Caleb Porter will remain the University of Akron men's soccer coach, UA Assistant Athletics Director/Media Relations Mike Cawood said Tuesday night.
Cawood said Porter and UA have reached an agreement on a new five-year contract. Terms of the contract were not immediately announced.
Porter recently led the Zips to a runnerup finish in the Division I NCAA Tournament. The Zips were ranked No. 1 in the country by all five of the national polls for the majority of this past season. UA won its first 23 games and finished the season 23-1-1.
Porter has a 68-12-8 record in four seasons at UA. He has been named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in each of the past three seasons.
The Zips have made the NCAA Tournament and won MAC regular season and tournament titles in each of the past three seasons. In his first season, the Zips won the MAC regular-season title.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
This is AWESOME! The University of Akron did exactly what they needed to do. Way to go UA!
Jeffery K and Alex (and others who I think are all the same individual),
Morons….your bus is here.
The sad part is probably don't know the definition of "moron". I am sure you meet the qualifications.
Good luck Caleb and the Zips!!!
And way to go Tom!!!! Truthfully, I hope you are only here for 2 years. Because you we so successfuly you moved on. Good for you….good for us.
This is great news. Some type of special celebration/fan gathering should be organized to thank the recognize the soccer team and show Caleb some love.
Also, Tom deserves some credit for having a deal done so quickly to keep Caleb in the house. Some quick fundraising must be done to make the stadium a reality.
Way to go UA! This is excellent for the entire Akron area community!
And thank you, Caleb. You could have gone anywhere, and you chose to continue to build a legacy of your own here in Akron. You've made Akron a bonafide soccer town. The new pitch will one day be named after you!
Go Zips!
And, as was mentioned above, way to go Tom! Wow, excellent work in getting Caleb a new, well-deserved deal done so quickly! Excellent work.
"Porter Field" does have a nice ring to it….here's to years more success for you and the the team Coach Porter. Thanks for sticking around!
I am really glad. Smoke and mirrors for five more years…
Dougie; what's a "moron"? How can you claim to be a real fan and want Porter to remain to continue defecating on the program and the sport? Do you want 5 more years of humiliating defeats? Well, sounds like you've got them coming, bubba.
Wow, Alex might be THE DUMBEST fan. "5 more years of humiliating defeats" Last time I check AKRON DIDN'T LOSE IN THE REGULAR SEASON! They didn't even give up a goal THE ENTIRE NCAA TOURNEY! They also just matched the NCAA ALL TIME RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE WINS. Yep that sounds horrible to me
Alex is what those in internet circles would refer to as a troll. A troll is someone with nothing better to do with their time other than to make anonymous postings in obvious contradiction to popular opinion simply to get a rise out of others. He/She is likely 35-45 in age, unemployed, lacking friends and acquaintances, and lives in his/her parents basement "apartment." Please don't acknowledge his/her posts. In fact, I'm in violation of the anti-troll code of conduct by even typing this post.
Well done, Mr. Wistrcill! Now we must focus on the long overdue Porter Field, err, soccer stadium. I can barely wait for construction to start. I have been clamoring for it for decades.
On Penalty Kicks: The uninitiated must realize that the odious practice of deciding tournament draws by PKs is at about 150 years old, older than any rule in Baseball. Keep that perspective when calling for rule changes. Football (Soccer) is an old, very traditional sport.
Having that said, if the NCAA can, by rule, consider the Final a scoreless loss/win, then tradition evidently does not matter much. I agree with Rasor; play the Final until somebody scores, even if it takes all night. It is not as though there is another match to worry about later. However, all matches leading up to the Final should be decided according to traditional rules. God knows I have felt the agony/ecstasy of PKs myself. Subsequent generations should be forced to do the same.
Is it too soon to purchase 2010 season tickets?
It's fantastic to see UA step up to the plate! The new AD just earned a huge pat on the back in my book. It also says alot about Coach Porter. It's refreshing to see a coach that wants to continue building what he started. Here's to his legacy at Akron!
I also agree with Sami…….the school should put together a function so we can show our appreciation for the soccer team.. We've done this in the past for basketball and it was a success.
Huge day for UA!
I have an idea. Let's put a sign above the exit of the visitors locker room that reads:
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
With our past home records, it only seems fitting. Porter Field…hell yeah…
I am so happy that coach porter is staying here at UA. coach Porter is a great coach and i am glad the university saw that and gave him a new contract. Thank you UA and thank you coach Porter for a great season.
Why, this site is a nirvanic kum-ba-yah: everything is peachy and rosy, Porter is great, Gavin is such a dear for kicking the desiding PK into the big blue sky, and we're all a happy family. You guys must be enjoying masturbation tremendously (while at your parents basement or at work at MCDonalds bathroom), eh?
Shouldn't it be the "Porter Pitch?'
If one wins a game on penalty kicks to go from 23 – 0 – 0 to 23 – 0 – 1, shouldn't one's record go from 23 – 0 – 1 to 23 – 0 – 2 rather than 23 – 1 – 1 if they lose a game on penalty kicks?
Thanks Coach!!!
A great season to be followed by more great seasons.
Thank you coach Porter, coach Dambrot, AD Wistrcill and President Porenza.
Caleb's grit and love for his kids helps make NE Ohio a wonderful place to live.
Akronite's are finally discovering that wearing tawdry red and mucus grey does not look good.
@Realist
Yes, Porter's Pitch does sound better than Porter Field. I should have thought of that.
In fact, I suggest that be the unofficial name of the soon-to-be-built soccer stadium, regardless of what the Athletic Department dubs it.
Could Outback Steakhouse be interested in corporate sponsorship of a program with a kangaroo mascot? Just a thought.