University of Albany Field Hockey Opens Up Season at Home Against Bucknell - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - The UAlbany field hockey team will open its 2009 season on Saturday, August 29, as the Great Danes host Bucknell at 2:00 p.m. UAlbany, the 2008 America East Conference champions, will look to begin the defense of last year's title, taking on the Bison at Alumni Turf Field.

Senior captains Nicole Savage and Jess Lindsey will lead the Great Danes, who play five of their first six games on their home field. Savage is UAlbany's top returning scorer after tallying nine goals and two assists a year ago. Lindsey became the program's all-time career assists leader as a junior, and enters the season with 39 career helpers.

Despite the loss of two-time All-America Michelle Simpson and four-year All-America East Conference goalkeeper Ashley Ross, the Great Danes return an experienced corps of veterans, with seven juniors on the roster who have all seen significant playing time over the past two seasons.

UAlbany head coach Phil Sykes, now in his sixth season at the helm of the program, also brought in seven talented freshmen. With an original signing class of five, Sykes later added two international student-athletes in Inge Baijens of the Netherlands and Tegan Brown, who hails from Australia. They join a strong group of newcomers, led by second-team All-America Tessa Knapp and goalkeeper Kristi Troch, who is the third player to come to UAlbany from Lehighton High School in Pennsylvania.

The Great Danes, who were receiving votes in the 2009 Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll on August 25, were picked third in the America East Preseason Coaches' Poll. Bucknell was also receiving votes in the national preseason poll.

After Saturday's match-up, the Great Danes will play their second straight home game, hosting Radford at Alumni Turf Field on Sunday at 2 p.m.

PAW PRINTS

- UAlbany was receiving votes in the 2009 Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Preseason Poll, as announced by the organization on August 25. The Great Danes finished the 2008 season ranked 20th in the poll, after being ranked or receiving votes every week of the season.

- Head coach Phil Sykes added two international student-athletes to the 2009 roster after the initial signing period. Inge Baijens of Rotterdam, Netherlands and Tegan Brown from Victoria, Australia, joined the Great Danes in late summer. Baijens was Gemini College's top scorer for three straight seasons, leading her squad to three consecutive class championships. Brown led Berwick to the Victorian State Championship in 2006 and 2007 and won her school's Award for Athletic Excellence twice.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information