- Akron Zips
Infobox college athletics
name = Akron Zips
university = University of Akron
conference =Mid-American Conference | division =Division I (Bowl Subdivision)
director = Mack Rhoades
city = Akron
state = Ohio
stateabb = Ohio
teams = 15
stadium =Rubber Bowl
arena =James A. Rhodes Arena
mascot = Zippy the kangaroo
nickname = Zips
fightsong = Akron Blue & Gold
color1 = Blue
color2 = Gold
hex1 = 00285C
hex2 = CAB388
pageurl = http://www.gozips.com/
pagename = www.gozips.comThe University of Akron's athletic teams are known as the "Zips," originally short for "Zippers," rubber overshoes made by the BF Goodrich Company that were nationally popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The university's mascot is "Zippy", a kangaroo. Zippy is one of only a few female college mascots in the United States. The other mascots include Lulu the female bull dog for Gardner-Webb University, Victoria S. Bull for SUNY At Buffalo, Ralphie the Buffalo for University of Colorado, Udee the hen for the University of Delaware, Freida Falcon from Bowling Green State University, Penny the Penguin for Youngstown State University, and Lucy Lobo, costumed female wolf companion to Louie Lobo for University of New Mexico.
Football
Akron's major football rivalry is with
Kent State University , whom they play for the Wagon Wheel. They also formerly playedYoungstown State University for theSteel Tire until that series was discontinued in1995 .Men's basketball
In 2007, the men's basketball team finished with a 26-7 season.
2005-06 success
Mack Rhoades was hired asathletic director in 2005. That year, the men's basketball team, under head coachKeith Dambrot , won their first everDivision I post-season game by defeating Temple in the NIT, led by first team All-MAC performer Romeo Travis (former teammate ofLeBron James in high school) and also won the most games in a season, 23. The football team won their very first MAC championship giving them a chance to play in theMotor City Bowl , Akron's firstDivision I bowl game appearance where they lost to theUniversity of Memphis . That same year the women's cross country team and the men's soccer team also won the MAC championship in their respective sports. TheAkron men's soccer team was also the first team in the history of Akron sports to have a #1 rating in the nation.Needless to say, attendance at athletic events over the last two years has been up.
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