Zippy (mascot)

Zippy the Kangaroo
Zippy at a basketball game
University	The University of Akron
Conference	MAC
Description	Kangaroos
First seen	May 1, 1953
Website	http://www.uakron.edu/zippy/

Zippy is the female mascot of The University of Akron athletics team. Zippy is a kangaroo.

The school's nickname, "Zips", is a shortening of "Zippers", a pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company of Akron. It was originally adopted by the school in 1926 after a contest to give the school a nickname. In 1950, the current nickname "Zippy" was adopted.^[1] Two years later, a committee suggested the kangaroo as a mascot ("Kangaroos" was one of the choices in 1926),^[2] and it was accepted by the student council on May 1, 1953. In December of 1953, a "kangaroo contest" was held among a campus election to tie everything together. Joseph T. Dick, an undergraduate at the time, penned the original design, creating Zippy as she is officially known today.^[3]^[4]^[5]

"Zippy" has always been a costumed mascot, and currently 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. With an unprecedented 13–0 record, Zippy was named the winner on January 1, 2008.^[6]

References

^ "What is an Akron Zip? Why is their mascot a kangaroo?". Akron Beacon Journal. March 20, 2026. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
^ Byard, Katie. "Dick Hansford, 95, originator of UA's Zippy mascot". Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
^ Ohio, The University of Akron. "Zippy turns 70: Meet the creative artist behind her look". The University of Akron, Ohio. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
^ "Creator of Zippy". www.akronphitau.com. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
^ Price, Mark J. (March 20, 2026). "Zippy's original artist looks back on creation of Akron icon". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
^ Capital one bowl.com Archived September 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

University of Akron

Established: 1870

Academics

Colleges	Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences College of Applied Science and Technology College of Business Administration College of Creative and Professional Arts LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education College of Health and Human Services College of Nursing College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering School of Law School of Music Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams Honors College University of Akron University College Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics
Campuses	Main campus (Akron, Ohio) Medina County University Center (Medina, Ohio) Wayne College (Orrville, Ohio)
People	President: John Green (interim) Notable alumni Notable faculty and staff

Athletics

Facilities

FirstEnergy Stadium–Cub Cadet Field
InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field
James A. Rhodes Arena
Lee R. Jackson Field
Louis and Freda Stile Athletic Field House
Ocasek Natatorium

Traditions

Football

Basketball

Men	Team Seasons
Women	Team

Soccer

Men	Team In the MLS draft

Track and field

Team

Student life

Residence halls	Bulger Hall Exchange Street Galluci Hall Garson Hall Grant Hall Honors Complex Orr Hall Quaker Square Ritchie Hall Sisler-McFawn Spanton Hall Townhouses
Student organizations	The Buchtelite Tel-Buch WZIP ZTV Residence Hall Program Board Zips Programming Network University of Akron Press
Other	Expansion Spicertown

Akron Zips football
Venues	League Park (c. 1910) Buchtel Field (c. 1915–1939) Rubber Bowl (1940–2008) InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field (2009–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Kent State (Wagon Wheel) Youngstown State (Steel Tire, 1940–1995)
Culture & lore	Zippy "Akron Blue and Gold" Zips Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897–1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904–1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Akron Zips men's basketball
Venues	Crouse Gymnasium (1902–1920s) Akron Armory (1920s–1954) Memorial Hall (1954–1983) James A. Rhodes Arena (1983–present)
Culture & lore	Zippy
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26

Mascots of the Mid-American Conference
East Division	Zippy (Akron) Freddie and Frieda (Bowling Green) Victor E. Bull (Buffalo) Flash the Golden Eagle (Kent State) Swoop (Miami (OH)) Rufus (Ohio)
West Division	Charlie Cardinal (Ball State) No mascot (Central Michigan) Swoop (Eastern Michigan) Victor E. Huskie (Northern Illinois) Rocky the Rocket (Toledo) Buster Bronco (Western Michigan)

Authority control databases
International	VIAF FAST WorldCat
National	United States