Pontiac, Mich. -- The newest NCAA post-season college football bowl game -- the Ford Motor City Bowl -- announced its plans today to play its inaugural game on December 26, 1997, in the Pontiac Silverdome. The game will feature the champion of the 12-member Mid-American Conference against an at-large opponent.
The MAC and Motor City Bowl have signed a perpetual contract assuring the MAC and the Bowl of an affiliation for as long as the bowl and the conference both exist.
Bowl officials noted that while everything is in order, the game awaits official NCAA certification and a waiver to play in 1997. Both are expected to be granted at the next meeting of the NCAA Special Events Committee at the end of April.
The Motor City Bowl has obtained title sponsorship from Ford Division of Ford Motor Company and the Metropolitan Detroit Ford Dealers Association. The Ford Motor City Bowl will become only the third bowl to ink an agreement with a title sponsor in the bowl's inaugural year.
The Ford Motor City Bowl will enjoy national television exposure on ESPN, which reaches more than 67 million homes. The five-year television pact assures that the Ford Motor City Bowl will be televised live, in prime time, at 8:00 p.m. (EST) on December 26.
Dave Brown, ESPN's Director of College Sports Programming, is enthused about the prospects for the bowl. "From the first phone call from (MAC Commissioner) Jerry Ippoliti, I have thought this was a great opportunity for the Mid-American Conference," Brown stated. "This bowl elevates the MAC to an unprecedented level on the national scene."
Bowl officials noted that the Ford Motor City Bowl will have the option to extend its at-large bid to any bowl-eligible school in NCAA Division I-A to be the MAC champion's opponent. Conferences and member institutions which have already expressed interest in participating include the Big Ten, the Southeastern (SEC), the Big East and Conference USA.
The Zips saw their three-game winning streak come to an end Saturday at Kent, 67-54.
"We didn't play very well offensively (at Kent), gutted it out and still had a chance to win," UA head coach Dan Hipsher said. "(Kent) had a senior step up."
D. J. Bosse had 25 points, including seven three-pointers, to pace the Golden Flashes.
The 100th meeting in the series is Feb. 24 at JAR Arena. Kent leads 50-49.
This Saturday (Feb. 1), Akron will try to complete a season sweep of Toledo (9-7, 2-6 MAC) in the Glass City. Game time is 7 p.m. Junior center Casey Shaw is UT's best bet at 16.1 points per game.
Last Wednesday (Jan. 22), in an 83-66 win at Central Michigan, sophomore forward Jawanza Moore (Columbus) had a career-high 18 points to lead five Zips in twin figures.
Prior to the Kent loss, 16 Zips had scored in double digits in the four previous games. Freshman F/C Chris Hahn (Alexandria, Ind.) continues to rank seventh among MAC rebounding leaders at 6.8 caroms per outing. Hahn also is averaging 9.3 points, 1.1 blocks and is shooting 56.5 percent from the floor in eight MAC games.
Leading MAC Freshman of the Year candidate Jimmal Ball (Canton) is at 17.3 points per game and is second in the MAC in three-point goals (41) and steals (38).
The four-game ticket is priced at $36 and will establish the buyer ahead of next season's anticipated demand.
The package will be made available at Wednesday night's Eastern Michigan game, which tips off at 8:05. The Zips, 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference, currently are averaging 3,067 fans per home contest in the 5,948-seat JAR Arena.
Marks averaged 17.0 points per game as Akron split two MAC games last week. She posted a 3.96 GPA during the fall semester and has a cumulative 3.78 GPA as a special/adaptive education major.
The Zip women (4-12, 1-7 MAC) garnered their first MAC win under interim head coach Angel Donley last Wednesday (Jan. 22), downing Central Michigan, 86-66. Stark County native Kelley Burrier (Louisville) popped in 18 points.
Akron plays at Eastern Michigan Wednesday and returns home Saturday for a 3 o'clock tip against defending MAC tourney champion Toledo.
Interim coach Angel Donley's team (3-11, 0-6 MAC, entertains Central Michigan Jan. 22) tangles with the Golden Flashes (5-1 MAC, tied for first) at 5:30 p.m.
Zips are prominent in the Mid-American Conference statistical leaders: freshman guard Jimmal Ball (Canton) is eighth in scoring (17.0 ppg.), first in steals (2.6), third in three-point goals (2.3) and seventh in assists (3.7); sophomore forward George Phillips (Franklin Park, Ill.) is 14th in scoring (14.9 ppg.) and seventh in blocked shots (0.9); freshman F/C Chris Hahn (Alexandria, Ind.) is sixth in rebounding (6.9); and junior guard Scott Gooden (Akron) is third in free-throw percentage (86.4).
On the women's side: senior forward Kelley Burrier (Louisville) is seventh in scoring (15.0 ppg.), first in three-point goals (2.8), first in three-point percentage (46.8) and ninth in blocked shots (0.8); senior point guard Michelle Chavanne (Columbus) is 15th in scoring (12.4 ppg.), third in assists (4.2), third in three-point goals (2.4) and 10th in free-throw percentage (77.8); freshman forward Jamie Scott (Canal Winchester) is fourth in rebounding (7.2); and sophomore center Laura Braaten (Strongsville) is seventh in blocked shots (0.9).
Taylor chalked up two quarterback sacks for 18 yards in losses as the North rolled to a 35-14 win. A first-team All-MAC performer last fall, Taylor logged 18 tackles for loss from his defensive end post. Projected to be a first- or second-round NFL draft pick in April, Taylor also earned praise for his play in the Dec. 25 Blue-Gray Classic in Montgomery, Ala. The 6-5 1/2, 245-pounder registered six tackles, including two for loss, and batted down two passes.
Mandy Futchi, a 5-11 senior forward, earned three letters as an outside hitter on Akron's volleyball team since transferring to UA from Edinboro, where she was a member of the Fighting Scots' volleyball and basketball teams. She served as a co-captain for the 1996 Zips, and notched her 1,000th career dig and kill in October. She finished her three-year volleyball career ranked in Akron's top five in career digs, kills and block assists, despite playing only three years at Akron. She is a communications and psychology double major, and is scheduled to graduate this summer.
Taylor, a first-team All-MAC performer last fall, logged 18 tackles for loss from his defensive end post. Projected to be a first- or second-round NFL draft pick in April, Taylor earned praise for his play in the Dec. 25 Blue-Gray Classic in Montgomery, Ala. The 6-5 1/2, 240-pounder registered six tackles, including two for loss, and batted down two passes.
Coach Dan Hipsher's club is 3-3 at JAR Arena this season, having dropped overtime games to 17th-ranked Xavier (113-111 in 3 OT) on Dec. 21 and Bowling Green (81-79) yesterday. Saturday's Ball State matinee will be televised live by WOAC TV Channel 67. Eric Hogue and Mike Case will provide the commentary.
The Akron women (3-9, 0-4) return home tomorrow night for a 7 o'clock battle with Western Michigan. Junior forward Amie Marks (Jewett-Scio) was nominated for MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week, after shooting 70 percent from the floor and scoring 39 points in losses to Toledo and Ohio. Marks compiled a 3.96 GPA during the fall semester (3.78 cumulative GPA).
The new class of inductees participated in five sports and cover a period from 1958 to 1986. Three-time football All-American Mike Clark (1984-86) and football-basketball standout Russell Holmes (1981-86) highlight a class which also includes grid lineman Ron Ulrich (1958-61), soccer defenseman Neil Kochosky (1960-64), baseball infielder Bill Swertfager (1980-83) and Toreeda Turner (1981-85), a play-making guard for the Zips women's basketball team.
Ray Mitchell, a 1950 UA graduate, will be the recipient of the Meritorious Service Award for his years of service with the Varsity A Association.
Ned Novell, a four-year Zip football letterman from 1946-49, gained renown as Mogadore High School's football coach from 1951-58 and will receive the Achievement Award.
UA's Male Athlete of the Year in 1987, Clark rushed for 4,429 yards in three seasons and was accorded NCAA I-AA first-team All-America notice his senior season.
Holmes, a first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference linebacker in '83, averaged 10 points and five rebounds per game when the Zips won the OVC basketball tourney in 1986 and gained the school's first NCAA Division I tournament berth.
Ulrich was a first-team All-Ohio Conference tackle when he led Akron to a 6-2 record in 1961.
Kochosky was a four-year starter at center halfback for UA soccer coach Stu Parry. He led Akron to back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths in 1963 and '64.
Swertfager broke or tied 20 school records during his diamond career and batted .364 in 1983 when he earned first-team All-OVC honors for the second time.
Better known as "KK," Turner scored 1,161 career points and collected 322 assists for the Zip women. She was three times named team MVP.
The honorees will also be recognized Feb. 24 at halftime of the UA-Kent men's basketball game, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. at JAR Arena.
Banquet tickets are priced at $25 each and can be purchased through the Alumni Association Office at 972-7270 or the Athletic Department at 972-7080.
The Bud Light Daredevils' eight-minute basketball routine is packed with high-velocity trampoline dunks, breathtaking flips, amazing acrobatics and comedy antics.
The Daredevils were formed in 1980 and have pleased more than eight million fans during their touring history. They have entertained audiences at 385 colleges across the United States, nearly every NBA city and 28 CBA venues. The Daredevils have also appeared in 74 cities in 20 foreign countries.
Coach Dan Hipsher's charges (2-7, 0-1 MAC) will take to JAR Arena at 7:30 p.m., with the acclaimed Bud Light Daredevils providing halftime entertainment. Toledo (8-1, 1-0 MAC) brings an eight-game winning string into the contest. Interim head coach Angel Donley's women (3-6, 0-1 MAC) tip off at 7 p.m. in Toledo (10-1, 2-0 MAC) against the defending MAC tourney champs.
Zips forward Kelley Burrier (Louisville) chalked up a career-high 27 points, including six three-pointers, as Donley's crew battled Miami to the final seconds.
Five UA student-athletes earned perfect 4.00 grade-point averages: volleyball's Kim Pottkotter (Celina), soccer's Justin Millard (Strongsville), and softball players Jill Drugatz (Rome), Stacy Emig (Massillon) and Kelly Krantz (Strasburg).
A junior setter, Pottkotter was forced to take a medical redshirt last fall because of a back injury. Millard, a sophomore, started all 19 matches and earned first-team All-MAC academic notice. Krantz, a senior, had an 11-7 record on the mound and batted .350 last spring. Emig, also a senior, batted .325 as the Zips' starting shortstop. Drugatz appeared in nine games as a freshman.
Coach Mike Sweitzer's volleyball squad led all Zips teams with a composite 3.34 GPA. Men's cross country and men's tennis also posted better than 3.00 aggregate GPAs.
During the fall season, 10 Zips were accorded All-MAC academic honors. Two Zips, football defensive back John Harpring (Cincinnati) and volleyball outside hitter Michele Ebert (Amherst, N.Y.), earned MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week notice. Cornerback Jon Eaton (Wheelersburg) and Ebert gained GTE district academic plaudits as well.
The popular "Lunch With The Coach" program will resume Wednesday, Jan. 8, at noon at the Martin University Center on campus. Zip basketball coaches Dan Hipsher and Angel Donley will discuss the season's developments with alumni and fans. The lunch fee is $7.50.
The Jan. 8 Toledo men's cage game at JAR Arena will also be the second annual Family Night with the Zips. Parents and children 18 and under will be admitted to general admission seating for $10 by presenting a discount coupon. Coupons will be available at the JAR Arena Athletic Ticket Office and in the Sunday, Jan. 5 Akron Beacon Journal.
Proceeds benefit the Zip women's athletics program and The Joan H. Michelson Women's Resource Center.
Wild started all 19 matches for the 9-9-1 Zips. A three-year regular, he was named to the University of Buffalo All-Tournament Team and scored two goals in the regular-season finale at Miami (O.) -- a 5-2 Akron win. Wild has 10 career goals to his credit.
Ball poured in 44 points in the Zips' 113-111 three-overtime loss to No. 17 Xavier on Dec. 21 at JAR Arena.
The 5-10 mighty mite converted clutch baskets three times to extend the game and added four assists, three blocked shots and three steals to his statistics line.
Ball, Eastern Michigan's Earl Boykins (5-7) and Ohio's Geno Ford (5-8) are all among the MAC's top 10 scorers and recently were profiled by The Sporting News (Dec. 23).
Proceeds benefit the Zip women's athletics program and The Joan H. Michelson Women's Resource Center.
The Bud Light Daredevils' eight-minute basketball routine is packed with high-velocity trampoline dunks, breathtaking flips, amazing acrobatics and comedy antics.
The Daredevils were formed in 1980 and have pleased more than eight million fans during their touring history. They have entertained audiences at 385 colleges across the United States, nearly every NBA city and 28 CBA venues. The Daredevils have also appeared in 74 cities in 20 foreign countries.
Coach Dan Hipsher's men are in Oxford, Ohio, for a 3 o'clock appointment with the Redskins (5-2). The Zips improved to 2-6 last Sunday with a 99-86 win over George Mason. Scott Gooden (27) and George Phillips (26) had career-high scoring games. Miami will not have played since an 89-58 win at Wright State on Dec. 14.
WAKC TV (Channel 23) will air the women's MAC opener from JAR Arena live beginning at 4 o'clock. The Zips have won two in a row under interim head coach Angel Donley and stand at 3-5. Homestanding Akron downed St. Francis (Pa.), 74-69, on Dec. 30. Miami is 6-3.
The popular "Lunch With The Coach" program will resume Wednesday, Jan. 8, at noon at the Martin University Center on campus. Zip basketball coaches Dan Hipsher and Angel Donley will discuss the season's developments with alumni and fans. The lunch fee is $7.50.
The Jan. 8 Toledo men's cage game at JAR Arena will also be the second annual Family Night with the Zips. Parents and children 18 and under will be admitted to general admission seating for $10 by presenting a discount coupon. Coupons will be available at the JAR Arena Athletic Ticket Office and in the Sunday, Jan. 5 Akron Beacon Journal.