College Sports Established
1870
Location
Akron, Ohio
College Name
University of Akron
Collegiate History
1980 - Present / NCAA Division I
Conference History
1992 - Present / MAC Conference
1990 - 1992 / Summit League
1987 - 1990 / Independent
1980 - 1987 / Ohio Valley Conference
Nickname
Zips - The Akron Zips are a NCAA Division I college athletics program in Akron, Ohio. The Zips nickname is among collegiate sports' most unique and exciting. But where did it come from?
The origin story dates back to 1925 when former University President John R. Buchtel declared that the school’s teams would be known as “Zippers” due to their field speed and track speed. This was an homage to rubber soles produced by B F Goodrich Company called "zippers" because they made a sound like zipping when people walked on them!
Over time, fans began referring to athletes as “Zips” rather than “Zippers," and eventually, this became the official nickname for all athletic teams at The University of Akron (UA). Today, you can find UA's mascot, Zip, everywhere, from sporting events around campus, local businesses featuring him prominently during game days, or even just walking around with some students wearing his costume!
So next time you're cheering on your favorite team at an event, remember that their name has been inspired by something exceptional - rubber soles made right here in Ohio over 90 years ago!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 2005
- 2006
- 2017
- 2019
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The Akron Zips men’s soccer team wins its first MAC championship
The 2005 Akron Zips men’s soccer team had a breakthrough season, finishing with a 15-3-3 overall record and a 6-1-0 record in conference play. Led by head coach Caleb Porter, the Zips captured their first-ever MAC championship by defeating Buffalo in the championship game. The Zips’ success was built on a strong defense and a balanced offensive attack. Senior goalkeeper ... -
The Akron Zips football team
The 2006 Akron Zips football team had a historic season, finishing with an 8-5 overall record and a 5-3 record in MAC play. Led by head coach J.D. Brookhart, the Zips captured their first-ever MAC championship by defeating Northern Illinois in the championship game. The Zips’ success was built on a strong defense and a balanced offensive attack. Senior linebacker ... -
The Akron Zips women’s basketball team wins its first MAC championship
The 2016-2017 season was a historic one for the Akron Zips women’s basketball team, as they captured their first-ever MAC championship and earned a trip to the NCAA tournament. Under the leadership of head coach Jodi Kest, the Zips finished the regular season with a 22-9 overall record and a 12-6 record in MAC play. The Zips’ success was built ... -
LeBron James Affiliation with Akron Zips
LeBron James did not play sports at the University of Akron, but he is often associated with the school because he grew up in Akron and attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School there. James is one of the most famous basketball players in the world and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He has ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Zips
For more than a century, Akron has been home to some of college athletics’ most iconic teams and athletes, including Hall-of-Famers such as Bob Knight (basketball), Jim Thorpe (football), and Horace “Bones” McKinney (baseball). The list goes on with many other greats who made their mark at the University of Akron during its golden era from 1965 through 1975 when they won seven Mid-American Conference titles across all three major sports – football, basketball & baseball – plus two bowl games for football & one College World Series appearance for baseball.
However, it hasn't been quite so rosy in recent years for The Zips. However, they continue to strive towards athletically and academic excellence while providing an exciting game day experience that fans can enjoy year-round! Football has seen some resurgence under head coach Terry Bowden with back-to-back MAC East Division titles earned in 2017 & 2018, respectively; men's basketball also had much success last season, reaching 20 wins before being eliminated by Buffalo Bulls during first-round action at the 2019 MAC Tournament; women's soccer program continues its dominance within conference having won four straight regular season championships since 2016 while softball team just finished up another successful campaign which included a second-place finish overall standings this past spring semester too! With all these successes, it is easy to see why supporters remain optimistic about prospects despite current struggles endured over the past few seasons...
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