Feb. 13, 2006

AKRON, Ohio -- - With one of the most successful seasons in the program history, it is no surprise that the University of Akron men's soccer team finished among the top 20 nationally in attendance for the 2005 season, placing 18th with an average of 1,064 fans per match.

NCAA runner-up New Mexico led the nation with an attendance total of 36,288, an average of 3,629 per match. Rounding out the top five were Indiana (3,112), Maryland (2,547), Connecticut (2,274) and Creighton (2,014). Akron finished ahead of a number of men's soccer powers, including Ohio State (31st), UCLA (24th), Penn State (19th), St. John's (21st) and California (30th).

Akron's largest crowd of the season came on Sept. 30 when 2,319 fans turned out to Lee Jackson Field to see the Zips post a 3-0 win over then-No. 22 Ohio State. The Zips attracted 2,052 fans on Oct. 28 for a 1-0 overtime victory over Michigan.

The Zips' contest at Indiana on Nov. 3 drew a total of 4,884 fans, ranking seventh on the 2005 NCAA single-game attendance list. Akron also played in front of 4,129 fans in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament at Maryland on Dec. 3.

Akron finished the 2005 season with an NCAA Division I-best 18-1-4 record, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1986 season. The Zips also collected their eighth Mid-American Conference regular-season title and their fourth MAC Tournament championship.