Football

Zips offensive coordinator Jim Pry is leaving Akron to be the tight ends coach at Illinois.

Pry is a good recruiter. It’s also pretty late in the offseason to be losing a coach. I’ll be interested to see what coach J.D. Brookhart does.

This is the third assistant to leave Brookhart’s staff this offseason. It makes you wonder why the whole staff didn’t get a raise after winning the MAC Championship.

It also makes me wonder what the hell is going on with getting Brookhart an extension. I reported earlier that Brookhart (and men’s basketball coach Keith Dambrot) have been extended — that they are just plodding through red tape. That may still be true, but this is becoming outrageous.

Athletic director Mack Rhoades needs to explain to the team, the media and the campus what is going on here. Not getting Brookhart and Dambrot an extension is unacceptable for a winning athletic department, especially when the university promised its best coaches an extension five months ago.

My hunch is that it isn’t Rhoades or UA President Luis Proenza who is holding it up. It is someone in between. That person should be chastized for not doing his or her job.

If we lose Dambrot or Brookhart because they go to a big school for a big contract we can’t match, that is a bitter pill. But most people will be OK with it eventually. If they leave because we disrespect them like this, the athletic department is getting what it deserves. All those fans that jumped on the bandwagon during Fear the Roo-mania will jump off just as quickly.

And yes, you can tell I’m pretty ticked off. That’s because these kinds of mistakes will take Akron back to the Stone Age of college athletics. The University of Akron athletics department is at a crossroads. It can keep its momentum and become an elite mid-major (and that’s not an oxymoron). Or it can crumble back into the years of Lee Owens and Dan Hipsher.

I realize the University of Akron pays me for this blog. That should create a conflict of interest, but it doesn’t. I am calling out the administration.

Dr. Proenza, Mr. Rhoades, please get this done!

Football

Dan Kadar, the Buchtelite’s sports editor, posted some good info from Lindy’s 2006 College Football Preview. To view it, click the comments section on my last post.

As for his argument that Central Michigan will be tough, I am not so sure. They should worry about losing quarterback Kent Smith. Running back Ontario Sneed won’t be as effective if opposing teams can stack the box against a poor QB. The Chippewas also lost their top two receivers - Justin Harper and Damien Linson.

I still think they have enough talent to beat Akron in Mount Pleasant, Mich, on Sept. 16, especially considering what they did to the Zips at the Rubber Bowl last year.

Miscellaneous

As I mentioned, I’ll be in Indianapolis for the next 10 weeks starting Sunday. I will continue to blog, but since I’m not in Akron, Kadar mentioned that he would be happy to step in a make a post or two. He knows more about college football than any member of the local media, yours truly included.

Baseball

Walsh Jesuit has moved into the state final four after a strong appearance by future Zips pitcher Bobby Simone. He pitched 8.1 innings to help the Warriors advance.

• Twinsburg is also in the state semifinals thanks to a two-run home run by Zips recruit Brian Kordal. Twinsburg beat Euclid 5-4.

Men’s soccer

GoZips.com posted an update on how several Zips are faring in the United Soccer League’s Premier Development League. Players include Evan Bush, Sinisia Ubiparipovic (Man, it’s been a while since I typed that name), Matt Tutich, Pablo Moreira and Jonathan McClain.

I am seriously excited for this season to get started. Almost as much as for the football season. Almost.

Track

Taking six athletes to nationals is pretty good, and in fact, it ties a school record.

But coach Dennis MItchell wanted more.

He would’ve liked to see Beata Rudzinska advance, and he thought Ashley Kaufman and John Russell — who still advanced — could have done better.

"I felt we could have come away with three regional titles," Mitchell said. "However, the most important part of the regional meet is to qualify for the NCAA Championships."

Mitchell was happiest with Randall Hafner and Auston Papay who took fourth and 10th respectively in the discus.

"I was very proud of our male discus throwers," Mitchell said. "What a day they had. Our throws coach Brian Forrester does an amazing job with his athletes."

Although six national qualifiers ties a school record, four male qualifiers is a new Akron high. With Tomasz Smialek’s first-place showing in the high jump, Akron has had a regional champion in each of the last three years (Russell in 2005; pole vaulter Kira Sims in 2004).

Natalie Sako has perhaps the most experience of all the qualifiers. She will high jump at nationals for the fourth time.

The event begins two weeks from now in Sacramento. CSTV will air Friday’s action at 8 p.m. CBS will show Saturday’s finals at 3:30 p.m.

• It’s never too early to think about next year. Zips recruit Carrie Kayes set a state record this week with a pole vault of 12-feet, 9-inches. Here is what Hudson’s head coach Andy McMillen said of the senior from Green High School: "She probably has the best form for a high school vaulter that I’ve ever seen."

Football

Speaking of recruits, I want to go over some of the players to whom coach J.D. Brookhart has offered a scholarship.

It’s just too nice of a day to stay in my room typing.

• In the mean time, read Gary Estwick’s story about recruiting. It really gives you an idea about how the process works. Well written, too. He uses the example of David Arnold, a safety from Copley whom the Zips are pursuing.
• Here is another story to read about what the Big East should do with its need to expand. I’ve said this before, but I don’t think it will be an expansion. I think that conference will be blown up and divided between football schools and non-football schools. This writer from The Sporting News correctly believes the Big East will call on Central Florida first. Thank a poster on ZIpsNation.org who found the story.

Track

After securing five spots at nationals yesterday, the Zips only added one today.

But it was a big one. Tomasz Smialek took first in the regional high jump competition.

The season ended for nine other Akron athletes, who accomplished a lot just by making it to regionals.

Akron women took 13th as a team with 17 points, falling far short of LSU (95.5). The men were closer to the pace with 28.5 points which was good for ninth. LSU’s men also took first with 71 points.

If you look at the standings, you’ll see that the teams ahead of the Zips are almost exclusively larger than Akron.

Track

Five Zips can set their plans for Sacramento in two weeks after earning a spot in the NCAA Championships. And that total is almost certain to increase with 10 more athletes set to compete on Day Two.

The wind must have been blowing out because both Randall Hafner and Auston Papay advanced in the discus by each breaking the school record.

As expected, John Russell advanced to nationals finishing second at the meet. Natalie Sako and Ashley Kaufman also advanced to nationals with second-place finishes in high jump and javelin, respectively.

Eight others did not qualify, among them Beata Rudzinska, whose college career is over, but not before perhaps becoming one of the best runners in school history. She won 13 MAC Championships and qualified for seven NCAA Championships. Wow.

If you are wondering how this success stacks up to the rest of the region, Akron’s women are in third place with 16 points, behind Notre Dame (19) and Alabama (18). The Zips men are in second with 18 points, trailing Louisville (25).

Sure, winning the Triple Crown was nice. I think the team starts to get some real media respect (and not just from me) once it makes some noise in Sacramento.

Softball

In the aftermath of Julie Wright bolting to another school, I became curious to see how big of a softball powerhouse Wisconsin is. To attract a blossoming head coach to be an assistant, the team must have some clout.

It doesn’t.

Wisconsin is the Big 10’s second-worst team with a 6-11 conference record. The team is 22-22 overall.

OK. Fine. Maybe Wright went to Wisconsin to learn from a really experienced coach.

She didn’t.

Head coach Chandelle Schulte is in her first year from the College of Charleston.

Brilliant.

Softball                  

Zips softball coach Julie Wright has resigned after two years at Akron, athletic director Mack Rhoades told me last night.

In those two years, Wright has a winning record of 53-52. This year the team made its first MAC Tournament in four years with a record of 26-25.

Despite being bumped in straight games from the tournament, the year had to be considered a success with all of the underclassmen who Wright asked to play.

I am really shocked by this development. Wright seemed to really like the job, at least from my encounters with her. A poster on ZipsNation.org says she will take an assistant job at Wisconsin.

Wright is a good person and the players loved her. In that regard, I wish her luck. Rhoades declined to comment on the situation. To me, it sounds like it was strictly a career decision.

Baseball

The MAC named Akron’s best hitter and pitcher to its second team today.

Ross Liersemann had a 3.78 ERA. Hitters had an average of just .246 against him. Kurt Davidson hit 12 home runs, the second-most in school history. He had a .338 batting average.

Track

GoZips.com has a rundown of all 21 Zips who will compete at the NCAA Regional Championships this week.

The event will begin Friday in Knoxville, Tenn.

Women’s basketball

Coach Jodi Kest hired an assistant with local roots this week.

Bob Bolden will join the Zips staff immediately.

Bolden was head coach at Arkansas-Monticello, where he was 30-27 in two seasons. He played at Walsh University.

Bolden also worked under Kest at Gannon University in Erie, Pa.

Football

I know this isn’t a message board, but I really like the following discussions…

• Who will be better in 2006: Akron or Northern Illinois?
• Should the Zips want to move from the MAC? And if so, where?

My answers are…

• Akron. As The_VP wrote in my comments section, Akron gave up 270 yards on the ground to Garrett Wolfe and still won last year. I think that really says it all. Someone mentioned we lost Domenik Hixon, but they lost top receiver Sam Hurd, who has a shot to make the Cowboys this summer.
• I have a tremendous amount of respect for NIU coach Joe Novak. He is one of the very few coaches in the country I can think of who would call the opposing school’s student newspaper back for an interview right after practice, three days before the game. (USC’s Pete Carroll is another.)
• Anyhow, I have watched NIU play live three times in the past two years and I give the slight edge to the Zips. Despite that, Akron and NIU will be the best two teams in the league and both should be glad they won’t face each other until the MAC Championship, if they make it that far.
• As for the second question - yes. Big East preferrably. That is unlikely, however. If the Big East won’t take us, Conference USA might.
• Don’t get me wrong. I love the MAC. But we can’t always assume it will be here, especially in its present form. Once Bowling Green, Toledo and/or Miami bolt, the league will be much weaker and less exciting than it is now.
• From what I have heard, the Big East is in for a shake-up. The football-playing teams are likely to find or create their own league. This new conference might call on Memphis or Central Florida to join. Once that happens, Akron and those other MAC schools are in position to move into Conference USA.

Track

Speaking of our beloved MAC, it named seven Zips to the all-conference academic team this week.

They are Randall Hafner, David Pykare, Matt Yankie, Lisa Ravn, Brandi Schoeppner, Jenna Strouse and Morgan Sulzener. Other nominees include Gina DiAntonio, Jennifer Peck and Rachel Zubricky.

Twenty-one Zips will compete in this weekends NCAA Regional Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. Hopefully we can send several to the NCAA Championships in Sacramento two weeks later.

Baseball

Miami swept Akron in today’s doubleheader, 3-0 and 5-2.

The Zips bullpen spoiled solid starts from Frank Turocy and Tom Farmer.

Sophomore slugger Kurt Davidson failed to hit a home run in either game. He finishes the season two home runs shy of Mike Doerbecker’s school record of 14.

At 15-36, the Zips had a rough season. However, the team had some redeeming moments, such as Davidson’s hitting and how they almost took the Kent State series.

Like most Zips teams that struggled this year, the baseball team is young and has nowhere to go but up. They just need to improve their pitching and defense.

Football

ESPN.com’s preseason rankings give top-25 consideration to Northern Illinois.

Just like the Sporting News, ESPN.com says the Huskies could make some national noise. That’s good for the MAC.

I’m wondering why Akron, the MAC Champion that lost relatively little to graduation, is not the top in the MAC. The Zips also beat the Huskies twice last season.

Is it because NIU’s Garrett Wolfe is a superstar? Or is it because NIU is really a better team?

Baseball

Akron played only one on Friday, losing 2-1 to Miami.

The RedHawks took the lead in the top of the ninth on a two-out RBI double.

Akron (15-33, 5-15 MAC) will finish its season today with a home doubleheader that starts at 1 p.m.

Sophomore Kurt Davidson, who went hitless Friday, will have his final chance to hit his 13th and 14th home runs to tie Mike Doerbecker’s UA record of 14.

• Brian Kordal, a Twinsburgh pitcher who will play for the Zips, ousted my alma mater Stow in the district high school baseball finals. He threw three scoreless innings to get the win against one of the best lineups in the state.

Track

Akron is not listed in Trackwire.com’s team rankings, men or women.

Still, some individuals are in their national top 12…

• Ashley Kaufman is No. 3 in the javelin.
• Tomasz Smialek is No. 12 in the high jump.
• John Russell is No. 3 in the pole vault.

Coach Dennis Mitchell will take 21 Zips, including these three, to Knoxville, Tenn. for the NCAA Regional Championships next weekend.

If the Zips advance, they will compete two weeks later in the NCAA Championships in Sacramento.