UAlbany Coach John Battaglino Announces Women's Lacrosse's Signing Class for 2011-12

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany head women's lacrosse coach John Battaglino announced on Tuesday, Nov. 30 that seven student-athletes have signed national letters of intent for the 2011-12 academic year.

"I am proud to announce an outstanding incoming class that is comprised of extremely athletic two-way players who possess great skill, foot speed, work ethic and competitiveness," said Battaglino, who was promoted to head coach from associate coach last August. "They will complement each other and their future teammates with explosiveness, athletic IQ and strength of character. Our current players have been terrific in their ability to incorporate new concepts and style of play over the past year and I expect the current group to continue that trend. We will be fun to watch."

Lexi Brannigan was selected honorable mention U.S. Lacrosse All-American as a junior when she established Colonie Central High School's single-season scoring record with 97 points on 67 goals and 31 assists. She was named first-team All-Area by the Albany Times Union and Troy Record. Brannigan, who also competes in soccer and track & field, was named to the U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-America squad.

Midfielder Julia Sirianni was a member of the Troy Record All-Area first team and a second-team selection by the Albany Times Union. She led Saratoga Springs High to the Section II semifinals by scoring 54 goals and 12 assists. Sirianni was the leading scorer and a first-team All-Suburban Council performer on the soccer team.

An Under Armour Upstate New York All-Star, Rachel Bowles had 49 goals and 12 assists from her midfield position as a junior. She earned second-team All-Central New York by the Syracuse Post Standard and first-team All-CNYCL National League honors. Bowles, who received second-team all-league recognition as a sophomore, was an all-conference standout on the Cicero-North Syracuse High soccer team.

Maureen Keggins totaled 47 goals and 23 assists as an All-Frontier League midfielder and attacker. She led Watertown High to the Section III, Class B championship. The Cyclones finished with a 16-4 record and were ranked No. 12 in the final state poll. Keggins was chosen to the U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-America team.

Nichole Eamer, who like Keggins is a native of Watertown, N.Y., had 42 goals and 24 assists. A two-time All-Frontier League midfielder, Eamer has been a member of the General Brown High lacrosse team since eighth grade.

Cassie Bouton led Kingston High to its fourth consecutive Section IX, Class A title. She was named to the Middletown Times-Herald Record second team after accounting for 35 goals, 25 assists, 42 ground balls and 22 draw controls. Bouton was a forward for the school's field hockey team, a program that also won its fourth straight sectional crown. Erin Monna, a defender at Webster Thomas High, led the Western team to a silver medal at the 2010 Empire State Games. She led the Titans' high school program to a 12-6 record as a sophomore.

In 2010, UAlbany won its first America East Conference regular-season title, posted a school-record 13-3 mark, and was ranked in the national top-20 for the first time.

2011 University at Albany Women's Lacrosse Commitments
Name, Pos., Hometown (High School)
Lexi Brannigan, Mid., Albany, N.Y. (Colonie Central)
Cassie Bouton, Att., Kingston, N.Y. (Kingston)
Rachel Bowles, M/D, Cicero, N.Y. (Cicero-North Syracuse)
Nichole Eamer, Mid., Watertown, N.Y. (General Brown)
Maureen Keggins, M/A, Watertown, N.Y. (Watertown)
Erin Monna, Def., Webster, N.Y. (Webster Thomas)
Julia Sirianni, Mid., Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Saratoga Springs)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Volleyball Set to Play #3 Stanford in First Round of NCAA Tournament

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany will travel to Stanford, Calif. To take on the third-ranked Cardinal in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament on Dec. 3, as announced on Sunday afternoon. The Great Danes also faced Stanford in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Top-seeded UAlbany (22-8) beat third-seeded UMBC in straight games, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-20 in the America East Conference Championship on Nov. 20. The Great Danes ran their win streak to seven contests and claimed their fifth America East title in seven years. UAlbany is led by senior Teresa Coppiellie, who was named the 2010 America East Conference Volleyball Player of the Year. Coppiellie averages 3.44 kills per set along with 3.322 digs per set. Laurie Gonzalez claimed her third straight defensive specialist of the year honor, after leading the conference and being ranked among the national leaders, averaging 5.20 digs per set. Gonzalez recently broke UAlbany's single-season digs record after recording 572 as a junior. Junior Casey Wright, who averages 1.07 blocks and 3.28 kills per set, was also named to the all-conference first team to round out the UAlbany award recipients.

Stanford (22-8) won the Pacific 10 Championship title for the fifth straight season with a three-set win over Arizona State on Nov. 26. The Cardinal, who have made an appearance in all 30 Division I volleyball championships, is led by senior outside hitter Alix Klineman. Klineman is averaging 5.49 kills, which is the second-best average in the nation, and 2.68 digs per set. The setting duties for the Cardinal have been split between Cassidy Lichtman (8.21 aps) and Karissa Cook (6.26 aps), who have led the team to the top assists average in the country at 14.41 per set. As a team, Stanford leads the nation with a .320 hitting percentage.

The winner of the UAlbany-Stanford match-up will advance to face either Cal State-Fullerton (26-5) or #14 Colorado State (25-4) in the second round of regional play. UAlbany played Colorado State earlier this season at the Campus USA Credit Union Invite hosted by Florida, and fell to the Rams, 3-0. Colorado State claimed its eighth Mountain West Conference regular season title this season.

-agate-

2010 NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship

First Round Regional, at Stanford, Calif.

#3 Stanford (24-3) vs. UAlbany (22-8)

#14 Colorado State (25-4) vs. Cal State-Fullerton (26-5)


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Logan Aronhalt & Luke Devlin Receive America East Weekly Basketball Awards - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Logan Aronhalt has been chosen America East Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball, as announced on Monday, Nov. 29 by the conference office. Freshman Luke Devlin was named the conference's rookie of the week.

Aronhalt, a 6-foot-3 guard from Zanesville, Ohio, averaged 22.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals in four games last week. He was named to the Legends Classic's Detroit Subregional all-tournament team after UAlbany won two of three games. Aronhalt scored 23 of his career-high 30 points in the second half in last Saturday's 75-65 win over Niagara. He became the first Great Dane to score 30-plus since Jason Siggers had 34 against Vermont on Jan. 13, 2007. He also netted 18 points in Sunday's 56-55 triumph over Bowling Green and helped his team rally from an eight-point deficit with 7:43 remaining. The sophomore also had 18 points in a double-overtime loss to Detroit, a team picked to finish behind Butler in the Horizon League's preseason poll.

Aronhalt extended his double-figure scoring streak to 11 straight games, dating back to last year. He is second among America East's leading scorers with a 19.5 average.

Devlin, a 6-foot-8 forward from Sydney, Australia, contributed 6.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in four games last week. He recorded his first career double-double by scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds against Detroit. After being sidelined in the first half against Niagara when he took an elbow to the face, Devlin came back the next day to total eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in the one-point decision against Bowling Green. A starter in all eight games this season, Devlin is scoring at a 5.9 clip while collecting a team-best 6.0 rebounds.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (3-5) has won back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 16 & 20, 2009 ... the Great Danes defeated a Mid-American Conference opponent for the first time in the Bowling Green win ... UAlbany is 13-8 all-time in one-point decisions ... Tim Ambrose, a 6-foot senior, played a solid three games in the Legends Classic Subregional and averaged 15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists ... Ambrose climbed to No. 17 on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,176 points ... Ambrose has scored in twin figures in all eight games this season and 58 times as a collegian ... UAlbany's 33 three-point field goal attempts vs. Bowling Green was one from the program record ... the Great Danes shot 34 three-pointers at Delaware State on Jan. 19, 2000 ... Mike Black, who returned to the floor last Friday in his first appearance since Nov. 12 due to an ankle injury, averaged 13.0 points in subregional play ... Black netted 15 of his career-high 19 points in the first half against Niagara.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Men's Basketball Holds Off Bowling Green, 56-55, at Legends Classic's Detroit Subregional - UAlbany Sports 2010

Detroit, Mich. - Blake Metcalf made what proved to be the game-winning basket, as UAlbany held off Bowling Green, 56-55, on the third day of the Legends Classic Detroit Subregional on Sunday, Nov. 28 at University of Detroit-Mercy's Calihan Hall.

Bowling Green (1-6) led 40-38 in the second half, but then ran off a 10 consecutive points. Cameron Black, a 6-foot-10 freshman who totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds, was fouled as he scored in the lane and Scott Thomas drilled a three-point field goal from the right wing to end that outburst.

UAlbany (3-5) rallied to draw even at 49 apiece, as Logan Aronhalt made two of his four 3-pointers in that span. Mike Black, a sophomore guard who had nine points, found a cutting Luke Devlin in the lane for the tying basket. Aronhalt netted 12 of his 18 points after the break.

The Falcons went back ahead when a driving Thomas found Black in the lane for a basket. The Great Danes, who were coming off Saturday's 75-65 win over Niagara, responded when Aronhalt made a three-pointer from the right wing and Black sank two free throws for a 54-51 advantage. Metcalf's short jumper with 1:35 left kept his team three ahead.

Bowling Green's Black later closed the gap to 56-55 by converting in the paint. UAlbany's Aronhalt missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity, but Dee Brown, a career 40 percent three-point shooter, misfired on a long-range attempt from the top of the arc with three seconds remaining.

"We just gutted it out and found a way to win," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team won two of three games during subregional play. "We had little energy and shot poorly against their zone. But credit our players with their effort."

The opening half produced a game of runs with both teams playing primarily zone defense. Bowling Green reversed a 13-9 deficit with a string of seven straight points. Jordan Crawford converted off a steal before Mike Dabney made a free throw to put their team ahead.

UAlbany regrouped with 11 unanswered for a 24-16 lead. Tim Ambrose, who had 13 points, and Aronhalt canned consecutive three-pointers as their squad went back in front. Metcalf connected with an offensive rebound and Aronhalt made another long-range shot to end that stretch. The Falcons came back with a run of nine straight, Thomas hit a 3-pointer before feeding A'uston Calhoun for a fastbreak layup. UAlbany took a 26-23 lead to the intermission.

The Falcons, who are members of the Mid-American Conference, held UAlbany to 33.8-percent shooting, including 8-of-33 from three-point territory. Thomas finished with 13 points, while Brown had 12.

"It was a sluggish game," said Metcalf, a 6-foot-9 sophomore who had eight points and seven rebounds off the bench. "They had an active zone; something we had not seen. We just weren't hitting our shots. But we got stops when we needed and our defense was there when it counted."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Logan Aronhalt's Career-High 30 Points Leads University of Albany Men's Basketball to Win at Legends Classic Subregional - UAlbany Sports 2010

Detroit, Mich. - Sophomore guard Logan Aronhalt had 23 of his career-high 30 points in the second half, as UAlbany posted a 75-65 victory over Niagara on the second day of the Legends Classic's Detroit Subregional on Saturday, Nov. 27 at the University of Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall.

UAlbany (2-5) led 45-43 in the final period, but then pulled away with 18 of the game's next 23 points. Aronhalt struck for 17 consecutive points in that decisive run, including five consecutive three-point field goals. He buried one from the right wing on a kick-out pass from Blake Metcalf to push the lead to double figures. Aronhalt, who made 11-of-16 from the field and 6-of-9 from the three-point line, later canned a jumper in transition and Mike Black sank one of two free throws for a 63-49 margin with 8:26 to play.

The Great Danes, who were coming off a double-overtime loss to Detroit the previous night, maintained a double-digit lead until Niagara (2-3) threatened in the final minutes. Anthony Nelson, a preseason All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference guard, connected off his steal to close the gap to 69-62. But UAlbany's Tim Ambrose tallied five of his 14 points in the stretch to keep his team safely ahead.

"We had a lot of people step up," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose freshman forward Luke Devlin was sidelined in the first half when he took an elbow to the head. "We started to get into the flow (in the second half). Niagara made their run and we got a little rattled, but we responded. I am learning about this team every day."

The Purple Eagles snapped an 11-11 deadlock in the first half when freshman Malcolm Lemmons nailed a three-pointer and Kashief Edwards, a 6-foot-6 junior who had 19 points and eight rebounds, hit a layup after his steal. Niagara later moved out to a 27-21 advantage when Scooter Gillette (9 points, 5 rebounds) was fouled as he scored in the lane for a three-point play.

The Great Danes were still trailing 29-25, before ripping off eight straight points. Ambrose, a 6-foot senior, canned a 3-pointer from beyond the NBA three-point arc and Aronhalt followed with a long-range jumper from the left corner. Mike Black, who had 15 of his career-best 19 points in the opening half, completed the spurt by connecting on a transition drive through traffic. UAlbany settled for a 36-33 halftime margin.

"We had better communication (on defense) and recognized their sets better in the second half," offered Aronhalt, whose team held Niagara to 35.2-percent shooting, including 4-of-28 from beyond the arc. "When I saw the 2-3 zone, my eyes lit up. Everyone did a good job of looking for me. That's the best that I've shot the ball since I've been in college."

Nelson, a 6-foot-1 senior, finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Lemmons scored 15 for the Purple Eagles, who defeated Bowling Green, 65-61, in Friday's subregional play. UAlbany's John Puk, a redshirt freshman center, grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds.

Paw Prints: UAlbany defeated Niagara for just the second time in 11 meetings ... the Purple Eagles won the last matchup, a 74-66 decision on Nov. 21, 2000 ... the Great Danes shot a season-best 53.8 percent from the field ... Niagara is the second of three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents on the schedule ... Logan Aronhalt is the first UAlbany to player to score 30 since Jason Siggers netted 34 at Vermont on Jan. 13, 2007 ... Mike Black's career-high 19 bettered his 18-point efforts against Boston University and Binghamton last year as a freshman ... Tim Ambrose climbed to No. 17 on the program's career scoring chart with 1,163 points ... Ambrose moved past Antione Johnson (1999-2003), who had 1,157 as a collegian ... Johnson is native of nearby Southfield-Lathrup (Mich.) High School ... Detroit recorded its second win in Legends Classic subregional action in Saturday's 71-62 triumph against Bowling Green.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Callaway Leads University of Albany Women's Basketball to 62-43 Win & Best Start In Division I History - UAlbany Sports 2010

Staten Island, N.Y. - Cassandra Callaway scored a game-high 20 points to lead UAlbany to a 62-43 win over Wagner in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at the Spiro Sports Center. With the win, the Great Danes improve to 5-0 on the season, and continue the program's best start in Division I history. The last time the UAlbany team went 5-0 to start the season was in 1986-87.

In the first half, UAlbany used back-to-back Wagner turnovers, including a steal by Ebone Henry which led to a conventional three-point play by Callaway, to build up a 13-8 lead with 12:36 on the clock. On the next Wagner possession, Callaway recorded a steal and converted a fast-break layup, scoring two of her team-high 10 first-half points, to continue the Great Danes' run. Wagner's Kelly Clark ended the UAlbany rally at 10:42, but Henry hit a 3-pointer from the right side of the arc to put UAlbany up, 20-10, and force the Seahawks to use a timeout.

The Great Danes continued to build their advantage, getting two 3-pointers from Melia Basavand sandwiched around a driving layup by Felicia Johnson, who finished with 14 total points, in the waning minutes of the half. UAlbany held Wagner without a basket from the field for the final four minutes of the half, allowing just two free throws by Stephanie McBride with 43 seconds left to play, setting the score at 33-18 at the break.

Wagner came out of the locker room firing, getting consecutive baskets from Clark and a jumper and 3-pointer from Marie Archambault to pull within 40-27 with 11:46 to play. However, UAlbany continued to roll through the start of the second half, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Henry and Callaway along with a pair of jumpers by Johnson to stay ahead. The Great Danes built up a 20-point lead, 50-30, on a basket by Henry, who was one rebound short of a double-double, scoring 12 points, with 8:20 left to play.

The Seahawks then embarked on a 10-3 run, getting consecutive treys from Archambault to pull within 53-40 with 2:20 left to play. Callaway sparked the UAlbany offense from there, scoring the next seven points to put the Great Danes ahead, 59-43. Adrienne Jones converted a fast-break layup and the ensuing free throw in the final second to set the final score.

"We played great team defense," said head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team forced the Seahawks into 17 turnovers, including eight steals. "We talked before the game, that in order to win, we needed to play good defense. Everyone stepped up. This is a good scoring team, and we held them to 43 points. Cassandra played with a lot of poise, she played great defense on their point guard and hit open shots."

UAlbany shot 40.0-percent from the floor, while holding Wagner (2-2) to 28.3-percent shooting from the field.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Places Three on All-NEC Football Team; Dillon Romain Named Top Offensive Rookie - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Trevor Anderson, Mike Kelly and Eddie Delaney, a trio of defensive linemen, have been selected to the 2010 All-Northeast Conference Football Team, as announced on Friday, Nov. 26 by the conference office. Dillon Romain was chosen NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year, the first UAlbany player to be voted the award since the Great Danes joined the league in 1999.

Anderson, a defensive tackle from Warnersville, N.Y., makes his second straight appearance on the All-NEC first team. He is the fourth UAlbany defensive lineman to be named to the first team in consecutive seasons. The 6-foot-2, 295-pound senior totaled 45 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one blocked kick. Anderson, who had five or more tackles against 11 opponents during his career, piled up 146 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss as a collegian, In four seasons, Anderson's UAlbany teams combined for 30 wins, two NEC championships and one Gridiron Classic title.

Kelly, a senior defensive end from West Long Branch, N.J., is a member of the All-NEC squad for the first time. A second-team selection, Kelly totaled 49 tackles, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions, plus led the Great Danes with 8.0 tackles for a loss. He was a key figure in the final month of the season, as UAlbany finished with three consecutive wins. His 54-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1:30 remaining at Sacred Heart sealed the outcome in a 35-23 victory, ,plus he was named NEC defensive player of the week for his performance in a season-ending victory against Monmouth. Kelly, at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, finished his career with 137 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 18.5 hits for a loss.

Delaney, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound junior, earned all-conference recognition for the second time as a defensive end. He also received second-team honors in 2008. A native of Holtsville, N.Y., he recorded 30 or more tackles for the year in a row with 41, including 4.5 for losses. Delaney, who has 111 career tackles, has been a consistent performer despite being born without a left hand and wearing an insulin pump to control diabetes.

Romain, a freshman tailback from Vernon, N.J., was the conference's top offensive rookie after rushing for 547 yards and six touchdowns and averaging 86.7 all-purpose yards per game. He is 32nd among the FCS national leaders with a 25.1 kickoff return average. Romain was tabbed NEC rookie of the week on four occasions, including three times in the month of November. He established the program's freshman single-game rushing record with 193 yards against Wagner and averaged more than 120 yards on the ground in his team's three-game win streak to end the season. His 954 all-purpose yards is the highest total by a freshman in the school's Division I FCS history.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (6-5, NEC 4-4) established a program record with its fifth consecutive winning season ... the previous mark of four straight winning campaigns was established from 1996-99 ... the Great Danes, who will return 14 starters for the 2011 season, tied for fourth in the NEC standings ... Robert Morris shared the NEC championship with Central Connecticut State, but captured the conference's first automatic NCAA FCS playoff berth by winning the head-to-head matchup ... Robert Morris meets North Dakota State in the NCAA's opening round on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 7:00 p.m. ... Robert Morris' Joe Walton was named NEC Coach of the Year ...

UAlbany's Bob Ford is the career active leader among Division I FCS coaches with 247 victories ... DT Trevor Anderson joined Andre Coleman (2005, 2006), Michael Dungey (2006, 2007) and Tom Pandolf (2007, 2008) as the lone UAlbany defensive linemen to earn first-team All-NEC recognition twice ... TB Dillon Romain accounted for 100-plus all-purpose running yards four times, including 159 vs. Monmouth in last Saturday's final game.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Julie Forster Leads Basketball to 65-48 Win & Best Start Since 1986-87 - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Sophomore forward Julie Forster scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in leading UAlbany to its fourth straight win in a 65-48 victory over St. Peter's on Tuesday, Nov. 23 in the first game of a doubleheader at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes have started a season with four victories for the first time since 1986-87.

After St. Peter's Khadijah Young made a three-point field goal from the right wing to close the gap to 36-30 in the second half, UAlbany (4-0) exploded with 16 of the game's next 18 points. Forster, who recorded her third double-double of the season, had nine in that run, including a left-baseline jumper and a 17-footer that extended the lead to twin figures. Ebone Henry later converted a fastbreak layup, before Forster scored a pair of baskets. She converted in transition off a feed from Felicia Johnson that gave her club a 52-32 margin.

"Felicia did a great job," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. "She is like a coach out on the floor and she is such a great leader."

St. Peter's (0-4) was held to 34.1-percent shooting, including 6-of-24 in the final period, and was never able to get back into the contest. Jynae Judson, a 5-foot-10 junior, was the lone Peahen in double digits with 10 points and nine rebounds. UAlbany's Henry finished with 15, while Johnson had 12.

The Great Danes leaped to a 9-2 lead at the start, as Henry drilled a three-pointer from the left corner and Forster hit a short bank shot in the lane. UAlbany increased that advantage to double figures when Cassandra Callaway, who netted 10, sank a three-point field goal from the top of the arc. Callaway made another 3-pointer as her team pushed out to a 22-8 lead.

The Peahens closed within five on three occasions before the intermission. Charlene Riddick made two free throws and scored on an offensive rebound to cut the deficit to 25-20. UAlbany was still ahead by five in the final minutes of the period when Johnson nailed a long-range jumper from the right corner. The Great Danes settled for a 35-27 lead at the break.

"I am very excited for our players," stated Abrahamson-Henderson, who will lead the Great Danes against Wagner on Saturday. "They believe in us as coaches and they have worked very hard to get these wins."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany DE Mike Kelly & TB Dillon Romain Earn NEC Weekly Football Awards After Monmouth Win - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Mike Kelly has been named the Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Nov. 22. Dillon Romain earned his third consecutive NEC rookie of the week award. He has been honored four times this season.

Kelly, a senior defensive end from West Long Branch, N.J., totaled nine tackles, including 1.5 hits for a loss, one interception, one pass break-up and a 1/2 sack in last Saturday's season-ending 28-19 victory over Monmouth. He led a defense that forced four turnovers, including two that led directly to touchdowns. Kelly picked off quarterback Kyle Frazier in the third quarter and returned it 38 yards to stamp out a scoring threat in the third quarter. He is fifth on the team in tackles with 49 this season, plus has 2.0 sacks and two interceptions Kelly finished his college career with 137 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Romain, a freshman tailback from Vernon, N.J., accounted for 159 all-purpose yards and rushed for 71 yards on 18 carries against Monmouth. His 48-yard kickoff return in the second quarter led to UAlbany's second touchdown and a 14-3 lead. Romain, who also had a 37-yard kick runback, is 32nd nationally among the FCS leaders with a 25.1 kickoff return average. Romain toppled the 100-mark in all-purpose yards for the third game in a row and fourth time this year. He is second on the team in rushing yards (547) and all-purpose running yards (954).

Paw Prints: UAlbany (6-5, NEC 4-4) ended the season with three consecutive victories ... the Great Danes set a program record with their fifth consecutive winning campaign, breaking a mark of four straight that was established from 1996-99 ...

UAlbany has never had a losing record in Northeast Conference play since joining the league in 1999 ... Bob Ford moved into fourth place among NCAA FCS Division I's all-time winningest coaches with his 247th career victory ... Ford, who has a 247-174-1 career record, trails Grambling's Eddie Robinson (408), Eastern Kentucky's Roy Kidd (314) and Delaware's Tubby Raymond (300) on the all-time list ... UAlbany returns 14 starters, including seven on both offense and defense, and all specialists for the 2011 season.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Basketball Coach Will Brown Announces Three Student-Athletes Have Signed for 2011-12

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany men's basketball coach Will Brown announced on Monday, Nov. 22 that three student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play for the Great Danes in the 2011-12 academic year. Chris Page, a 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard from Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield H.S.), Sam Rowley, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward from Sydney, Australia (Knox Grammar School), and Gerardo Suero, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, each made his commitment.

Page averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals as a junior when he was named All-Metro West, All-Hendricks County and All-Mid State Conference. The Quakers won their second consecutive county championship. He also scored at a 17.2 clip as a sophomore, plus was chosen second-team All-Metro West and all-conference. Current UAlbany player Blake Metcalf attended the same high school.

"Chris has a very good offensive skill set, and is a good shooter who uses his ability to shoot the 'three' to set up the rest of his game." Brown explained. "He has a good mid-range game and does a nice job of getting to the rim."

Rowley is the second Australian to commit to the UAlbany program in as many years. He led Knox to its first Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS) championship in 14 years by totaling 21.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists. Rowley was selected to the New South Wales All-Schools Team last year, and was a member of the 2008 Australia under-17 squad that competed at the FIBA Oceania Youth Championships. He also represented Australia in the under-19 Four Nations Tournament against United States, China and Slovakia.

"He is player with a tremendous amount of international experience," Brown said. "He is a physically imposing player who plays with great strength and force. He can score with either hand in the low post and shoots the ball well from mid-range."

A native of the Dominican Republic, Suero played at Our Savior New American School, a scholastic program that has produced UAlbany's Jamar Wilson and Tim Ambrose. He contributed 33.1 points and 9.7 points as a senior. He was named offensive MVP at the National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) National Championships. In 2009-10, Suero averaged 21.4 points and 11.7 rebounds on the junior college level for Technical Career Institutes. Suero, who was named first-team All-Region XV, was a member of the Dominican Republic Under-21 National Team. His father, Gerardo, was a 1980 Olympic Games quarterfinalist in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes in Moscow, Russia.

"Gerardo is dynamic offensive talent with his ability to break down the defense and make plays for himself and his teammates" Brown stated. "He has great size for a perimeter player and is a big-time rebounder. He also has international experience and will have an opportunity to make the Dominican Republic Senior National Team."

University at Albany Men's Basketball Signings
Name, Pos., Cl., Ht., Wt., Hometown (High School / Previous School)
Chris Page, G, Fr., 6-5, 185, Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield)
Sam Rowley, F, Fr., 6-6, 240, Sydney, Australia (Knox Grammar School)
Gerardo Suero, G, Jr., 6-4, 205, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Our Savior New American School / Technical Career Institutes)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Univerisity of Albany Women's Volleyball Sweeps UMBC In America East Conference Championship Match - On To NCAAs

Albany, N.Y. - It was only fitting that Teresa Coppiellie scored the winning point that gave UAlbany a 3-0 win over UMBC in the America East Conference Volleyball Championship final. The victory gave the Great Danes a berth in the upcoming NCAA Championship as UAlbany's 43rd conference championship and 17th NCAA Tournament team.

In fact, Coppiellie scored the Great Danes' final three points Saturday at University Gym and then collected the tournament's Most Outstanding Player honor and joined teammates Laurie Gonzalez and Casey Wright on the all-championship team.

Top-seeded UAlbany beat third-seeded UMBC in straight games, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-20 and raised its record to 22-7. The Great Danes ran their win streak to seven contests and claimed their fifth America East title in seven years. UAlbany will now advance to be one of 64 teams in the NCAA Championship.

"This is the goal we have every year," said head coach MJ Engstrom. "We were successful in attacking their line, and Teresa just played phenomenally well. Laurie had 25 digs in three games and that's unbelievable."

Coppiellie had a team-high 12 kills on the night to go along with 19 digs. Gonzalez, it seemed, spent half her time on the floor as she made diving digs time after time. Traci Vandegrift had 10 kills and Dunja Prgomet had seven, including two to finish off UMBC in the second set.

In the first set, UAlbany started fast with a five-point run to go up 6-4. The Great Danes led the rest of the way and UMBC made too many mistakes to challenge. However, the Great Danes needed a rally to take the second game. They trailed 15-12 before scoring five straight to take a 17-15 lead. The Retrievers climbed back to knot the game at 20-20 but UAlbany closed by getting five of the last six points.

UAlbany continued its strong play and never trailed in the last game. The Great Danes held their biggest lead at 22-13 when Wright scored on a kill that was the result of a great dig by Gonzalez and a nice set from Abbey Wexel, who had 34 assists on the night.

Coppiellie took over from there, scoring her team's last three points. The game-winner was a slam to the left-hand corner, and naturally it came with an assist from Wexel.

"Losing last year was hard, and we didn't want to go through that again," said the senior Coppiellie "We didn't take winning for granted. There were so many emotions going through me in that last game. It was just fun to be out there."

UAlbany, who will play a tune-up match on Friday, Nov. 26 at Virginia Commonwealth, will find out its NCAA opponent during the selection show on Sunday, Nov. 28. The show will air live on ESPNews at 3 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Athletics

Sophomopre Logan Aronhalt Nets Career-High 27 in University of Albany Basketball's First Win of the Season - UAlbany Sports 2010

Hackensack, N.J. - Sophomore guard Logan Aronhalt had a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds, as UAlbany picked up its first win of the season in a 72-46 non-conference victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Nov. 20 at Stratis Arena in Rothman Center.

Fairleigh Dickinson (0-2) trailed by as much as 12 in the opening half, but cut the deficit to 38-34 early in the final period. Kamil Svrdlik, a 6-foot-8 junior who had eight points and seven rebounds, put back a blocked shot and Mathias Sellund made a 17-foot jumper.

UAlbany (1-3) responded with 18 of the game's next 20 points. Blake Metcalf, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, sandwiched a jump hook and an offensive rebound basket around Aronhalt's short turnaround in the lane that pushed the margin back to double digits. Metcalf finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

The Great Danes, who held FDU to 29.1-percent shooting by primarily using a zone defense, completed the decisive stretch when Jacob Iati drilled a three-point shot from right of key and Jake Lindfors tipped in a missed layup for a commanding 56-36 advantage.

"Our team defense was how we won," UAlbany coach Will Brown said. "We are getting better and more comfortable playing the zone and contesting jump shots. When they made their run, we settled down, got the ball inside, and attacked the basket."

In the first half, UAlbany erased an early 11-6 deficit with a string of 11 straight points. Mike Scott, a senior who transferrred from Eastern Utah and originally attended TCU, got his team off to a good start and finished with 23 points. Metcalf drew his team when he scored off an offensive rebound of a missed three-pointer. Aronhalt, who made 9-of-16 from the field and 6-fo-7 from the line, canned back-to-back long range jumpers to put his team in front, the second from the left corner in transition.

Briahn Smith scored on the inside after a rebound to get the Knights within 25-24. But the Great Danes responded with a 13-2 outburst. Ambrose, who had 11 of his 13 points in the opening period, drilled consecutive 3-pointers from the left wing. Stilling leading 31-26, Luke Devlin hit a jump hook and Ambrose canned a three-pointer from the right side to finish off a fastbreak. Aronhalt completed the run with two free throws.

"They have a really good point guard," said Aronhalt, who extended his double-figure scoring streak to seven games. "We picked it up on defense and played together. We did a great job of moving the ball to find the open man and my teammates placed me in good shooting situations."

Iati, who was making his second consecutive start for injured guard Mike Black, totaled 10 points, three assists and five rebounds. The Great Danes built their halftime lead by shooting 57.7 percent in the period.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Fairleigh Dickinson met for the first time since March 6, 1959 ... FDU posted a 56-53 triumph in the NAIA District 31 Tournament in Montclair, N.J. ... the Great Danes improved to 27-39 all-time against Northeast Conference teams ... UAlbany will also meet NEC members Central Connecticut State, Wagner and Mount St. Mary's in the month of December ... the Great Danes ended a seven-game skid, dating back to last season, and last won at UMBC on Feb. 13, 2010 ... Tim Ambrose climbed to No. 21 on the career scoring list with 1,113 points.



Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Trevor Anderson & Seniors Lead FCS Football to Season-Ending 28-19 Win Against Monmouth - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Jon Morgan scored on a 21-yard fumble return late in the fourth quarter and UAlbany held on for its third straight win in a 28-19 Northeast Conference victory over Monmouth at University Field.

Monmouth (3-8, NEC 3-5) trailed 21-13 in the fourth quarter before putting together an 8-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Quarterback Kyle Frazier threw a 33-yard completion to flanker Fritz Pollard and a 22-yard pass to tight end Mike McLafferty to set up the touchdown. L.J. Caprio, out of a wildcat formation, reached paydirt from two yards out over the left side. Frazier overthrew McLafferty in the back left corner of the end zone in a two-point conversion pass attempt.

UAlbany (6-5, NEC 4-4) recovered the onside kick, but went three-and-out and punted. On third-and-10 from the Monmouth 28, Frazier was sacked from behind by defensive tackle Trevor Anderson and Morgan picked up the fumble and raced to end zone with 1:30 to play. Cornerback Ross Bertrand sealed the outcome by picking off Frazier at his own 37 in the final minute.

"It's surreal feeling to make a play and help win a game," said Anderson, who had six tackles and 1.5 sacks and was one of 13 seniors participating in his final college game. "It's a great way to go out and make a play for everyone else. To win three games at the end shows the spirit and character of this team. We had a lot of reasons not to quit."

The Great Danes, who registered a school-record fifth consecutive winning campaign, jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the second quarter. Sophomore tailback Andrew Smith went 44 yards with a faked punt to the Monmouth one-yard line and then scored on the next offensive play. After Eric Spillane kicked a 25-yard field goal, UAlbany's Dillon Romain returned the kickoff 48 yards into Monmouth territory. Ben Miseikis, a redshirt freshman, darted over right guard on a 10-yard touchdown run.

"We had a great first half on special teams with a faked punt, a quick kick and some kickoff returns," explained UAlbany's Bob Ford, who moved into fourth among the all-time winningest Division I FCS coaches with his 247th career victory. "The wind played havoc and just knocked the ball down. I was proud of the way the seniors played in the fourth quarter."

The Hawks, who trailed 14-6 at halftime, closed the gap at the start of the second half. A heavy wind knocked down Jarrod Goodarz's kickoff and teammate Jose Gumbs was able to grab the football out of the air before Romain could haul it in. Frazier, who completed 20 of 40 passes for 219 yards, finished off a short five-play drive with a 4-yard TD run around right end.

A series of events produced UAlbany's third touchdown. The Hawks stopped Romain on fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line. However, Monmouth had a mix-up in the backfield on its first play and defensive tackle Zach Gallo stripped Frazier and outside linebacker Chris Blais recovered the fumble. Quarterback Buddy Leathley scored on a one-yard sneak with 8:01 left in the period.
UAlbany's Smith and Romain rushed for 79 and 71 yards, respectively. UAlbany's defense forced four turnovers and limited the visitors to 102 net yards on the ground.

"The seniors have always been a part of winning," offered senior defensive end Mike Kelly, who had nine tackles and thwarted a third-quarter Monmouth drive with a 38-yard interception return. "The defense held on the two-point pass and we were able to come up with a couple of turnovers (in the fourth quarter). Walking off the field for the last time is not easy."

Paw Prints: UAlbany finished in a tie for fourth place in the Northeast Conference standings ... Robert Morris and Central Connecticut State shared the championship, but the RMU Colonials earned the automatic NCAA FCS playoff berth by winning the head-to-head matchup ... the Great Danes have posted five straight winning season for the first time, breaking the mark of four in a row set from 1996-99 ... ILB Jon Morgan was also the last UAlbany player to score on a fumble return when he went 56 yards to the end zone against Duquesne on Oct. 10, 2009 ... S Jake Ciccarello made a career-high 10 tackles ... TB Dillon Romain accounted for 159 all-purpose yards, the fourth time he has toppled the 100-mark this season ... WR Ryan Kirchner finished with 50 receptions, the fifth-best single-season total ... DT Trevor Anderson (146), CB Ross Bertrand (143) and DE Mike Kelly (137) each completed his career with 135-plus tackles ... Bob Ford moved past Dayton's Mike Kelly into fourth place among NCAA FCS Division I's winningest coaches.



Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Great Danes Capture ECAC University Division Women's Cross Country Championship - UAlbany Sports 2010

Bronx, N.Y. - University at Albany's Ada Lauterbach and Emily Finnegan finished third and fifth, respectively, in the ECAC University Division Championship on Saturday, Nov. 20 at Van Cortlandt Park in leading the Great Danes to the team title. UAlbany finished with 49 points to easily out-distance runner-up Monmouth, which had 99 points, over the 5,000-meter course.

Rounding out the scoring for UAlbany were Emily Fung in 11th place, Miranda McConnnell in 14th and Kathryn Fanning in 16th. The Great Danes improved upon their second-place showing from one year ago.
Lauterbach, who finished in a time of 18:21.6, was just 20 seconds off the winning pace set by Kimberly DeLoreto of Sacred Heart. More than 200 runners and 22 teams took part in the championship.

The UAlbany men also fared well in the ECAC Championship Division race, also at Van Cortlandt Park, with sophomore Paul Lagno leading the way for the Great Danes over the 8,000-meter layout. Lagno finished ninth overall as his squad placed eighth in the team standings. UAlbany's top five finishers combined for 201 points. Duke finished first with just 44 points.

Lagno's time of 25:18.3 was 26 seconds behind individual winner Christian Gonzalez of Rider. Craig Hunt, of Central Connecticut State was second.

Other place-winners for the Great Danes were Greg Kiley in 53rd place, Sean Halpin in 65th, Alex Leuchanka in 77th and Jimmy Carroll in 115th.

*********

2010 ECAC Women's Cross Country University Division Championship
(Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, N.Y.)

WOMEN - 1. UAlbany 49, 2. Monmouth 99, 3. Towson 104, 4. St. John's 161, 5. Marist 179, 6. Binghamton 209, 7. Sacred Heart 219, 8. Bucknell 281, 9. Pittsburgh 288, 10. Fordham 307.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Kimberly DeLoreto (Sacred Heart), 18:01.6; 2. Kiersten Anderson (Marist), 18:10.3; Ada Lauterbach (UAlbany), 18:21.6; 4. Allison Letourneau (New Hampshire), 18:24.7; 5. Emily Finnegan (UAlbany), 18:26.1.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 3. Ada Lauterbach, 18:21.6; 5 Emily Finnegan, 18:26.1; 11. Emily Fung, 18:39.1; 14. Miranda McConnell, 18:45.9; 16. Kathryn Fanning,18:52.1.

2010 ECAC Men's Cross Country Championship Division

(Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, N.Y.)
MEN - 1. Duke 44, 2. Duquesne 141, 3. Harvard 147, 4. Central Connecticut State 147, 5. Marist 162, 6. George Mason 189, 7. Columbia 190, 8. UAlbany 201, 9. William & Mary 209, 10. Syracuse 239.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Christian Gonzalez (Rider), 24:52.7; 2. Craig Hunt (Central Connecticut State), 25:02.1; 3. Mike Moverman (Duke), 25:03.5; 4. Ry Sanderson (Central Connecticut State), 25:08.9; 5. Mark Bucklaw (Duquesne), 25:09.3.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 9. Paul Lagno, 25:18.3; 53. Greg Kiley, 26:08.2; 65. Sean Halpin, 26:18.4; 77. Alex Leuchanka, 26:27.7; 115. Jimmy Carroll, 27:18.5.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Advances to America East Volleyball Tournament Championship Match With 3-2 Semifinal Win Over Stony Brook - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - America East Conference Player of the Year Teresa Coppiellie recorded a team-high 11 kills and Abbey Wexel had 34 assists to lead top-seeded UAlbany team to a 3-2 win over Stony Brook in the semifinal round of the America East Volleyball Championship Tournament. The Great Danes won the match with set scores of 25-19, 25-14, 15-25, 18-25 and 15-10.

UAlbany came from behind to take the first two games. The Great Danes closed with seven of the last eight points in the opener and had a run of eight straight points to pull away in the second game. Wexel had three assists, a block and a terrific save in the run while Wright had three kills.

Stony Brook (11-18) ran out to early leads in the next two games. First-team all-conference honoree Alicia Nelson had 12 of her match-high 26 kills in the two set wins while Kelsey Sullivan had 24 of her 44 assists.

UAlbany used a three-point run to take a 9-6 lead in the deciding set. Coppiellie had a soft-touch kill and Wexel had a service ace in the run. Coppiellie followed with two more kills as UAlbany went up 12-7. Dunja Prgomet scored the winning point with one of her eight kills on the night.

"There is nothing I won't leave on the court this weekend," said Coppiellie, a senior outside hitter. "I will do whatever it takes. In that fifth game, we all just calmed down and did what we needed to do."

Coppiellie had 20 digs and two service aces to go along with her 11 kills. Wright finished with eight kills and six solo blocks, tying a conference tournament record set in 1993.

"We went with a different lineup in the fifth game, and put Casey [Wright] on the front row," said Engstrom. "They really didn't have an answer for her. Teresa and Casey did really well, I thought, and [Lindsey] McCloskey served well down the stretch."

In the other semifinal match, UMBC (12-16) upset second-seeded Binghamton, 3-0. UAlbany (21-7), which is on a seven-game win streak, will play in the tournament championship against the Retrievers at 7 p.m. Saturday at University Gym with an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Felicia Johnson's Basket Leads University of Albany to Third Straight Win in 49-48 Decision at Manhattan - UAlbany Sports 2010

Riverdale, N.Y. - Felicia Johnson scored a career-high 21 points and made the go-ahead jumper in leading UAlbany to a 49-48 victory over Manhattan on Friday, Nov. 19 at Draddy Gymnasium. The Great Danes, under first-year head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, have opened a season with three victories for the first time since 1986-87
Manhattan (2-1) led 27-18 early in the second half, but the Great Danes held their opponent scoreless for the next six-plus minutes and in the process ran off 13 unanswered. Ebone Henry, who tallied nine of her 14 points after the break, buried a three-point field goal, before Johnson made a short bank shot from left of the lane to draw their team even. Julie Forster scored in the lane from a driving Henry and Cassandra Callaway converted a layup off her steal to finish off the run.

UAlbany (3-0) extended its margin to as much as six on four occasions, including 43-37 on Forster's two free throws. Still trailing 47-42, the Jaspers went back ahead on a pair of conventional three-point plays. Schyanne Halfkenny was fouled as connected in the lane off Nadia Peters' feed. Abby Wentworth, who led her team with 17 points, drove from the top of the circle and tacked on a free throw with 2:24 to play.

Johnson, a junior guard, later made a 12-footer in the lane off the dribble to regain the lead. After Henry missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity with 19 seconds remaining, Manhattan set up for the last shot. But Halfkenny misfired on the right baseline in the closing seconds.

"We started to move Ebone (Henry) around to look for open shots and placed Julie in the high post to get movement on the baseline," said Abrahamson-Henderson, as her team combated Manhattan's zone defense. "Felicia Johnson carried us the whole game. She is relentless and a proven winner."

In the first half, Manhattan used an aggressive zone and three-quarter court pressure to hold UAlbany to 17.9-percent shooting and force nine turnovers. The Jaspers led 8-7, but then tallied 10 of the game's next 12 points. Halfkenny made two free throws and canned a three-pointer from the right corner off a skip pass to lead the outburst. Wentworth sank a jumper in the lane and split a pair of foul shots for a nine-point lead.

The Great Danes closed the gap to 20-16 behind the play of Johnson, who added five steals, four assists and four rebounds to her scoring total. The junior guard fed Julie Forster in transition and made a three-point shot from left of the key. Manhattan had the final two baskets in the half when Toni-Ann Lawrence completed a cut in the lane and Wentworth drilled a jumper off a screen.

Henry, a sophomore, recorded her third consecutive double-double by grabbing 10 rebounds and made three of her four 3-pointers in the final stanza. Toni-Ann Lawrence added 10 points for the Jaspers, who playing for the first time at home this season.

Paw Prints: UAlbany has won its opening three games for the first time as a Division I program ... Felicia Johnson's previous career-high was 20 points against Vermont on Feb. 6, 2010 ... Julie Forster added six points and eight rebounds ... the Great Danes improved to a more respectable 46.2-percent shooting in the second half ... Manhattan won the only other meeting between these programs, a 74-56 victory on Nov. 30, 1999 ... the Jaspers were picked to finish fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany FCS Football Meets Northeast Conference Opponent Monmouth on Senior Day at University Field

Albany, N.Y. - UAlbany and Monmouth square off in Northeast Conference play to conclude the season at University Field on Saturday, Nov. 20. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. The Great Danes will honor 13 seniors in their final home appearance. Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports 980, WOFX-AM, with Andrew Catalon handling play-by-play.

Monmouth (3-7, NEC 3-4) suffered its third consecutive setback in last Saturday's thrilling 49-48 double-overtime loss to Central Connecticut State. Head coach Kevin Callahan, who owns 104 career victories in his 18th season, has 22 seniors on his roster. QB Kyle Frazier runs a balanced offense. He has thrown for 1,853 yards and nine touchdowns. He passed for 300 and rushed for a career-high 115 last week. Ryan Folsom and Nick Romeo are the top receivers with 31 and 27 catches, respectively. TE Tyler George (6-5, 250) has hauled in 32 receptions for 331 yards and two touchdowns. RB Bobby Giles is the leading rusher with 671 yards and one score.

The Hawks are ranked 16th among the FCS leaders in turnover margin (+0.80 pg). FS Jose Gumbs, the 2009 NEC Defensive Player of the Year, has 67 tackles, eight pass break-ups and one interception. SS Kendall Halley, who like Gumbs earned first-team all-conference honors last season, has 62 tackles and three interceptions. Chris Hogan is a two-way player who has picked off three passes as a cornerback and caught three touchdowns as a receiver. Hogan transferred from Penn State where he was an All-ECAC lacrosse midfielder.

UAlbany (5-5, NEC 3-4) defeated Wagner, 24-14, in its last outing, as TB Dillon Romain ran for a career-best 193 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter. ILB Dave Plungas, who had a career-high 13 tackles, kept his team in front by stripping WR David Crawford and the fumble rolled through the end zone for a touchback. UAlbany's defense stamped out two other second-half threats with a goal-line stand and an interception.

Paw Prints: UAlbany will honor its senior class in a pre-game ceremony ... DT Trevor Anderson, CB Ross Bertrand, OLB Chris Blais, OG Matt Faughnan, ILB Said Gaida, OT Vince Gonzales, DE Mike Kelly, WR Jason Poore, C Andy Sparano, OG Andrew Stevens, ILB Chris Van Zelfden and P Bobby Woods are members ... TB Dillon Romain was chosen NEC rookie of the week for the third time this season on Nov. 15 ... Bob Ford has moved into a tie for fourth among the winningest Division I FCS coaches with 246 career victories ... the Great Danes are attempting to record five consecutive winning seasons for the first time in the program's history.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Coppiellie and Gonzalez Earn Major America East Conference Volleyball Awards - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - Teresa Coppiellie was named the 2010 America East Conference Volleyball Player of the Year, while Laurie Gonzalez claimed her third straight defensive specialist of the year honor, as announced by the league office on Thursday afternoon. Junior Casey Wright was also named to the all-conference first team to round out the UAlbany award recipients.

Coppiellie, an outside hitter from Canton, Mich., also made her second straight appearance on the all-conference first team. She became the third consecutive UAlbany player to earn the conference's top award after averaging 3.49 kills and 3.18 digs per set with a .231 hitting percentage. She accumulated 46 total blocks, including 20 solo, and added 24 service aces. Coppiellie stood at the top of the league standings during conference play, averaging 4.17 kills per set. Coppiellie, who recorded 13 double-doubles as a senior, tallied a career-high 21 kills against New Hampshire and 19 digs versus Colgate.

Gonzalez nabbed her third defensive specialist of the year honor after leading the conference, averaging 5.13 digs per set. She recorded double-digit digs in every America East match this season and reached the 20-dig plateau 12 times. Gonzalez, a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, registered a season-best 31 digs in a four-set match against Yale and finished with 30 against Alabama-Birmingham. She also led the team with 32 service aces, which ranked her fourth in the conference standings.

Wright, who hails from Ballston Spa, N.Y., earned the first all-conference award of her career, taking home first team honors. She led the Great Danes and was first in the conference with a .346 hitting percentage, while also averaging 3.44 kills and 1.05 blocks per set. Wright recorded a career-best 25 kills against McNeese State and had a season high with nine total blocks versus Bowling Green.

UAlbany (20-7, AE 10-2) will host the America East Conference Championship Tournament at University Gym, starting Friday at 4 p.m. The Great Danes will play Stony Brook in the second semifinal match starting at 7 p.m.

-agate-

2010 America East Volleyball All-Conference Teams

First Team: Teresa Coppiellie, UAlbany; Casey Wright, UAlbany; Anna Lejina, Binghamton; Michelle McDonough, Binghamton; Sabrina Hoeks, UMBC; Ashley Headen, Stony Brook; Alicia Nelson, Stony Brook.

Second Team: Laurie Gonzalez, UAlbany; Lindsay Ford, Hartford; Kami Nethersole, Hartford; Allie Spaay, UMBC; Sara Heldman, New Hampshire; Amy Keding, New Hampshire; Lauren Fletcher, Providence.

All-Rookie: Xiomara Ortiz, Binghamton; Dionna Kirton, Hartford; Hallie Carter, UMBC; Ali Goc, UBMC; Destiny Tolliver, New Hampshire; Kaitlin Costello, Stony Brook; Evann Slaughter, Stony Brook.

Player of the Year: Teresa Coppiellie, UAlbany

Setter of the Year: Sara Heldman, New Hampshire

Defensive Specialist of the Year: Laurie Gonzalez, UAlbany

Rookie of the Year: Evann Slaughter, Stony Brook

Coach of the Year: Don Ferguson, Hartford


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Five University of Albany Great Danes Earn 2010 Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-Region Honors - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Senior defender Suzy Clephane earned her second straight Longstreth/NFHCA Division I First Team All-Northeast Region award, while four other players were named to the second team, as announced by the NFHCA on Thursday. Taylor Luke, Corrine McConville, Christina Patrick and Kristi Troch were all second team honorees.

Clephane makes her second appearance on the all-region second team after anchoring a UAlbany defense that allowed just 1.35 goals per game. Clephane, who is now eligible for NFHCA All-America consideration, finished with one goal and nine assists as a key member of UAlbany's offensive penalty corner unit. She was an America East Conference Second Team member this season after earning the league's top defensive player award as a junior.

McConville was an all-region second team honoree after being named the America East rookie of the year this season. McConville scored eight goals and added two assists for the Great Danes as a freshman. Sophomore Kristi Troch was earned the America East's top goalkeeper honor after ranking first nationally with a 1.07 goals against average and leading UAlbany to a league-best seven shutouts. Junior defender Taylor Luke was a unanimous all-conference first team selection for the second straight season after tallying seven defensive saves. Junior forward Christina Patrick was an all-conference first team honoree, as she finished tied for second in the league standings with 16 goals, including a conference-best six game-winners.

UAlbany (16-6) finished the season ranked 15th in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll, claiming its second America East Conference Championship title and NCAA Tournament berth.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Records Second Straight Win With 49-43 Defeat of St. Francis - UAlbany Sports 2010

Brooklyn, N.Y. - Julie Forster recorded her second straight double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead UAlbany to a 49-43 win over St. Francis in non-conference women's basketball action on Tuesday evening at the Pope Physical Education Center. It is the first time the Great Danes have opened a season with two straight wins since the 1999-2000 inaugural Division I season.

In the first half, the Terriers built up a 15-11 lead behind three 3-pointers by Amber Lau, who finished with a team-high 11 points, before the seven minute mark. Julie Forster scored back-to-back baskets to pull within 15-13, but Lau responded with a lay up to put St. Francis back up by four points. The Terriers then took a 20-13 advantage on a trey from Autumn Lau, just before the four-minute media timeout.

Felicia Johnson pulled UAlbany back within five, as she recorded one of her two first-half steals and converted a fast-break lay up on the other end of the court. A conventional three-point play by Ebone Henry with just under two minutes left in the first half pulled UAlbany to within 20-19 and forced the Terriers to take a time out. St. Francis regrouped and hit a late jumper, but then committed a turnover to put the ball back in the Great Danes' hands as time was winding down. Forster got fouled under the basket and converted the first of her one-and-one, then scored two of her 15 first-half points in the lane as time expired to put UAlbany up, 23-22, at the halftime break.

The Great Danes came out of the locker room firing, outscoring the Terriers 7-3 in the first five minutes of the second half. However, St. Francis took a 33-32 lead after a 10-2 run, when Stefanie Bingham connected on two foul shots at 12:14. The Great Danes ended the run and took a three-point advantage on back-to-back baskets by Keyana Williams and Henry that put UAlbany on top, 36-33 with 11:30 left to play.

The Great Danes continued to build an advantage, getting up 43-36 on a 3-pointer by Johnson with 6:19 on the clock. St. Francis (0-2) mounted a quick comeback, however, getting back-to-back baskets from beyond the arc by Kim Snauweart and Bingham, pulling back within one, 43-42, with just over five minutes left to play. Henry sunk a trey and the UAlbany defense forced the Terriers to commit one of their 27 turnovers to regain control. Leading, 47-43, with 1:05 left to play, UAlbany committed an offensive foul to give St. Francis the opportunity to rally. The Great Danes defense held strong, and Henry converted two free throws in the waning seconds to seal the UAlbany victory.

"I am very happy for the ladies," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team grabbed 36 rebounds in the game. "They are working hard and have earned everything so far. They worked really hard on defense and rebounded the ball."

UAlbany (2-0) also got a double-double from Henry, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, the Great Danes recorded eight steals and shot .315 from the floor. UAlbany will return to action on Friday, visiting Manhattan for a 7 p.m. contest.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany FCS Football's Dillon Romain Chosen NEC Rookie of the Week for the Third Time This Season - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Dillon Romain has been chosen Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Nov. 15 by the conference office. He was selected for second consecutive week and third time this season.

Romain, a freshman tailback from Vernon, N.J., rushed for a career-high 193 yards, including 182 in the second half, on 28 carries in last Saturday's 24-14 victory over Wagner at University Field. He scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 25-yard run with 12:39 remaining in the third quarter. Romain established the program's single-game freshman rushing record, breaking the previous mark of 150 that was set by Greg Garrett against St. Lawrence on Sept. 21, 1996.

Romain, who recorded the highest rushing total by a Great Dane since the 2008 Gridiron Classic, toppled the 100-yard mark for the second consecutive game. He ran five straight times on the opening possession for the second half, including a 32-yard burst on the second play of the series, to break a 14-14 deadlock. Romain had 119 yards in the fourth quarter, as the Great Danes held the ball for 13-plus minutes in the period. He has 476 yards and six touchdowns on the ground this season.

Paw Prints: UAlbany's Bob Ford has moved into a tie for fourth place among FCS Division I's all-time winningest coaches with 246 victories ... Ford trails Grambling's Eddie Robinson (408), Eastern Kentucky's Roy Kidd (314) and Delaware's Tubby Raymond (300) on the FCS career wins list ... the Great Danes have 13 seniors who will be making their final home appearance at University Field against Monmouth on Nov. 20 ... DT Trevor Anderson, CB Ross Bertrand, OLB Chris Blais, OG Matt Faughnan, ILB Said Gaida, OT Vince Gonzales, DE Mike Kelly, WR Jason Poore, C Andy Sparano, OG Andrew Stevens, ILB Chris Van Zelfden and P Bobby Woods are members of the 2010 senior class ... ILB Dave Plungas made a career-high 13 tackles, including nine unassisted, vs. Wagner ... Plungas also stripped WR Dave Crawford at the 5-yard line in the third quarter and the fumble went through the end zone for a touchback.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Ebone Henry Earns First America East Women's Basketball Player of the Week Award - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Ebone Henry was named the America East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. It is the first weekly award given for the 2010-11 season.

Henry led the Great Danes to their first season-opening win since 2003-04 with a 64-54 win over Brown on Nov. 12. The sophomore guard recorded a game-high 23 points, on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor, and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds. She also handed out three assists, made two steals and recorded a block. An America East Conference All-Rookie Team member last season, Henry also hit three of UAlbany's six three-pointers in 28 minutes of action.

UAlbany (1-0) will return to action on Tuesday, visiting St. Francis, N.Y. for a non-conference matchup at 7 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Abbey Wexel Earns Final America East Conference Setter of the Week Award of 2010 Season - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Abbey Wexel was named the America East Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. It is Wexel's third weekly honor of the season, and the final award of the 2010 regular season.

Wexel quarterbacked the Great Danes to two wins in the final week of the conference schedule. The junior led UAlbany to a conference-best team hitting percentage of .269, while averaging 11.11 assists and 1.33 digs per set. In Friday's win over Hartford, Wexel handed out a career-high 56 assists to go along with seven digs, one service ace and one kill. In Sunday's win over Stony Brook that clinched UAlbany's third straight regular-season title, Wexel totaled 44 assists, five digs and one kill.

UAlbany (20-7, AE 10-2) has earned the right to host the 2010 America East Conference Championship Tournament, which will take place on Friday and Saturday. The Great Danes will meet Stony Brook in the second semifinal match on Friday at 7 p.m. at University Gymnasium.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Coppiellie Leads University of Albany Over Stony Brook & To America East Volleyball Regular-Season Title - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. -Teresa Coppiellie just missed out on her 13th double-double of the season, recording a match-high 18 kills and nine digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-1 win over Stony Brook in the America East Conference finale on Sunday afternoon at University Gym. With the victory, the Great Danes claimed the regular-season title for the sixth time in the last seven years, and their third straight. UAlbany won the match with set scores of 26-24, 21-25, 25-13 and 25-22.

Coppiellie, who was honored in a pre-game ceremony as the team's only graduating senior, hit .286 for the match with one solo block. The Great Danes also got double-digit kills from Casey Wright, who totaled 13 on .500 hitting, and Dunja Prgomet, who recorded 12 kills, four digs and one solo block. Traci Vandegrift recorded 13 digs and eight kills, while libero Laurie Gonzalez finished just one dig shy of the match-high total with 19, while also notching one of the Great Danes' six service aces. Setter Abbey Wexel totaled 44 assists and five digs.

Stony Brook (11-17, AE 6-6) was led by Evann Slaughter and Ashley Headen, who both recorded 15 kills for the Seawolves. Slaughter hit .520 for the match, while also totaling three total blocks. Headen led Stony Brook behind the service line, tallying four service aces. Alicia Nelson also finished with double-digit kills, recording 14 to go along with nine digs. Jeanette Gibbs and Greta Strenger led the team defensively with 20 and 10 digs, respectively. Setter Kelsey Sullivan led all players with 50 assists, along with eight digs and one kill.

"The regular-season title is always a goal, but it's not the end-all," said UAlbany head coach MJ Engstrom, who led the Great Danes to a 20-7 overall record and a 10-2 America East Conference slate. "We still have a lot of work to do. There is a lot of parity in the conference this season. We will play Stony Brook in the first round, and we got a good look at them today, but they got a good look at us as well, so I'm sure there will be adjustments made."

The Great Danes have earned the right to host the America East Championship Tournament, which will take place next weekend, with dates and times to be determined. Binghamton and UMBC have also sealed spots in the tournament.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

#15 UAlbany Falls in Overtime to 7th-Ranked Ohio State, 2-1, in NCAA Tournament Game

State Park, Pa. - Paula Pastor-Pitarque scored an overtime goal with 4:11 to play to lead #7 Ohio State to a 2-1 victory over #15 UAlbany in the first round of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Tournament on Saturday afternoon at the Penn State Nittany Lion Field Hockey Complex. It was the Great Danes' seventh overtime game of the season and just the second loss in extra time, as UAlbany fell to Big Ten opponent Michigan earlier this season.

UAlbany held a 1-0 advantage after one half of play, behind a Daphne Voormolen goal. The Great Danes second penalty corner opportunity came as time expired, and the offense converted, with Voormolen's shot ricocheting off Ohio State goalkeeper Ally Tunitis and into the back of the cage. The Buckeyes had controlled most of the play in the first half, outshooting the Great Danes, 10-2. UAlbany starting goalkeeper Christine Hoffman made five saves, keeping the Ohio State offense at bay.

After a more evenly played second half, Ohio State capitalized on a penalty corner with 1:30 left on the clock. Paula Pastor-Pitarque took assists from Berta Queral and Aisling Coyle and smashed a hard shot into the bottom left corner of the cage. UAlbany attempted to get the ball into the offensive end of the field, but the Buckeye defense held solid for the final minute to send the game into overtime.

In the extra period, UAlbany had two close opportunities to end the game. Ohio State drew a penalty corner, but Ashlyn Bach flew out of the cage to take the ball away from the Buckeye offense. Bach passed the ball off to Christina Patrick, who was all alone on the offensive end, Suzy Clephane brought the ball into the circle, but her shot hit the post. A few minutes later, defender Taylor Luke carried the ball into the circle, but her shot went wide to give Ohio State another opportunity.

Ohio State (17-4) outshot UAlbany, 18-7, including 5-2 in the overtime period. The Buckeyes also held an 8-4 advantage in penalty corners. Tunitis stopped four shots in a complete-game effort for Ohio State, while Hoffman and Troch combined for seven saves in the cage. Luke also made two defensive saves for the Great Danes.

UAlbany wraps up the 2010 season with a 15-6 overall record, after claiming their fourth regular season title and the program's second America East Conference Championship.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Dillon Romain Sets Freshman Rushing Record in FCS Football's 24-14 Northeast Conference Win - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman tailback Dillon Romain rushed for a career-high 193 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter in leading UAlbany to a 24-14 victory over Wagner in Northeast Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 13 at University Field.

Romain, who set the school's single-game freshman rushing mark, rumbled over the left side on a 25-yard touchdown run to break a 14-14 deadlock. He had all five carries on the first possession of the third quarter, including a 32-yard burst on the second play of the series. Albany (5-5, NEC 3-4) added a 37-yard field goal from Herb Glass with 7:09 left in the period. Wagner fell to 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the conference.

"The offensive line just took over in the third quarter," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, who moved into a tie for fourth among the Division I FCS' winningest coaches with his 246th career victory. "We have four veteran offensive lineman and they played well. I have been pleading with the seniors to let's establish something for next year."

Wagner quarterback Nick Doscher, who passed for 251 yards and ran for a team-high 76 yards, had his club on the move in the third quarter down just seven points, but the Seahawks' scoring chance ended when receiver David Crawford was stripped by linebacker Dave Plungas at the five-yard line and the ball bounced through the end zone for a touchback.

The Great Danes thwarted two other Wagner scoring chances. Doscher was stuffed on fourth-and-goal at the Albany one-yard line by safety Justin Hassan and linebacker Said Gaida after the Seahawks had moved 11 plays from their own 37. In the final period with 6:09 to play, cornerback Ross Bertrand picked off Doscher to stamp out another drive.

"We knew they would run quarterback power in a goal-line situation," Gaida offered. "We did a great job of prepping for it all week and it just came down to execution. (Nick) Doscher makes their offense run. If you can contain him, you have a good chance of winning."

In the first quarter, the Seahawks took advantage of a fumbled punt by UAlbany's Ryan Kirchner when his own teammate backed up to him on an intended fair catch. Linebacker Dom Gaston covered the loose ball and two plays later Doscher hit receiver Tyrone Collins in the middle of the field for a 19-yard touchdown.

UAlbany regrouped with a quick-strike drive of just four plays that covered 69 yards. Quarterback Buddy Leathley found receiver Kevin Chillis deep down the middle for a 49-yard scoring play. And after the next Wagner drive stalled, Kirchner returned a punt 80 yards down the right sideline for a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. It was the second-longest punt return in school history and was sprung by Raymond Dorcely's block on the edge.

Running back Eric Foxworth capped a 12-play, 88-yard drive for the Seahawks to knot the score with 5:48 left before halftime. Foxworth, who rushed 14 times for 48 yards in the game, scored from 11 yards out when he darted over the left side and broke two tackles en route to the end zone.

UAlbany quarterback Buddy Leathley completed 8 of 15 passes for 150 yards. Romain's rushing total eclipsed a freshman standard previously held by Greg Garrett since 1996.

"They (offensive line) opened up huge holes and Andrew Smith had some blocks," said Romain, who has reached the century mark two straight weeks in a pair of UAlbany wins. "It's not that hard when they block like that. This is important for the older guys; they want to win their last games."

Paw Prints: UAlbany's Dillon Romain ran for 193 yards, the highest total by a Great Dane since the 2008 Gridiron Classic ... Romain set the school's freshman rushing standard and eclipsed Greg Garrett's previous mark when he piled up 150 yards vs. St. Lawrence on Sept. 21, 1996 ... Bob Ford moved into a tie for fourth place among NCAA FCS Division I's winningest coaches with his 246th career victory ... Wagner head coach Walt Hameline, who was Ford's assistant in the late 1970s, recorded his 200th career win last week ... PK Herb Glass moved into sixth place on the program's career scoring chart with 160 points ... ILB Dave Plungas had a career-high 13 tackles and forced a fumble ... Ryan Kirchner's 80-yard punt return is second only to an 84-yard runback by Ray Gay against Plattsburgh in 1977.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Lagno Leads UAlbany to 13th Place at NCAA Men's Cross Country Northeast Regional

Madison, Conn. - University at Albany's Paul Lagno finished 34th overall and led UAlbany to a 13th-place team finish at the NCAA Men's Cross Country Northeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Hammonassett State Park. Thirty-five teams and more than 200 runners participated in the regional hosted by Yale University.

Lagno finished the 10,000-meter course in 31:00.5 and averaged 4:59 per mile. Sophomore Ethan Clary took 58th overall for UAlbany in a time of 31:28. Other place-winners for the Great Danes were junior Chris Burke at 75th in 31:48.4, junior R.J. Sniffen at 77th in 31:49.9 and senior Aaron Lozier at 114th in 32:22.4. Leonard Korir of Iona was the individual winner in 29:36.9 and Syracuse was the top team.

In the NCAA Women's NCAA Women's Regionals, also held at Yale University, junior Ada Lauterbach and sophomore Emily Fung placed 88th and 103rd, respectively, from a field of nearly 250 runners and 35 full teams. Lauterbach finished the 6,000-meter layout in 22:00 while Fung's time was 22:10.5. Stony Brook's Lucy van Dalen took first place individually in 19:38.4 and Syracuse captured the team title.

*********

2010 NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Championship

(Hammonassett State Park, Madison, Conn.)

MEN - 1. Syracuse 56, 2. Iona 63, 3. Providence 113, 4. Dartmouth 138, 5. Columbia 146, 6. Cornell 232, 7. Boston University 239, 8. Brown 240, 9. Massachusetts 264, 10. Marist 288 ... 13. UAlbany 357.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Leonard Korir (Iona), 29:36.9, 2. Lee Carey (Providence), 29:48.5, 3. Daniel Chenoweth (Harvard), 29:51.2.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 34. Paul Lagno, 31:00.5; 58. Ethan Clary, 31:28.4; 75. Chris Burke, 31:48.4; 77. R.J. Sniffen, 31.49.9; 114. Aaron Lozier, 32:22.4.

WOMEN - 1. Syracuse 78, 2. Stony Brook 83, 3. Providence 87, 4. Boston College 92, 5. Columbia 206, 6. Cornell 209, 7. Brown 226, 8. Dartmouth 271, 9. New Hampshire 273, 10. Boston University 315 ... UAlbany - No Team Score.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Lucy Van Dalen (Stony Brook), 19:38.4; 2. Holly Van Dalen (Stony Brook), 19:42.0, 3. Shelby Greany (Providence), 19:56.4.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 88. Ada Lauterbach, 22:00.0; 103. Emily Fung, 22:10.2.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Coppiellie Leads University of Albany Volleyball to 3-2 Win Over Conference Foe Hartford - UAlbany Sports 2010

Senior outside hitter Teresa Coppiellie recorded a double-double as one of four Great Danes with double-digit kills to lead UAlbany to a 3-2 win over Hartford in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday night at University Gym. The Great Danes won the game with set scores of 25-14, 25-9, 23-25, 23-22 and 15-9.

Coppiellie finished with a match-high 19 kills to go along with 18 digs to pace UAlbany. She also tallied three of the Great Danes' five service aces and totaled one block assist. Casey Wright and Traci Vandegrift each recorded 13 kills for UAlbany, with Wright's total coming on a match-best .480 hitting percentage. Wright also recorded five total blocks, leading the Great Danes to a 10-8 advantage at the net. Dunja Prgomet was the final UAlbany player in double-digit kill totals with 12 to go along with three solo blocks. Setter Abbey Wexel recorded a career-high 56 assists, along with seven digs, one service ace and one kill.

UAlbany hit .273 for the match, including a stellar .632 in the second set, finishing the game with 12 kills and no errors on 19 attempts. The Great Danes held Hartford to .134 hitting as a team, including negative hitting percentages in the first two sets.

Hartford (8-20, AE 3-8) was led by Kami Nethersole, who recorded 15 kills and 10 digs. Michelle Cordell totaled 11 kills for the Hawks, along with three block assists, while Dionna Kirton finished with nine kills, 17 digs, one solo block and a service ace. Libero Danielle Etta totaled a team-high 15 digs and two service aces, while setter Lindsay Ford recorded 37 assists and nine digs.

UAlbany (19-7, AE 9-2) will return to action on Sunday, hosting Stony Brook in the final match before the America East Conference Championship Tournament. Action across the league will help decide the final standings in the conference, and determine who will host the two-day tournament.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Defeats Brown, 64-54, Records Win For First-Year Head Coach - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Sophomore forward Ebone Henry scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds to lead the UAlbany to a 64-54 win over Brown University in the season opener for both teams on Friday, Nov. 12 at SEFCU Arena. The victory marked a successful debut for first-year head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson.

Julie Forster, a 6-foot sophomore, and Adrienne Jones added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Forster also led her team with 16 rebounds. Brown was led by Aileen Daniels with 15 points. Hannah Passafuime had 14.

"It was a great team effort," said Abrahamson-Henderson, who previously was the associate head coach at Indiana University and Missouri State's head coach." "We stuck together the whole game. We kept plugging away and got key rebounds. It was the first game and we were a little tight at the start."

Henry, a member of last year's America East Conference all-rookie team, scored 14 of her points in the second half as the Great Danes broke open a close game that saw 10 lead changes in the first half. Henry's free throw put Albany in front to stay, 22-21. The Great Danes led at the intermission, 29-27.

In the second period, UAlbany led 33-32, but ran off five straight markers. Felicia Johnson, a junior guard who had seven points and four assists, canned a three-pointer and Cassanda Callaway made a jumper. The Great Danes pushed out to a 44-34 advnatage when Keyana Williams scored in the lane and Henry sank two foul shots.

The Bears were later still down by nine, but closed to within 54-49 with 3:11 remaining. Lauren Clarke and Sophie Beutel each split a pair of free throws around a Daniels' basket. But UAlbany regrouped with five unanswered to send the lead back to double figures. Johnson and Henry converted jumpers, the second after an offensive rebound. The sophomore gave her team a commanding 59-49 lead with 1:33 remaining, and her team had its first season-opening victory since the 2003-04 campaign.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information