Akron's basketball program dates to 1901 and has been a Mid-American Conference fixture since 1992. The Zips have won multiple MAC championships and made several NCAA Tournament appearances. The program enjoyed strong success under Keith Dambrot in the 2010s.
The 'Zips' nickname derives from 'Zippers,' a name chosen in 1926 after a popular rubber overshoe produced in Akron, the 'Rubber Capital of the World.'
Winning the 2009 MAC Tournament championship and earning an NCAA Tournament bid, where the 13th-seeded Zips fell to fourth-seeded Gonzaga in the first round.
Akron's James A. Rhodes Arena is known as the 'JAR' and sits adjacent to the campus's polymer science buildings, fitting for a school in the rubber industry capital.
The Akron Zips compete in the MAC and hold an all-time record of 1084–705 (.606 winning percentage) across 75 recorded seasons dating back to 1901-02.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 29-5 | 17-1 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2024-25 | 28-7 | 17-1 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2023-24 | 24-11 | 13-5 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2022-23 | 22-11 | 13-5 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2021-22 | 24-10 | 14-6 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2020-21 | 15-8 | 12-6 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2019-20 | 24-7 | 14-4 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2018-19 | 17-16 | 8-10 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2017-18 | 14-18 | 6-12 (MAC) | John Groce | |
| 2016-17 | 27-9 | 14-4 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2015-16 | 26-9 | 13-5 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2014-15 | 21-14 | 9-9 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2013-14 | 21-13 | 12-6 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2012-13 | 26-7 | 14-2 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2011-12 | 22-12 | 13-3 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2010-11 | 23-13 | 9-7 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2009-10 | 24-11 | 12-4 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2008-09 | 23-13 | 10-6 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2007-08 | 24-11 | 11-5 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2006-07 | 26-7 | 13-3 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2005-06 | 23-10 | 14-4 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2004-05 | 19-10 | 11-7 (MAC) | Keith Dambrot | |
| 2003-04 | 13-15 | 7-11 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 2002-03 | 14-14 | 9-9 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 2001-02 | 10-21 | 5-13 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 2000-01 | 12-16 | 9-9 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 1999-00 | 17-11 | 11-7 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 1998-99 | 18-9 | 12-6 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 1997-98 | 17-10 | 13-5 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 1996-97 | 8-18 | 6-12 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 1995-96 | 3-23 | 0-18 (MAC) | Dan Hipsher | |
| 1994-95 | 8-18 | 4-14 (MAC) | Coleman Crawford | |
| 1993-94 | 8-18 | 2-16 (MAC) | Coleman Crawford | |
| 1992-93 | 8-18 | 3-15 (MAC) | Coleman Crawford | |
| 1991-92 | 16-12 | 10-6 (Mid-Cont) | Coleman Crawford | |
| 1990-91 | 15-13 | 6-10 (Mid-Cont) | Coleman Crawford | |
| 1989-90 | 16-12 | Ind | Coleman Crawford | |
| 1988-89 | 21-8 | Ind | Bob Huggins | |
| 1987-88 | 21-7 | Ind | Bob Huggins | |
| 1986-87 | 21-9 | 9-5 (OVC) | Bob Huggins | |
| 1985-86 | 22-8 | 10-4 (OVC) | Bob Huggins | |
| 1984-85 | 12-14 | 6-8 (OVC) | Bob Huggins | |
| 1983-84 | 8-19 | 3-11 (OVC) | Bob Rupert | |
| 1982-83 | 14-15 | 7-7 (OVC) | Bob Rupert | |
| 1981-82 | 7-19 | 3-13 (OVC) | Bob Rupert | |
| 1980-81 | 8-18 | 5-9 (OVC) | Bob Rupert | |
| 1949-50 | 16-9 | Ind | Russell Beichly | |
| 1948-49 | 16-6 | Ind | Russell Beichly | |
| 1947-48 | 15-9 | Ind | Russell Beichly | |
| 1944-45 | 21-2 | Ind | Russell Beichly | |
| 1943-44 | 10-5 | Ind | Russell Beichly | |
| 1942-43 | 18-3 | Ind | Russell Beichly | |
| 1933-34 | 15-1 | Ind | Red Blair | |
| 1922-23 | 12-1 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1921-22 | 5-8 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1920-21 | 11-2 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1919-20 | 12-2 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1918-19 | 14-0 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1917-18 | 9-4 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1916-17 | 14-2 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1915-16 | 5-5 | Ind | Fred Sefton | |
| 1914-15 | 2-10 | Ind | Frank Haggerty | |
| 1913-14 | 6-6 | Ind | Frank Haggerty | |
| 1912-13 | 7-1 | Ind | Frank Haggerty | |
| 1911-12 | 6-3 | Ind | Frank Haggerty | |
| 1910-11 | 8-4 | Ind | Frank Haggerty | |
| 1909-10 | 5-3 | Ind | Clarence Weed | |
| 1908-09 | 6-7 | Ind | Walter East | |
| 1907-08 | 4-5 | Ind | Earl Williams | |
| 1906-07 | 5-2 | Ind | Earl Williams | |
| 1905-06 | 6-7 | Ind | Earl Williams | |
| 1904-05 | 8-6 | Ind | Earl Williams | |
| 1903-04 | 3-7 | Ind | ||
| 1902-03 | 4-4 | Ind | ||
| 1901-02 | 2-2 | Ind |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|