“Four players link the two most successful teams in the history of University of Akron athletics. Any soccer fan knows Evan Bush, the best goalkeeper in Mid-American Conference history, and most know the forward Matt Tutich. Even if you don’t see Ossie Michalsen and Andrew Tipton Tuesday when the Zips host Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament, know their presence has been felt this year and throughout their careers.”
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Four players link the two most successful teams in the history of University of Akron athletics.
Any soccer fan knows Evan Bush, the best goalkeeper in Mid-American Conference history, and most know the forward Matt Tutich. Even if you don’t see Ossie Michalsen and Andrew Tipton Tuesday when the Zips host Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament, know their presence has been felt this year and throughout their careers.
All four seniors had a hand in bringing the men’s soccer program to national prominence.
In the 2005 season, the freshman campaign for the quadruplet, UA made an improbable run to the national quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament after being ranked No. 1 for four weeks during the season, the only time a Mid-American Conference team has ever held the top ranking in any sport.
All were starters at some point during the seniors and contributed to the team’s unprecedented success.
Bush was the MAC Newcomer of the year and made two saves during the shootout portion in the round of 16 against UConn.
Michalson started in all but one game that season and was a First Team All-MAC selection, after taking over Cameron Knowles’ position, who graduated and went on to be drafted by the MLS’ Real Salt Lake.
Tipton started 11 games that season, helping to anchor one of the best defenses in the country that season and Tutich started the final 14 games of the season and was another First Team All-MAC player in his freshman campaign.
Bush became the MAC’s all-time leader in shutouts and Tutich is now a four-time first team all-league selection.
Though these seniors helped bring UA soccer to prominence, they have seen there playing time dwindle with the influx of of top-tier recruits.
Tipton has played in three games this season, and started none. Michalson has started 13 games, but didn’t start in the MAC Tournament and won’t start in the NCAA’s.
And that doesn’t bother either of them.
Those guys played well in the MAC Tournament and should play, Michalson said. And why not? They’re playing great. If that’s what it takes, if I have to sit on the bench to win a national championship, that’s what it is. I’ll be ready, I’ll do whatever it is coach asks.
That’s what it’s about for them. They respect the program and want to see it flourish.
Tipton talks about how he thinks that, with the quality of recruits UA has brought in recently, such as Steve Zakuani, the sophomore who lead’s the nation in scoring, the program eventually will be a feeder program for pro soccer.
And he talks about how he’s going to pull aside freshman Matt Dagilis, who has started all 21 games this season, and give him advice on how to avoid injuries like he couldn’t do and how to handle himself off the field properly.
Michalson is called grandpa by his teammates because of his advise-giving ways.
It won’t show up in the season statistics and you might not see it on the field. But those are things that have helped the Zips to national prominence and head coach Caleb Porter knows it.
I think that this is a young talented team and these four seniors have been huge injecting the intangibles, those winning qualities. These four seniors have paved the way for young guys showing them what it’s about.
As much as talent is important, they’ve provided the guidance necessary to be effective. They’ve been a huge part of this program and team and have really contributed playing or not.
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