University of Akron Women's Basketball

Akron Inks 4 in Early Signing Period!!!

2011-12-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

The University of Akron women's basketball program and head coach Jodi Kest have announced the signings of four student-athletes to the 2012-13 recruiting class.

"I am really excited to welcome DiAndra, Katie, DeAnna and Jasmine to our Akron family," said Coach Kest. "These four talented student-athletes bring great size and versatility to our program. They will be great additions, and we are very happy that they have chosen to be Zips!"

The Zips signees include:

5'11" Guard DiAndra Gibson Ravenna H.S. (Ohio)

6'0" Forward Katie Nunan Fairmont H.S. (West Virginia)

6'0" Forward/Center Jasmine Wood Lansing Waverly H.S. (Michigan)

6'2" Center DeAnna Thompson Vincennes Junior College (Indiana)

We recently hosted 3 out of the 4 signees this past weekend. Here is a pic of our future zips with Coach Kest!

Rachel Tecca Earns MAC East Player of the Week!!!

2011-12-06T07:49:00.001-08:00

Akron junior forward Rachel Tecca earned Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week honors, as announced by the league office on Monday. Tecca, a native of Tallmadge, Ohio, helped the Zips (5-3) to wins over Cleveland State and Saint Peter's last week.

In her best performances of the season, Tecca averaged 25.5 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting 71.4 percent in UA's two wins. She recorded her second double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds at Cleveland State, including 8-of-9 from the free throw line. She followed that up with 25 points and eight boards in a decisive home victory over Saint Peter's on 11-of-14 field goals. For the season, Tecca boasts 17.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg and a 55.9 field goal percentage.

Keeping Up With Women's Basketball - Episode 1

2011-12-06T07:49:00.000-08:00

Take a look at the first episode of "Keeping Up with Akron Women's Basketball". Hanna and Carly give us an inside look at our trip to Seattle over Thanksgiving!

Taylor garners MAC Player of the Week Honors!!!

2011-12-02T05:49:00.000-08:00

Taylor Ruper was named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week on Monday for her standout performance at the Seattle University Thanksgiving Tournament. Ruper, a junior guard from North Royalton, Ohio, earned Most Valuable Player honors after helping the Akron women's basketball team go 2-0 and win the tournament title. This is the first conference weekly award for UA this season and the first of Ruper's career.

In Seattle, Ruper totaled 35 points almost completely on 3-pointers, going an impressive 11-for-17 (.647) from behind the arc. She finished 11-of-20 (.550) from the field and added three assists, six rebounds, two blocks and a pair of steals over both games. After scoring a team-high 20 points and drilling six triples against Loyola-Chicago, Ruper came back the next night and sank five from long distance for a 15-point performance against host team Seattle.

Thanksgiving Tournament CHAMPS!!!

2011-12-02T05:35:00.000-08:00

With an 85-74 victory over Seattle, The University of Akron women's basketball team won the Seattle University Thanksgiving Tournament title on Saturday night. Junior guard Taylor Ruper earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors, while classmate Rachel Tecca made the All-Tournament squad.

We had a great time out in Seattle. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at the Space Needle restaurant. The views from the Space Needle were incredible. We also enjoyed some time at Pike Fish Market and some of the other local shopping areas.

Overall we could not have asked for a better trip to the Northwest! GO ZIPS!

Zips Hold Annual Halloween Bash!

2011-11-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Last friday night we held our annual Halloween party at Coach Kest's house. It was another great team event as we all dressed up in costume. We had a great dinner and played some games as a team. It is always a fun time when this group gets together! They have great team chemistry and are alot of fun to be around! They also are very creative in their costumes. Above is a pic of the entire team dressed up as well as the coaching staff! What is your favorite?

Akron Picked 3rd in MAC East

2011-11-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

The University of Akron women's basketball team was tabbed third in the East division, as announced in the 2011-12 preseason poll by the Mid-American Conference on Tuesday. In addition, junior forward Rachel Tecca was selected to the Preseason All-MAC Team.

"I'm happy for Rachel, because she deserves this honor," said sixth-year head coach Jodi Kest. "She had a great season last year and will be an even better player this year."

The Zips return 10 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished 14-16 overall and 6-10 in the conference, making it to the MAC Tournament quarterfinals. Tecca, an All-MAC First Team honoree after a tremendous sophomore campaign, joins senior Jasmine Mushington (Co-Sixth Player of the Year) and sophomore Carly Young (All-MAC Freshman team) as returning players who earned league postseason honors last year.

21 Questions with Candace Martino

2011-11-02T10:31:00.001-07:00

We asked freshman guard, Candace Martino, a few questions about herself! Candace is a 5'8" guard from Bethel Park, PA. Check out her answers below!

1. Nickname?
Can

2. How did you chose your number?

Got stuck with it in 3rd grade, had it ever since

3. What has impressed you the most about Coach Kest and her staff?

Organization, passion and thier knowledge of the game

4. Funniest Teammate?

Hanna

5. What is your favorite shot on the court?

Left 3 point wing

6. What motto do you try to live by?

A set back is always a bridge to comeback

7. Who is your role model and why?

Gannon Baker because he has faith, confidence, persistence and love for the game. Never met someone with so much passion in life!

8. Who is your favorite professional athlete?

Can't decide between Tim Tebow and Derrick Rose

9. What is your dream job?

To play overseas or be a D1 College Coach

10. Tell me about your position coach?

Brings positive energy to the court and will help me improve my game

11. Hometown? What is something unqiue about it/your favorite thing to do there?

Pittsburgh! Eating at Fioris Pizza and Primanti Brothers... it is a must!

12. What's on your ipod?
Anything ranging from the 50's to present day, besides rock, I love it all

13. Who got you in to playing basketball?

My neighbors playing outside when I was 3. I would watch everyday and have them hold me up so I could shoot. Fell in love ever since.

14. Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

Same song play list, same meal, drink red gatorade before the game

15. If I had to take a road trip I'd go?

Somewhere West Coast

16. My favorite Halloween costume?

I don't have one

17. The reality TV show I would most like to be on?

Not sure I'd even want to be on one! If I had to pick probably a competitive one!

18. The best thing about being a Zip?
Representing Women's Basketball and getting opportunities

19. Favorite place on campus?
The gym, but also Luigis, it's off campus but its the best italian food around!

20. Favorite Restaurant?

Hibachi Grill

21. Favorite Class?
Psychology

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-27T06:18:00.001-07:00

Coach Kest would like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!!! We love Halloween at Akron! We will have our annual team party friday night, so look for pictures coming soon of all the fun costumes! We are also looking forward to Halloween Hoops on Saturday night from 5pm-7pm at the JAR! Hope to see you there! Go Zips

Coach Kest Recaps First Week of Practice

2011-10-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

Click on the link to hear Coach Kest talk about our great first week of practice! The girls went hard and are looking better than ever. We are soo excited for the season. All their hard work this summer is paying off and showing on the basketball court! Keep it up Zips!

Exchange Dorms

2011-10-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

Freshmen Candace Martino and Brittani Thomas show you what freshmen living is like at Akron! Check out the amazing amenties that our players have in their first year of college. It doesn't get much better than this :)

Akron Women's Basketball Team Lounge

2011-09-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

Rachel Tecca shows you the finished project! We are very fortunate to have such a great space for our team to use. They have really enjoyed the lounge thus far!

21 Questions with Brittani Thomas

2011-09-14T07:32:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again! Over the next few weeks we will take a look at our three newcomers to our program. This week we start with freshman guard Brittani Thomas! Enjoy!

1. Nickname?
Britt

2. How did you choose your number?

#21-Randomly choosen

3. What has impressed you the most about Coach Kest and her staff?
The desire to get better and work ethic

4. Funniest Teammate?
Jasmine

5. What is your favorite shot on the court?
15 footer and fast break layup

6. What motto do you try to live by?
No pain, no gain

7. Who is your role model and why?

My mother because she has been my sole provider in the 18 years of my life. Being a single parent she has remained strong.

8. Who is your favorite professional athlete?

Lebron James

9. What is your dream job?

I want to work on ESPN

10. Tell me about your position coach?

Coach A is always smiling and always has a positive attitude.

11. Hometown? What is something unique about it/favorite thing to do there?

My hometown is Columbus, OH but I was born in Youngstown, OH. My favorite thing to do in Columbus is go to Easton Mall to shop or sometimes see a movie.

12. What's on your ipod?

Hip Hop and R & B

13. Who got you into playing basketball?

Myself

14. Do you have any pre-gam rituals or superstitions?

I have to listen to my ipod up until gametime, chew gum during warm-ups, and say a prayer to myself before the game.

15. If I had to take a road trip I'd go?

Bahamas. Not really a road trip but this is where I would go :)

16. My favorite Halloween costume?

When I was about 2 or 3 years old I was Baby Bop from Barney

17. The reality TV show I would most like to be on?

Keeping Up with the Kardashians

18. The best thing about being a Zip is?
Being able to represent the school as a whole and all the nice things we get like our new team lounge!

19. Favorite place on campus?

Starbucks

20. Favorite restaurant?

Red Lobster and Chipotle

21. Favorite Class?
First Aid and CPR

Team Tailgate!

2011-09-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

We LOVE football saturdays at Akron!!! Here is a look at some pics from this past weekend's team tailgate. We had a great time enjoying good food, cornhole, and football. Football season is here and that means that our season is just around the corner! We can't wait to see you on the court!

Take a look at the 2011-2012 Schedule!

2011-09-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

Two early-season tournaments and a total of 14 regular season home games at James A. Rhodes Arena highlight the 2011-12 University of Akron women's basketball schedule.

"We feel with 10 returning players that it would benefit our team to play a more competitive schedule to get us ready for our conference games," said Kest. "Playing programs from the Big East and ACC will test our team early in the season and help us grow prior to MAC play."

The Zips will face stiff competition, as they are scheduled to play at least 15 games against teams that participated in postseason play a year ago. Four of Akron's opponents played in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, while five made it to the WNIT and three competed in the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI).

Click on the link below for the complete 2011-2012 schedule!

http:///www.gozips.com/sports/wbkb/2011-12/schedule

WBB WINS ZIPPY CUP!!!

2011-08-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

Last night The University of Akron held its welcome back picnic for all the athletic teams. It was a great night filled with good food and fun games. To cap off the evening Athletic Director Tom Wistrcill announced the recipent of last year's Zippy Cup Winners. The Zippy Cup is an competiition amongest all the athletic teams. The compeition is based on hours of community service, academic standards, and supporting other athletic teams. We are pleased to announce that our team took top honors! Our team did 678 hours of community service last year! This is a great accomplishment and we are so proud of our girls for all the work they have done off the court! With winning the Zippy Cup we received a trophy and a 1,000 check that will be used for our program!

Zips Welcome New Staff Members!!!

2011-08-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

Head Coach Jodi Kest has announced the hiring of assistant coach Ashley Armstrong and graduate assistant Tyler Tully to the women's basketball staff. Armstrong joins the Zips after spending last season as the director of women's basketball operations at Rice University, while Tully previously served as the video coordinator for the Rutgers women's basketball program.

"We are very excited to have Ashley as part of our Akron basketball family," said Coach Kest. "She will bring instant enthusiasm, passion and a winning attitude to our program. Ashley has been a part of successful programs in high school and college, and we believe that success will carry over to our program." Her major responsibilities for the Zips will be equipment and scheduling, assisting with recruiting and scouting, and working with the guards.

"I am really looking forward to joining a program that is on the upswing," said Armstrong. "Coach Kest has brought her successful ways to Akron and has already done so much to bring Akron women's basketball to the top. I am thrilled to be a part of a program and team that will work its way to the top and find a way to stay there. It is especially rewarding to be able to return to my home state, particularly northeast Ohio. This should prove to be nothing short of an exciting and winning season."

Joining the staff as a graduate assistant, Tully hails from Cincinnati, Ohio. As the video coordinator at Rutgers, Tully was responsible for all of the team's video needs, including opponent and self scouting, film exchange and assisting the office in day-to-day internal operations.

"We are very lucky to have Tyler on our staff," said Kest. "He is very experienced, and his knowledge of video production will be a great asset to our team."

My Summer- Jasmine

2011-08-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

My name is Jasmine Mushington and I am a member of the University of Akron Women’s basketball team. During the summer I spent 3 weeks at home with my family. During this time I hung out with my friends, went on vacation to the beach and spent quality time with my family. Once I got back to school I moved in my apartment with my roommates Natasha and Denver. Although, I was at summer school I was also working out and completing 300 hours for my internship. The organization I interned with was the Mental Health Recovery and Services Board of Stark County. As an intern at MHRSB I did a lot of projects and assignments. I sat in on over 25 job interviews, updated performance appraisals, updated attendance records, formatted forms that were in the hand book but the company did not have yet, created spread sheets for resumes that where coming in and did many revisions on the hand book.

New Weightroom!!!

2011-08-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

We have shown you some of the pictures of the construction of the new team lounge. Now it's time to show you some pics of our brand new weightroom. This weightroom will be located in the JAR right next to the team lounge. This weightroom will be used by both the men's and women's basketball teams as well as women's volleyball. We are excited about our new additions and can't wait to show you the final project!

My Summer- Tasha

2011-08-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

My name is Natasha Williams and I am part of the University of Akron women’s basketball team. During this summer I spent about a month home with my family. I would hang out with my friends, play basketball and relax at home. Once I returned back to school for the summer, I moved in with my two roommates Jasmine and Denver. While at some school, I am doing basketball summer workouts and I also had an internship with the Stow Police Department.

During the internship, I did ride-a-longs with the police, went to the courthouse, worked with the youth services program, and spent a day in dispatch. The ride-a-longs were fun and interesting. We arrested several people and gave people speeding tickets. At the courthouse, I had the opportunity to sit in on cases and to meet the judges and magistrates. I went to the Stow area middle schools and talked to the children. I also got an opportunity to work at the dispatch where I got to listen to the police calls. Between my internship and summer workouts, this took up most of my time during the first summer session.

Team GPA Among Best In The Nation!!!

2011-08-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

The University of Akron women's basketball program was recognized by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) for its 3.405 team GPA. This ranked the team 14th nationally.

"I'm very proud of our team and excited for our program," said Kest. "To be ranked 14th in the country academically among all Division I programs shows how committed our young ladies are both on and off the court. All the hard work and dedication has paid off, and we are very lucky to be surrounded by outstanding academic support at The University of Akron."

The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Divisions I, II and III; NAIA; and junior college/community college teams across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point averages (GPAs) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2010-11 season is the 14th in which the WBCA has presented the standings.

A team's GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of hours attempted by all team members in the academic terms (semesters or quarters) that the season spans. Weighted grades are converted to a 4.0 scale. The GPAs are rounded to the nearest thousandth of a point. Teams are nominated for the honor by a WBCA-member head coach. A team must have a 3.000 or better GPA to be nominated.

JAR Renovations 061011

2011-06-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

More renovations!!! The lounge is looking good and on pace to be finished at the end of June! We are sooooo excited!

My Summer- Carly

2011-06-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

It was amazing to spend some time at home this summer. It was extremely relaxing. There’s not much to do in little ol’ Frazeysburg Ohio, but I kept myself busy. I spent a lot of time with my family and friends, and I work at the Dairy Queen in town. Gotta make that money! When I was not working I was working out with Hanna Luburgh at our old high school weight room.

I spent a lot of time at the pool perfecting my tan :). My friends and I just went to Heath pool in Newark. There’s a lot of slides there and a lazy river. Most of my friends were still in school because they were on quarters, but we still made time to see each other. There’s always the occasional summer party and cookout. But the most fun I had this summer was when I went to Powerline with some of my girlfriends. Three words that describe Powerline: Four wheelers, mud, and camping. I was a complete muddy mess all weekend, and loved every minute of it. Yes, I am kind of a hillbilly.

Two weeks ago I started summer school back at Akron. Hanna and I moved all our stuff into our new apartment! We are having a great time!

Women's Basketball to Face Notre Dame in WNIT!!!

2011-06-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

The pairings for the 2011 Preseason WNIT were announced and The University of Akron women's basketball team will play at Notre Dame on Friday, Nov. 11 in the opening round. The Fighting Irish posted a 31-8 record last season and made it all the way to the national championship game before falling to Texas A&M.

"We are very excited to be participating in the Preseason WNIT," said head coach Jodi Kest. "Playing Notre Dame in the first round will obviously be a challenge for us. We will find out very early in the season a lot about ourselves."

The Preseason WNIT features a three-game guarantee format. The event opens Nov. 11 with first-round games. Second-round games will be played Nov. 13-14 and sites will be announced following the first round results. Semifinals will be Nov. 16-17, and the championship game is set for Sunday, Nov. 20. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games on the second weekend, Nov. 18-19.

Rhodes Arena Renovations 5 27 11

2011-06-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest video of the new basketball team lounges!!! We can't wait to move-in in July!!

Zips to Play in Preseason WNIT!!!

2011-06-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

The University of Akron women's basketball program has been selected to participate in the 2011 Preseason WNIT, as announced on Thursday morning. The tournament features a 16-team field highlighted by three top-10 teams from last season in Baylor, Notre Dame, and UCLA. The remaining teams are Chattanooga, Detroit, Drexel, ETSU, Hartford, Howard, Indiana State, Long Island, Manhattan, McNeese State, Tennessee Tech, and UAB.

Head coach Jodi Kest, who enters her sixth season at UA, is excited about the selection. "We are very happy to be a part of the Preseason WNIT," said Kest. "This is a tremendous opportunity for our program, and we are looking forward to representing the Mid-American Conference among a field of great teams."

The Preseason WNIT features a three-game guarantee format. The event opens Nov. 11 with first-round games. Second-round games will be played Nov. 13-14; semifinals will be Nov. 16-17; and the championship is set for Sunday, Nov. 20. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games on the second weekend, Nov. 18-19. All games are hosted by participating schools.

The full bracket with match-ups and game locations will be announced in June. For more information, please visit the WNIT website.

Women's Basketball Excels in the Classroom!!!

2011-06-06T11:31:00.001-07:00

The University of Akron women's basketball team posted high marks in the classroom, finishing with a 3.43 cumulative team GPA. In addition, 10 of 13 student-athletes on the squad made the Dean's List this year.

"I am very proud of our young ladies' accomplishments in the classroom," said Kest. "Academics are very important, and having 10 of 13 student-athletes on the Dean's List shows how disciplined they are. It is not easy to balance classwork and athletics, and these results demonstrate how dedicated this group is to performing at a high level both on and off the court."

Basketball Team Lounges

2011-05-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

The University of Akron will convert 5,000 square feet in James A. Rhodes Arena into team lounges for the Zips men's and women's basketball programs and construct a 1,650-square-foot strength-training room that will service four varsity teams. The University's Board of Trustees approved the project on April 28. The lounges will provide enhanced facilities for team activities and be located in proximity to each squad's locker room and arena floor

The project is scheduled to begin in mid-May and conclude in late-July."One of our primary objectives in Zips Athletics is to create a meaningful and memorable experience for our student-athletes, and the addition of team lounges and a new strength and conditioning center certainly meets that goal," Director of Athletics Tom Wistrcill said. "This project, which would not be possible without the generous support of our donors, will provide amenities that benefit both basketball programs and their student-athletes, and will allow our coaching staffs to continue to recruit successfully."

The two team lounges will be symmetrical and feature state-of the-art technology, including multi-screen audio/visual equipment for practice and game video analysis, and opponent scouting. The video systems, designed specifically to meet the needs of the Akron basketball programs, will be synchronized with equipment located in the existing coaching staffs' offices to maximize efficiency in video study and game preparation."These improvements are overdue for our successful programs and will add greatly to our recruiting efforts and day-to-day coaching tasks," Vice President for Capital Planning and Facilities Management Ted Curtis said.

The space in each lounge will be flexible in its usability and will support a variety of functions, including team meetings, individual study time, social interaction and recruiting visits. The focus of the remodel will be on new interior finishes, lighting, casework and furnishings. Graphic elements will be incorporated into the overall design to emphasize the identity of each program and the branding of the University and Zips Athletics. Other amenities include study cubicles with computers and extra tall ceilings.

Women's Basketball Banquet!

2011-05-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

The team gave out several specialty awards, starting with Most Outstanding Player, presented to sophomore Rachel Tecca for her stellar season as the team leader in scoring and rebounding. She was also honored for earning All-MAC First Team recognition, only the third Zip to ever make the First Team. Junior Jasmine Mushington was named the team's Most Improved player, and she also received her MAC award for Co-Sixth Player of the Year.

Freshman of the Year honors went to Carly Young, who also made the MAC All-Freshman Team in her first year as a Zip. Classmate Kacie Cassell took home the Community Service award for her work off the court, and Brianna Moyes, also a freshman, was honored with the Coaches' Award. Finally, the Scholar Award was given to Tecca for her excellence in the classroom.

The evening also featured the presentation of commemorative basketballs to Akron's lone senior Kara Murphy for her record-breaking career. The Hartville, Ohio native broke program records for games played (123) and points scored (1,777) over her four years in the Blue & Gold. Murphy also earned All-MAC Honorable Mention honors, placing her on the All-MAC squad all four years of her career.

The team also recognized the academic achievements of Tecca, Taylor Ruper, and Natasha Williams, who earned the MAC Commissioner's Award for student-athletes with GPA's of 3.5 or higher. The following Zips also made the MAC Honor Roll with GPA's of at least 3.0: Murphy, Tecca, Ruper, Williams, and Katie Bubna.

Relay For Life

2011-04-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Last weekend our team volunteer at "Relay for Life". They spent many hours raising money for a great cause. Checkout the footage from the event!

Sina King Fieldhouse Tour

2011-04-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

We resume our video series with Freshman, Sina King, showing off our gorgeous indoor fieldhouse! Checkout where the the team does all their preseason and postseason workouts!

2011 Jock Jams Women's Basketball

2011-04-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

Our team participated in the annual Jock Jams event! Check out the girls as they showed off their dancing skills to a Michael Jackson Medley!

On the Road with Women's Basketball - Episode 3

2011-04-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

In this video series Hanna takes us behind the scenes at the MAC Tourney! The team had a great win in the 1st round vs. Western Michigan. Check out the girls and their journey to The Q!

On the Road with Women's Basketball - Episode 2

2011-04-12T08:37:00.001-07:00

Hanna continues her blog as she gets ready for the rival Kent State game. This also is Kara Murphy's senior night. Check out what her teammates and coaches had to say about our lone senior!

On the Road with Women's Basketball

2011-04-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

Freshman guard, Hanna Luburgh, takes us behind the scenes of Akron Women's Basketball. In this video check out our road trip to Miami Ohio.

Akron Women's Basketball vs. Bowling Green

2011-02-24T06:25:00.000-08:00

It took a last second shot by Lauren Prochaska to beat the Zips 47-45. "I could not have asked any more from my team tonight," said head coach Jodi Kest. "They played their hearts out, and I am so proud of them. This one hurts, but we'll forget about it and move on to the next game."
Sophomore Rachel Tecca - who paced the Zips with a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double - dropped in a baseline hook to give Akron a one-point advantage with eight seconds remaining. Jen Uhl had put the Falcons ahead with 27 ticks to go with a pair of free throws to answer Kara Murphy's pair of freebies with 1:23 to go.
Tecca's 13th double-double of the season ties the program record set by Pam Arnold Davis, who was honored before the game with a banner in the rafters of Rhodes Arena for her accomplishments as a Zip.
The UA defense limited the Falcons to just 23.6 percent from the field in the game, but they converted 18-of-23 free throws. Bowling Green's 47 points are its second-lowest total of the season, and the Falcons average 73.0 per game, second-best in the league.

Kara Murphy Breaks Scoring Record

2011-02-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

Senior forward Kara Murphy became Akron's all-time leading scorer at Buffalo on Feb. 16, breaking Akron great Cheryl Bowles' all-time scoring record by sinking two free throws with 20 seconds to play that gave Akron a three-point lead. Murphy has amassed 1,715 total points over her career. Congrats Kara!!!

Kara Murphy Honored

2011-02-21T05:36:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Senior Kara Murphy on breaking the school record of most games played! Kara also has started evry game she has played in. This is an outstanding accomplsihment!

Cheryl Bowles Honored

2011-02-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

Prior to Saturday's win over the Cardinals, a banner honoring jersey No. 24 which was worn by Zips great Cheryl Bowles was hung in the rafters of the venue. The All-American and all-time leading scorer competed for the Blue and Gold from the 1997-98 through 2000-01 seasons.
As a junior in 2000 Bowles became the Zips' first-ever first-team all-conference honoree and on Jan. 24, 2001 as a senior cemented herself as the premiere player in Akron history, becoming the school's all-time leading scorer. In her 115 game career Bowles totaled 1,712 points, surpassing the old mark of 1,544. For her senior season in 2000-01 she earned Honorable Mention All-Mid-American Conference accolades.
Bowles became the seventh player in Akron history to surpass 1,000 points in a career and was a Kodak Honorable Mention All-American, one of two All-Americans in program history. She was also a member of the 1998-99 squad that played in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

Alumnae Game Highlights

2011-02-15T07:17:00.000-08:00

On Friday night, Rhodes Arena was home to the Alumni Game, in which the Blue Team scored a 53-44 win over the Gold Team. A postgame dinner for the former student-athletes, their families and guests was held in the arena's Tommy Evans Lounge. Thank You to all the Alumni who came back and showed their Zip Pride!

Akron Women's Basketball vs. Ball State

2011-02-14T06:44:00.000-08:00

Taylor Ruper broke the school record for 3-pointers made in a game and Kara Murphy broke the school record for career games played and career starts as The University of Akron women's basketball team defeated Ball State 78-65 on Saturday at Rhodes Arena.
The win improved Akron to 11-12 and 4-7 in the Mid-American Conference. Ball State fell to 9-15 and 4-7 in MAC play.
Ruper was on the mark all night as she totaled a career-high-tying 26 points on 8-of-10 shooting from behind the arc. Murphy added 15 points and Rachel Tecca also found double digits for Akron scoring 12 – her ninth-straight contest in double figures.

Rachel Tecca Named To Capital One Academic Team!!!

2011-02-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

Akron sophomore Rachel Tecca was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Third Team for District 4, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The list recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performance on the floor and in the classroom. This is the first such honor for the Tallmadge, Ohio native, who carries a 3.90 GPA in Corporate Financial Management.
Tecca becomes the first women's basketball player in program history to earn this distinction.

For a complete listing of the Capital One Academic All-District women's basketball teams, click here.

Road Trip to NIU! Zips meet Tamika Catchings!

2011-02-14T06:13:00.000-08:00

Behind a total team performance on both ends of the floor, the University of Akron women's basketball team dominated Northern Illinois 72-43 for the program's first-ever win at NIU. Sophomore forward Rachel Tecca recorded her second-straight double-double with a game-high 18 points and 13 rebounds, giving her 11 for the season and 14 for her career.
The Zips (10-12, 3-7 MAC) allowed the fewest points of the season, including just 12 in the first half, while holding NIU (9-14, 3-7 MAC) to 15-for-53 (.283) from the floor. Akron coupled its defensive performance with one of its best shooting nights, going 30-for-58 for 51.7 percent.
"It was a great defensive effort," said head coach Jodi Kest. "I'm so proud of our kids. We also had excellent offensive execution. It was a great team effort tonight."
Joining Tecca in double figures were sophomore Taylor Ruper with 11 and freshman Carly Young with 10.

Road Trips are always a fun time for our team. We have great team chemsitry and this group of young ladies and alot of fun to be around. While waiting for our flight home in the Chicago Airport the team ran into WNBA and former Tennesse Star, Tamika Catchings! It was a greta photo opp for our team!

Zips Excel In The Classroom!!!

2011-02-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

The University of Akron women's basketball team performs both on the court and in the classroom, as the Zips boast 10 players on the Dean's List for Fall 2010. This Fall the team's overall GPA was 3.40. They also have an impressive cumulative GPA of 3.45.
Akron Head Coach Jodi Kest is pleased by her team's achievements, saying, "I'm proud of our players' success in the classroom. These accomplishments are a true credit to their hard work, dedication, and commitment to academics. Their success represents the high-achieving student-athletes that compete for the University of Akron."
UA's lone senior Kara Murphy leads the way on the list, joined by juniors Denver McLean and Natasha Williams, sophomores Rachel Tecca and Taylor Ruper, and freshmen Kacie Cassell, Sina King, Hanna Luburgh, Brianna Moyes, and Carly Young.

Akron Women's Basketball vs. Ohio

2011-01-11T09:05:00.000-08:00

Akron Takes Down Ohio

The University of Akron Athletics

2011-01-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

The University of Akron Athletics

By clicking the link above you can check out the NEW VIDEO GUIDE and learn more about our GREAT University and STELLAR Athletic Department! Scroll through the guide to get to the Women's Basketball section. Here you can watch Coach Kest talk about her success and her vision for the up and coming program she has built at The University of Akron. You can also take a look at our top notch facilities that our student athletes compete and train in everyday. Enjoy!

Akron Women's Basketball vs. Ursuline College

2010-12-20T05:03:00.000-08:00

Zips Cruise Past Arrows, 102-45.

2010-12-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Holiday's from University of Akron Women's Basketball Coaching Staff!!!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/ZWUtmp6V34GbimBq

Zips Indiana Roadtrip

2010-12-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

Zips go 1-1 on their roadtrip to Indiana. Check out some of the footage captured.

Rachel Tecca Earns MAC East Player of the Week

2010-11-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

University of Akron sophomore Rachel Tecca has been named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week for women's basketball, the league office announced Monday. Tecca, who was a standout at nearby Archbishop Hoban High School, posted three straight double-doubles to lead the Zips to a 2-1 record last week. In all, the 2009-10 MAC Sixth Player of the Year averaged 18.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 50.0 percent (23-for-46) from the floor as UA posted victories against Robert Morris and Georgia Southern. Tecca scored a career-high 30 points - to go along with 12 rebounds and four steals - to lead UA to an 88-60 defeat of Colonials last Tuesday before posting a season-high 14 rebounds and 15 points in a 94-81 overtime win against the Eagles. The athletic post player capped off her big week with 11 points and 10 rebounds against SMU for her sixth double-double of her career.Tecca is currently ranked second in the MAC for scoring (18.8 ppg) and fifth for rebounding (9.5 rpg). She is shooting 56.2 percent (50-for-89) from the floor, which is ranked third. The Zips (4-2), who are off to their best start since the 1995-96 season, will begin a three-game homestand against Duquesne Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Akron Women's Basketball vs. Niagara

2010-11-23T05:53:00.000-08:00

Akron comes out with 77-58 a win over Niagara this past Sunday.

Coaches Office Tour featuring Kacie Cassell

2010-11-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

Akron Women's Basketball vs. Ashland Highlights

2010-11-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

The University of Akron women's basketball team rolled to a 68-49 exhibition victory over Ashland Saturday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Sophomore Rachel Tecca, the 2009-10 Mid-American Conference Sixth Player of the Year, led three Zips in double figures with 18 points – on 9-for-17 shooting – and eight rebounds. True freshman Carly Young added 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists while sophomore Taylor Ruper added 12 points – on the strength of four 3-pointers – off the bench. In all, 10 different UA players scored as the Zips out-shot the Eagles, 40.8 percent (29-for-71) to 36.2 percent (21-for-58) from the floor. Akron dominated the paint with a 42-26 advantage and scored 27 points off of 25 AU turnovers.

Halloween Part 2

2010-10-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

Akron Women's Basketball had their annual Halloween Party at Coach Kest's House.

Halloween Video

2010-10-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween the Akron Zips players and coaching staff answered a few questions about the holiday and participated in some apple bobbing along the way! Check out this hilarious video!

Akron Women's Basketball Announces TV Games!!!

2010-10-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce our TV games for the 2010-2011 season. The Zips are scheduled to be on STO TV three times this season. The first contest will feature Akron at home against the Ohio Bobcats on January 8th at noon. The Zips will then face Eastern Michigan on January 22nd and also Ball State on February 12th, with both games starting at 5pm. Once again the MAC Conference Tournament Semi-finals and finals will be broad casted on STO TV. We look forward to a great year and we are very excited about the opportunity to showcase our team!

Student Union Tour

2010-10-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

We continue our video tours with a look at our gorgeous student union! Sophomore guard Katie Bubna shows us the ins and outs of the Union! Take a look!

21 Questions with Hanna Luburgh

2010-10-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

This week we take a look at our 5th and final freshman, 5'10" Guard Hanna Luburgh. Check out Hanna's answer's to our 21 Questions.

1. Nickname:

None

2. How did you choose your number?

In 6th grade I was dating a boy that I thought was my future husban and had just come to Tri-Valley so I changed from #8 to #14 to be like him.

3. What has impressed you the most about Coach Kest and her staff?

How competitive they are. Each coach brings something new to the table and will do whatever it takes to win and be successful.

4. Funniest Teammate?

Jaz

5. What is your favorite shot on the court?

Jumper

6. What motto do you try to live by?

Live and Learn

7. Who is your role model and why?

My sister Paige

8. Who is your favorite professional athlete?

Lebron

9. What is your dream job?

I want to be famous somehow. So whatever I can do to be famous would be a dream job.

10. Tell me about your position coach?

Coach Jackson- She is full of energy and motivating, positive

11. Hometown? What is something unique about it/your favorite thing to do there?

Zanesville, OH- Everyone knows everyone and we ride four wheelers

12. What’s on your ipod?

Country of course

13. Who got you in to playing basketball?

My sister played in a league in our town and I couldn't be left out so I joined too.

14. Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

Adidas spray

15. If I had to take a road trip I’d go?

Any tropical beach

16. My favorite Halloween costume?

ATV Rider

17. The reality TV show I would most like to be on?

American Gladiator

18. The best thing about being a Zip is?

The people I'm with (my team and coaches) and the support from all involved (academic advisors, managers, etc.)

19. Favorite place on campus?

Fieldhouse

20. Favorite Restaurant?

Adornettos

21. Favorite class?

Study Hall or Math Class

Akron Zips 1st Official Practice

2010-10-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

Last week the Zips officially started practice for the 2010-2011 season! It is an exciting time of the year as we get back on the court and prepare for the season. Click on the video to view some clips from our 1st official day on October 7th!

Spicer Dorm Tour featuring Carly Young and Hanna Luburgh

2010-10-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

Next up in our video series is Freshmen roomates Hanna Luburgh and Carly Young! Hanna and Carly show us how the freshmen at Akron live in style!

22 Exchange Tour

2010-10-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Check out Soph's Rachel Tecca and Taylor Ruper as they show you what housing is like as an upperclassman! 22 Exchange is a great off campus housing option for students!

21 Questions with Kacie Cassell

2010-10-05T04:38:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy week at Akron. The coaches just got off the road from the recruiting trail. The staff was travelling all over watching great talent. Also, today we officially ended the 2010 preseason. Our girls had a great preseason and are ready for the start of practice on Thursday!

Below is freshman point guard Kacie Cassell's answers to our 21 questions! Enjoy!

1. Nickname:

Don't really have one but I guess "Kase"

2. How did you choose your number?

3 has been my favorite number since I started playing YMCA basketball when I was little.

3. What has impressed you the most about Coach Kest and her staff?

Thier work ethic and competitiveness

4. Funniest Teammate?

Katie Bubna

5. What is your favorite shot on the court?

I like them all

6. What motto do you try to live by?

You only live once and quitters never win, winners never quit

7. Who is your role model and why?

My parents, they taught me everything I know and how to be a great person

8. Who is your favorite professional athlete?

Michael Jordan and Adrian Peterson (Go Viks!)

9. What is your dream job?

Pharmacist

10. Tell me about your position coach?

Coach Kest- She is intense and expects a lot out of her point guards. She keeps me motivated always wanting to improve my game.

11. Hometown? What is something unique about it/your favorite thing to do there?

Vandalia, OH and Jim's donuts is the best place in vtown (24/7 fresh donuts)

12. What’s on your ipod?

Everything but classical music

13. Who got you in to playing basketball?

My Dad

14. Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

I had some goofy ones in high school but probably won't continue those

15. If I had to take a road trip I’d go?

New Orleans, the city is amazing and super great food

16. My favorite Halloween costume?

When I was 4 I dressed up as a tiger... I was the cutest kid out to get candy that night!

17. The reality TV show I would most like to be on?

Real World or Jersey Shore

18. The best thing about being a Zip is?

EVERYTHING, especially the clothes!

19. Favorite place on campus?

Locker Room

20. Favorite Restaurant?

Texas Roadhouse

21. Favorite class?

so far... Diversity in American Society

Jasmine and Natasha's Lockeroom Tour

2010-09-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

Juniors Jasmine Mushington and Natasha Williams give us a tour of our lockeroom. Check out where the Zips spend most of their time! Enjoy!

21 Questions with Sina King

2010-09-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Check out freshman guard/forward Sina King's answers to our 21 questions!

1. Nickname

No Nickname

2. How did you choose your number?

My whole family had that # in basketball. Dad, Mom, and Hope (my sister)

3. What has impressed you the most about Coach Kest and her staff?

I am very impressed that they are always chipper and ready to go at in at 5:30/6:00 in the morning.

4. Funniest Teammate?

Katie Bubna

5. What is your favorite shot on the court?

15 Footer

6. What motto do you try to live by?

We must be the change we want to see and laugh as much as you breathe, it makes life easier

7. Who is your role model and why?

My sister Hope, because she has overcome great obstacles in her life and is still successful no matter what she does

8. Who is your favorite professional athlete?

Katie Smith

9. What is your dream job?

I don't really have one yet

10. Tell me about your position coach?

Coach Ruffing- he is a swell coach that always gives positive encouragement but is somewhat lacking when it comes to drawing our position poster.

11. Hometown? What is something unique about it/your favorite thing to do there?

Waterford, OH- We have one restuarant in our small town called Jukebox Pizza which is probably my favorite place to go because it is the best pizza I have ever had. My favorite activity to do in Waterford would be going canoeing or swimming.

12. What’s on your ipod?

Pretty much everything except for country

13. Who got you in to playing basketball?

My sister, Hope

14. Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

Well I have to wear two pairs of socks and give myself a peptalk before each game

15. If I had to take a road trip I’d go?

To California

16. My favorite Halloween costume?

I can't even remember

17. The reality TV show I would most like to be on?

Say Yes to the Dress

18. The best thing about being a Zip is?

Having a place/group to belong to.

19. Favorite place on campus?

The JAR or my bed

20. Favorite Restaurant?

Bob Evans

21. Favorite class?

English

Infocision Stadium Featuring Denver McLean

2010-09-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Football Season is in the Air! Check out Junior Center, Denver McLean's favorite spot on campus! We love football saturdays at Akron! It is great atmosphere for all the students!

Kara's Favorite Spot

2010-09-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

Check out Senior Capatin Kara Murphy's favorite spot on campus!

21 Questions with Brianna "BJ" Moyes

2010-09-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

1. Nickname?
"BJ"

2. How did you choose your number?
We don't have #2 in Australia and I thought it was different

3. What has impressed you the most about Coach Kest and her staff?

How they are always checking up on you and asking how things are going

4. Funniest Teammate?

Jasmine, with all her sayings and the way she sings all the time

5. What is your favorite shot on the court?

Floater shot

6. What motto do you try to live by?

God Honors those that honor him

7. Who is your role model and why?

My parents because they are both really hard workers and very humble

8. Who is your favorite professional athlete?

Usain Bolt

9. What is your dream job?

To play pro ball

10. Tell me about your position coach?

Coach Kest- She is cool, alot of fun off the court but on the court she is tough and makes you work. She can also talk really fast :)

11. Hometown? What is something unique about it/your favorite thing to do there?

Canberra, Australia. There are kangaroos in my backyard.

12. What’s on your ipod?

A mixture of things but alot of dance type music

13. Who got you in to playing basketball?

My parents

14. Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

I like to say a quick prayer to myself before

15. If I had to take a road trip I’d go?

Back home to see my family

16. My favorite Halloween costume?

Never celebrated Halloween before

17. The reality TV show I would most like to be on?

Haven't seen to many reality TV shows while I've been here. I've only seen Jersey Shore and I don't really wanna be on that!

18. The best thing about being a Zip is?

All the great people I get to hang out with and the fact that a zip is a kangaroo

19. Favorite place on campus?

Lockeroom. Great place to chill

20. Favorite Restaurant?

Still trying out different places but Luigi's is pretty good.

21. Favorite class?

If I have to choose one it would have to be Oral Communications

Infocision Stadium Tour with Denver McLean

2010-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Football season is in the air! At Akron we have a beautiful new state of the art stadium. Infocision Stadium makes Saturdays lots of fun on campus for our students! Over the next months each of the players will tell you a little more about their favorite places on campus. 1st up is Junior Center Denver McLean

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62kYKUKdFJ8

Click on the link to see the video!!!

21 Questions with Carly Young

2010-09-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

Over the next few weeks we will introduce you to our 5 freshmen. They are a great group both on and off the court. 1st up is6'3" Post player Carly Young.

1.Nickname?
Just Carly

2.How did you choose your number?
I used to be 5 until 7th grade when I grew and was too big for that number cause it was a small. 35 was a medium.

3.What has impressed you the most about Coach Kest and her staff?
"Family"

4.Funniest Teammate?
Hanna- no contest

5.What is your favorite shot on the court?
3!!!

6.What motto do you try to live by?
Everything happens for a reason

7.Who is your role model and why?
My Mother

8.Who is your favorite professional athlete?
No preference

9.What is your dream job?
A buyer for a clothing store

10.Tell me about your position coach?
Coach Dixon- He is intense on the court but personable off

11.Hometown? What is something unique about it/your favorite thing to do there?
Well, there is one traffic light... that sums up Frazeysburg...

12.What's on your ipod?
My ipod died in the washer

13.Who got you in to playing basketball?
My 3 friends who wanted a tall girl on their gus macker team. However, I knew nothing about basketball

14.Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
I will never wear my hair in a braid for a game again. We lost our District game when I wore my hair that way.

15.If I had to take a road trip I'd go to?
Europe

16.My favorite Halloween costume?
A M&M

17.The reality TV show I would most like to be on?
America's Next Top Model

18.The best thing about being a Zip is?
It's hard to explain. Akron just feels like a 2nd home to me

19.Favorite place on campus?
My bed or the locker room blue couch. I love sleep.

20.Favorite Restaurant?

Adornettos

21.Favorite Class?

High School- Anatomy... I loved my teacher

2 Weeks In The Books!!!

2010-09-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

We just completed the first two weeks of the preseason. It is hard to believe that 2 weeks have already gone by. The team has been busy with lifting, running, individual workouts, and pickup. Here are a few pics from the last week. The girls are working very hard and have been very coachable in individual workouts. The upperclassmen have been showing the freshmen the ropes and they have caught on very quickly. We are very pleased with what we have seen the last two weeks but there is alot of work still to be done!

We want to wish everyone a great labor day weekend! Some of the team will be heading home to spend time with their families while others are staying on campus to cheer on our Football team. Good Luck to Football as they take on Syracuse Saturday night at Infocision Stadium! It will be a great atmosphere at the game! Check back next week for more updates!

2010-08-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to annouce our 2010-2011 schedule. This year we will face as many as six non-conference opponents that competed in the postseason last year. Of those six, the Zips will face three – Robert Morris (Nov. 23), Cleveland State (Dec. 11) and Providence (Dec. 28) – at Rhodes Arena as part of a seven-game home non-league schedule. Other noteworthy home dates include a visit by local rival Kent State (Mar. 2), MAC Tournament champion Bowling Green (Feb. 22) and West Division winner Toledo (Feb. 2).

"This year's non-conference schedule provides a lot of exciting challenges for our very young team," said Kest, the 2009-10 MAC Coach of the Year. "After losing a lot of production from some key individuals - including two senior starters - our hope is our non-conference competition will allow us to gain valuable experience before we embark on our competitive Mid-American Conference schedule."

UA will spend the holiday in the Lone Star State when the SMU Thanksgiving Tournament gets underway in Dallas. Akron is guaranteed two games at the event with the first coming against Georgia Southern (Nov. 26) in the first meeting between the Zips and Eagles since 1987-88. The winner of that contest will then advance to meet the winner of the SMU, a WNIT qualifier in 2010, and Arkansas State match-up the following day (Nov. 27). Next, the Zips finish up their non-league slate with five of their last seven contests in Akron starting with a three-game homestand against Duquesne (Dec. 1), Wright State (Dec. 4) and Cleveland State. The Dukes were defeated by Northwestern in the first round of the WNIT a year ago while the Vikings, who won the Horizon League championship, fell at Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Akron will host Providence before ringing in the New Year with a final non-conference contest at Temple (Jan. 2). This will be the first time UA will play Providence, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT in 2009-10. The Owls, who edged the Zips, 55-43, last year at Rhodes Arena, were defeated by UCONN in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last March.

2010-11 Akron Women's Basketball Schedule

Sat., Nov. 6 - Ashland (Exh.)

Mon., Nov. 15 - at IPFW

Wed., Nov. 17 - at IUPUI

Sun., Nov. 21 - Niagara

Tues., Nov. 23 - Robert Morris

Fri., Nov. 26 - vs. Georgia Southern^ (Dallas, Texas)

Nov. 27 - vs. SMU/Arkansas St.^ (Dallas, Texas)

Wed., Dec. 1 - Duquesne

Sat., Dec. 4 - Wright State

Sat., Dec. 11 - Cleveland State

Thurs., Dec. 16 - at Youngstown State

Sun., Dec. 19 - Ursuline College

Tues., Dec. 28 - Providence

Sun., Jan. 2 - at Temple

Wed., Jan. 5 - Buffalo

Sat., Jan. 8 - Ohio

Wed., Jan. 12 - at Bowling Green

Sat., Jan. 15 - Miami (Ohio)

Wed., Jan. 19 - at Kent State

Sat., Jan. 22 - Eastern Michigan

Wed., Jan. 26 - at Western Michigan

Sat., Jan. 29 - at Central Michigan

Wed., Feb. 2 - Toledo

Sat., Feb. 5 - at Northern Illinois

Sat., Feb. 12 - Ball State

Wed., Feb. 16 - at Buffalo

Sat., Feb. 19 - at Ohio

Tues., Feb. 22 - Bowling Green

Sat., Feb. 26 - at Miami (Ohio)

Wed., Mar. 2 - Kent State

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!

2010-08-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

It is great to be back! Last night The University of Akron Department of Athletics held its annual Student-Athlete Welcome Back Picnic Sunday at Rhodes Arena. The event marked one of the few times during the academic year when all 450-plus of the department's student-athletes, coaching staffs, support staff and administrators are all in the same place at the same time.

Selected student-athletes from each sport as well as members of the department's management team participated in a variety of games based off the popular "Minute to Win It" TV game show. It was a great night of fun competitions. As you can see in the video's our girls had fun competing against their fellow Zips! Even Coach Kest competed in the challenging pencil catch!

We are very excited for the start of the school year! GO ZIPS!!!

Welcome Coach Dixon!!!

2010-08-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

We would like you to meet the newest addition to our Akron Family, Dr. Sam Dixon. Coach Dixon, spent the previous eight seasons as the head coach at Furman University. We are very excited to have him on staff!

"I am very happy to announce the addition of Dr. Sam Dixon to our Akron basketball family," Kest said. "He brings a wealth of experience and will be an immediate asset to our program. Sam is well known and respected in our profession and, as a previous head coach, will provide great leadership and communication skills to our young ladies. We are very fortunate to have Sam join our Akron community."

On the Zips' staff, Dixon will serve as the team's academic, conditioning and defensive coordinator as well as oversee junior college and international recruiting efforts. Dixon will also act as the position coach for the team's power forwards and centers and assist with the program's overall recruiting, scouting and game preparation duties.

"I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to be a part of The University of Akron women's basketball program," Dixon said. "I was impressed with the vision that Coach Kest has for the program and the great strides she has made during her time here. I am looking forward to help her achieve that vision and am honored to be a part of The University of Akron family."

Glad to be home!!!

2010-08-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

For most individuals the month of July is filled with cookouts, fireworks, vacations to the beach, and fun in the sun! For basketball coaches around the country this is not the norm. We recently completed our Summer recruiting period which took place for most of the month of July. We hit the road on July 5th for a month filled with airports, hotels, air conditioned gyms, and of course great basketball!!! July is a crazy month going from city to city. Our staff was in 19 different cities over a 20 days span!

July is a great month for our staff to see our top recruits and evaluate the young talent. Our staff was busy traveling and scouting all month! We got back this past weekend and were very excited to sleep in our own beds! :) We can't wait for the team to be back on campus in 3 weeks and to get back on the court to prepare for the 2010-2011 season!

Stay tuned for an announcement of our new assistant coach, Sam Dixon! We are very excited to have Sam on board! Go Zips!

Kara Murphy Selected in ESPN's 2011 WNBA Mock Draft!!!

2010-06-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

We recently got some exciting news as Senior, Kara Murphy, was chosen in ESPN's WNBA Mock Draft! The complete list of draftee's can be found at www.Draftsite.com

The website which provided the 2011 mock draft, listed Murphy, who was the only Mid-American player in the "Mock Draft", as the thirty-third pick. That pick would be selected by the San Antonio Starz.

Draftsite.com correctly predicted 27 of the 36 players selected in the 2010 WNBA draft. Five of those predictions were exact matches with players and round selected.

University of Akron Women's Basketball Camp (June 17)

2010-06-27T05:45:00.000-07:00

We recently completed "Camp Week" at The University!!! It was a great week filled with fun, learning, and competitive play. The video from above is some clips from our Individual Camp. We had a great group of campers which made the camp extra special. They learned different drills in their stations, played some fun relays, and competed in the league games. It was a great week of basketball!!! We also want to thank our great staff who did an awesome job with the campers!!! It was great to have the team back on campus working camp and interacting with the young campers! We can't wait til next year!

Coach Kest's Signs Contract Extension!!!

2010-04-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

We are very happy to annouce that Coach Kest, the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year, has signed a new contract that will keep her at Akron thru the 2014-2015 season.

Kest, who just completed her fourth season at UA, led the Zips to their highest win total (18) in the 36-year history of the program last winter. Akron also recorded its highest win totals for MAC play (11) and at Rhodes Arena (11) while holding opponents to an average of 59.6 points per game, representing the best mark in school history and the third-lowest average in league history. Kest was the first UA women's coach to receive Coach of the Year accolades from the MAC last March and just the second Akron basketball coach (men's or women's) to do so.

As a product of last season's success, Kest drew interest from other schools but ultimately decided to remain committed to Akron. "Akron is where I want to be and I am very lucky to have an administration that wants me here," Kest said. "My heart is in Akron and I have officially withdrawn myself as a candidate from other openings. "I am very proud and grateful to continue representing the University of Akron and its women's basketball program. I would like to thank (UA President) Dr. Luis Proenza, Tom Wistrcill and (Senior Associate Athletics Director) Mary Lu Gribschaw for their continued support and loyalty to me and our program. I would also like to thank the Akron community for embracing me and our young athletes."

Akron secured a first-round bye at the MAC Tournament for the first time and advanced to the semifinals for just the second time since becoming a league member in 1992. The Zips were then selected to compete in the Women's Basketball Invitational, marking its first postseason appearance in 11 years and just their second appearance all-time. "Jodi has a proven track record of turning around programs and last season was the perfect example of the positive influence she can have as a leader," Wistrcill said. "Furthermore, she represents everything that is right about college athletics with an absolute commitment to the performance of her student-athletes both on the court and in the classroom. I am excited for the future of our women's basketball program."

Coach Kest has elevated the Zips to unprecedented heights, culminating with this winter's record-setting campaign. Under Kest, Akron has now won more games in her past two seasons alone (29) than in the six seasons prior to her arrival (24 wins from 2000-01 to 2005-06)."This is a very exciting time to be a Zip," Kest said. "We had a great season last year, in breaking numerous school records, and I know we are on the brink of even greater things in the future. I want to thank our current and former players for trusting our vision. I am really looking forward to coaching our current group of quality student-athletes. "The University of Akron is where I want to be for a very long time. I am excited to share this news with our recruits and their families."

Summer Camp

2010-04-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

Yes it is that time of year again...

The University of Akron's Women's Basketball Camps are quickly filling up and we would love to have you be apart of another great camp season. This year we are once again offering our individual day camp, lil kids camp, and our high school team shootout. Below you will find more information about each camp!

Individual Basketball Camp

Fee: $135.00

Dates: June 14-17, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For children ages 9-14

Li'l Zips Day Camp

Fee: $25.00

Dates: June 15, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.

For children ages 3-8

Team Shootout

Fees: $250.00 for the one-day session (four games)

$395.00 for the two-day session (seven games)

Dates: June 18-19, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m

Please contact Candace Wilson at 330-972-8274 or clw23@uakron.edu for more details

Akron Basketball Jock Jams '10

2010-04-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

Are girls participated in the inagural University of Akron Jock Jams. This was a great event put on by our athletic department to support the Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) $700 dollars were raised and these funds will benefit the children of Haiti and Chile and other countries. Each team created a 5 minute routine whihc was judged by a celebrity panel highlighted by Tom Wistrcill, Director of Athletics.

As you can our team is not only talented with the basketball but on the dance floor as well! Even Coach Kest joined in the fun! It was a great night full of fun, and laughs all for a great cause!

Check out our girls in action above!!!

Jo Earns All-Academic

2010-04-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

University of Akron senior Jolene Tamboue was one of 13 student-athletes named to the Academic All-Mid-American Conference team for women's basketball.

Tamboue is the sixth Akron women's basketball player to earn academic honors from the MAC and the second in as many seasons, following Kara Murphy in 2008-09. Tamboue currently owns a 3.353 cumulative GPA as a biochemistry major at UA.

The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. Members of the prestigious group are voted on by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.

Congrats Jo!!!

Zips Set To Play In Postseason!!!

2010-03-17T04:25:00.000-07:00

The 2009-2010 season has been a record bresking year for the Akron Women's Basketball Team. The Zips added yet another great accomplishment last night when they accepted a bid into the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI). Akron received a 5 seed in the 16 team field and will play the 4th seed Wichita State on Thursday at 7:00pm.

The Zips will be making their first postseason appearance in 11 years Thursday and just their second all-time in the 36-year history as a team. This opportunity is a great experience for our team. The girls are very excited about the chance to continue their season in March. The WBI features a strong field of BCS conference schools, 20-game winners and solid mid-major programs, headlined by No. 1 seeds Memphis in the West and Appalachian State in the East as well as last year's National Runner Up, Louisville.

Coach of the Year!!!

2010-03-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Coach Kest on being named MAC Coach of the Year! In just four seasons, Kest, has elevated the Akron program to unprecedented heights, culminating with this winter's record-setting campaign. UA set highs for overall wins (17), league wins (11) and home wins (11) in 2009-10 and is currently working on the best defensive season in school history. Akron held its opponents to an average of 59.1 points per game during the regular season, which is nearly five full points better than the current record and would also rank as the third-best, single-season mark in MAC history.

"What Jodi has been able to accomplish at Akron has been nothing short of amazing," said UA Director of Athletics Tom Wistrcill. "In a short time, she has transformed a program that had struggled mightily in the past into a championship-caliber team. And most importantly, she's done it the right way; with discipline, a commitment to defense and a sincere devotion to the success of her student-athletes on and off the court."

6TH PLAYER OF THE YEAR!!!

2010-03-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Freshman Rachel Tecca who received the 6th Man of the Year Award from the MAC. Rachel has appeared in every game for the Zips as a true freshman and is second on the team in scoring (10.4) and rebounding (6.1) despite averaging just 22.5 minutes a game. The versatile post player is ranked highly among her peers in five categories, including scoring (24th), rebounding (11th), field goal percentage (13th; .441), offensive rebounds (12th; 2.45) and defensive rebounds (15th; 3.66).

"This is a great honor for Rachel and our team," Kest said. "Rachel has excelled in her role and has provided our team with great energy and effort on both ends of the floor. She could have easily started many games for us this year but her impact off the bench provided us with an instant spark. I feel very fortunate to have Rachel on our team. It is hard to believe that she is only a freshman and that her best basketball is still ahead of her."

Senior Night

2010-03-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

Last week we honored our two seniors Ayla Guzzardo and Jolene Tamboue as they played their last game at the JAR. It was another great win for the Zips as we defeated the OU Bobcats 69-41. The win gave our team a first round bye in the upcoming MAC Tournament. It was also a historic night for Akron, as the Zips set school records for both overall wins and league wins. We finished with the best regular season in program history with a 17-12 overall mark and a 11-5 record in MAC play. Our seniors have done so much for our program and they had a great send off in their last game on the Akron floor. Jolene recorded her 6th double double of the year with 12 points and 14 rebounds while Ayla was all over the court posting 9 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.

After the game we celebrated the win and our seniors with a reception in the Tommy Evans Lounge. It was great to honor the team's accomplishments and the individual success of both Ayla and Jolene. We are excited for the MAC tournament and we can't wait to make some noise in March. Let the Madness begin!!! Go Zips!

Ayla's Last Testimony

2010-03-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Senior Ayla Guzzardo will play her last game at the JAR tonight vs. OU. Ayla sat down and wrote some thoughts about her time here at the University of Akron.

I have only been at Akron for two years but I have really enjoyed my time in Ohio. Coming from Louisiana I really did not know what to expect. I came from a very successful junior college program, so coming to Akron was kind of scary, I knew that the program did not do well in the past but Coach Kest was so sure that we would be a winning program. So I committed to Akron in April and moved here in June. Ever since that June we have been working to get what we have today. Last year we did well but this year, I think we are surprising a lot of people. I know we have one last regular season game but I don’t think it’s over yet. We still have a lot of basketball to play. I don’t want to leave Akron, but since I don’t really have a choice I want to leave knowing that we changed the program around. I think we have changed it so far and broken many records but that’s not enough, we want more, we have worked too hard to just give up. I guess my last testimony that I would leave with Akron would be, “to remember that winning should become a habit, it should hurt to lose, but lose, learn from it, and forget it.”

- Ayla Guzzardo

Jolene's Last Words

2010-03-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

As Senior Jolene Tamboue plays her last game at the JAR tonight vs. OU. Jo leaves us with some words of wisdom and some insight as to what the University of Akron has meant to her:

"Play every game like it's your last!" That has been my motto ever since I walked foot on the University of Akron campus. Choosing to come to Akron was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have met a lot of great people and everybody at Akron has welcomed me with open arms. When choosing the school I wanted to come to, I wanted to go to a school that I could make a difference at. I also wanted to take that program to a new level. That is why I chose the University of Akron. I feel good leaving because I know that I have made an impact on this program. I would like to leave you with one of my favorite quotes... "Tomorrow is not promised so give everything you have today!"

- Jolene Tamboue

Alumni Weekend

2010-03-02T08:37:00.001-08:00

This past weekend marked the inaugural alumni weekend for the University of Akron Women's Basketball Program. We kicked off the festivities with our first ever Alumni game on Friday evening. The game was a huge success as former players laced up their sneakers, reunited with former teammates and showed that they still have game. Current seniors Ayla Guzzardo and Jolene Tamboue tested the waters of coaching, serving as head coaches for each team. Coach Guzzardo had the pleasure of coaching the youngin's while Coach Tamboue went with the "more experienced" group. Age was not a factor in the game as both teams competed til the very end. The close battle came down to a few free throws and a defensive stop by the youngin's to prevail them to victory. As you can see in the pics, the former players had a blast. After the game the alums and current coaching staff got together at a dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse. It was great to hear all the stories from years past.

On Saturday the Zips took on Miami Ohio in a key MAC conference game. The alumni and their families were recognized at halftime of the game. It was a great day to be a Zip as the team picked up their 10th conference win beating the Redhawks 72-65. With the win the Zips have now tied school records for most conference wins and overall wins. With one more conference game against OU the 2009- 2010 Zips can make some new history of their own!

We want to thank our alumni who came out and made this weekend very special. We can't wait for next year!!! GO ZIPS!!

AKRON "THINKS PINK"

2010-02-25T06:06:00.000-08:00

Last week the Zips took the floor in the annual "Pink Zone" game. The Akron Women's Basketball team teamed up with the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across the University of Akron campus and the Akron community. As you can see from the pics above this event was a huge success. Our program raised a lot of money for a great cause. Our team wore pink shoelaces, pink wristbands, and pink shooting shirts to show their support for breast cancer awareness. It was a great day at the JAR, as fans packed the gym to cheer on the Zips! We want to thank everyone who came out and contributed to this great cause.

5-2!!!

2010-01-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

2010 has been very good to the University of Akron Women's Basketball Team. After a big overtime win at Ball State last night, the Zips are now 5-2 in conference play. The 5-2 record keeps the Zips at the top tier of the MAC standings, currently in second place.

With wins over Miami, Buffalo, Kent State, Western Michigan, and Ball State the Zips are poised to continue their success throughout the remainder West games and into the East matchups! Below are the links to the Zips conference wins! We hit the road again on Saturday when we take on a very good Eastern Michigan team. We will return to the JAR Arena on Feb. 4th against Central Michigan. We hope to see you there!!! Until next time... GO ZIPS!!!

Akron tops Buffalo:

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47196&SPID=4339&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=204866962

Akron beats rival Kent State:

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47196&SPID=4339&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=204868821

Akrons gets road win at Miami:

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47196&SPID=4339&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=204870048

Defense prevails against Western Michigan:

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47196&SPID=4339&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=204873558

Akron gets another road win at Ball State:

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47196&SPID=4339&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=204875951

Holiday Party!!!

2010-01-11T05:49:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Holiday season! Last week we had our annual Holiday Party at Coach Kest's House. It was a great night filled with laughs, good food, gifts, and even a little snow! This team is very special and so much fun to be around. Whenever we get together it is hard not to have stomach aches from laughing so much!

At our Holiday Party we finally revealed our Secret Santa identity and gave our big gifts. It was alot of fun to see the players and coaches try and guess who had them. I applaud the players that kept their secrets for this long. If you know our team this in itself is a daunting task! Their was great gifts given and even a few gag gifts. I am still trying to figure out if my 12 pack of diet coke is a gag gift? (Thanks Denver!)

It was a great weekend for the Zips! We got our first conference win against Buffalo on Saturday, beating the Bulls 72-56. Our Men's Team also had a great win against Bowling Green 71-45. Also, Men's Soccer player, Teal Bunbury, won this year's Hermann Trophy recognizing him as the best soccer player in the country.

This week we play Kent State on Wednesday night at home. Tip is at 7pm. This will be a great game not only because of the rivalry but because Kent is playing very well. We hope to see you in stands Wednesday!

- Coach Jackson

Happy Holidays!!

2009-12-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from the Zips! The Akron Zips have had a good December going 4-1 heading into the Holidays. We recently topped off a 4 game winning streak by beating Chicago State on the road. Road trips to Chicago are always a fun bonding time with the team. We really get to know each other on the long bus trip. It is also a great time to get up to date on some current movies. Coach Kest loves movies so trips to Blockbuster are a must for our long road trips. During our trip to Chicago we kept with the Holiday spirit and watched Elf (Great Flick) and Four Christmas!

December is also a fun month with team because we do our annual "Secret Santa". At Akron we really get into it. We decorate our awesome lockeroom with a tree filled with ornaments. Each player has their own personal ornament as well as their own personal stocking with is hung in their locker. Throughout the month we receive clues and little gifts from our "Secret Santa's". It is always fun to try and figure out who has who. Most years it is always a struggle for the girls to keep who they have a secret. But this year it seems as if they have done a good job so far. Once we return from break we will have our annually Holiday Party at Coach Kest's House and reveal our Secret Santa's. This is fun time for all!

I hope you and your families had a great Holiday. The Zips are now back on campus and we are preparing for our last 2 non-conference games against Temple and Lehigh! These will be great tests as we head into MAC play! We hope to see you Monday December 28th at 7pm as we take on the Temple Owls!!!

Until Next Time... GO ZIPS!!!

- Coach Jackson

Signing Day!!!

2009-11-16T05:56:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday we welcomed our 2010 "Fab Four" Recruiting Class. Kacie, Sina, Hanna, and Carly are four very successful basketball players and great people. We are so happy to officially make them part of our Akron family. Above are a few pics from their signings! Also click on the link to read more about these great individuals! Until next time! Go Zips!

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=47196&SPID=4339&DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=204831684

- Coach Jackson

Halloween Akron Style!!!

2009-11-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

Halloween is always a fun Holiday with the University of Akron Women's Basketball Team. As always the girls did a great job with their costumes. We had an array of creative costumes. The coaching staff also really got into it as well. As you can see in the pics we had everything from Aerobic instructors to Yoshi (That's me... Coach Jackson). Along with the fun of costumes we again had a great team dinner at Coach Kest's House. The team sure can eat!!! Luckily they do a great job burning off those calories on the court! I wish I could say the same! :) We hope everyone had a great Halloween!

- Coach Jackson

End of Preseason

2009-10-21T07:27:00.001-07:00

The Zips worked extremely hard this preseason and really pushed themselves thru the last couple of weeks. Each player showed improvement both in the weight room and on the track. They preserved through adversity and step it up to achieve their goals. We are all extremely excited about the upcoming practices and ready to get our season underway!!!

This year to conclude our preseason and kickoff practice we had a great team dinner at Coach Kest’s house. It is always a very entertaining time at Coach Kest’s. She loves having the team over for fun, food, and games. On this night we had lasagna and garlic bread (a team favorite). The girls ate every ounce of the lasagna. Boy, can this team eat!
After dinner we handed out our preseason awards. We wanted to recognize the athletes that showed the most improvement and the ones that consistently worked hard everyday. Below is a list of the winners.

Most Improved in Weight Room: Jasmine Mushington

Most Improved in Conditioning: Natasha Williams

Best overall in Conditioning: Rachel Tecca

Iron Zip: Kara Murphy

Also, as you can see in the pics. Coach Kest knows a few things about gadgets! Here you can see her new 90inch projector TV. Yes it has HD! Until next Time

- Coach Jackson

Women's Basketball Gives Back to the Community

2009-10-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Women’s Basketball team has been provided the opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of many. To kick off the community service endeavors for the year, the team made a visit to Akron Children’s Hospital. The Hematology/Oncology Division held a “Cancer Sport Week” which allowed us the chance to socialize and get to know some of the patients who had been diagnosed with cancer. The patients were enormously upbeat and great fun to be around!! It was definitely an eye-opening and uplifting experience and makes you appreciate the blessings that you have received.

Our next event took place on at Sue Lang’s open house. Sue Lang is a Safety Communications Technician who works with 911 operators for the Akron Police Department. She has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and her home was beginning to deteriorate beyond repair. Last April, the team was able to help in the transformation of her home by painting the living room, kitchen, hallway, and some furniture items. Being able to return once all work had been completed allowed for us to celebrate with Sue and all other helpers that had participated in the city-wide project. To see an article in the Akron Beacon Journal, go to Ohio.com, and search for the article titled, “They Are Their Sister’s Keeper.”

Most recently, the Women’s Basketball team spent time with members of the Golden Hearts senior citizen organization at Northwest Family Recreation Center on. After a few competitive games of bingo, the team and group parted ways but had been provided the chance to build long-lasting friendships.

Upcoming community outreach events:

Bridges School Basketball Clinic Oct. 8
Elementary Reading Oct. 19
Hot Meals Oct. 27
Rockynol Retirement Community Oct. 29

-Candace Wilson

Director of Basketball Operations

Preseason Workouts

2009-09-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

Akron Women’s Basketball preseason training is well under way. The goal of our strength and conditioning program at The University of Akron is to help the athletes reach their full athletic potential. Three times a week early morning our team gets up and meets at the weight room. After a thorough warm up, to get the blood flowing, we head into the weight room. Inside the walls of the weight room we work to become strong and powerful. This team is starting to see the benefits after several weeks of hard work. As the team adapts to their workouts, the weights are going up and the girls are getting stronger.

Outside the walls of the weight room we become fast, agile and conditioned. The Zips Women’s Basketball team gets together for conditioning several times a week. These conditioning sessions have increased in difficulty each week leading up to the peak of preseason. We are getting our team fully prepared to head into practice and prepare for a rigorous schedule of both non-conference and Mid American Conference match-ups. Last week was the hardest sprint workout the girls had to face yet. They worked through it as a team, and pushed themselves harder than they have before. Each athlete is learning, in their own way, how to give it a little more when they think there is nothing left to give. Heading into season if we can transfer over that mentality with the physical preparedness, it seems as if it will be a good year to watch Akron Women’s Basketball.

- Coach Loyd

Associate Head Coach

Zips New Football Stadium

2009-09-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

When the start of the football season neared, a new excitement was growing on and around campus. I was one of the lucky fans to have taken a stadium tour before it had opened to the public. My expectations were exceeded and I was blown away by the result of two years of construction. Every little detail was taken into consideration and after sitting in almost every section, I would have to say that there is no bad seat in the stadium.

Opening day was one I will always remember. Zip fans made their way to campus, some for the first time in many years to celebrate this historic moment for the university. The atmosphere was great, with a live band providing entertainment and a bunch of activities for the little Zip fans. Our team decided to join in on the festivities by tailgating. We had a great spread and we even had brand new corn hole boards!!

Infocision Stadium is the best football stadium in the MAC. Combine that with our field house and any program in the country would be hard pressed to beat our facilities. I encourage all fans to make it to a game and take in the game-day experience on our beautiful campus. Hope to see you at the next home game. GO ZIPS!!!

- Coach Ruffing

Welcome!!!

2009-09-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

Hello Zip Fans! We have decided to keep up with technology and add a blog as another way to read about your favorite team. As we take on this new venture, we hope to provide you with fun pictures, exclusive interviews, current news and a whole lot more. You will hear from our players, coaching staff, and a few special guests. We are excited about our new blog as we look forward to sharing with you all that is Akron Women’s Basketball.

As summer “officially” ends, we are very busy preparing for the upcoming season. We have been on campus for about a month and the team’s schedule has been full of activity. This time is very important to us as we want our players to get off to a great start academically. We also are in the midst of our preseason conditioning efforts and the girls are working hard every day to build a strong foundation for the season.

Also, during this time the NCAA allows us to have 8 hours of contact (a week) with our players. Only two of those eight hours can be spent on the court with a basketball. Up until last week, Sept 15th, we worked with our players in groups of 4 working on skill development. We are now allowed to use those two hours and workout as a whole team. Sept 15th is like Christmas for the coaching staff :)! Although we love working our girls out individually there is just something special about having the whole team together for the first time! The first week of our “mini” practices went really well. The upperclassmen were focused and the freshmen really caught on in the drills and concepts that we taught them. We are looking forward to another great week of team individuals, conditioning, lifting, and open gym!

We officially begin practice on October 16th. These next four weeks are very important as we work towards our goals. Our coaching staff is confident that the girls will continue to push themselves both in the classroom and on the court. We want to be as ready as can be on October 16th!

Until next time! Go Zips!

- Coach Jackson

New SpringWidget

2009-09-14T11:59:00.001-07:00

Get this widget!