 Zakuani attended the University of Akron after he was noticed while playing at north London's Independent Football Academy. In his freshman season, he scored six goals with the Zips and received a professional offer from Preston North End. He was already committed to the university and declined the opportunity. In 2008, Zakuani scored 20 goals and 7 assists over 23 games to become a finalist for the Hermann Trophy; an award given yearly by the Missouri Athletic Club to the country's top college soccer player. He also became the second sophomore to be named Soccer America's men's collegiate player of the year. He played a portion of the 2008 USL Premier Development League season with the Cleveland Internationals, with whom he scored nine goals and made four assists in 11 matches.
