University of Albany's MBA Ranked #15 For General Business by Princeton Review

The Princeton Review Student Opinion Honors for Business Schools found that the UAlbany MBA ranked with Harvard, Dartmouth and Stanford in the general management category. Over 19,000 student surveys were used to identify the 15 top business schools in accounting, finance, general management, global management, marketing and operations. UAlbany was the only SUNY school named in any category. The results were presented in the April issue of Entrepreneur magazine. The fifteen schools are listed alphabetically and are not ranked within categories. See complete list below.

"This national ranking in Princeton Review reflects our growing prominence in teaching and research," said School of Business Dean Don Siegel. "More importantly, it signifies our commitment to providing students with the strong foundation they need to succeed in today's competitive business environment."

Besides this honor and the Princeton Review recognition of UAlbany MBA as the number nine program in the nation with the best opportunities for women, the University at Albany School of Business received a fair amount of attention in April.

The Society for Human Resource Management, the premier human resource association, certified the UAlbany Human Resource Information Systems concentration as one of four MBA programs in the country meeting criteria for a comprehensive education in human resource management. It is the only MBA program in the nation to incorporate information technology into a human resource curriculum. Established in 1985, the HRIS MBA was and continues to be ahead of its time.

Finance professors Hany Shawky and David Smith were named to the academic advisory board of the Index Business Association. See article this issue. The pair were also recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal. In addition, Professor Shawky was recently ranked #550 in the field of finance out of a field of over 9,000 academics worldwide, chosen for the number of publications published in the top 26 finance journals.

Our students are being honored as well. First year MBA students Jeff King and Jim McGaughan are finalists in the Whitman School of Management Case Competition. Yet another team of first year MBA students, Andrew Cuthbert, Mark Adams, and James McGaughan, were recently named finalists in the Golub Corporation Ultimate Innovation Competition.

The Princeton Review Student Opinion Honors for Business Schools: General Management
Birmingham-Southern College
Claremont Graduate University Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management
Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business
Harvard University Harvard Business School
Indiana State University College of Business
INSEAD The European Institute of Business Administration
Marist College MBA School of Management
Stanford University Graduate School of Business
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Joseph M. Bryan School of Business & Economics
University of Scranton Kania School of Management
State University of New York - University at Albany School of Business
University of Dayton School of Business Administration
University of Hartford The Barney School of Business
University of Houston C.T. Bauer College of Business
University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration

University of Albany's Kamilah McShine Already Qualifies For 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles @ 2009 NCAA Regionals - UAlbany Sports 2009

McShine overcame anxiety to be star in sometimes painful event. Hurdlers sometimes call them "battle scars."

"You have to fall," University at Albany track coach Roberto Vives explained. "I'm an ex-hurdler and I've still got scars on my knees and ankles and everything else."

It's also a reason why UAlbany senior Kamilah McShine was worried when she began the event as a senior at Ramapo High School in Spring Valley.

"I was scared of hurdles," she said. "I thought I was going to fall. All through high school, teammates would tell me to not be scared … Because it hurts."

McShine overcame her anxiety after her first race. She's blossomed into an elite hurdler for the Great Danes, who compete this weekend in the America East championships at Binghamton University.

She's entered in the 100-meter hurdles, 400 hurdles, 400 relay and long jump as the UAlbany women try to win their third conference outdoor title in four years.

McShine will attempt to defend her league title in the 100-meter hurdles, which she now calls her favorite event.

"It's just action," she said. "You achieve overcoming an obstacle every step of the race."

Her track career began at age 6 under the guidance of her uncle Earl Connell, who founded the Hinds' Feet Track Club and first trained her three older brothers.

Connell said his niece was hooked as soon as she ran the 50 meters in her first meet.

"I looked at her running and she had natural form," Connell said. "With her work ethic, I knew she was going to go far."

She began hurdling as part of the pentathlon before concentrating on the individual event at UAlbany.

McShine made the NCAA East regionals last spring, finishing 21st overall in the 100 hurdles.

She's already qualified in the 100 hurdles (13.90 seconds) and 400 hurdles (1:00.27) for the NCAA regionals at North Carolina A&T on May 29-30.

She took up the 400 hurdles only this year and may have a better chance of reaching the national championships in June in that event.

"I knew she was a great athlete and any great athlete can really transition to any event," Vives said.

That talent could lead her to the Olympics because McShine, born in Trinidad & Tobago, might be able to run for that Caribbean nation in the Games someday. She moved to New York at 2 years old.

"It's difficult to continue running (after college), but it's definitely possible if you have the determination to do it," she said.

But first comes graduate school. McShine, a double major in psychology and sociology, wants to pursue her master's at George Washington.

While McShine will be the first in her immediate family to graduate college, she is skipping commencement in two weeks to compete in the ECAC championships at Princeton.

She got permission from her parents, who now live in North Carolina.

"My family's actually coming to that track meet," she said. "I like track and cannot see myself sitting at a ceremony as opposed to competing."

Mark Singelais

UAlbany's Frank Whaley, Actor In Ironweed, Field of Dreams, and Born on the Fourth of July, Honored For Professional and Community Service

Actor, writer, and director Frank Whaley studied theater at UAlbany.
University at Albany alumnus Frank Whaley, B.A. '87, has acted in the movies Ironweed, Field of Dreams, and Born on the Fourth of July. A gifted actor turned writer and director, Whaley is among the 13 UAlbany alumni being honored May 1 at 6 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, State & Lodge streets, for excellence in service to their profession and community.

Alumni Association awards will be presented in education, business, community and public service, entrepreneurship, science and technology, and distinguished achievement in professional life. An award will also be presented for Citizen of the University to G. Thomas Selfridge, owner and president of Albany Valve & Fitting Co., for his support of UAlbany's nanotechnology efforts and his services as a member of The University at Albany Foundation board.

Whaley studied theater at UAlbany and New York City's The Actors Studio. He made his film debut in 1987's Ironweed, based on the novel by William Kennedy, one of his former professors at UAlbany.

After his screen debut in Ironweed, Whaley appeared in a number of made-for-TV movies and played Archie Graham in the 1989 film Field of Dreams. These performances, plus his harrowing portrayal of the heroin-addicted Vietnam vet Timmy in Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July, helped him land his first leading role in 1990's Career Opportunities. He turned in particularly strong performances in Pulp Fiction, The Doors, Hoffa, Swing Kids, Swimming with Sharks, Homage, Broken Arrow, and most recently, Vacancy and World Trade Center. He has appeared in countless television shows and movies, including House, Boston Legal, CSI and opposite Ben Kingsley and Annette Bening in HBO's Mrs. Harris.

In 1999, Whaley made his debut as a director with Joe the King, a semi-autobiographical account of an abused and neglected adolescent that earned him the prestigious Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Whaley will be honored with the Excellence in Arts and Letters Award.

2009 Excellence Awards Recipients
University at Albany Alumni Association

• Citizen of the University – G. Thomas Selfridge, owner and president of Schenectady-based Albany Valve & Fitting Co., staunch supporter of the University's nanotechnology efforts and a member of The University at Albany Foundation board.

• Distinguished Alumni Award – Anne Case B.S. '80, the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of Economics and Public Affairs and a professor of economics and public affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the economics department at Princeton University.

• Bertha E. Brimmer Medal – Helen C. Stuetzel, M.S. '79, C.A.S. '82, Ph.D. '91, principal of the Ballston Spa Middle School, who also holds New York State certifications as an elementary teacher and reading teacher.

• International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement – George T.J. Chen M.A. '71, Ph.D. '74, a world-renowned scientist in synoptic and mesoscale meteorology and academic vice president of National Taiwan University.

• Excellence in Alumni Service Award – Stacy J. Kanter B.S. ’79, a partner at the New York law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates.

• Excellence in Arts and Letters Award – Frank Whaley B.A. '87, actor, writer, and director.

• Excellence in Business Award – Michael Carmen B.S. ’84, a senior vice president, partner, and equity portfolio manager with Wellington Management Company in Boston, Mass., and a member of UAlbany's School of Business Dean's Advisory Board.

• Excellence in Community Service Award – Robert E. Kittredge B.A. '49, a retired faculty member from California State University, Fresno, who co- founded Stone Soup Fresno, a non-profit organization that works with Southeast Asian refugee families.

• Excellence in Education Awards –
Dr. Piyush Agrawal M.S. '72, Ed.S '77, Ed.D. '79, a professional education expert, successful business entrepreneur, and well-respected community service activist and philanthropist; and
Dr. Joseph Emmanuel Bowman, Jr. B.A.’72, M.L.S. ’74, M.A. ’75, service associate professor in UAlbany's Department of Educational Theory and Practice, and a member of the New York State Board of Regents.

• Excellence in Entrepreneurship – Laurence Austin B.A. ’81, co-founder and chairman of Endeavour Capital Advisors, a research-driven hedge fund based in Greenwich, Conn.

• Excellence in Public Service – Vincent J. Abramo B.A.’67, construction safety and occupational health manager, Overseas Buildings Operations, U.S. Department of State.

• Excellence in Science & Technology – Paul D. Amer B.S. '74, a Distinguished Professor in the Computer and Information Science Department at the University of Delaware.

Bronx Hill Health and NYS DoH Grants of $114,000 Kick Off UAlbany "Healthy Hearts on the Hill" Initiative

"Biggest Winner" competition steers Albany neighborhoods toward better health through exercise, nutritional choices.

The UAlbany School of Social Welfare's Center for Excellence in Aging Services, part of the Healthy Hearts on the Hill Coalition, is sponsoring the "Biggest Winner" competition. Bronx Health REACH and the Centers for Disease Control provided a Legacy Grant of $42,500 to fund the project. Additionally the NY State Department of Health granted $72,270 to the Coalition to develop exercise facilities and safe walking paths. The program is designed to steer members of communities toward better health through exercise, nutritional choices, and access to health care.

Studies show that African Americans and Latinos, among other minority groups, are more likely than whites to suffer poor health outcomes from diabetes and heart disease. The Healthy Hearts on the Hill Coalition was formed to bring health and wellness opportunities to the neighborhoods of West Hill, in Albany, N.Y. The program raises awareness about blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes and healthy lifestyle changes that can impact health outcomes.

Over an eight-month period, residents of West Hill, an Albany community characterized by economic struggle and significant disparities in health care, will be encouraged to make healthy choices by engaging in exercise and nutritional and health care screening, and by establishing necessary community support to sustain these activities. The program offers community members opportunities to earn "healthy hearts" points for completed activities, making them eligible for monthly and grand prize drawings.

"The downtown campus of the University at Albany 'lives' in the West Hill community," said Center for Excellence in Aging Services director Phillip McCallion. "It is important that as neighbors we support the community's efforts to improve health and quality of life."

"This effort to address health concerns has been designed by a community coalition to reinforce what is good and what is being achieved in this community," said Lisa Ferretti, operations director at the Center for Excellence in Aging Services.

"Solutions lie within West Hill itself, we are a faith-based and secular, resident and professional, young and old group who know we can make a difference in our community," said Dr. Bob Paeglow, director of the West Hill clinic Koinonia Primary Care. "We welcome support from beyond our streets but we will make this change in our community for ourselves."

The program will eventually cover other Albany areas characterized by health disparity, including Arbor Hill, the South End, and subsidized housing projects.

The Coalition was co-founded in 2007 by the Center for Excellence in Aging Services at UAlbany's School of Social Welfare, and Koinonia Primary Care, a faith-based healthcare provider that serves the West Hill community. The Coalition includes representation from many local organizations including Albany United Methodist Society, Albany Community Action Partnership, Healthy Capital District Initiative, West Hill Ministerium, West Hill Neighborhood Association, Pfizer, FidelisCare, American Cancer Society, community residents and several local senior housing developments and food pantries.

Men's Lacrosse's Season Ends in America East Conference Semifinal Loss

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Jordan McBride had three of his five goals in the first half to lead Stony Broke to an 18-12 victory over UAlbany in the semifinal round of the America East Conference Tournament on Wednesday, April 29 at LaValle Stadium. The Seawolves advanced to the championship final for the first time since 2005. UMBC, the top seed, edged Binghamton, 9-8, in double overtime in the other semifinal matchup.

They used a four-goal barrage in a span of two minutes and 17 seconds of the first quarter to take control. Timmy Trenkle spun to his left shoulder and a shot high into the far corner past starting goalkeeper Drew DiCioccio to ignite that outburst. Jack Hewitt drilled an eight-yard shot when he came uncovered after a crossing pass and Tom Compitello followed 20 seconds later when he circled around the cage to score from the left side. McBride then rifled an underhanded shot into the net for a 5-1 lead.

They had their lead cut in half when freshman Joe Resetarits scored from the right side off a long crossing pass from John Alpizar. But Stony Brook, the nation’s 20th-ranked team, regrouped with three unanswered in a one-minute-and-34-second stretch. Kevin Crowley, who had one goal and four assists, moved around a long-stick midfielder to convert a bounce shot. Kyle Belton and McBride added consecutive goals for an 8-3 advantage.

UAlbany trailed by five at halftime, but saw the lead swell to eight in the late stages of the third period. Chris Scott, a junior attackman who had a career-high scoring total with four goals and one assist, delivered from the top of the crease after Comiptello spun on the back side of the net to find him. Belton connected with his third goal of the game for a 15-7 cushion with 19.7 seconds remaining.

The Great Danes, who were meeting Stony Brook in the conference semifinals for the fourth consecutive year, then strung together four in a row. Corey Small, who netted three of his four goals in the final stanza, scored twice off rebounds, the second in a man-advantage situation after SBU goalkeeper Rob Camposa stopped Brian Caufield’s blast from the point. Dave Brock then canned an underhanded shot around a defensive midfielder to close the gap to 15-11 with 6:49 to play.

The Seawolves, who had endured five consecutive America East postseason losses to UAlbany since winning the championship in 2002, quickly ended that threat. McBride hit an open net with reserve goalkeeper John Carroll out of the cage as his team employed a defensive double-team. Scott added a pair of goals 37 seconds apart as the Great Danes continued to double the ball.

“The first play set the tone when we won the face-off and then turned the ball over,” said UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose program’s streak of seven consecutive America East championship appearances comes to an end. “We did a poor job of handling the ball. Their face-off guy has a great night and they responded every time we made a run. They jumped on us and we had to play catch up all the way.”

Compitello had two goals and four assists for the Seawolves, who shared the regular-season crown with UMBC. UAlbany’s Resetarits finished with four goals, while Brock tallied a career-high three.

Notes: Corey Small finished his career with 109 goals, one behind UAlbany Hall of Famer Cort Kim ... Small is sixth on the all-time list ... senior Chris Schongar, a two-time all-conference selection, is second on the program’s Division I list with 205 ground balls ... Joe Resetarits scored three or more points in 11 of 14 games played as freshman ... UAlbany ended up with a .500 record for the second consecutive season ...

University of Albany Softball Sweeps Bryant University In Doubleheader - UAlbany Sports 2009

Marissa Powell pitched 11 scoreless innings and picked up two more wins in the circle for the second straight day in leading UAlbany to a doubleheader sweep of Bryant on Wednesday, April 29 at Albany Field. The Great Danes took game one, 2-0, and won the nightcap by a 1-0 score.

In game one, UAlbany pushed a run across in the bottom of the first. Walraven led off with a walk and stole second before Kristine Bill singled up the middle to put runners on the corners for Meagan Butsch. The senior hit a grounder to second base and reached on a fielder’s choice, which allowed Walraven to score. Jess Bergin singled two plays later, but Butsch was thrown out at home to end the inning.

The Great Danes added their second run for insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Butsch led off with a walk, and advanced two bases on the next play when Gina Mason grounded out to third. She came home when Bergin grounded out to the shortstop. Powell, who at one point retired 11 consecutive batters, induced two groundouts and fanned Kim Leonard to close out the victory in the seventh.

UAlbany’s Powell improved to 16-9 at the time with the three-hit shutout. It was her fifth of the season and second in as many days. She recorded eight strikeouts and issued only one walk. Samantha Houseal of Bryant (11-30) fell to 11-25 at the time with the loss. She allowed three hits, two runs which were earned and issued three walks while striking out four.

The Great Danes got all the offense they needed in the nightcap when Michelle Connors homered to left in the bottom of the second. After Powell made it through four innings by only surrendering a single, Leah McIntosh came on in relief for the final three frames to seal the team’s fifth consecutive win.

Powell was credited with the victory in game two, improving her ledger to 17-9. She has now won 15 of her last 17 decisions. The junior gave up one hit in four innings of work and did not issue a walk. McIntosh hurled the last three innings and picked up her third save of the season. She yielded only one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Houseal ended the afternoon with a record of 11-26 despite allowing only three runs to score in the twinbill. She allowed five hits and one run which was earned while striking out one batter. In addition, the Bulldog ace did not issue any walks.

With playoff hopes on the line, UAlbany (35-12) will wrap up the regular season when it hosts first-place Stony Brook in a three-game series this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, and conclude the weekend with a single game on Sunday, May 3 at noon.

University of Albany Places Four Players on 2009 America East All-Conference Women's Lacrosse Team - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – University at Albany’s Kayla Best leads a group of four players who have been chosen to the 2009 America East All-Conference Women’s Lacrosse Team, as announced on Wednesday, April 29 by the conference office. Best was voted all-conference for the third consecutive year, including her second straight first-team selection.

Best, a junior midfielder, ranks sixth among the America East leaders in scoring at 3.47 points per game. She has accounted for 40-plus points for the third year in a row with 41 goals and 11 assists. Best totaled four or more points against seven opponents this season, including a career-high seven (3 goals, 4 assists) against No. 13 New Hampshire. Best has scored at least one goal in 45 consecutive games, the nation’s second-longest streak. She joins Kate Fontana and Sarah Spillett as the only UAlbany players to be selected to the All-America East squad three times.

Nikki Branchini, a sophomore defender, earns first team all-conference recognition for the second consecutive season. Branchini, who was voted 2209 America East Fans’ Choice player of the year, is sixth among the NCAA Division I leaders in draw controls at 4.0 per game. She leads the Great Danes in ground balls (39) and caused turnovers (17), plus has scored four goals. Branchini, who was tabbed America East defender of the week on April 27, helped UAlbany record its first winning campaign since 2000.

A sophomore attacker, Jodi Battaglia makes her first appearance on the all-league unit as a first-team selection. She is third among the UAlbany scoring leaders with 37 goals and four assists. Battaglia scored four or more points on seven occasions this season, including a career-high eight (5 goals, 3 assists) in a league victory at Stony Brook on April 19. She has 60 goals in two seasons as a collegian.

Mel Rorie is a member of the all-conference second team for the first time. Rorie, a sophomore midfielder, is second on the Great Danes in scoring with 37 goals and seven assists, plus has 24 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. Rorie ranks third among the America East leaders with four game-winning goals. She netted three or more goals against seven opponents.

Melanie Sosnowski and Jenn Primeau were voted to the America East All-Rookie Team. Sosnowski totaled 14 goals and five assists from her attack position. Primeau, a defensive midfielder, totaled 14 ground balls, five caused turnovers and one goal in 15 appearances.

Katie Neer, Rory Redmond, Julie Bush and Branchini were each selected to the America East all-academic team. Neer, a senior goalkeeper who has made 131 saves, owns a 3.63 cumulative GPA in political science with a dual minor in business administration and women’s studies. Redmond, who has a 3.62 GPA in communication with a dual minor in sociology and education, has 13 goals and four assists as a midfielder. Bush, who has 12 goals and a team-leading 19 assists, has a 3.69 GPA in communication with a minor in business administration. Branchini has earned a 3.83 GPA in history with a minor in education.

UAlbany has produced 29 all-conference players, including 17 first-team selections, since joining the America East Conference in 2002.

UAlbany Meets Stony Brook in AEast Conference Men's Lacrosse Semifinal On Long Island Tonight

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – UAlbany has earned the third seed for this week’s America East Conference Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The Great Danes are making their eighth consecutive conference postseason tournament appearance.

UAlbany (7-6, AE 3-2) travels to second-seed Stony Brook (8-5, AE 4-1) in one of two semifinal contests tonight at 7:00 p.m. The Seawolves, who shared the conference’s regular-season crown, edged UAlbany, 13-12. The championship is scheduled for Saturday, May 2 at the highest remaining seed’s home facility.

UMBC (12-3, AE 4-1) shared the regular-season title with Stony Brook, but received the top seed by winning the head-to-head matchup on March 28. The Retrievers, who are ranked No. 11 in both the current USILA and Nike/Inside Lacrosse national polls, won last year’s championship. Binghamton (3-11, AE 2-3) captured the fourth seed with an 11-9 victory over Hartford in the final game of the season.

Tickets for the UAlbany-Stony Brook semifinal contest can be purchased through the Stony Brook ticket office. Prices are $8 for adults, $5 for youth and $2 for students of America East institutions with proper ID. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, online or by calling 631-632-WOLF. Box office hours are weekdays 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Great Danes are facing Stony Brook in the America East semifinal round for the fourth consecutive year. Brian Caufield leads the Great Danes in scoring with 24 goals and 22 assists. The all-conference attacker has scored 45-plus points for the second year in a row. Joe Resetarits is the third-highest scoring freshman in the nation with 31 goals and nine assists, while senior attacker Corey Small is among the school’s career leaders with 105 goals. Long-stick midfielder Chris Schongar is first on the squad in ground balls (48).

*********

2009 America East Conference Men’s Lacrosse Championship

Wednesday, April 29 – Semifinal Round
No. 4 Binghamton (3-11, AE 2-3) @ No. 1 UMBC (12-3, AE 4-1), 7:30 p.m.
No. 3 Albany (7-6, AE 3-2) @ No. 2 Stony Brook (8-5, AE 4-1), 7:00 p.m.


Saturday, May 2
Championship, TBD+
+played at highest remaining seed’s home facility

University of Albany's Chris Lynch Excited To Report To Cleveland Browns' 3 Day MiniCamp - UAlbany Sports 2009

Like a lot of football fans, Chris Lynch watched the NFL draft on TV. He didn't expect to hear his name called, and it wasn't, but that didn't keep him from getting his shot at pro football.

Lynch, a punter for the University of Albany, agreed to report to the Cleveland Browns' three-day minicamp beginning Friday.

"I'm excited," said Lynch, a Lindenhurst native. "Any team that gave me an opportunity I'd be excited about."

Lynch, 22, led the Northeast League with a 40.9-yard average..... among Football Championship Subdivision punters. His assets include a 36.6 net punting average. He also was the holder.

Punters rarely are drafted. Two were picked this year, both in later rounds, so Lynch figured he would wind up trying to catch on somewhere as a free agent.

By PETE DOUGHERTY

UAlbany's Brenner is 1st physician to create a nanobioscience rotation at the College of Nanoscale Science, helping initiate a nanotoxicology program

When Dr. Sara Brenner first met Barack Obama, she was on a mission to make disease prevention a higher priority in federal health policy. Little did she know she was speaking with the future President of the United States. Brenner is currently in the preventive medicine residency program at UAlbany's School of Public Health, a venture that has taken her from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and back to Albany, learning about everything from legislative advocacy to using nanotechnology in medicine.

Brenner, a native of Adel, Iowa, is preparing for a leadership role in public health through the New York State Preventive Medicine Residency Program. Through this program, Brenner earned her master's degree in public health from UAlbany in December 2008, and is gaining valuable experience in her practicum year that ends in June.

"We nail down our competencies and demonstrate an increasing body of knowledge over the course of the residency, so graduates of this program are second to none," said Brenner. The residency program has had a 100 percent pass rate on the Preventive Medicine board exam for the past five years.

The residency and the school have given Brenner the chance to develop networks with preventive medicine physicians and public health professionals across the nation. She met President Obama, then a senator from Illinois, while completing a legislative health rotation in Washington, D.C., in 2007.

In Washington she worked on federal health policy at the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM). Another rotation took her to Philadelphia, where she participated in the Human Genome Variation Society Meeting while conducting colorectal cancer genetics research with colleagues at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Winner of the ACPM's Don Gemson Resident Award, Brenner is the first physician to create a nanobioscience rotation at UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), where she is helping to design and initiate a nanotoxicology program. She is also providing medical expertise for CNSE's nanomedicine initiatives, including projects in cancer research and regenerative medicine (tissue engineering and artificial organs), as well as exploring the creation of a first-of-its-kind clinical scientist training program in nanomedicine.

“With a sharp intellect, buoyant energy, elegant knowledge, and moral responsibility, combined with a thirst for innovation and curiosity for discovery, Sara brings a distinctive perspective to the exciting field of nanobioscience that is seamlessly suited to the CNSE pioneering interdisciplinary paradigm, particularly for advancing enabling health care treatments and therapies,” said Professor Alain E. Kaloyeros, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief executive officer of CNSE.

The opportunities to design her own rotations appealed to Brenner, who took advantage of the connections that exist among DOH, Wadsworth Center, and SPH.

"Sara understands the usefulness of organized group efforts to improve health, and she has the skills, passion, and character to develop and lead such efforts," said Mary Applegate, director of the residency program.

After completing the program, Brenner will move to Washington, D.C, where she has accepted a federal health policy position in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). She will be the Senior Clinical Advisor for ODPHP as a Luther Terry Fellow, an opportunity offered to only one physician in the nation every two years.

University of Albany Softball Sweeps Siena College, 5-0 & 11-2, Extending Albany Cup Lead To 7-0 In 2009 - UAlbany Sports 2009

University of Albany Softball Sweeps Siena College, 5-0 & 11-2, Extending Albany Cup Lead To 7-0 In 2009.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Meagan Butsch hit two home runs and Marissa Powell picked up a pair of wins in the circle to lead the UAlbany softball team to a doubleheader sweep of crosstown-rival Siena by scores of 5-0 and 11-2 in six innings on Tuesday, April 28. The Great Danes won all four meetings between the clubs this spring and outscored the Saints, 20-2, in the home-and-home series.

In game one, Butsch started off the fourth by lining a hard single to left and stealing second base. After Jess Bergin drew a walk, both runners advanced another base by successfully completing a double steal. On the next play, Gina Mason was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out.

Kat Smith, who was making her 64th consecutive start, plated Butsch on a bloop single to right, but a crazy sequence of events led to the first out. The ball was thrown back to pitcher Amanda Filippazzo in the circle, and Smith made an attempt to take second. Mason was caught in a rundown by the shortstop between second and third, and Smith made it back to first safely to put runners on the corners for Michelle Connors. The junior then hit a sacrifice fly to score Bergin from third before the final out was recorded on the next play with the Great Danes ahead by two.

UAlbany, which stole six bases in the opener, doubled its lead in the bottom of the fifth. Kristine Bill led off and fell into an 0-2 hole, but the sophomore was able to battle back and draw a walk. Andrianna Walraven then hit a routine grounder to Filippazzo, but an error by the shortstop on an attempt to punch out Bill allowed both runners to reach safely. Nicole Kothe advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt, and Butsch’s sacrifice fly scored Bill. Bergin followed up with a single past the shortstop to score Walraven, and the frame ended with UAlbany leading by four runs.

Marissa Powell took a perfect game into the bottom of the fifth, but it was broken up on an infield single by Jamie Piela on the first play. The junior recovered by inducing a flyout and striking out the next two batters to keep Siena (11-28) off the scoreboard.

After Piela retired the Great Danes in order, the Saints greatest threat to rally came in the bottom of the sixth. Nastasha Powlowsky reached on an infield error to start the inning, and made it to second safely on a fielder’s choice. A single by Jenny McNulty loaded the bases, but Powell eventually got out of the jam by forcing the last hitter to fly out to Stephanie Talerico in left. A solo shot to center by Meagan Butsch in the top of the seventh sealed the final outcome of game one.

UAlbany’s Powell went the distance and improved to 14-9 at the time with the two-hit shutout victory. She recorded seven strikeouts and did not issue any walks. Siena’s Filippazzo dropped to 5-12 in the losing effort. She surrendered five hits, four runs (two earned), issued three walks and failed to strike out any batters in five innings of work. Piela relieved Filippazzo in the sixth. She struck out three and gave up one hit and one run which was earned on Butsch’s blast over the fence.

Walraven took the first pitch of the nightcap to right center for a triple, and she came home on the next play due to a wild throw by pitcher Courtney Brinkman. Butsch then blasted a shot over the fence for her second home run of the day to extend the lead to three runs before an out could be recorded, but Brinkman was able to keep the Great Danes off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

A solo home run by Walraven in the top of the fourth gave the Great Danes a 4-0 lead, and Connors hit a RBI single to extend the team’s lead to five one inning later. Siena was able to take advantage of a wild pitch and a passed ball to plate two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Bushel came home on a passed ball, and Alyssa Sceppaguercio scored when McNulty grounded out to third.

However, UAlbany got the runs back when Mason hit a two-RBI double to deep left in the sixth inning. A single to left by Katie Wambold on the next play plated Mason to give the club an 8-2 advantage. After Kayla Cilley was hit by a pitch, Liz Noto, who was making her first career start, broke the game open with her first career home run to cap the six-run frame. Powell retired the side in the bottom half of the inning, and UAlbany came away with the win due to the eight-run rule.

“I was worried about protecting since I had two strikes on me,” explained Noto. “The moment I made contact, I knew it was going to at least be a hard hit. I felt fine going around first and second. When I saw my third base coach (Joe Reardon), I lit up. Words can’t explain how I feel right now.”

Powell improved to 15-9 this season with the victory. She yielded five hits, two runs (one earned) and did not issue a walk for the second straight game. Powell also fanned five hitters.

“I am pitching with more confidence, “ said Powell, who has won 13 of her last 15 decisions. “We are starting to gel as a team, so I am feeling more comfortable. I know I can count on them for run support, so that makes me feel more relaxed in the circle.”

Brinkman, who pitched the first and reentered in the sixth, fell to 5-8 with the loss. She gave up eight hits and was tagged for nine runs (eight earned) while striking out one in two innings of work. Piela pitched four innings, surrendering four hits, two runs which were earned and issuing one walk. She also recorded three strikeouts.

“We are looking to build momentum going into our big weekend against Stony Brook,” said head coach Chris Cannata. “We worked on the things we needed to work on, Marissa did a great job in the circle to hold their offense in check and we really hit the ball well.”

UAlbany (33-12), which finished the year a perfect 10-0 against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents, returns to action on Wednesday, April 29 to host Bryant University. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 3 p.m.

-agate-

UAlbany 000 220 1 5 6 1
Siena 000 000 0 0 2 1

UAlbany: Marissa Powell and Kat Smith, Liz Noto (6).
Siena: Amanda Filippazzo, Jamie Piela (6) and Nastasha Powlowsky.



UAlbany (33-12) 300 116 11 12 0
Siena (11-28) 000 020 2 5 5

(game was called after the sixth due to the eight-run rule)

UAlbany: Marissa Powell and Liz Noto.
Siena: Courtney Brinkman, Jamie Piela (2), Brinkman (6) and Natasha Powlowsky.

University of Albany Men's Lacrosse Places Seven Players on 2009 All-America East Conference Team - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Athletics

Cambridge, Mass. – University at Albany’s Brian Caufield leads a group of seven players who were voted to the 2009 America East All-Conference Men’s Lacrosse Team, as announced on Tuesday, April 28 by the conference office. Caufield was named to the all-league first team for the second consecutive year.

A sophomore attackman, Caufield ranks 11th among the NCAA Division I leaders in scoring at 3.54 points per game. He has totaled 45-plus points for the second year in a row with 24 goals and 22 assists. Caufield accounted for four or more points against six opponents this season, including a season-high seven (3 goals, 4 assists) in a victory over nationally-ranked Massachusetts. He also had six points, including a season-best five assists, against top-ranked Syracuse.

Joe Resetarits becomes the second freshman in the UAlbany program’s history to be chosen to the first team. Resetarits is the fourth-highest scoring freshman in Division I at 3.08 points per game. He has 31 goals, the most by a UAlbany freshman since 2004, and nine assists. Resetarits, whose brother was an All-American for the Great Danes, had three or more points in 10 of 13 games played this season. Garrett Pedley, a senior defenseman, makes his first appearance on the first team after earning a spot on the second team as a sophomore. Pedley, who has 28 ground balls this season, has started 42 of 60 games played as a collegian.

Corey Small, a senior attackman, and Chris Schongar, a long-stick midfielder, are on the America East second team for the second straight year. Small, who missed four games this season due to leg surgery, has 27 goals and five assists. He tied the program’s single-game record by scoring eight times against Delaware. Small, who has scored at least one point in 26 consecutive games played, is tied for sixth on UAlbany’s all-time chart with 105 career goals. Schongar leads the team in ground balls with 48, plus has two goals. The senior is second among the program’s all-time Division I leaders with 204 ground balls. He netted his seventh career goal at Stony Brook last Saturday.

John Alpizar and Mark Kelly are members of the all-conference second team for the first time. Alpizar, a senior midfielder, has four goals and seven assists with 30 ground balls. Alpizar, who scored the game-winning goal against league opponent Hartford on April 1, has 62 career points (19 goals, 43 assists). Kelly, a junior defenseman, picked up 29 ground balls and led a unit that allowed 9.8 goals against conference opponents.

Joining Resetarits on the America East all-rookie squad are midfielders Rocky Bonitatibus and Luke Cometti. Each freshman totaled eight points this season. Sophomore Joe Pompo and Pedley were each selected to the America East all-academic team. Pompo has a 3.54 cumulative GPA in accounting with a minor in business administration. Pedley has a 3.35 GPA in business administration with a minor in communication. He is a member of the school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

UAlbany has produced 51 all-conference players, including 21 first-team selections, since joining the America East Conference in 2002.

University of Albany Track & Field's Greene, Cummings, de Jesus Elias & Lewis Receive America East Weekly Awards - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – University at Albany’s Joe Greene, Laura Cummings, Wilfredo de Jesus Elias and Ashley Lewis were named America East Conference track and field performers of the week, as announced on Tuesday, April 28 by the league office. All four Great Danes are being recognized for their efforts at this past weekend’s Penn Relays and Capital District Classic.

Greene, who was named the male track performer of the week, met the NCAA East Regional qualifying standard in the 400-meter hurdles and ran the 400-meter leg on the sprint medley relay team which won the IC4A title at the 115th Penn Relays on April 24. Greene placed second among 49 competitors in the championship section of the 400m hurdles in 50.53 seconds, while his split time of 46.8 helped the sprint medley relay placed third among 42 teams in 3:18.89.

Cummings, who earned female track performer of the week laurels, met the regional standard for the first time this spring in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and anchored the 4x800-meter relay team which qualified for the ECAC meet at Penn Relays. She finished fifth in the championship section of the steeplechase in 10:40.64 on April 24. Two days later, she helped the 4x800-meter relay finish eighth among 29 squads in the college race with a final time of 8:59.74.

de Jesus Elias earned male field performer of the week honors for his record-breaking performance in the Penn Relays’ college division of the hammer throw. He set a new school standard by more than a foot and a personal record by over seven feet with a mark of 192-feet, 8-inches, placing him third among 25 competitors. The previous record was 191-5, which was set by Eric Opuana in 2004.

Lewis was awarded female field performer of the week accolades for winning two events at the Capital District Classic hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The junior most notably set a school record in the javelin throw with a winning mark of 136-6, bettering Isabella Katsarelis’ throw of 125-4 set in 2006. She also became the first Great Dane to reach the qualifying standard for the ECAC championship meet. Lewis also won the long jump with a leap of 16-11.25 and placed second in the discus throw with a toss that sailed 128-0.

UAlbany’s track and field teams will compete at the America East Conference Championships, held at Binghamton University on May 2-3. The men’s team will look to win its fifth straight title and sixth in seven years, while the women’s squad is after its third championship overall and first since 2007.

University of Albany Women's Basketball Recognizes Six Great Danes At Annual Postseason Awards Event - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – The University at Albany women’s basketball program announced on Tuesday, April 28 the winners of its postseason awards. Six players were recognized for their contributions to the program during the 2008-09 campaign.

Sophomore Janea Aiken, a 5-foot-9 guard, earned the team’s playmaker award. Aiken broke the school record for points by a sophomore. She finished with 412 and averaged a team-best 13.3 per game, which were also America East Conference highs among second-year players. Her 33 points in the conference opener at Binghamton was the second-highest single-game total in school history and three shy of the record.

Sophomore Kim Clements, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, was named the squad’s defensive player of the year. Clements, who saw limited playing time last year, improved her numbers in practically every statistical category and was regularly assigned to cover one of the opposing team’s top scoring threats. Clements grabbed at least five rebounds eight times, including a career-best seven against Vermont and Stony Brook. She averaged 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in 30 appearances.

Freshman Kate Cronin, a 6-foot forward, was named the team’s most improved player after averaging 2.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. After playing only five minutes in the first 14 contests, Cronin worked her way into the starting lineup for the last six games of the season. She averaged 2.7 points and 3.5 boards while leading the team to a 3-3 record in that span.

Charity Iromuanya, a 5-foot-8 junior, was awarded unsung hero. Iromuanya was also a key factor to the Great Danes’ improvement down the stretch. She was the lone player to average a double-double (12.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg) in America East Conference postseason play. Iromuanya finished the year averaging 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Senior Amira Ford, a 5-foot-5 guard, was honored with the club’s leadership award. The only senior captain on the squad was also one of the team’s two representatives on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and assisted with organizing the program’s community service initiatives. Ford, the team’s starting point guard in 12 of the 31 games, also proved to be a leader in the classroom. Her 3.30 cumulative grade point average ranked first on the squad among returning players.

Tabitha Makopondo, a 6-foot-1 freshman, earned the team’s academic award. She had a 3.87 cumulative grade point average through the fall semester as a psychology major. Makopondo led all newcomers in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. The freshman’s numbers surged as the season progressed, as she finished the year averaging 5.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and a team-high 0.4 blocks per game.

Head coach Trina Patterson put together what turned out to arguably be the most competitive schedule the Great Danes have ever seen at the Division I level in 2008-09. The slate featured a program-record 11 contests against clubs which advanced to either the NCAA Tournament or Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).

Rudolph Technologies and SEMATECH Extend Collaboration at UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Rudolph Technologies, Inc. and SEMATECH, the global consortium of leading chipmakers, announced today that Rudolph has joined SEMATECH’s 3D Interconnect Program at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany. The joint partnership is a continuation of collaborative efforts in process characterization, with a new focus on 3D IC (three-dimensional integrated circuits) processing and enhancing process control of TSV (through-silicon vias) manufacturing. This is the second year that Rudolph will serve as a Member of SEMATECH.

As a member of SEMATECH’s 3D program, Rudolph’s inspection and metrology technologies will be applied to various projects including via depth and CD metrology, metallization void detection, stacked wafer via alignment, wafer edge defect detection and bump height coplanarity.

“The advanced device design and complex manufacturing requirements of 3D packaging opens a new frontier of process control challenges. Rudolph is well positioned, both with existing and emerging technologies, to be the semiconductor industry’s premier TSV process control solution provider,” stated Ardy Johnson, Rudolph’s vice president of marketing.

Sitaram Arkalgud, director of 3D interconnect at SEMATECH added, “We are pleased to welcome Rudolph as a partner. Rudolph’s proven expertise in defect detection, characterization, and data analysis will be significant in developing technologies and processes that will continue to drive implementation of manufacturable and cost-effective 3D TSV processes.”

Richard Brilla, vice president for strategy, alliances and consortia at CNSE, said, “The addition of Rudolph Technologies’ innovative metrology and characterization capabilities will further enhance the leading-edge research being conducted as part of SEMATECH’s 3D Interconnect Program at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech. At the same time, it will build on the world-class research and development at the UAlbany NanoCollege, which is providing critical solutions for the world’s leading companies in the highly competitive global nanoelectronics industry.”

For 20 years, SEMATECH (http://www.sematech.org), the global consortium of leading semiconductor manufacturers, has set global direction, enabled flexible collaboration, and bridged strategic R&D to manufacturing. Today, we continue to accelerate the next technology revolution with our nanoelectronics and emerging technology partners.

UAlbany CNSE is the first college in the world dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. In May 2007, it was ranked as the world's number one college for nanotechnology and microtechnology in the Annual College Ranking by Small Times magazine. CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex is the most advanced research enterprise of its kind at any university in the world: a $4.5 billion, 800,000-square-foot complex that attracts corporate partners from around the world and offers students a one-of-a-kind academic experience. The UAlbany NanoCollege houses the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 80,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. More than 2,000 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty work on site at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex, from companies including IBM, AMD, SEMATECH, Toshiba, ASML, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, Vistec Lithography and Atotech. For more information, visit http://www.cnse.albany.edu/.

Rudolph Technologies is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of high-performance process control metrology, defect inspection and data analysis systems used by semiconductor device manufacturers. Rudolph provides a full-fab solution through its families of proprietary products that provide critical yield-enhancing information, enabling microelectronic device manufacturers to drive down costs and time to market. The company has enhanced the competitiveness of its products in the marketplace by anticipating and addressing many emerging trends driving the semiconductor industry's growth. Rudolph’s strategy for continued technological and market leadership includes aggressive research and development of complementary metrology and inspection solutions. Headquartered in Flanders, New Jersey, Rudolph supports its customers with a worldwide sales and service organization. Additional information can be found on the company’s web site at http://www.rudolphtech.com.

University of Albany Professor Don Byron Wins Fellowship Awarded By The American Academy In Rome

Musician and University at Albany professor Don Byron has won a Rome Prize, which will grant him a stay in the Italian capital to work on a composition.

Byron was one of 29 artists, writers, musicians and scholars who won the 2009-10 fellowship awarded by the American Academy in Rome. He was one of only two composers to win the award.

Byron plans to use his 11-month stay at the center, on the highest hill in Rome, to work on a chamber opera based on the novel and film "Gentleman's Agreement."

In 2007, Byron was named a Guggenheim Fellow. His project proposal for that was to write a chamber opera with singers, accompanied by an augmented version of the Bang On A Can All-Stars, a group Byron has worked with as a composer and producer.

Byron is a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. His 2004 album "Ivey-Divey" was nominated for a Grammy award and was voted Jazz Times album of the year.

He also has worked with local choreographer Ellen Sinopoli and was a featured performer at the Bang On A Can summer festival at MassMoCA in 2007.

University of Albany's Meagan Butsch Earns America East Conference Softball Player of the Week Honors - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – University at Albany’s Meagan Butsch was named the America East Conference Softball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday, April 27. Butsch broke two school records for home runs in a career (27) and home runs in a season (12) by going yard four times in five games.

Butsch began the week by hitting a walk-off grand slam in UAlbany’s 10-2 victory over Vermont in the first game of a doubleheader. It was her second home run of the contest, while her six-RBI performance matched a Division I program record. In the nightcap, she cleanly fielded a squeeze attempt by the Catamounts to gun down the runner at home which could have been the game-winning run in the Great Danes’ 5-4 eight-inning victory.

In the second game of a doubleheader at Maine on Saturday, April 25, the senior clubbed two more home runs to break Kelly Ogden’s single season and career standards. Butsch, who has hit eight home runs in the past 12 games, finished the week with a .600 batting average, four home runs and eight RBI. She also led the squad with a .684 on-base percentage to go along with a slugging percentage of 1.400.

UAlbany returns to action on Tuesday, April 28 when it travels to face cross-town rival Siena for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.

University of Albany's Sean Gregory Named America East Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – Senior right hander Sean Gregory was named the America East Conference Pitcher of the Week as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. It is the first weekly honor of his career.

Gregory allowed just one run in 7.1 innings pitched over three appearances last week. The senior right hander went 1-0 and picked up a save while striking out two. Gregory earned his win in Sunday’s America East Conference finale win over Stony Brook. He tossed 5.1 innings in relief, allowing just one hit. Gregory picked up a save in the first game of the series on Saturday, tossing 1.1 innings without giving up a hit. He also saw 2/3 of an inning against non-conference opponent Le Moyne on Tuesday. Gregory is now 5-2 on the season with four saves and a team-high 41 strikeouts.

The Great Danes welcome non-conference opponent Manhattan to Varsity Field on Wednesday before hosting Maine in a four-game America East Conference series on Friday and Saturday.

America East Conference Women's Lacrosse Names University of Albany's Nikki Branchini Defender of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – University at Albany’s Nikki Branchini has been selected America East Conference Defender of the Week in women’s lacrosse, as announced on Monday, April 27 by the league office. She is the third UAlbany player this season to receive the weekly defender award.

Branchini, a sophomore from Guilderland, N.Y., scored her fourth goal of the season and added four ground balls, two caused turnovers and four draw controls in a 12-10 non-league victory against Le Moyne on April 25. Her efforts helped the Great Danes secure their first winning campaign since 2000. Branchini is fifth among the NCAA Division I leaders in draw controls at 4.0 per game. She also leads the team in ground balls (39) and caused turnovers (17).

UAlbany (9-7) is seeded second for this week’s America East Conference championship. The Great Danes will meet New Hampshire (11-6) at Boston University’s Nickerson Field on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The Wildcats are tied for 17th in the latest Inside Lacrosse national poll.

University of Albany's Life Sciences Research Laboratory Conducting Electrophysiology / Laser Analysis

Inside the Life Sciences Research laboratory of Professor Li Niu, Yan Han, a fourth-year doctoral student from Beijing, China, is conducting measurements using an electrophysiology/laser setup with live cells. These cells harbor the special family of proteins called glutamate ion channel receptors that are indispensable to brain function such as memory and learning.

Abnormal function of these proteins is implicated in neurological disorders and diseases like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and stroke. Niu's research seeks to find inhibitors as potential drug candidates for treatments of these diseases.

At another bench, sophomore Hyojung Seo, of Seoul, South Korea, is checking out a large number of sequences from an RNA library to identify new powerful RNA inhibitors called aptamers. In these aptamers lies the potential to find better treatments for ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

"Our long-term goal is to understand the structure and function of these receptors, and to design better inhibitors as potential drug candidates for new therapies," said Niu.

Reading about UAlbany in New Zealand, where she was attending high school, Seo had the impression that Albany, as the capital of New York State, was a big metropolis. Upon arriving, she found it to be more "peaceful" than she expected and more conducive to studying.

"The greatest benefit of working along side Dr. Niu is the opportunity to learn about technique and biological concepts," said Seo, who stayed in Albany over the winter break to work in the lab. She now plans to enroll in UAlbany’s B.S./M.S. program in chemistry to continue conducting research in Niu’s lab.

Han was surfing the Web one day looking for information about graduate schools when she found Niu's faculty Web site and his research interests.

"The techniques he uses are exactly what I wanted to learn for my research," said Han, who studied neurosciences and did some brain research in medical school at Beijing University. "Dr. Niu is one of the most enthusiastic scientists I have ever known. He loves his job; he is crazy about it."

Niu believes teamwork is a critical part of learning for a researcher to become successful.

Lab research gives Niu's students a strong foundation whether they want to be cardiologists, pediatricians, or are considering joining the pharmaceutical biotech industry, as Han is.

Niu's lab is currently supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

University of Albany's School of Public Health Hosts International Conference on Infectious Disease in Latin America

It costs 40 cents to provide the penicillin that can successfully treat a mother with syphilis during pregnancy and avoid the complications of congenital syphilis in her baby. Why then, has there been an increase in the number of children suffering from this disease in Latin America?

"It's an issue that is not really talked about. As with a lot of infectious diseases in Latin America, the problem is a lack of medication," said Suniah Ayub, a UAlbany graduate student in public health from Ashburn, Va. "There needs to be more consistent delivery of services to get rid of the problem."

Ayub is helping Carol Whittaker promote a May 1 international conference at UAlbany's School of Public Health on how to fight a reported increase in congenital syphilis in Latin America.

"We welcome this opportunity to provide a forum for discussion and generation of ideas for addressing the needs of those infected with the disease both in Latin American countries as well as immigrant populations in our own country," said School of Public Health Dean Philip C. Nasca. "This is a preventable disease and we are certain to learn a great deal about best practices which can guide us forward toward the reduction or elimination of congenital syphilis, a long-held goal."

Whittaker directs the Center for Global Health, which is providing new opportunities for UAlbany SPH students like Ayub to work on international health care issues.

Dr. Juan Carlos Salazar, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, said congenital syphilis is "absolutely preventable and treatable. With a proper health care infrastructure, it shouldn't happen." Its presence is a marker of the state of a nation's health services.

And while infectious diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS tend to draw public attention and funding, there is less awareness of congenital syphilis.

The consequences of not addressing the problem are deadly.

"If syphilis is unrecognized and untreated, a third of the pregnancies will result in fetal death, a third will end in an apparently healthy baby born with clinical evidence of congenital syphilis, and a third will have a healthy baby who is at high risk of developing complications from the disease later in life," said Dr. Alvaro Carrascal, assistant professor of epidemiology at UAlbany's School of Public Health.

Each year in Latin America, 330,000 pregnant women who have syphilis go untreated. As a result, more than 100,000 children die due to congenital syphilis and 100,000 more are born with the infection, Carrascal said.

The chances of a mother passing the disease to her child are high. If a pregnant woman has HIV and is untreated, there is a 20 percent chance her baby will have it. With venereal syphilis, however, there is a 95 percent chance the mother will pass the disease to the developing fetus.

Costa Rica has been a model in fighting infectious diseases. Other countries have had successful strategies as well. In rural Haiti, for example, health care workers are going out into the community rather than waiting for patients to walk miles to come to them. "Now they can diagnose the disease and treat it on site," said Salazar.

By simply providing early detection for pregnant women in Cali, Colombia, the incidence of congenital syphilis has been cut in half, according to Salazar. Dr. Alejandro Varela, director of the City of Cali Department of Health, will address this subject at the UAlbany conference.

Many UAlbany students will be attending. "Just the fact that we are bringing all these extraordinary experts to Albany to discuss this important topic provides an outstanding experience for our students," Whittaker said.

University of Albany's Corrin Conroy Takes Individual Title and Leads Golf to America East Championship - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Loudonville, N.Y. – Sophomore Corrin Conroy eagled the par-5 17th hole and finished with a 1-over score of 73 on the second day of play to claim the individual medalist title and lead UAlbany to the 2009 America East Conference Women’s Golf Championship. It is the Great Danes’ third team title and second consecutive.

Conroy had a two-day total of 155 to take the individual title, defeating second-place Ana Johnson of Boston University by four strokes. Conroy broke her own school record with a low score of 73 over 18 holes, after setting the mark at 75 at Rutgers in the fall.

“I just wanted my team to win, so I wanted to do whatever it took to get us there,” said Conroy, who is now one of five players in program history to record an eagle. “It feels good to win, but it’s great to have the team get a second America East Championship under our belts.”

Freshman Stephanie Klein and junior Jessica Signorelli tied for third place individually with a two-day score of 161. Freshman Annemarie Kissane, who led the field after the first day of play, shot an 84 on day two of competition to finish tied for sixth overall with a score of 163. Junior Amanda McPhee rounded out the UAlbany golfers with a ninth-place finish and a score of 169.

“Winning the America East title was our spring goal, and we reached that today,” said UAlbany head coach Richard “Doc” Sauers, who earned his second straight America East Conference Coach of the Year award. “I was very impressed with Corrin’s play today, she exceeded my expectations.”

-agate-

Team Standings: 1. UAlbany, 320-318—638; 2. Boston U., 333-331—664; 3. Hartford, 336-335—671.

UAlbany Standings: 1. Corrin Conroy, 82-73—155; t3. Stephanie Klein, 79-82—161; t3. Jessica Signorelli, 80-81—161; t6. Annemarie Kissane, 79-84—163; t9. Amanda McPhee, 87-82—169.

University of Albany Great Danes Seeded #2 For America East Conference Women's Lacrosse Championship - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – UAlbany has earned the second seed for this week’s America East Conference Women’s Lacrosse Championship. The Great Danes, who are making their third consecutive conference postseason tournament appearance, received their highest seeding since joining the league in 2002.

UAlbany (9-7, AE 4-2) tangles with third-seed New Hampshire (11-6, AE 4-2) in the semifinal round at Boston University’s Nickerson Field on Thursday, April 30 at 3:30 p.m. The Great Danes upset the nation’s 19th-ranked team during the regular season. The championship is scheduled for Saturday, May 2 at 1:00 p.m.

Boston U. (13-3, AE 6-0) captured the regular-season title by defeating UMBC in the regular-season finale. The Terriers, who are ranked No. 12 in the current IWLCA national poll, have won four consecutive America East crowns. Vermont (9-7, AE 3-3) will face Boston U. in Thursday’s first semifinal at 1:00 p.m. The Catamounts gave the top seed all they could handle in a 12-9 decision on April 11.

Tickets, available day of games, are $8 for adults, $5 for youth (age 14 & under) and $2 for all America East students with valid school ID. Live stats will be available for all three games, while the championship contest on Saturday will be streamed live at the America East Zone in partnership with Pack Network.

The Great Danes ended the regular season by winning five of their last six contests. UAlbany has established the program's Division I record for single-season victories and has secured its first winning campaign since 2000. Kayla Best leads the team in scoring with 41 goals and 11 assists. The all-conference midfielder has scored 40-plus points for the third straight season. Mel Rorie (37 goals, 7 assists) and Jodi Battaglia (37 goals, 4 assists) are among the top scorers. Julie Bush has 12 goals and a team-leading 19 assists. Nikki Branchini leads the team in draw controls (64), ground balls (39) and caused turnovers (17). Goalkeeper Katie Neer has an 11.25 goals against average with 131 saves

2009 America East Conference Women’s Lacrosse Championship
(played at Boston University’s Nickerson Field)

Thursday, April 30 – Semifinal Round
No. 1 Boston U. (13-3, AE 6-0) vs. No. 4 Vermont (9-7, AE 3-3), 1:00 p.m.
No. 2 Albany (9-7, AE 4-2) vs. No. 3 New Hampshire (11-6, AE 4-2), 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 2
Championship, 1:00 p.m.

University of Albany's Kristine Bill's Seventh-Inning Grand Slam Caps Softball's 11-8 Comeback Victory Over Maine - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Orono, Maine – Kristine Bill’s grand slam in the seventh inning lifted UAlbany to an 11-8 victory over Maine in America East Conference softball action at Kessock Field on Sunday, April 26. The Great Danes trailed the entire game before plating seven runs in the final frame. In addition, Leah McIntosh set the Division I school record for career strikeouts in the winning effort.

Maine (30-21, AE 10-8) took an early 1-0 lead when Kristen Calvetti singled to right with two runners on base in the bottom of the first inning. McIntosh started off the second inning strong by fanning Stephanie George and then Kristin Allen to break Casey Hallloran’s Division I program record with her 596th career strikeout.

However, the Black Bears added to their lead shortly afterwards by plating four more runs in the frame to go up by five. Ashley Waters and Terren Hall had two-RBI doubles before the third out was recorded.

UAlbany (31-12, AE 11-5) rallied back by scoring four times in the top half of the third. Bill drew a one-out walk, and scored the Great Danes’ first run on the next play when Andrianna Walraven doubled to left field. Nicole Kothe then followed up with a triple to plate Walraven.

Meagan Butsch, who hit two home runs yesterday and set the single-season and all-time school records in the process, earned a free pass to first on the next play to put runners on the corners for Jess Bergin. The sophomore sacrificed Butsch over to second, and Gina Mason then made it a one-run ballgame when she doubled to center. Ashley Kelley, who relieved Jenna Balent after Bergin’s sacrifice, struck out the next batter to end any further threat.

UAlbany put itself in a great position to take its first lead in the top of the fifth. Kothe singled, Butsch walked and Bergin had an infield hit to load the bases with only one out. However, Kelley got out of the jam by striking out Mason and forcing Kat Smith to fly out to center.

The Great Danes made another effort to tie the score in the sixth. Bailey Van Deest and Walraven each hit singles, but Kelley once again was able to induce the third out to keep the Black Bears ahead by a single run. Maine responded by pushing a pair of runs across in the sixth on a two-RBI double by Kali Burnham.

With one last chance in the top of the seventh, UAlbany made another attempt at a rally. Butsch and Bergin singled, and Mason belted her second double of the contest to send Butsch home for the fifth run. Batting with two runners in scoring position and no outs, Kat Smith reached on a fielder’s choice to score Mason and close the gap to a run. On the next play, Michelle Connors tied up the score with a single, chasing Kelley out of the ballgame before an out could be recorded in the frame.

After Van Deest was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Bill came through by blasting her first grand slam and second homer of her career to give the Great Danes their first lead of the game, 11-7. Maine’s attempt at a last-chance rally fell short in the bottom of the seventh, which allowed UAlbany to end the weekend in third place with its 11th conference win of the season.

McIntosh went the distance for the Great Danes and improved to 18-3 this year with the victory. She yielded 12 hits, eight runs (seven earned) and struck out three. The junior has now fanned 597 batters in her career, bettering Halloran’s mark of 595.

Balent, who had two wins in the circle for the Black Bears yesterday, lasted 2.2 innings in her third start of the weekend series. She gave up four hits, four runs which were all earned, two walks and struck out three. Kelley pitched 3.1 innings of relief, surrendering eight hits, five runs which were all earned, and one walk while fanning four. She was credited with the loss to drop to 7-7 this season. Cayleigh Montano pitched one inning. She gave up one hit and two runs which were earned.

UAlbany returns to action on Tuesday, April 28 when it travels to face cross-town rival Siena for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.


UAlbany (31-12, AE 11-5) 004 000 7 11 13 1
Maine (30-21, AE 10-8) 140 002 1 8 12 0

UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith.
Maine: Jenna Balent, Ashley Kelley (3), Cayleigh Montano (7) and Stephanie George.

Gregory Leads UAlbany Baseball to Doubleheader Split with Stony Brook

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Senior right hander Sean Gregory earned the win on the mound, throwing 5.1 innings in relief and allowing just one hit to lead UAlbany to a 10-7 comeback win over Stony Brook in the second game of an America East Conference baseball doubleheader at University Field on Sunday afternoon. The Great Danes dropped the first half of the twinbill to the Seawolves, 4-1.

Senior Ryan Gugel hit a triple to right center in the top of the sixth inning of game two to send Brendan Rowland and Gary Pitcheralle home, breaking a 7-7 tie. In the top of the seventh, third baseman Pete Eichner knocked a single through the right side to get on base, and gave the Great Danes an insurance run when he was driven in on a base hit by Sean Donovan two batters later. Gregory held the Stony Brook offense in check through the final two innings to give UAlbany the series split.

The Great Danes had taken an early two-run lead in the second inning on RBI singles by Eichner and Ralph Keppler. After UAlbany added a third run in the next inning on an RBI single by Dave West, Stony Brook scored in the bottom half of the frame on a two-run homer by Chad Marshall. The Seawolves then racked up four runs in the fifth with back-to-back singles and a two-run shot over the right field fence by Brian Witkowski.

The Great Danes responded with four runs of their own in the top of the fifth to take a 7-6 lead. Rowland led of with a base hit through the right side and West drew a walk off reliever Marc Brown. An error on the Stony Brook shortstop during West’s stolen base attempt allowed Rowland to walk, while West was driven in on a single by Kyle Crean. Eichner, who was 3-for-4 in the game, doubled to right center to score Crean and later finished up the UAlbany scoring as he made it home on a Stony Brook fielding error.

Chris Maier took the loss on the mound for the Seawoves, throwing 1.2 innings in relief. Starter Jonathan Kalkau only lasted 1.2 frames for Stony Brook, while Evan Steko-Haley also saw action, striking out three in 2.1 innings of work. UAlbany starter Zach Kraham fanned one in 3.2 innings on the mound.

The Great Danes scored first in game one, as senior left fielder Pitcheralle drove a solo home run over the left field fence in the third inning. Stony Brook responded in the bottom of the frame, plating three runs. Marshall singled through the right side to get on base and was driven home with a homer by Nick Thode that sailed out to left. Robert Dyer followed with a triple and later scored on an RBI single by Steven Mazzurco to give the Seawolves a 3-1 lead.

The Seawolves added another run in the bottom of the sixth. Keith Feir singled to centerfield and was driven home on a double by Chad Rebecca. Stony Brook right hander Nick Tropeano induced three quick outs in the top of the seventh to seal the win for Stony Brook. Tropeano struck out eight in his complete-game performance. UAlbany’s Ryan White earned the loss on the mound for the Great Danes, fanning two and allowing three earned runs in four innings of work. Reliever Jeff Kaier tossed the final two frames, striking out one.

UAlbany (17-23, AE 9-7) and Stony Brook (20-18, AE 9-7) will host non-conference opponent Manhattan on Wednesday before welcoming America East opponent Maine to Varsity Field over the weekend.

-agate-

UAlbany 001 000 0 - 1 3 1
Stony Brook 003 001 x - 4 9 1

UAlbany: Ryan White, Jeff Kaier (5) and Ryan Gugel.

Stony Brook: Nick Tropeano and Pat Cantwell.

UAlbany (17-23, AE 9-7) 021 042 100 - 10 13 0
Stony Brook (20-18, AE 9-7) 002 410 000 - 7 8 3

UAlbany: Zach Kraham, Sean Gregory (4) and Ralph Keppler.
Stony Brook: Jonathan Kalkau, Evan Steko-Haley (2), Marc Brown (5), Chris Maier (6), Jeremy Nowak (7) and Nick Thode.

Men's Lacrosse Edged, 13-12, in Conference Regular-Season Finale

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Kevin Crowley and Tom Compitello each scored twice in the fourth quarter, as Stony Brook held off UAlbany, 13-12, in the regular-season finale for both squads on Saturday, April 25 at LaValle Stadium. The Seawolves earned a share of their first-ever conference regular-season title with UMBC.

Stony Brook (8-5, AE 4-1) entertains UAlbany (7-6, AE 3-2) again in the four days when the two teams meet in the America East postseason tournament’s semifinal round on Wednesday, April 29. The programs will tangle in the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year.

In a wild and frantic final period, Stony Brook ran off four unanswered to break a 7-7 deadlock. Compitello tallied back-to-back goals, the first by splitting two defenders and the second by converted from eight yards on a spin to his left shoulder. Timmy Trenkle connected on a shot between the goalkeeper’s legs, before Chris Scott beat a defensive double-team with pass to a wide-open Jordan McBride with 3:37 to play.

However, the visitors came back with three straight in a 56-second span. Matt Cushing won the subsequent draw and took it the distance for his second goal of the season. Long-stick midfielder Chris Schongar ran up the middle of the field to find the cage after gaining the following face-off. Corey Small finished off the run by coming up with a loose ball after the SBU defense stick-checked Brian Caufield.

Crowley, a sophomore midfielder who made the all-conference first team last year, answered with a pair of goals 14 seconds apart. He turned a pass that was too far in front of him into a goal by tipping it past goalkeeper John Carroll. After Adam Rand won the next draw, Crowley moved in from the left side for a 13-10 lead with 2:11 remaining.

The Great Danes, who have dropped four of their last five outings, fought back again. Derek Kreuzer picked his way around the left side to drill his second goal of the game. Dave Brock found the net with a behind-the-back shot after goalie Rob Camposa made one of his 14 saves on Caufield’s initial blast. Cushing controlled the last face-off with 12.3 seconds remaining, but UAlbany was unable to get off a clean attempt in the waning moments.

In the opening quarter, Stony Brook drew even at two apiece when freshman Robbie Campbell swept in a rebound from in front of the crease. Starting goalkeeper Drew DiCioccio stopped Crowley’s first attempt from the right, but the ball kicked out to Campbell. UAlbany regained the lead when freshman attack Joe Resetarits finished off a fastbreak by dodging from the left and firing a shot inside the near post with one second left on the clock.

The Great Danes pushed out to a 4-2 lead early in the second stanza as Resetarits went low from the right point. But Stony Brook pulled even by halftime. Trenkle connected on a 10-yard bounce shot with 4:11 left in the period. Campbell, who had three goals and one assist, followed one minute and seven seconds later when he drove from behind, eluded the short-stick defender, and scored from right of the crease with a sidearm delivery.

The Seawolves, who halted a five-game skid in the series, snapped a 5-5 tie in the third quarter. Campbell moved in from the right and split three defenders with 5:07 left. Compitello, who totaled three goals and one assist, followed 18 seconds later by going low on a wraparound from the left. UAlbany forced the fourth tie of the game in the final stanza. Resetarits netted his third goal of the contest when he completed a fastbreak that was ignited when Schongar carried a turnover into the offensive end. Kreuzer then drove around a screen on the left after defender Mike Banks stripped the ball to start the possession.

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#20 UAlbany (7-6, AE 3-2) 3 1 1 7 - 12
Stony Brook (8-5, AE 4-1) 2 2 3 6 - 13

UAlbany – Scoring: Joe Resetarits 3-0, Corey Small 2-1, Brian Caufield 2-0, Derek Kreuzer 2-0, Matt Cushing 1-0, Chris Schongar 1-0, Dave Brock 1-0, Luke Cometti 0-1, Rocky Bonitatibus 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Drew DiCioccio (30:00, 3 saves, 4 GA), John Carroll (30:00, 3 saves, 9 GA).

Stony Brook – Scoring: Robbie Campbell 3-1, Tom Compitello 3-1, Kevin Crowley 3-0, Timmy Trenkle 2-0, Jordan McBride 1-1, Kyle Belton 1-0, Chris Scott 0-2; Goalkeeper(s): Rob Camposa (60:00, 14 saves, 12 GA).

University of Albany Golf Leads After First Day of America East Conference Championship - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Loudonville, N.Y. – Freshmen Stephanie Klein and Annemarie Kissane each carded a 79 over the first 18 holes of the 2009 America East Conference Women’s Golf Championship on Saturday at Shaker Ridge Country Club, leading the Great Danes to a first-place team standing at the conclusion of the first round.

Klein and Kissane were tied for second individually, along with Hartford’s Megan Claxton, on day one of the competition. Boston University’s Ana Johnson led all players with a three-over score of 75. UAlbany junior Jessica Signorelli finished with a first-round total of 80, while sophomore Corrin Conroy carded an 82 over the 5,805-yard course. Junior Amanda McPhee rounded out the UAlbany golfers with a first-round score of 87.

University of Albany's Battaglia's Four Goals Helps Women's Lacrosse Register First Winning Campaign Since 2000 - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Syracuse, N.Y. – Sophomore attacker Jodi Battaglia scored three of her four goals in the second half, as UAlbany held off non-league opponent Le Moyne, 12-10, in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday, April 25 at Niland Athletic Complex.

UAlbany (9-7) clinched its first winning record since the 2000 campaign and established a Division I single-season record with their ninth win. The Great Danes will be the No. 2 seed for next week’s America East Conference championship and will play in the semifinal round on Thursday, April 30 at Boston University’s Nickerson Field.

Le Moyne (5-12) trailed by three at the intermission, but rallied to within one on six occasions in the final period. Rebekah Elmer converted a free-position opportunity after being fouled in front of the cage to get her team within 10-9. The Dolphins had a chance to draw even, but UAlbany goalkeeper Katie Neer turned aside Maura Kenville’s shot near the crease with just over seven minutes remaining.

Freshman Melanie Sosnowski gave the Great Danes a two-goal cushion as she circled from behind to the left and sent a low shot into the near corner. Elmer, who had four second-half goals, sliced the deficit to 11-10 with 26 seconds to play when she cut to the middle, gathered in McKenzie Gray’s pass, and placed a low shot into the net. After Le Moyne won the draw, UAlbany’s Christine Grueniger scooped up a turnover and passed ahead to Battaglia who sealed the outcome with her 37th of the season.

“We were caught on our heels at first, but overcame that by dominating the draw controls and Jodi (Battaglia) had a good day on offense,” said UAlbany coach Lindsay Hart, whose squad had finished with eight wins in each of the previous three seasons. “Having a winning season was one of our goals. It’s exciting to experience success as a team.”

The Great Danes, who had won seven of their nine entering the contest, led 3-2 in the first half, but then ran off three unanswered. Defender Nikki Branchini tallied her fourth of the year when she cut to the middle and hit the top corner off a pass from Jenn Primeau. Grueniger then netted consecutive goals, the first by driving around two defenders from the left side.

Le Moyne struck first when Mia Valletta drove from the right side and went high into the cage for her 30th of the season following a UAlbany turnover. The Great Danes ripped off three straight, including a shot inside the left post by sophomore Taylor Frink. Kenville closed the gap when she delivered from the top of the crease off Michelle Phillips pass from behind.

UAlbany’s Mel Rorie had three goals, the seventh time this season she has scored at least three times. Leading scorer Kayla Best, who owns the nation’s second-longest goal-scoring streak at 45 straight, did not play due to injury. Phillips had three goals and one assist for the Dolphins, who dropped their fourth straight.

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UAlbany (9-7) 6 6 - 12
Le Moyne (5-12) 3 7 - 10

UAlbany – Scoring: Jodi Battaglia 4-0, Mel Rorie 3-0, Christine Grueniger 2-0, Melanie Sosnowski 1-1, Nikki Branchini 1-0, Taylor Frink 1-0, Julie Bush 0-1, Jenn Primeau 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Katie Neer (60:00, 7 saves, 10 GA).

Le Moyne – Scoring: Rebekah Elmer 4-0, Michelle Phillips 3-1, Maura Kenville 1-0, Mia Valletta 1-0, Nerissa Barzee 1-0, McKenzie Gray 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Kelly Fucillo (60:00, 6 saves, 12 GA).