Zips on the Pitch: A History of Soccer at the University of Akron

Akron’s nationally known soccer program started in 1954 when an Oberlin player, Stu Parry, formed a club team mostly made up of fraternity members. The next year, the university granted the soccer program varsity sports status. Early teams carpooled to games and some of the equipment looked like it came as hand-me-downs from the football squad. Rumor had it that Parry paid for much of the expenses, especially meals for away games, out of his own pocket.