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!!!

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!!!

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!!!

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!