Akron Men’s Basketball Ranked In Final Mid-Major Top 25
AKRON, Ohio – After posting one of the most successful seasons in program history, the University of Akron men’s basketball team earned a ranking of 25th in the final CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, the web site announced on Thursday. The Zips finished the 2008-09 season with a 23-13 record, their first-ever Mid-American Conference Tournament championship and their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 1986.
This marks the fourth-straight year that Akron has wrapped up the season ranked in the CollegeInsider.com final poll. The Zips finished 2007-08 ranked 21st, 2006-07 listed 10th and 2005-06 at 19th.
After spending the entire 2007-08 season ranked in the poll (reaching as high as No. 5), Akron was among the “others receiving votes” in this year’s preseason edition and then earned votes in six-straight ranking periods during the early portion of the season (Nov. 24-Dec. 29). UA reappeared in the votes category on March 19, prior to its NCAA Tournament first round match up with fourth-seeded and 10th-ranked Gonzaga.
Gonzaga finished the season listed No. 1 in the mid-major poll, while two of UA’s other 2008-09 opponents were also ranked – VCU at No. 8 and Niagara at No. 12. The Zips suffered a 73-69 loss at VCU on Dec. 17 and notched a 63-59 road win at Niagara on Dec. 3. MAC opponent Buffalo, which UA defeated in the league tournament title game 65-53, was among the final poll’s vote getters.
The Mid-Major poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Sun Belt and West Coast. Voting is conducted by one head coach from one team in each of those leagues, with the MAC’s representative being Western Michigan’s Steve Hawkins.
