It’s not often the MAC produces Major League Soccer players. Most either transfer to European leagues or hang up their jerseys after college.

But for one MAC soccer star, the story was different.

The University of Akron’s Steve Zakuani will stay in the States after being drafted into the MLS earlier this year. But his accomplishments don’t end there. Zakuani was only a sophomore when he was the No. 1 pick in 2009 MLS Super Draft.

“[Zakuani] going at No. 1 gives the conference great attention and hopefully emphasizes our place in the Division I soccer,” said Steve Simmons, NIU head men’s soccer coach. “Everybody [on the team] knew that Zakuani went No. 1, and what that does is it legitimizes them. We are playing the best teams in the country, and that’s the metric stick. It raises the bar for us.”

The 6-foot, 160-pound forward was drafted by the Seattle Sounders, a new team to the league. With the selection, Zakuani became the third player from Akron to make it to the MLS but is the only underclassman to leave the university to go pro in any sport.

“He’s the type of guy that if he’s anywhere near the goal, he can flat out make plays,” Simmons said. “He demands attention and respect. Even when he’s not playing particularly well, because he is a finisher, he has the capability to take 5 percent of the game and make an impact and score.”

Simmons and the NIU men’s soccer team won’t ever forget Zakuani’s impact on the game. After the Huskies reached a national ranking of No. 23, Akron visited DeKalb for a matchup where the forward would post a hat trick in a 4-1 Akron victory.

His bullying didn’t stop there as the MAC’s leading scorer also notched the game-winning goal in the conference championship. With Zakuani’s overtime tally, the Huskies dropped the title match 1-0.

“He’s the guy that happened to end our season two years in a row in overtime and double-overtime situations,” Simmons said. “So from our experience, he’s been very much a factor. Steve has another gear, and that’s a gear that when you look at the margins of play, it’s the difference.”

In the 2008-2009 year, Zakuani led both the country and the MAC in scoring with 20 goals and 47 points. The performance earned the London native the title of ‘America’s Player of the Year’ for 2008.

Without Zakuani’s hat-trick goals or his game-winner at the championship, NIU’s fate could have been much different last season. Even though the star is out of the picture for next year, coach Simmons says his team can’t rest easy.

“In one of the soccer publications, [Akron] has the No. 1 recruiting class for next year, so they will replace Steve,” Simmons said. “Steve is very different, he has his own niche. Will they ever have another Zakuani? That’s hard to say, but they will have good players for sure. And they are good enough to find a new way to get results. Next year, we will be looking at a different jigsaw puzzle.”