UAlbany's Women's Basketball Announces Non-Conference Schedule for 2008-09 Season

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Lee McElroy announced on Tuesday afternoon the school's women's basketball non-conference schedule for the 2008-09 season. The list of opponents include three teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season, two teams that finished the season nationally ranked and another squad that advanced to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

UAlbany opens up its schedule on the road against a trio of teams that advanced to the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Great Danes will face the California Golden Bears on Nov. 14, the Marist Red Foxes on Nov. 16 and the Cornell Big Red on Nov. 18.

California has advanced to a school-record three straight NCAA Tournaments, including the Sweet 16 one year ago. The Golden Bears finished the season ranked 18th in the final ESPN/USA Today Women’s College Basketball Poll. Cal-Berkeley posted a school-record 27 wins last season and return all five starters, including All-Americans Ashley Walker and Devanei Hampton. SportsIllustrated.com and ESPN.com ranked the program sixth and seventh in the nation, respectively, for the upcoming season.

Marist has also made a record three consecutive NCAA appearances, and reached the second round last season and the Sweet 16 in 2007. The Red Foxes finished the winter ranked 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today poll. Marist won a school-record 32 games and returns forward Rachele Fitz, who was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year. ESPN.com ranked the Red Foxes 20th in the preseason.

Cornell made its first-ever appearance in NCAA Tournament this past winter. The Big Red set a school standard with 20 wins. Jeomi Maduka, the 2008 Ivy League Player of the Year, was named to the Associated Press honorable mention All-America team.

Virginia Commonwealth University of the Colonial Athletic Association is one of four non-league opponents that will play at SEFCU Arena. The Rams, who won a school-record 26 games last season and advanced to the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, visit the Capital District on Nov. 29. The Great Danes will also host Richmond (Nov. 22), Detroit (Dec. 1) and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (Dec. 9).

In addition, the Great Danes will compete in a four-team tournament at Texas-Pan American on Dec. 28-29. Montana State and Troy will also travel to Edinburg for the two-day event. UAlbany also meets Colgate, Army, St. Francis, N.Y. and Rhode Island in non-conference play.

In 2007-08, the Great Danes tied for fourth in the America East Conference regular-season standings after winning a school-record 10 league games. UAlbany defeated Binghamton in the quarterfinal round before dropping its semifinal matchup to eventual-champion Hartford, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Britney McGee, Charity Iromuanya and Janea Aiken, who became the program’s first-ever player to garner America East all-rookie team honors last winter, are among eight returning letterwinners.

2008-09 UAlbany Women’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Nov. 14 (Fri.) at California 4:00
Nov. 16 (Sun.) at Marist 4:00
Nov. 19 (Thu.) at Cornell 7:00
Nov. 22 (Sat.) Richmond 2:00
Nov. 26 (Wed.) at Colgate 5:00
Nov. 29 (Sat.) Virginia Commonwealth 2:00
Dec. 1 (Mon.) Detroit 5:00
Dec. 3 (Wed.) at Army 7:00
Dec. 9 (Tue.) New Jersey Tech 7:00
Dec. 19 (Fri.) at St. Francis, N.Y. 7:00
Dec. 28 (Sun.) at Texas-Pan American+ TBA
Dec. 29 (Mon.) Montana State or Troy+ TBA
Jan. 3 (Sat.) at Rhode Island 2:00

+UTPA Battle at the Border Tournament (Edinburg, Texas)

All Times Eastern