The University of Akron's athletic teams are known as the "Zips," originally short for "Zippers," overshoes that were nationally popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and the zipper-an invention from Akron (Judson). The university's mascot is "Zippy", a kangaroo. Zippy is one of only two female college mascots in the United States. Image File history File links AkronZipsLogo. ... Image File history File links AkronZipsLogo. ... The University of Akron is an institution of higher learning located in Akron, Ohio. ... Zipper slider brings together the two sides This article is about the fastening device called zipper zip, zipper, or the acronym ZIP, see zip (disambiguation). ...

Akron's major football rivalry is with Kent State University, who they play for the Wagon Wheel. They also formerly played Youngstown State University for the Steel Tire until that series was discontinued in 1995. Kent State University (also known as Kent State or KSU) is a major public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States, which is about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland, 12 miles east of Akron, and 30 miles west of Youngstown. ... The Blue and Gold Wagon Wheel, now known simply as the Wagon Wheel, is awarded to the winner of the annual college football game between the University of Akron and Kent State University. ... Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an accredited university located in Youngstown, Ohio. ... The Steel Tire was awarded to the winner of the annual college football game between the University of Akron and Youngstown State University. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2005, The Men's Basketball team, under head coach Keith Dambrot, won their first ever Division 1 post season game by defeating Temple in the NIT, led by first team All-MAC performer Romeo Travis (former teammate of LeBron James in high school) and also won the most games in a season, 23. The Akron Zips football team won their very first MAC championship giving them a chance to play in the Motor City Bowl, Akron's first Division I-A bowl game appearance where they lost to the University of Memphis. That same year the Women's Cross Country team and the Men's Soccer team also won the MAC championship in their respective sports. The Men's soccer team was also the first team in the history of UA sports to have a #1 rating in the whole nation. Needless to say, attendance at athletic events over the last two years has been up. United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... The Mid-American Conference is a College Athletic Conference whose members are located mainly in the Midwestern United States; nine of the schools are in Ohio and Michigan alone. ... The Motor City Bowl is a major post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. ... Division I (or DI) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States. ... A bowl game is a post-season college football game, typically at the Division I-A level. ... The University of Memphis is a public American research university located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The University was founded under the auspices of the General Education Bill, enacted by the Tennessee Legislature in 1909. ...