UAlbany Hosts America East Conference Women's Field Hockey Championship Today & Tomorrow

Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany field hockey team claimed a share of the America East Conference regular-season title for the third time and the second consecutive season, earning the right to host the America East Championship for the second year in a row.

The America East Championship will be hosted by the top-seeded Great Danes at Alumni Turf Field on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7. Friday's semifinals feature UAlbany facing New Hampshire at 1 p.m., while second-seeded Boston University will take on third-seeded Maine at 4 p.m. The title game will be held on Saturday at 4 p.m.

UAlbany and Boston U. completed the conference schedule with 4-1 records, but the Great Danes earned the top seed based on head-to-head competition. UAlbany, ranked 17th in the most recent Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll, dropped a 2-1 decision to New Hampshire in the regular-season finale on Oct. 31. The Terriers defeated Maine, 1-0, on Nov. 1 to claim the second seed.

New Hampshire and Maine finished with identical 3-2 America East records. An early season win over UNH gave the Black Bears possession of the third seed and left the four seed to the Wildcats. UNH, a winner in six of its last seven games, finishes their schedule with a non-league game against Harvard (Nov. 3) before the America East Championship.

Tickets for the America East Field Hockey Championship are $7 for adults, $3 for children 14 and under, and $2 for students with a valid America East ID.

The America East champion will host the NorPac Conference Champion on Tuesday, November 10 in an NCAA Play-In Game. Stanford and Radford are the favorites to win the NorPac crown. The field of 16 teams for the NCAA Championship will be announced that evening at 8 p.m.

Paw Prints: UAlbany dropped one spot to 17th in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Coaches' Poll, as announced by the organization on Tuesday. The Great Danes have been ranked for six consecutive weeks. Nicole Savage will play in NFHCA Senior All-Star Game on Nov. 21 at Wake Forest University.


2009 America East Conference Field Hockey Championship
Albany, N.Y (Alumni Turf Field)
Friday, Nov. 6 - Semifinals
#1 UAlbany (12-4, AE 4-1) vs. #4 New Hampshire (11-6, AE 3-2), 1 p.m.
#2 Boston U. (8-11, AE 4-1) vs. #3 Maine (12-6, AE 3-2), 4 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 7 - Championship
Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information