Lana Oconnell
The University of Akron, often referred to as UA, has a unique nickname among intercollegiate athletics: the Zips. The nickname was originally Zippers, inspired by a popular rubber overshoe sold by Akron's B.F. Goodrich Co. in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1950, athletic director Kenneth Red Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to Zips. The University's mascot, Zippy, is a kangaroo, and was chosen by the student council in 1953.
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What You'll Learn
The University of Akron's nickname
The University of Akron, often abbreviated to UA, has a nickname that reflects its history and innovation in the rubber industry. In 1925, the university held a campus-wide contest to choose a nickname, with submissions including Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers. The winning entry, submitted by freshman Margaret Hamlin, was the "Zippers," inspired by the popular rubber overshoe invented by Akron's B.F. Goodrich Co. in the 1920s and 1930s. The nickname was later shortened to the "Zips" by then-athletic director Kenneth Red Cochrane in 1950.
The University of Akron's mascot, "Zippy," is a kangaroo, chosen by the student council in 1953 and approved by the council adviser, Dick Hansford. The name "Zippy" was first used in a 1965 Zips football press brochure, and the mascot was officially declared on May 1, 1953. Zippy is one of only a few female college mascots in the United States, and her design was influenced by a popular comic strip at the time called "Kicky, the fighting kangaroo." Zippy has become a beloved symbol of the university, winning the 2007 Capital One Mascot of the Year competition.
The University of Akron has a strong athletics program, with varsity teams competing in League of Legends, Overwatch, CS:GO, Hearthstone, and Rocket League, in addition to traditional sports. The Akron Zips men's soccer team has achieved notable success, reaching the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship in 2009 and winning the NCAA Division 1 National Championship in 2010. The university's other athletic accomplishments include NCAA national championships in pole vaulting and a MAC championship in football, among others.
The University of Akron offers a wide range of academic programs, with approximately 200 undergraduate and over 100 graduate majors. The university is particularly renowned for its School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, housed in a 12-story reflective glass building near downtown Akron. The university's Archives of the History of American Psychology is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. Additionally, the University of Akron was the first public university in Ohio to offer an undergraduate degree in polymer science and polymer engineering. The university's Goodyear Polymer Center, built in 1991, is a 146,000-square-foot research facility that supports polymer research and innovation.
With a history spanning over 150 years, the University of Akron has played an integral role in educating and shaping the lives of its students. The university offers a vibrant campus life, with various extracurricular activities, student organizations, club sports, and state-of-the-art recreational facilities. The university's holistic approach to education equips students with leadership skills and a well-rounded foundation for their future endeavours.
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The origin of the nickname
The University of Akron's nickname, the Zips, has a long history. In 1925, the university held a campus-wide contest to choose a nickname. Suggestions included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers. The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a $10 prize for her suggestion, the "Zippers." The name was inspired by a popular rubber overshoe sold by Akron's B.F. Goodrich Co. in the 1920s and 1930s. Over 500,000 pairs were sold in the first year.
In 1950, the university's athletic director, Kenneth Red Cochrane, officially shortened the nickname to the "Zips." The university's mascot, Zippy, was introduced in 1953. Zippy the Kangaroo was inspired by a popular comic strip at the time called "Kicky, the fighting kangaroo." Zippy was officially declared the winner of the 2007 Capital One Mascot of the Year contest.
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The evolution of the mascot
The University of Akron's varsity teams compete in League of Legends, Overwatch, CS:GO, Hearthstone, and Rocket League, and the university has one of the most distinctive nicknames in intercollegiate athletics: the Zips.
The evolution of the nickname and the mascot, Zippy, dates back to 1925 when a campus-wide contest was held to choose a nickname. Suggestions included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers. The winning suggestion, submitted by freshman student Margaret Hamlin, was the "Zippers," inspired by a popular rubber overshoe (over 500,000 sold in the first year) invented by Akron’s B.F. Goodrich Co. and introduced in 1923. The nickname was officially shortened to the "Zips" in 1950 by then-athletic director Kenneth Red Cochrane.
In 1953, the university council, under president Dave Frye, decided that the university needed an official mascot. Dick Hansford, a UA student council adviser, recommended a kangaroo, inspired by a popular comic strip at the time called "Kicky, the fighting kangaroo." The kangaroo was approved by the council and "Zippy" was officially declared the UA mascot on May 1, 1953. The first mascot uniform was made of a paper-mache head and a brown furry uniform that zipped up the back. Pete Demming debuted the uniform in 1954, at the inaugural Acme-Zip Game. The first known printed reference to the mascot as “Zippy” was in a 1965 Zips football press brochure.
Zippy is one of the most beloved symbols of the University of Akron. In 2007, Zippy won the Capital One Mascot of the Year award, defeating all challengers. Zippy is also one of the few female college mascots in the United States.
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Akron Zips teams
The University of Akron's varsity sports teams are called the Akron Zips (or Zippers). The nickname was chosen in 1925 through a campus-wide contest. The winning entry, "Zippers", was inspired by a popular rubber overshoe invented by Akron's B.F. Goodrich Co. in 1923. The company sold over 500,000 pairs of the rubber galoshes in the first year.
The Akron Zips football team was established in 1891. The team played its first game as Buchtel College, defeating Western Reserve Academy by a score of 22-6. John Heisman became the football and baseball coach in 1893, leading Buchtel to its first winning season with a 5-2 record. In 1893, Heisman also helped invent the snap, which is still used in modern-day football. Buchtel College changed its name to the University of Akron in 1913.
The Zips became the first team to move from Division I-AA to Division I-A in 1987. In 2005, they won the Mid-American Conference championship for the first time in program history. The Zips' overall record through the 2023 season is 528-584-36.
In 2009, the University of Akron opened a new football stadium, InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field, which replaced the Rubber Bowl, built in 1940 and located 3 miles from campus. The Zips' mascot, Zippy, is a beloved symbol of the university. In 2007, Zippy was named Capital One Mascot of the Year, defeating all challengers.
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Zippy the kangaroo
The kangaroo was chosen as the mascot in 1953, after a campus election. Joseph T. Dick, an undergraduate at the time, created Zippy's original design. The name "Zippy" was inspired by a popular comic strip at the time called "Kicky, the fighting kangaroo". Zippy was first portrayed by Pete Demming at the inaugural Acme-Zip Game in 1954, although she was not yet known as "Zippy", but rather as "Mr. Zip". Demming recalled that the costume looked more like a cow than a kangaroo and was made of papier-mache and fake fur. The character was not initially well-received, with students worrying that the team name would be changed to the "Kangaroos".
Zippy's design has evolved over the years, and she now wears a blue letter-sweater and a gold-and-blue rat cap. In 2007, Zippy was chosen as one of twelve collegiate mascots to compete for Capital One Bowl mascot of the year. She went on to win the competition, defeating all challengers and becoming the 2007 Capital One Mascot of the Year. Zippy has become one of the most beloved symbols of the University of Akron, with an unprecedented 13-0 record.
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Frequently asked questions
The University of Akron's nickname is the "Zips".
The nickname comes from the winning entry in a campus-wide contest held in 1925. Student Margaret Hamlin suggested "Zippers", inspired by a popular rubber overshoe sold by Akron's B.F. Goodrich Co.
The kangaroo mascot, called "Zippy", was inspired by a popular comic strip at the time called "Kicky, the fighting kangaroo".
The nickname was officially shortened from "Zippers" to "Zips" in 1950 by the athletic director, Kenneth Red Cochrane.
