-96-71 (.690) and Georgetown, 230-90-51 (.689). Akron made 12 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2007-18), earning a first-round bye in eight seasons. The Zips have advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 in eight of their last 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 36 times, including 20 of the past 24 seasons.
ZIP TIDBITS
• Thirteen of the 26 matches between Akron and Western Michigan with head coach Jared Embick on the Zips' sideline have resulted in a shutout, including seven of the last 17, with the Zips owning a 10-4-3 mark in those contests.
• Akron is 19-3-3 all-time at home versus Western Michigan, having outscored the Broncos, 69-14.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 36 of 52 all-time meetings with Western Michigan.
• Akron junior Matthew Paiva (Toronto, Ontario) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Sept. 2
• Freshman Farrel Ngongang (Montreal, Quebec) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Freshman of the Week on Aug. 25.
• Stefan Dobrijevic and senior Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) were named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Aug. 25).
• The Zips are 1-0-1 versus ranked teams this season following a 0-0 draw versus No. 8 West Virginia (Aug. 29) and 2-0 win at No. 16 Ohio State (Sept. 5).
• The Zips recorded a season-best 20 shots at VCU (Aug. 24).
• Akron have posted double-digit shots in four of five tilts in 2025.
• Four different Akron reserves have accounted for goals this season for the Zips in Remi Agunbiade, Dobrijevic, Ngongang and redshirt sophomore Tyler Morck (Bethpage, N.Y.).
• Jack Roman collected his first career goal versus Cleveland State (Sept. 1), while Morck and Ngongang each recorded their first career goals as a Zip at VCU (Aug. 21).
• Akron garnered assists from Caleb Borneo, Dobrijevic, Ngongang and Roman in a 3-0 victory by the Zips over VCU.
• Six different Zips have scored a goal this season, including a pair of newcomers.
• Sixteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including seven newcomers.
• Earning starts in their Akron debut at VCU were juniors Freddy Kossehasse (McKinney, Texas) and Paiva, Jose Pedro and junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.).
• Budler collected his 100th career save against Butler (Sept. 20, 2024) and enters play versus Western Michigan with 145 career stops.
• The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in goals against average (0.00), save percentage (1.000) and shutout percentage (1.000), 10th in winning percentage (.900), 18th in corner kicks (6.80), 19th in goal differential (7), 21st in total assists (11), 31st in assists per game (2.20), 42nd in shots per tilt (14.60) and 48th in total points (25).
• Individually, Budler is rated first in the NCAA in shutouts (5), goals against average (0.00), save percentage (1.000) and fifth in goalie minutes played (450.00). Borneo, Dobrijevic, Agunbiade and Roman are 35th in game-winning goals (1).
• Budler is rated second among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (28), third in goalie minutes played (5,403.85), seventh in goals against average (.890), 28th in saves (145) and in save percentage (.732) and 34th in games played (61). Additionally, Kamdem is 34th in games played (61) and Dobrijevic is 43rd in games played (60).
• Through 61 career games, Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 145 saves en route to owning a 0.89 goals against average on the strength of 28 shutouts.
• Budler surpassed 5,000 career minutes in goal at VCU (Aug. 21) having been in net for 5,403:51.
• Since 2021, the Zips own 32-4-9 record in regular season home games at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Since 2010, the Zips are 34-5-5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall, during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 50-8-6 mark versus league foes at home.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 36-24-11 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dobrijevic is Akron's active career leaders in goals (8), assists (12), points (28), shots (64), shots on goal (25) and game-winners (3). Dobrijevic, Borneo, Kamdem, Agunbiade and redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have scored eight, three, three, two and two goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 149-61-37 mark over the last 13 seasons under Embick. Akron's 149 wins are ranked eighth in all of Division I.
• Under Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 30-14-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 113 of the squad's last 210 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 49 of its last 98 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 95-18-16 record in its last 129 home matches.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 102-48-33 record.
BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL
The University of Akron men's soccer program opens its 71st season of intercollegiate soccer tabbed to finish as the top team in the Midwest Division of the BIG EAST Conference, including earning 10 first-place votes in the division.
ZIPS IN THE CLASSROOM
Academic success has been a staple for the Zips under head coach Jared Embick. Akron has posted a cumulative team GPA's of 3.0 or better in 23 of 25 semesters overall under Embick, including registering cumulative marks of 3.11, 3.39, 3.01, 3.05, 3.40, 3.316, 3.21, 3.02, 3.09, 3.20 and 3.37 during the 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16, 2014-15 campaigns, respectively.
AKRON UNVEILS TALENTED 15-MEMBER RECRUITING CLASS
Akron under the leadership of 13th-year head coach Jared Embick, boast a talented 15-member signing class for 2025.
Donning the Akron uniform this fall will be Ignacio Alem (Potomac, Md.), Abdi Bahur (Toronto, Ontario), Gavin Crane (Hinckley, Ohio), Braxton Hayes (Bowie, Md.), Logan LaMaina (Sellersville, Pa.), Farrel Ngongang, Matthew Paiva, Malte Schmaus (Hammersbach, Germany) and Dylan Wilkinson (Bradford, England).
The nine players are part of Akron's 2025 signing class joining six members in Aljaz Dodig (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Freddy Kossehasse, Tyler Morck, Jose Pedro, Jamai Royer (Markham, Ontario) and Jack Sullivan, that signed with the Zips prior to the spring semester.
DID YOU KNOW
• Zippy is just one of eight female-gendered college mascots in Division I athletics. Do you know the other seven? (YoUDee, the Delaware Blue Hen; Mrs. Wuf of N.C. State; Lucy Lobo of New Mexico; Sue E. Pig of Arkansas; Miss Pawla of South Alabama, Kate the Lion of Hofstra; and Wilma Wildcat of Arizona).
• One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
• Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
• Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
• The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
• The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
• "Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
• In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
UP NEXT
Akron visits No. 9 Vermont in a 6 p.m. tilt on Saturday (Sept. 13).
Tickets for the contest against the Broncos are available for purchase at http://www.gozips.com/Tickets. Fans are asked to park in Lots 6, 9 and 10 surrounding InfoCision Stadium and the Stile Athletics Field House. For complete parking information click here.
GAME INFO
Akron vs. Western Michigan | Sept. 9 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Western Michigan: Chad Wiseman (Western Michigan, 2007), Overall Record: 189-87-43 (17th Season), Record at WMU: 136-62-37 (13th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 196-82-45 (16th Season), Record at Akron: 149-61-37 (13th Season)
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan enters action on Tuesday (Sept. 9) at 1-4-0 on the campaign following a 2-1 setback at Butler on Friday (Sept. 5).
The Broncos are led by junior Braxton Arpachinda, redshirt senior Piero Sabroso, senior Jonathan Stout and redshirt senior Roni Sylejmani, who each own a goal for Western Michigan. Redshirt junior GK Alex Lindewirth has recorded 11 saves and maintains a 1.43 goals against average.
Individually, Sylejmani is rated 35th in the NCAA in game-winning goals (1).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Western Michigan are squaring off for 53rd time in program history with the Zips owning a 39-7-6 series advantage. In the last encounter between the two schools, Akron battled the Broncos to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 30, 2024, in Kalamazoo, Mich.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (AUG. 30, 2024 – KALAMAZOO, MICH.)
In a battle between Akron and No. 5 Western Michigan, the Zips statistically dominated the Broncos before exiting the WMU Soccer Complex with a 1-1 draw on Aug. 30, 2024.
Akron outshot Western Michigan in the match 15-8, including a decisive 10-4 margin in the second half, while posting an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Akron assumed a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute (27:15) when Victor Gaulmin connected on a goal off an assist from Malik Henry, before the tally was ruled an own goal.
Akron took a 1-0 lead into the intermission before Western Michigan was awarded a penalty kick at the 49:10 mark, one that was successfully converted by Owen Smith.
AKRON VERSUS THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time this season and 184th time overall.
• Akron owns a 132-34-17 (.768) all-time record versus the current nine members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
• The Zips are 117-24-14 (.800) against former Mid-American Conference rivals Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan.
• The Zips have outscored the competition, 443-145, in 183 meetings with schools from the Missouri Valley Conference.
HONORING LEGENDARY COACH STU PARRY
Akron men's soccer honored legendary men's soccer coach Stu Parry, who passed away peacefully on Aug. 15, prior to the squad's match versus Cleveland State (Sept. 1).
The first head coach in Akron men's program history, Parry began a decorated career guiding the Zips in 1955 and led the squad for 15 seasons en route to posting an enviable 118-43-4 record.
In those 15 years, Parry directed the Zips to nine Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Championships and developed 10 All-America soccer players, including Ed Bender, Fritz Kungl, Pete Milch, Joe Queiroga, Ford Brummer, Jim Malcolm and Eugene Alfred, and numerous All-Ohio and All-Midwest players.
In 1961, the Zips were invited to participate in their first NCAA post-season game. On five more occasions, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1968, Akron earned NCAA invitations. In 1966 and 1968, Parry's fellow coaches honored him for his many years of devotion to and promotion of soccer by voting him the Ohio Soccer Coach of the Year.
AKRON EARNS 2-0 WIN AT OHIO STATE
No. 11 Akron got a pair of goals from redshirt sophomore Caleb Borneo (Morgantown, W.Va.) in a 2-0 shutout win over No. 16 Ohio State on Friday (Sept. 5) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
The Buckeyes nearly cracked into the scoring column at the 14:54 mark of the first half before video review negated a goal due to an offsides call against Ohio State.
The Zips were outshot in the opening stanza, 8-6, before Akron (4-0-1) broke the scoreless tie when Borneo notched his first goal of the season in the 54th minute (53:07), assisted by sophomore Remi Agunbiade (Toronto, Ontario) and junior Matt Dreas (Covington, Ky.).
The Zips extended their lead to 2-0 on the first career brace from Borneo - his second goal of the season - at the 76:33 mark, assisted by freshman Jose Pedro (Porto, Portugal).
Redshirt senior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) collected seven saves for the Zips out of 13 total Buckeye shots to earn his fifth straight shutout to open the campaign.
ZIPS POST 1-0 TRIUMPH PAST CLEVELAND STATE
The 16th-rated Akron men's soccer team garnered a goal in the 60th minute (59:45) from sophomore Jack Roman (Canfield, Ohio) to lift the Zips to a 1-0 victory past Cleveland State on Sept. 1 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Following a tightly-contest battle in the opening half, Akron broke the scoreless contest Roman notched his first career goal, assisted by senior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) and Jose Pedro.
The Zips posted a 15-2 advantage in shots on the evening, including 12-0 in the second half, while holding the Vikings without a shot on goal.
BUDLER HONORED AS BIG EAST GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK; BORNEO NAMED TO HONOR ROLL
Akron's Mitch Budler was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week, the league announced on Monday (Sept.8) .
Caleb Borneo was also named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
Budler anchored the defensive efforts for the Zips versus No. 16 Ohio State registering a season-best seven saves to extend the team's shutout streak to five to start the season. He is one of two goalies in the country to register an NCAA-best five shutouts en route to owning a 0.00 GAA and a 1.000 save percentage on the year.
Borneo garnered his first career brace to complete the Zips first victory in Columbus since 2016. He finished the game with two shots, both on goal, connecting on tallies in the 54th (53:07) and 77th (76:33) minutes, respectively.
A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.740), with an overall record of 259-74-53. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 248-81-51 (.720), Maryland, 238-85-58 (.701), North Carolina, 233-86-64 (.692), Indiana, 257-96-71 (.690) and Georgetown, 230-90-51 (.689). Akron made 12 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2007-18), earning a first-round bye in eight seasons. The Zips have advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 in eight of their last 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 36 times, including 20 of the past 24 seasons.
ZIP TIDBITS
• Thirteen of the 26 matches between Akron and Western Michigan with head coach Jared Embick on the Zips' sideline have resulted in a shutout, including seven of the last 17, with the Zips owning a 10-4-3 mark in those contests.
• Akron is 19-3-3 all-time at home versus Western Michigan, having outscored the Broncos, 69-14.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 36 of 52 all-time meetings with Western Michigan.
• Akron junior Matthew Paiva (Toronto, Ontario) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Sept. 2
• Freshman Farrel Ngongang (Montreal, Quebec) was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Freshman of the Week on Aug. 25.
• Stefan Dobrijevic and senior Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) were named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Aug. 25).
• The Zips are 1-0-1 versus ranked teams this season following a 0-0 draw versus No. 8 West Virginia (Aug. 29) and 2-0 win at No. 16 Ohio State (Sept. 5).
• The Zips recorded a season-best 20 shots at VCU (Aug. 24).
• Akron have posted double-digit shots in four of five tilts in 2025.
• Four different Akron reserves have accounted for goals this season for the Zips in Remi Agunbiade, Dobrijevic, Ngongang and redshirt sophomore Tyler Morck (Bethpage, N.Y.).
• Jack Roman collected his first career goal versus Cleveland State (Sept. 1), while Morck and Ngongang each recorded their first career goals as a Zip at VCU (Aug. 21).
• Akron garnered assists from Caleb Borneo, Dobrijevic, Ngongang and Roman in a 3-0 victory by the Zips over VCU.
• Six different Zips have scored a goal this season, including a pair of newcomers.
• Sixteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including seven newcomers.
• Earning starts in their Akron debut at VCU were juniors Freddy Kossehasse (McKinney, Texas) and Paiva, Jose Pedro and junior Jack Sullivan (Potomac, Md.).
• Budler collected his 100th career save against Butler (Sept. 20, 2024) and enters play versus Western Michigan with 145 career stops.
• The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in goals against average (0.00), save percentage (1.000) and shutout percentage (1.000), 10th in winning percentage (.900), 18th in corner kicks (6.80), 19th in goal differential (7), 21st in total assists (11), 31st in assists per game (2.20), 42nd in shots per tilt (14.60) and 48th in total points (25).
• Individually, Budler is rated first in the NCAA in shutouts (5), goals against average (0.00), save percentage (1.000) and fifth in goalie minutes played (450.00). Borneo, Dobrijevic, Agunbiade and Roman are 35th in game-winning goals (1).
• Budler is rated second among NCAA D1 active leaders in career shutouts (28), third in goalie minutes played (5,403.85), seventh in goals against average (.890), 28th in saves (145) and in save percentage (.732) and 34th in games played (61). Additionally, Kamdem is 34th in games played (61) and Dobrijevic is 43rd in games played (60).
• Through 61 career games, Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 145 saves en route to owning a 0.89 goals against average on the strength of 28 shutouts.
• Budler surpassed 5,000 career minutes in goal at VCU (Aug. 21) having been in net for 5,403:51.
• Since 2021, the Zips own 32-4-9 record in regular season home games at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Since 2010, the Zips are 34-5-5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall, during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 50-8-6 mark versus league foes at home.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 36-24-11 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dobrijevic is Akron's active career leaders in goals (8), assists (12), points (28), shots (64), shots on goal (25) and game-winners (3). Dobrijevic, Borneo, Kamdem, Agunbiade and redshirt sophomore Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have scored eight, three, three, two and two goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 149-61-37 mark over the last 13 seasons under Embick. Akron's 149 wins are ranked eighth in all of Division I.
• Under Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 30-14-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 113 of the squad's last 210 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 49 of its last 98 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 95-18-16 record in its last 129 home matches.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 102-48-33 record.
BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL
The University of Akron men's soccer program opens its 71st season of intercollegiate soccer tabbed to finish as the top team in the Midwest Division of the BIG EAST Conference, including earning 10 first-place votes in the division.
ZIPS IN THE CLASSROOM
Academic success has been a staple for the Zips under head coach Jared Embick. Akron has posted a cumulative team GPA's of 3.0 or better in 23 of 25 semesters overall under Embick, including registering cumulative marks of 3.11, 3.39, 3.01, 3.05, 3.40, 3.316, 3.21, 3.02, 3.09, 3.20 and 3.37 during the 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16, 2014-15 campaigns, respectively.
AKRON UNVEILS TALENTED 15-MEMBER RECRUITING CLASS
Akron under the leadership of 13th-year head coach Jared Embick, boast a talented 15-member signing class for 2025.
Donning the Akron uniform this fall will be Ignacio Alem (Potomac, Md.), Abdi Bahur (Toronto, Ontario), Gavin Crane (Hinckley, Ohio), Braxton Hayes (Bowie, Md.), Logan LaMaina (Sellersville, Pa.), Farrel Ngongang, Matthew Paiva, Malte Schmaus (Hammersbach, Germany) and Dylan Wilkinson (Bradford, England).
The nine players are part of Akron's 2025 signing class joining six members in Aljaz Dodig (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Freddy Kossehasse, Tyler Morck, Jose Pedro, Jamai Royer (Markham, Ontario) and Jack Sullivan, that signed with the Zips prior to the spring semester.
DID YOU KNOW
• Zippy is just one of eight female-gendered college mascots in Division I athletics. Do you know the other seven? (YoUDee, the Delaware Blue Hen; Mrs. Wuf of N.C. State; Lucy Lobo of New Mexico; Sue E. Pig of Arkansas; Miss Pawla of South Alabama, Kate the Lion of Hofstra; and Wilma Wildcat of Arizona).
• One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
• Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
• Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
• The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
• The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
• "Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
• In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
UP NEXT
Akron visits No. 9 Vermont in a 6 p.m. tilt on Saturday (Sept. 13).
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Players Mentioned
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MF
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
MF/F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer - Post-Game Press Conference vs Northern Kentucky - 8/24/25
Monday, August 25
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer - Season Preview with Student-Athletes - 8/19/25
Tuesday, August 19
2025 Akron Zips Men's Soccer - Season Preview with Coach Embick - 8/19/25
Tuesday, August 19
2024 Akron Zips Men's Soccer (Emil Highlights)
Tuesday, December 10
