University of Albany Edges Mount St. Mary's, 65-64; Suero Records 1st Career Double-Double - UAlbany Sports 2011

Emmitsburg, Md.- Gerardo Suero's first career double-double of 28 points and 10 rebounds led the University at Albany (8-6) over Mount St. Mary's (2-11), 65-64, on Saturday, Dec. 31 at Knott Arena. This win gave the Great Danes eight non-conference wins this season which ties for the most non-conference wins under head coach Will Brown. UAlbany begins its conference play on Monday, Jan. 2 against Hartford at SEFCU Arena at 7 pm.

UAlbany would have three players in double-digits that included Suero's 28, Logan Aronhalt's 15 and Luke Devlin's 11. The team would hit 20-plus free throws for the second game in a row (21-23 FT). The Great Danes would edge the Mountaineers in rebounds, 35-33. Suero has recorded a 20-plus point game for the sixth consecutive time and 10 total on the season.

Mount St. Mary's were led by Julian Norfleet's 15 points and six rebounds. Two other Mountaineers hit double-digits, Danny Thompson had 14 points and Raven Barber hit 11 points while grabbing seven boards. The Mountaineers lead in shooting percentage, 45.3-36.8 percent, and in blocks, 8-1.

With the score at 51-51 at 9:51 in the second half, neither team would be able to build a lead more than four points (Mount St. Mary's 53-49 with 8:26 to play).

The Great Danes would build their biggest lead of the game of three points, which was created by Suero's layup and and-one, 61-58, with 3:54 left to play.

The Mountaineer's Norfleet would hit the game-tying three, 61-61, with 2:35 left in the game. Then Thompson would hit 3-of-4 from the free throw line in the next 45 seconds to put Mount St. Mary's up by two, 64-62, with 49 seconds to play.

Then UAlbany went to its go-to-guy Suero to not only drive and hit the game-tying layup but was fouled and would hit the eventual game-winning free throw with 38 seconds left.

UAlbany was led by Suero in the second half is he scored the Great Danes first seven of 12 points to cut the deficit to three, 44-41, with 14:21 left to play. After Mount St. Mary's Kelvin Parker hit at three to put the game to six points, 47-41, UAlbany would go on a 8-2 run which was capped by a layup from Devlin that was assisted by John Puk to tie the game at 51-51 with 9:51 left to play.

Both teams would swap baskets with Aronhalt hitting a 15-footer to tie the game, 10-10, with 14:00 left to play in the first half. Then Mount St. Mary's would go on a 14-5 run to give the Mountaineers its largest lead of the half of nine, 24-15, with 9:51 left to play in the first half. The run was capped off by Kristijan Krajina, the 6-foot-9 center, drilling a three-pointer from the right corner.

UAlbany's Aronhalt would then cut the deficit to three, 24-21, with six consecutive points by hitting a three pointer then making three consecutive free throws after being fouled behind the arc.

Mount St. Mary's would make another run of 12-6 to bring the lead back up nine, 36-27, having six

Mike Black and Gerardo Suero Lead University of Albany M Basketball Win vs. Dartmouth, 82-74 - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Mike Black and Gerardo Suero, each with 20-point games, led the University at Albany to victory over Dartmouth, 82-74, on Friday afternoon at the SEFCU Arena. Suero has now scored 20 or more points in eight of the teams first 12 games and has hit double-digits in all 12 games.

Both teams shot better from beyond the arc than from the field as Dartmouth lead in three-point shooting percentage with 60.0 percent (49.1 FG%), while UAlbany shot 55.6 percent (48.1 FG%). UAlbany shot 95.2 percent (20-21) from the free-throw line while Dartmouth shot 72.7 percent (8-11)

Four UAlbany players finished in double-digits, while Suero and Mike Black netted 23 and 20 points, respectively. There were eight different Great Danes that recorded three rebounds or more in the game.

Dartmouth had three players in double-figures with Jabari Trotter leading the charge scoring 22 points and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Gabas Maldunas was three points away from a double-double tallying seven points and 13 rebounds.

To the start of the game, both UAlbany and Dartmouth traded three-pointers early and often. Through the first eight minutes of the game the teams hit a combined eight three-pointers.

UAlbany grabbed the early lead, 21-13, with 12:10 remaining in the first half. Four different Great Danes hit from beyond the arc with Jayson Guerrier coming off the bench and hitting a perfect 2-of-2 from three-point land.

Suero would find teammate Luke Devlin for the layup and the and-one to put the Great Danes up with their largest lead of the half at 17 points, 35-18, with 6:13 left in the half.

Mike Black would end the half with two free throws to give UAlbany a commanding lead, 46-31.

UAlbany (7-5) would keep its foot on the gas in the second half and let Dartmouth back into the game. The Great Danes were able to maintain a double-digit lead throughout the second half until the 3:30 mark when the Big Green's Jabari Trotter hit his fifth three-pointer of the game to cut the deficit to nine, 78-69.

The Great Danes defense shut down the Big Green's offense for the next two minutes not allowing a field goal and eventually preserving the lead to win the game by a score of 82-74.

UAlbany will finish out its non-conference schedule in the state of Maryland with the University of Maryland on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 8 pm then to Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 3:30.

University of Albany Grabs First Road Win Against St. Francis, 76-64; Suero Goes Over 20 for the Seventh Time - UAlbany Sports 2011

Brooklyn Heights, N.Y.- Gerardo Suero's seventh 20-plus point game (25) helped lift UAlbany to its first victory on the road over St. Francis, 76-64, on Monday, Dec. 19 at Pope PE Center. Four Great Danes hit double-figures on the game. Travis Nichols of St. Francis did his best to keep the game close scoring 25 points and shot 7-of-11 from behind the arc.

The Great Danes had eight different players score and four of them in double-figures. Suero with 25, Logan Aronhalt (14), Mike Black (11), and Ralph Watts (10). As a team, UAlbany shot 48.1 percent (25-52) from the floor, 78.6 percent (22-28) from the free throw line, and 30.8 percent (4-13) from behind the arc.

St. Francis's Travis Nichols tried to carry his team with 25 points , 7-of-11 from three-point range, grabbing seven rebounds and two steals. Ben Mockford (13) and Stefan Perunicic (11) both were in double-figures for the Terriers.

UAlbany began the half with a 10-point lead, 28-18, with 7:30 left to play. Six Great Danes figured in scoring along with forcing six turnovers. Suero lead all scorers with 10 points and grabbed two boards

The Great Danes would extend the lead to 16, 41-25, with a Ralph Watts three-pointer with :09 seconds left in the first half.

At the half, UAlbany led in shooting percentage 50 to St. Francis' 38.5. The Great Danes shot 11-of 15 free throws to the Terriers' 0-of-4.

St. Francis would not go away in the beginning of the second by forcing turnovers and going on a 20-1 run to grab the lead, 45-42, with 11:01 left to play in the second half. The Terriers, during the run, would hit five three-pointers by three different players. The Terriers were led by Travis Nichols hitting seven three-pointers in the second half.

UAlbany would climb back with five points from Logan Aronhalt to tie the game, 53-53, with 8:21 left to play in the game. Then after a Luke Devlin 12-footer to give the Great Danes the lead, 64-62, with 3:32 left in the game, UAlbany would not take its foot off the gas the rest of the game.

The Great Danes would finish the game on a 12-2 run and during the run they would go 7-of-8 from the free line to seal it. On the game, UAlbany shot 22-of-28 from the free throw line while St. Francis would go 0-of-7 .

Lowrie Leads University of Albany W Basketball to a 64-54 Win Over Sacred Heart in Non-Conference Action - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Lindsey Lowrie recorded a career-high 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting to lead UAlbany to a 64-54 win over Sacred Heart in non-conference women's basketball on Sunday afternoon at SEFCU Arena. Lowrie, who recorded four of the Great Danes' five 3-pointers in the game, helped UAlbany improve to 6-4 overall, while Sacred Heart dropped to 9-3.

After Callan Taylor scored the game's first points for Sacred Heart, UAlbany went on an 8-0 run, getting six of those from Lowrie. The Pioneers ended the Great Dane run with a 3-pointer by Blair Koniszewski, and continued to cut into the lead, pulling to within two, 19-17, with 8:42 left to play on a jumper by Morgan Merriman. A second jumper by Merriman tied the game for the third time at 21-21, and the teams battled for the rest of the half.

Lowrie drained a jumper at 4:28 to give UAlbany a 27-23 advantage, but a free throw shot by Ericka Norman followed by a trey by Katie Shepard knotted the score back up at 27-27 with just under two minutes to play. Taylor nailed a shot from downtown to give Sacred Heart a late lead, but Ebone Henry converted a layup with just 37 ticks on the clock to pull within one, 30-29, before the teams headed to the locker rooms.

After exchanging points for two more ties early in the second half, UAlbany took a 39-36 lead on a long-range basket by Lowrie to take the lead for the final time. The Great Danes used a hot offense and a relentless defense to build up an 11-point advantage, 51-40, with 8:32 left to play. UAlbany took its largest lead of the game, 58-43, on a free throw by Tabitha Makopondo with just under five minutes to go. Sacred Heart would attempt a late rally, getting one-of-two from the charity stripe from Taylor to pull within 10, but it was too late. Strong free throw shooting by the Great Danes down the stretch sealed the victory, as Cassandra Callaway and Megan Craig went 4-for-4 from the line, while Makopondo added a point with 15 seconds to go.

Taylor, who leads active NCAA Division I players in career double-doubles, recorded her 44th, scoring 13 points and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. Gabrielle Washington also scored 13 points, while Merriman netted 10. Sacred Heart (9-3) shot 33.3 percent (22-66) from the floor, and was held to 25.0 percent (7-28) from behind the 3-point arc.

Lowrie's hot hand helped UAlbany shoot 37.3 (22-59) from the floor, while the defense recorded 10 steals against the Pioneers. Kate Cronin pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, while Henry added eight points, nine rebounds and six assists. Makopondo also filled the boxscore with six points, five boards, three assists, three steals and a block.

UAlbany (6-4) will visit Canisius on Thursday for the final game before Winter Break, taking on the Griffins at 5:15 p.m.

University of Albany Volletall's Laurie Gonzalez Named AVCA Division I Honorable Mention All-American - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany's Laurie Gonzalez was named an American Volleyball Coaches' Association Division I Honorable Mention All-American, as announced by the organization on Wednesday afternoon. Gonzalez, who was also an All-Northeast Region Honorable Mention selection, becomes the program's second Division I All-American picked by the AVCA.

Gonzalez was named the America East's top defensive specialist for the fourth consecutive season this year after leading the Great Danes to a 21-9 overall record, going 10-1 in league play. Gonzalez averaged a conference-high 5.33 digs per set and also finished with 23 service aces on the season. A native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, Gonzalez was also named to the COBRA Magazine All-Northeast Region Team.

Gonzalez joins Blair Buchanan '07 as UAlbany Division I All-Americans. Buchanan, who was the first setter in NCAA Division I history to earn her conference's player and setter of the year honors in three straight seasons, was an Honorable Mention All-American in 2004 and 2005.

University of Albany Men's Basketball Gets Back on Winning Track in 87-63 Triumph Over Colgate; Suero Has 29 Points - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Gerardo Suero had 29 points and his team shot better than 65 percent from field en route to an 87-63 non-conference win over Colgate on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at SEFCU Arena.

UAlbany (5-4) led by 13 at halftime and extended to a 22-point margin early in the second half behind Mike Black and Suero. Black, a junior guard who 16 points and five assists, made a three-point field goal and converted a drive for a 58-37 lead. Suero, who made 11 of 14 from the floor and 7 of 9 from the line, later hit two free throws for a 64-42 advantage.

Colgate (3-5) rallied over the next six minutes. Pat Moore, who had 18 points, made two long-range jumpers in that outburst. Mitch Rolls added a three-pointer from left of the key and a 14-footer the sliced the deficit to 69-59 with 8:24 remaining.

The Great Danes, who made 36-of-55 from the floor after coming off a road loss to their crosstown rival 48 hours earlier, ended the comeback bid with six straight points. Logan Aronhalt, who netted 16 points, made a jumper and two free throws sandwiched around Black's basket in transition following Luke Devlin's steal.

"The win against Colgate will make us feel better about going into final exams," UAlbany coach Will Brown said. "I was not surprised that (Gerardo) Suero shot better than he did against Siena. He played with more confidence. We attacked the basket and he was part of that."

UAlbany scored the opening 11 points of the contest, as Suero connected on three consecutive baskets. Colgate used the three-point arc to close the gap. Rolls drilled three 3-point shots, including a 23-footer that got his club within 18-15.

The Great Danes regrouped by exploding for 14 the game's next 16 points. Aronhalt sank a baseline jumper off an inbounds pass and canned a three-pointer in transition to ignite the run. John Puk, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, added back-to-back baskets, including a jump hook in the lane. Suero helped complete the outburst with a drive and a conventional three-point play when he was fouled on a fastbreak conversion.

"We didn't want to have a bad hangover (from the other night)," offered Black, who made 7 of 12 field goals. "We wanted to make a statement tonight. The extra day of preparation helped us execute our game plan better."

Yaw Gyawu, a 6-foot-5 senior, added 14 points off the bench for the Raiders, who dropped a 63-61 decision in last year's meeting between these teams.

Paw Prints: The Great Danes posted their best field goal percentage since moving to Division I in the 1999-2000 season ... UAlbany shot 61.8% in a 108-84 victory over Southern Vermont on Jan. 25, 2000 ... UAlbany and Colgate were meeting for the 17th time ... the Raiders have won on 13 occasions in a series that began on Feb. 26, 1916 ...

UAlbany is off for fall semester exams until Dec. 17, when the Great Danes travel to Cornell ... Gerardo Suero has scored in double figures in all nine games this season ... Suero's 29 points were two off his career-high set against Syracuse on Nov. 15 ... UAlbany is one of nine programs at the Division I level without a senior on the roster ... John Puk had a season-high seven points off the bench ... Colgate coach Matt Langel is in his first season after spending the last five years as a Temple University assistant.

University of Albany's Gonzalez and Wright Named to AVCA Division I All-Northeast Region Honorable Mentions - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Four-time America East Conference Defensive Specialist of the Year Laurie Gonzalez and all-conference first-team member Casey Wright were both named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I All-Northeast Region Honorable Mentions, as announced by the organization on Tuesday.

Gonzalez was named the America East's top defensive specialist for the fourth consecutive season this year after leading the Great Danes to a 21-9 overall record, going 10-1 in league play. Gonzalez averaged a conference-high 5.33 digs per set and also finished with 23 service aces on the season. A native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, Gonzalez was also named to the COBRA Magazine All-Northeast Region Team, along with teammate Traci Vandegrift. COBRA Magazine's purpose is to celebrate the success of volleyball players of African as well as Samoan and Tongan descent in hopes of encouraging young girls of those ethnic groups across the country to pursue the sport.

Wright, a native of Ballston Spa, N.Y., earned her first AVCA All-Region award as well, after leading the Great Danes and finishing fourth in the conference with 3.37 kills per set. She also led the America East in hitting percentage for the third straight season, hitting at a .393 clip, and was ranked eighth in blocks (0.81 per set). Wright, who helped lead UAlbany to their sixth conference title in the last eight years, was ranked fourth in points, averaging 3.95 per set.

-agate-

AVCA Division I All-Northeast Region Honorable Mentions


Laurie Gonzalez, Sr., L

Casey Wright, Sr., MB

COBRA Magazine All-Northeast Region Team

Laurie Gonzalez, Sr., L

Traci Vandegrift, Jr., OH

UAlbany Announces 2012 Lacrosse Schedule; Joe Resetarits Named Preseason All-American

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Wednesday, Dec. 7 the school's men's lacrosse schedule for the 2012 season. The Great Danes will play five games against America East Conference opponents. Five programs that advanced to last year's NCAA Tournament and five consensus preseason national top-20 teams are on the non-league portion of the schedule.

UAlbany begins its 13th season as a NCAA Division I program on Sunday, Feb. 19. The Great Danes make their annual visit to the Carrier Dome to take on Syracuse. The Orange, who are ranked No. 4 in the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll, made their 31st NCAA appearance last year.

The Great Danes play their home opener on Saturday, Feb. 25 against Drexel at John Fallon Field. The Dragons, who are the 17th-ranked team in the Face-Off Yearbook preseason poll, are led by honorable mention All-America goalkeeper Mark Manos.

The home slate also features games with non-conference opponents Bryant, Canisius and Siena. America East-rivals Binghamton (March 31), Vermont (April 14) and Stony Brook (April 28) will also invade the Capital Region. The crosstown rivalry with Siena will be played for the 34th time, including tenth meeting at the Division I level, on Tuesday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Along with Syracuse, UAlbany once again battles one of the most storied college lacrosse programs. The Great Danes and Johns Hopkins will tangle on Thursday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. ESPNU will televise the contest on a tape-delay basis. The Blue Jays, who are No. 3 in the Inside Lacrosse rankings, have reached the NCAA Tournament a record-setting 40 consecutive times and have captured nine national championships.

The Great Danes have non-conference road dates against a pair of programs ranked among the nation's top-15 squads. Massachusetts finished 10-5 overall and reached last year's Colonial Athletic Association championship, while Bucknell earned a berth in the 2011 NCAA field. UAlbany also travels to Yale on March 3, as the programs meet for the first time since 2008.

Scott Marr is in his 12th season as head coach. Marr, who has a 90-79 career record, has led the program to four NCAA Tournament appearances. The Great Danes return first team all-conference midfielder Joe Resetarits, who was fourth among the America East scoring leaders. Miles Thompson became the third UAlbany player to be voted the conference's rookie of the year. He was sixth in the league in points per game.

2012 University at Albany Men's Lacrosse Schedule

February - 19 (Sun.) at Syracuse, 1:00; 25 (Sat.), Drexel, 1:00.

March - 3 (Sat.), at Yale, 1:00; 6 (Tues.), at Massachusetts, 3:00; 10 (Sat.), Canisius, 1:00; 17 (Sat.), Bryant, 1:00; 24 (Sat.), at Bucknell, 1:00; 31 (Sat.), Binghamton*, 1:00.

April - 5 (Thurs.), at Johns Hopkins, 7:00; 8 (Sun.), at Hartford*, 2:00; 14 (Sat.), Vermont*, 7:00; 21 (Sat.), at UMBC*, 1:00; 24 (Tues.), Siena, 7:00; Apr. 28 (Sat.), Stony Brook*, 7:00.

May - 2 (Wed.), at America East Conference Tournament+; 5 (Sat.), at America East Conference Tournament+.

*America East Conference Opponent
+Played at Highest Seed's Home Facility
All Times Eastern

Paw Prints: UAlbany's Joe Resetarits has been chosen to the Face-Off Yearbook Preseason All-America squad as an honorable mention selection ... Resetarits, a two-time first-team All-America East Conference standout, totaled 31 goals and 13 assists last year and was fourth in the league in both goals and scoring ... Resetarits has 103 career points (78 goals, 25 assists) and owns the nation's longest active goal-scoring streak at 33 consecutive games.

University of Albany Women's Basketball Wins Second Straight, Defeating Niagara, 55-42, at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Ebone Henry recorded a game-high 22 points and added eight rebounds to lead UAlbany to a 55-42 win over Niagara in non-conference women's basketball action on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes, who have now won two in a row, improve to 5-4 on the season, while the Purple Eagles drop to 2-6 overall.

UAlbany outscored Niagara, 18-2, to start the game. The Great Danes took the 16-point lead at 8:20 of the first half as Cassandra Callaway nailed one of her three 3-pointers. Shy Britton ended the run, hitting a jumper in the paint for Niagara at 7:56. The basket and subsequent free throw sent the Purple Eagles on an 8-0 run, cutting the UAlbany lead to 18-10 with a jumper by Meghan McGuinness with 6:49 left to play. After a layup by Julie Forster ended the Great Dane scoring drought, but McGuinness followed with a 3-pointer to cut the Niagara deficit to seven with just over five minutes left to play in the first half.

Callaway, who scored 14 points for the Great Danes, added her second trey of the game at 4:05 to put UAlbany back ahead by double digits, 25-13. However, Britton connected on two free throws, and Kayla Stroman hit a long-range shot at 2:48 to pull Niagara back within seven, 25-18. The teams battled defensively for the rest of the period, and hit the locker room with UAlbany on top.

The Great Danes came out firing in the second half, and a trey by Henry, followed by two made free throws gave UAlbany its largest lead since the first half, 39-22. Niagara continued to battle, cutting the advantage back to ten, 41-31, on a jumper by Lauren Gatto in the lane, and reached single digits on a 3-pointer by Val McQuade at 9:42, pulling the Purple Eagles to within 41-34.

UAlbany would not fold, however, getting strong free throw shooting from Sarah Royals, who nailed two shots at 6:42, along with Henry and Tabitha Makopondo, who each went 1-for-2 in the closing minutes. Adrienne Jones, who filled the box score with five steals, four assists and four rebounds, did not score her first points until just under two minutes remaining, hitting both of her shots from the charity stripe. Callaway finished up her scoring in the final seconds, ending up with a 3-of-4 performance from the free throw line in the game, setting the final score with two made shots with 23 seconds left.

Forster dominated the boards in the game, grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds to lead UAlbany to a 44-36 advantage. Niagara committed 25 turnovers in the game, including 14 forced by UAlbany, led by Jones' five steals and three each by Callaway and Makopondo.

Britton and Gatto bith finished with 10 points for Niagara (2-6), while Gatto grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. The Purple Eagles outshot the Great Danes, managing 34.8-percent (16-46) from the floor.

UAlbany (5-4) will be out of action until Dec. 18 when the Great Danes host Sacred Heart in non-conference action at 2 p.m.

Cassandra Callaway Named America East Women's Basketball Player of the Week

Cambridge, Mass. - Senior guard Cassandra Callaway was named the America East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. Callaway led the Great Danes to a 1-1 week, including a dominant 72-48 win over cross-town rival Siena on Saturday.

Against the Saints, Callaway scored a career-high 24 points, all in the second half. She finished the game going 7-for-7 from the foul line and 3-for-5 from long range, and also compiled three assists, two steals and two rebounds. Earlier in the week at Long Island, the Bayonne, N.J. native netted 12 points, hitting four shots from beyond the three-point arc, and recorded three rebounds, three steals and two assists.

For the week, Callaway averaged 18 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game while hitting 7-of-14 three-point attempts. She shot 40.7 percent (11-for-27) from the floor overall in the two games. This season, she is averaging a career-best 12.4 points per game and ranks 10th in the conference. She also ranks fourth in America East with 90.5 percent free-throw shooting and eighth with 2.6 assists per game.

University of Albany Women's Basketball Defeats Cross-Town Rival Siena, 72-48 - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Cassandra Callaway totaled a game-high 24points, all in the second half while Ebone Henry and Julie Forster both recorded double-doubles to lead UAlbany to a 72-48 win over cross-town rival Siena on Saturday afternoon at the Times Union Center. It is the second straight Albany Cup victory for the Great Danes and the first time UAlbany has won consecutive games since renewing the annual rivalry.

The teams exchanged points to start the first half before UAlbany took a 10-6 lead on three straight baskets by the Great Danes, capped off by a layup by freshman guard Sarah Royals. UAlbany continued to build its lead, scoring six of the next eight points. Forward Julie Forster topped the run with a steal, intercepting a Siena cross-court pass, and carrying the ball to the other end of the floor for a fast-break layup, putting the Great Danes on top, 16-8. The Saints ended the UAlbany run at 8:52, as Ciara Stewart hit a jumper in the lane.

Siena's Cristina Centeno nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to cut the UAlbany lead to 18-13 with just over seven minutes left in the half, but Forster dropped in two of her 12 first-half points to keep the Great Danes on top, 20-13. Centeno hit her second trey of the game with 3:22 left to play, and was then successful on one-of-two free throws, keeping Siena within reach, 22-17. As the half wound down, Ebone Henry drained two shots from the charity stripe with 1:34 on the clock, while Megan Craig took an assist from Lindsey Lowrie with under a minute to go to set the halftime score at 28-20.

The Great Danes took their first double-digit lead of the game just 30 seconds into the second half, as Adrienne Jones passed the ball to Forster on the right block for a jump shot. However, Siena battled back to pull within five, 32-27, on a layup by Lily Grenci, with 15:13 on the clock. The Great Danes then sunk 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions and pushed the lead back to ten, 39-29, with 13:55 left to play.

With 10:48 on the clock, Callaway gave UAlbany its biggest lead of the game, converting a conventional three-point play to put the Great Danes on top, 46-33. UAlbany continued to build the lead 40 seconds later as Henry sunk her second 3-pointer of the game, pushing the advantage to 16. Callaway added three more of her game-high points on a long-range shot and a jumper in the paint to give the Great Danes 22-point advantage with 8:32 left to play.

UAlbany continued to roll as the clock rolled down, as Callaway nailed two free throws with 2:25 left to play to extent the lead to 71-43. Siena managed strong free throw shooting down the stretch, but the Saints were unable to overcome the deficit and one-of-two from the charity stripe from Royals set the final score.f

"We had a lot of fight, determination, toughness and focus for 40 minutes," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who is 2-0 against Siena since taking over the helm. "We really put in 40 minutes of hard work. It was a great win for us, especially coming off three losses."

Forster finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Henry filled the boxscore with 12 points, 12 boards, seven assists, three steals and a block. The Great Danes shot 41.7-percent from the field, including 46.2-percent from three-point range. UAlbany also out-rebounded the Saints, 43-37.

Grenci scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Siena (1-4). Centeno also finished in double figures with 16 points, hitting all three of the Saints' 3-pointers in the game.

UAlbany (4-4) will return to action on Tuesday, hosting Niagara in non-conference action.

College Sports Madness Names University of Albany Quarterback Dan Di Lella NEC Offensive Player of the Year - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany's Dan Di Lella has been selected as the College Sports Madness Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year in football. Di Lella, a senior quarterback, was among five UAlbany players on the all-conference squad. Bob Ford was recognized by the website as the NEC Coach of the Year.

Di Lella established school single-season records in passing yards (2,548), touchdowns passes (25) and total offense with 2,859 yards. He completed 59.9 percent of his attempts and had a 144.51 efficiency rating. Di Lella also set a program record with seven games of 200 or more passing yards.

Kadeem Williams, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound sophomore, started all 12 games at offensive tackle. UAlbany's offense is 19th in scoring (33.7 ppg), 23rd in total offense (415.3 ypg) and 32nd in rushing (181.7 ypg) among the Division I FCS leaders. He blocked for tailback Andrew Smith, who rushed for 1,092 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Eddie Delaney, a senior defensive end, established the program's FCS record with 9.0 sacks for minus-56 yards. He was sixth on the team in tackles (58) and first in hits for a loss (13.0). Delaney finished his career with 169 tackles and 11.5 sacks.

Paul Layton is ninth among the NCAA leaders with a 42.6 punting average. He broke Chris Lynch's 2008 school record of 40.9 yards per punt. Layton, a sophomore, had 17 punts of 50 or more yards and placed 21 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Ryan Kirchner, a junior wide receiver, made the All-NEC squad as a return specialist. He caught 56 passes for 615 yards and tied the school's single-season record with 10 touchdown receptions. He accounted for 787 all-purpose yards.

Ford received College Sports Madness' top coach award after leading UAlbany (8-4, NEC 7-1) to a share of the conference championship and the program's first NCAA playoff appearance since 1977. Ford, who started the program at the club level in 1970, is the Division I FCS active leader with 255 career victories.

Paw Prints: UAlbany's Ryan Kirchner was chosen Beyond College Sports (BSN) Division I FCS Receiver of the Week for his performance in the NCAA's first round against Stony Brook on Nov. 26 ... Kirchner caught 12 passes for 143 yards and one touchdown ... Kirchner was one off Andy Shein's 1994 single-game record when he hauled in 13 passes against Brockport.

University of Albany Volleyball Heads to Florida State in First Round of NCAA Tournament - UAlbany sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - The 2011 America East Conference Volleyball Champion UAlbany Great Danes will head to 12th-seeded Florida State to take on the Seminoles in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Dec. 2. UAlbany, which finished up the regular season with a 21-8 overall record, will face the host Seminoles, who finished up at 24-6 this season, at 7 p.m. on Friday. Also playing in Tallahassee will be Cincinnati (26-9) and Samford (29-4).

UAlbany earned the America East's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament after winning the program's sixth league title this season. The Great Danes are led by the conference's Setter of the Year, senior Brooke Stanley, who averaged a league best 10.97 assists per set and added 2.42 digs and a team-best 33 service aces. Senior Laurie Gonzalez became the first player in league history to be named the Defensive Specialist of the Year four consecutive times after averaging 5.33 digs per set.

The Great Danes also have offensive power from all-conference first-team member Casey Wright and all-rookie team selection Samantha Brostrom. Wright, a senior middle blocker, averaged 3.37 kills on .393 hitting, while also coming up with 79 total blocks during the regular season. Brostrom became one of the Great Danes' top all-around players, averaging 2.81 kills and 2.09 digs per set.

Florida State claimed the Atlantic Coast Conference championship title, led by Jekaterina Stepanova, who averaged 3.26 kills per set. Setters Sarah Wickstrom and Duygu Duzceler split time, averaging 5.06 and 6.17 assists per set, respectively. Katie Mosher led the team defensively, coming up with 4.57 digs per set. Florida State recorded 3.00 blocks per set over the regular season, led by Ashley Neff, who recorded 175 total blocks.

UAlbany, led by America East Coach of the Year MJ Engstrom, met Florida State earlier this year. The Seminoles came away with a 3-0 victory in that match, paced by Visnja Djurdjevic, who finished with a double-double of 10 kills and 10 digs.

"They are nationally ranked, but we are still confident," said Stanley, who totaled 28 assists, seven digs and two service aces in the first match against the Seminoles. "We have nothing to lose. We have a different lineup then when we played them the first time. We are confident and ready to fight with everything we've got."

College Sports Madness Names University of Albany's Gerardo Suero America East Basketball Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Gerardo Suero has been chosen by College Sports Madness as the America East Conference Player of the Week for his performance during a period from Nov. 21-27. The Great Danes won three of four games during that stretch.

Suero, a 6-foot-4 guard from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. He scored 20-plus points in back-to-back home victories against Navy (69-62) and Fairleigh Dickinson (81-62). Suero struck for 23 points off the bench against FDU, including 12-of-12 from the line. He totaled 21 points and six rebounds in the home opener vs. Navy and made all six free throw attempts in the closing stages of the game when the Midshipmen attempted to rally from a 20-point deficit. The junior also had 16 points in an 85-49 victory over Monmouth in the NIT Season Tip-Off's third round, the second-largest win margin in the program's Division I history.

Suero is third among the America East Conference scoring leaders and 20th nationally at 21.0 points per game. He has netted 20 or more points on four occasions this season. He also averages 5.6 rebounds, plus is shooting 50 percent from the field and 79.7 percent from the foul line.

University of Albany Men's Basketball Has Four in Twin Figures in 81-62 Win Against Fairleigh Dickinson at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Gerardo Suero had 23 points to pace four players in double figures in leading UAlbany to an 81-62 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday, Nov. 27 at SEFCU Arena.

The opening half featured eight lead changes and six ties. Fairleigh Dickinson (1-4) reversed a 17-11 deficit with a 10-3 run to go in front. Mouhamed Lo sliced the lead in half with a conventional three-point play. Lonnie Hayes later canned a three-point field goal and Melquan Bolding followed his own miss for a 21-20 advantage.

The Knights were still ahead 28-26 after Bolding hit a jumper when he moved into the lane. But the Great Danes reeled off 13 consecutive points over the final three minutes and 46 seconds of the half. Ralph Watts connected on a drive in transition in regaining the lead. Suero, the team's leading scorer who did not start due to a mild ankle sprain, followed with a basket and two free throws. Logan Aronhalt nailed a long-range 3-pointer from the left side to complete the outburst.

UAlbany (4-3) still led 47-34 in the second half, but then took firm control with seven unanswered. Blake Metcalf, a 6-foot-9 junior who tallied a career-high 14 points on 7-of-7 from the floor, scored on the left baseline and followed a missed fastbreak layup. Jayson Guerrier, who netted 13 points off the bench, added an offensive rebound basket.

"No one expects me to score those kinds of points on a day-to-day basis," Metcalf stated. "I am getting better at playing defense and helping out the team like I normally would. I was at the right place and at the right time for most of the game. The guards did all the work and I just finished it off."

The Great Danes, who held FDU to 32.3-percent shooting after halftime, led by as much as 24 in the late stages of the contest. Suero, who had 14 second-half points, gave his team its biggest advantage by converting twice off fastbreak passes and making a pair of free throws.

"We played well the last 24 minutes and got contributions from every guy," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team was coming off a victory against Navy two days ago. "If we put 70-plus points up every night, we are going to be successful. I see this team getting better."

Hayes, a 6-foot junior, led the Knights with 23 points, while Kinu Rochford had 11 points and seven rebounds. Aronhalt was the fourth UAlbany player in double digits with 15 points.

Paw Prints: UAlbany defeated Fairleigh Dickinson for the second year in a row after posting a 72-46 decision last season ... the Great Danes are above the .500 mark after the opening seven games for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign ... Blake Metcalf and Jayson Guerrier combined to make all 13 of their field goal attempts ... Metcalf's previous career-high scoring total was 11 against Siena on Dec. 4, 2010 ... Logan Aronhalt added a career-best five assists and eight rebounds to go with his double-digit scoring figure ... Gerardo Suero netted 20-plus points for the fourth time this season.

University of Albany W Basketball Overhauls Saint Francis in Second Half for 50-34 Non-League Win at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Ebone Henry had 11 points and nine rebounds as UAlbany overcame a second-half deficit en route to a 50-34 non-conference victory over Saint Francis, N.Y. on Sunday, Nov. 27 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes snapped a three-game skid.

Saint Francis (1-4) took a 34-32 when Jessica Kaufman, who had 10 points, made a jumper in the lane with 8:45 remaining. But the Great Danes held the visitors scoreless the rest of the way and in the process ran off 18 consecutive points. Henry connected on a three-point play that put her team ahead for good after she was fouled making a steal and a layup. The junior guard finished with a career-best eight steals.

The Great Danes' decisive run was fueled by the first appearance of the season by Megan Craig, a 6-foot-8 freshman from New Zealand. Craig canned a turnaround bank shot from left of the lane, before Cassandra Callaway made an elbow jumper and Julie Forester sank a 14-footer from the right. Adrienne Jones' free throw pushed the lead to double figures at 44-34 with 2:25 to play.

"It was an overall team effort," said UAlbany coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team improved to 3-3. "We played a lot of people, we knew we had to keep everyone fresh. Megan (Craig) is such a presence defensively. Once they got inside, she is there to block the shot, so that forced them to the outside."

Saint Francis took a 23-21 lead to the intermission despite missing their opening nine field goal attempts. The Great Danes ran off nine straight points during the drought. Keyana Williams made two free throws and hit a jumper in the lane.

Jasmin Robinson, who had all 11 of her points in the first half, led the comeback. Her conventional three-point play sliced the deficit to 13-12, before Kaufman made a fadeaway from right of the lane to put her team ahead. UAlbany later drew even at 21 apiece on Jones' two foul shots. Kim Snauwaert connected on a jump hook while moving across the lane to give her team a halftime lead.

"We knew we had to go hard, and that we had Megan to help in the back,' Henry offered. "She made us go harder defensivelyt on the outside. We wanted to break our losing streak, so we were ready to do whatever it took."

Callaway scored nine points for the Great Danes, who held Saint Francis to 4-of-18 from the floor in the final period. The Terriers shot 30.8 percent overall. Forster, a 6-foot junior, added six points and nine rebounds, while Craig tallied six points in 10 minutes of action.

Paw Prints: The Great Danes held St. Francis, N.Y. to the lowest point total by an opponent this season ... Adrienne Jones totaled seven points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in her third starting assignment of the year ... Keyana Williams had six points off bench, one of six players to reach that total ... Megan Craig was one of seven to play double-figure minutes.

Seawolves Holds Off Great Danes, 31-28, in First Round of NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Safety Dominick Reyes intercepted a tipped pass in the back of the end zone with 47.4 seconds remaining, as Stony Brook held off UAlbany, 31-28, in the first round of the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 26 at LaValle Stadium.

UAlbany (8-4) drove 15 plays from its own 45-yard line in the late stages of the fourth quarter. Dan Di Lella, a senior quarterback, found Nick Hutcherson on fourth-and-11 to keep the march moving. He later threw third-down completions to tailback Andrew Smith and fullback Justin Peterson. But on second-and-goal from the Stony Brook three-yard line, Di Lella rolled to his right and threw for tight end Brian Parker in the back of the end zone. Cornerback Donald Porter tipped the high pass and Reyes came down with the ball inside the end line.

"This something that I will have to live with the rest of my life," said Di Lella, who went 24-of-43 through the air for 223 yards. "I should have thrown the ball into the stands and let (Drew) Smith run in for a touchdown on the next play. We used the pass to set up the run the entire day."

Stony Brook (9-3) rallied from a 28-10 deficit in the third quarter to go ahead. Brock Jackolski, a first-team all-league running back who ran for 103 yards and two scores, reached paydirt on a six-yard dash over the right side. After Di Lella threw the first of two interceptions, the Seawolves struck quickly. Quarterback Kyle Essington, using a pump fake, found Jackolski all alone on the right sideline to connect on a 55-yard scoring play.

The Seawolves, who won the Big South Conference championship to earn their NCAA berth and are No. 22 nationally, started quickly on their next series. Essington, who completed 12 of 24 attempts for 258 yards, found Kevin Norrell for 38 yards to start the sequence. After Essington threw a 17-yard completion to Jordan Gush, Jackolski rumbled over right tackle on an 11-yard touchdown runn for a 31-28 lead with 12:40 remaining.

"The momentum swung back and forth throughout the game," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, who suffered a knee injury late in the second quarter when he took a hit on the sideline. "We had great difficulty in pounding the ball and give Stony Brook credit for stopping the run. In these type of situations, you have to things correct all the time and we failed to cash in."

In the first half, UAlbany's defense stiffened to thwart a pair of Stony Brook scoring threats. The Great Danes stopped running back Miguel Maysonet on fourth-and-one inside the Great Danes' 10-yard line. The Seawolves had another series end when Wesley Skiffington's 48-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright.

The Great Danes came back with two scores, one by the offense and one on special teams, to take a 14-0 lead. A flea-flicker for 25 yards jump-started a 10-play march. Di Lella kept the drive alive with a third-down completion and Smith jumped over right guard on a one-yard touchdown run. Defensive end Dean Mercuris blocked Luke Allen's punt attempt with his left hand and Parker raced 21 yards for a touchdown with the loose ball on second play of the second quarter.

The Seawolves regrouped with 10 straight points. Skiffington ended an 11-play drive with a 39-yard field goal. Stony Brook then worked its way from midfield for a touchdown. Jackolski's 11-yard run and a facemask penalty aided the sequence. Essington rolled right and hit Matt Brevi with an 11-yard scoring pass. The Great Danes took a 21-10 lead to the intermission by moving the length of the field in 39.4 seconds. Di Lella fired a 44-yard strike to wide receiver Cole King, who carried two defenders across the goal line for the touchdown.

UAlbany went 75 yards in four plays with the second-half kickoff to build a 28-10 advantage. The Northeast Conference co-champions started the drive with a 20-yard run by tailback Dillon Romain. Following a first-down catch by Ryan Kirchner to the SBU 43, Smith, a junior tailback, took a pitch off a reverse and hooked up with Kirchner on a 43-yard touchdown pass. Kirchner caught 12 passes for 143 yards.

"I thought we had them," offered defensive end Eddie Delaney, who had four tackles in a return to his native of Long Island. "Everyone has to take some blame (for the loss). They have a helluva team. It was a tough way to go out, but I wouldn't have wanted go through this season with any other group of guys."

Paw Prints: UAlbany made its first NCAA appearance since 1997 when the Great Danes competed as an NCAA Division III program ... Stony Brook advanced to play Sam Houston State, the nation's top-ranked team, in the second round ... UAlbany is the second Northeast Conference champion to receive an automatic berth ... QB Dan Di Lella eclipsed Joe Savino's 1997 single-season passing record by throwing for 2 548 yards, plus also owns another mark with 25 TD passes ... Ryan Kirchner's 12 receptions were one off the school's single-game record that was established in 1994 ... Andrew Smith had 123 all-purpose yards, his 10th straight game topping the century mark ... Smith's four pass attempts this season went for touchdowns ... Smith rushed for 1,092 yards, the fifth-best single-season mark ... DE Marc Wargo matched a career-high with 1.5 sacks ... Herb Glass moved into second place on the career scoring chart with 248 points ... UAlbany coach Bob Ford, who has 255 career victories, wrapped up his 39th varsity season with his fifth NEC championship.

UAlbany Meets Stony Brook in the First Round of the NCAA Div. I FCS Playoffs on Saturday

Stony Brook, N.Y. - UAlbany and Stony Brook battle in the first round the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 26 at LaValle Stadium. Kickoff is 2:00 p.m. ESPN3 will televise the game with Shawn Kenney and Rob Harley as the announcers. Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports 980, WOFX-AM, with Rodger Wyland and Zach Bye providing the coverage.

Stony Brook (8-3) won the Big South Conference championship after defeating Liberty, 41-31, on Nov. 19. The Seawolves are No. 22 in the current Sports Network national poll. After opening with three non-league losses, SBU coach Chuck Priore's squad reeled off eight consecutive wins. The offense is dynamic and leads the nation in scoring (39.6 ppg) and is third in rushing (287.4 pg). The Seawolves boast two 1,000-yard rushers in Miguel Maysonet and Brock Jackolski. Each running back came to Stony Brook after Hofstra eliminated its football program and are first-team all-conference performers. Maysonet is second among the NCAA rushing leaders with 1,485 yards and 15 touchdowns. Jackolski is second among active NCAA leaders with 6,007 career all-purpose yards. He is third nationally in that category at 186.7 yards per game. He has run for 1,229 yards and 13 TDs, plus is third among the FCS leaders in kickoff returns (32.3 avg.) QB Kyle Essington was named the Big South player of the week after throwing three scoring passes vs. Liberty. The California native has passed for 1,435 yards and 16 touchdowns. Jordan Gush and Kevin Norrell are the favorite targets with 35 and 33 receptions, respectively. Matt Brevi, a second-team All-Big South receiver, has 26 catches for 470 yards and five TDs. Michael Bamiro (6-8, 350) starts at right tackle.

The Seawolves are fourth in turnover margin (+1.45) and ninth in rushing yards allowed (95.6 ypg) among the Division I FCS' top defenses. Boston College transfer Dan Mulrooney has 63 tackles and three fumble recoveries in his first season. Jawara Dudley, who was the team's best rookie defender as a freshman, adds 61 tackles and 4.5 sacks. CB Donald Porter is tied for eighth nationally with six interceptions, plus has six pass break-ups. He moved from wide receiver to defense last year. CB Al-Majid Hutchins, a Rutgers transfer, was the team's top tackler with 11 against Liberty. S Dominick Reyes contributes 52 tackles, two fumbles forced, two recoveries and three pass break-ups. PK Wesley Skiffington, a second-team All-Big South pick as a sophomore, has made 8 of 11 field goals and 53 of 55 PATs.

UAlbany (8-3) earned a share of its fifth Northeast Conference championship in last Saturday's 31-21 victory over Sacred Heart. Head coach Bob Ford, who has 255 career victories, has led the program to its first NCAA FCS postseason appearance. QB Dan Di Lella has passed for 2,235 yards and 24 touchdowns. The senior broke a single-season TD pass mark that had stood for 14 years. TB Andrew Smith is the ninth UAlbany players to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He has registered 100-plus all-purpose yards in nine consecutive games. WR Ryan Kirchner had 44 receptions for 472 yards and nine scores. Kirchner set the program's FCS record with three touchdown catches last week.

DE Eddie Delaney and DT Zach Gallo, a pair of senior defensive linemen, lead the defense. Delaney has established UAlbany's single-season FCS sacks mark with 8.5, while Gallo (58 tackles) was chosen NEC defensive player of the week for the second time this year. His third-quarter interception led to the go-ahead touchdown. Jon Morgan, a junior inside linebacker, is first on the team in tackles with 97, including 47 unassisted. S Jake Ciccarello (53 tackles) and CB Leon Saddler, who has two interceptions and two pass break-ups, are solid in the secondary. PK Herb Glass, who has eclipsed a single-season standard with 47 PATs, and Paul Layton, the nation's sixth-leading punter with a 43.0 average, are a top-flight special teams' tandem.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Stony Brook are meeting for the 15th time ... the Great Danes have won 10 of the previous 14 contests ... UAlbany has reached the eight-win plateau for the fourth time as a NCAA Division I FCS program ... UAlbany is making its first NCAA appearance in football since 1977 ... the Great Danes placed eleven players on the 2011 All-Northeast Conference squad ... DE Eddie Delaney is just the second UAlbany defensive lineman to be recognized on three occasions during a career ... Bob Ford was voted NEC Coach of the Year for the fourth time.

University of Albany Sinks Navy in Home Opener, 69-62; Four Great Danes Score in Double Figures - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y.- Junior Gerardo Suero scored 21 points, including the final 6-of-7 free throws to give UAlbany the victory over Navy, 69-62, on Friday, Nov. 25 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes had four players in double figures and shot 44 percent (22-50) from the floor and 35.3 percent (6-17) from beyond the arc.

Suero led all players with 21 points (5-11) and a staggering 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Junior Mike Black tallied 16 points and eight assists followed by Logan Aronhalt (18 points), and Luke Devlin (12 points) also scoring in double figures.

A game that looked like it would have finished up lopsided when UAlbany (3-3) was up by as much as 20 points with 9:39 left to play against Navy (2-4) ended up being a different story to come in the final minutes of the game.

"Being down 20 is nothing, I knew they had fight left in them", said UAlbany head coach Will Brown about the second-half scare. "What happened in both halves is our turnovers came in the wrong times. In the first half our turnovers led to points in for them so they made a run. In the last eight to ten minutes they made a run after turnovers again, but in the end a win is a win."

With 9:39 left to play, Suero knocked in a 15-footer to put the Great Danes up 20. The Midshipmen would go on a 19-4 run to cut the deficit, 63-58, with 1:22 left to play in the game. The spark was led by senior guard Jordan Sugar's seven points in the early run. UAlbany would respond back as Suero finished the game going 6-of-6 from the free throw line and Devlin going 1-of-2 to put the game out of reach, 69-62.

The Great Danes would begin the game with an early lead, 14-7, with 13:40 left to play. Sophomore Devlin looked to have his confidence back ending the half going 4-of-5 from the field and 1-of-1 from beyond the arc. After two lead changes and ties, UAlbany finished out the half with a six point lead, 32-26.

UAlbany looks to continue its home slate on Sunday, Nov. 27 against Fairleigh Dickinson at SEFCU Arena at 4:00 p.m.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Navy met for the first time on the hardwood ... the Great Danes have won eight of 13 home openers as a Division I program ... Gerardo Suero has scored 20-plus points three times this season ... UAlbany made 10 or more 3-point field goals for the 48th time at the Division I level ... Blake Metcalf grabbed double-figure rebounds for the sixth time as a collegian ... UAlbany is 16-28 all-time against current Patriot League members ... Luke Devlin recorded season-highs in points (12) and rebounds (8) ... Tanner Gibson, a freshman guard, made his first appearance of the year and played 10 minutes off the bench ... Peter Hooley, a freshman from South Australia, is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a stress fracture (foot).

University of Albany FCS Football's Eddie Delaney Among Eleven on All-NEC Football Team; Bob Ford Voted Top Coach - UAlbany Sports 2011

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Eddie Delaney leads a group of eleven players who were chosen to the 2011 All-Northeast Conference Football Team, as announced on Wednesday, Nov. 23 by the conference office. UAlbany's Bob Ford was named NEC Coach of the Year for the fourth time.

Delaney, a senior defensive end from Holtsville, N.Y., makes his third appearance on the all-conference squad and was named to the first team. He previously earned second-team honors twice. Delaney, who plays without a left hand and wears an insulin pump to control diabetes, made 54 tackles and led the team in hits for a loss with 11.5. He established the program's FCS single-season record with 8.5 sacks.

Along with Delaney, UAlbany had five players on the first team. Dan Di Lella, a senior quarterback from Neshanic Station, N.J., shattered the school standard with 24 touchdown passes, breaking a mark that had stood for 14 years. He is 12th nationally with a 151.9 passing efficiency and has connected on 172 of 284 attempts for 2,325 yards, the second-best figure in UAlbany annals. Jon Morgan, a junior inside linebacker from Copiague, N.Y., led the Great Danes with 97 tackles and had 2.5 sacks and three pass break-ups. Morgan has made double-figure stops in five games this season. Kadeem Williams, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound sophomore, started all 11 games at offensive tackle. He blocked for a unit that is 16th in scoring (34.1 ppg) and 21st in total offense (421.5 ypg) among the FCS leaders. Paul Layton, a sophomore from Burnt Hills, N.Y., is sixth among the nation's punting leaders with a 43.0 average. He has booted 15 kicks of 50 or more yards this season.

Kyle Jordan became the second UAlbany player to be voted NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. A redshirt freshman outside linebacker from Bernardsville, N.J., Jordan is third on the team in tackles with 59, the most by a first-year player since Colin Disch in 2004. He added 9.5 stops for a loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles. He had a career-high nine tackles against Maine and Bryant.

The Great Danes put six players on the All-NEC second team. Herb Glass, a senior placekicker, is on the all-league unit for a second time. He owns the seventh-best single-season scoring total with 80 points, having made 11 of 21 field goals and all 47 point-after attempts. Glass is the program's career leader in field goals (37) and PATS (133), and ranks third on the all-time scoring chart with 244 points.

Andrew Smith became the ninth Great Dane to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season from his tailback position. He led the team in rushing (95.6 ypg) and all-purpose yards (126.7 ypg), plus is second in scoring with 10 touchdowns. The junior had six 100-yard rushing effort and also threw three scoring passes. Ryan Kirchner, a junior wide receiver, is UAlbany's leading receiver with 44 catches for 472 yards and nine TDs. Kirchner is fourth on the program's career receptions list with 110. Zach Gallo, a two-time NEC defensive player of the week this season, totaled 58 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries as a defensive tackle. Senior safety Jake Ciccarello accounted for 53 tackles and two forced fumbles. He has 148 tackles as a collegian. Cornerback Leon Saddler made 44 stops with two interceptions and two pass break-ups.

UAlbany's Ford was honored by the conference for the fourth time and previously won the top coaching award in 2002, 2007 and 2008. His squad was picked fourth in the league's preseason poll but went on to win a share of the program's fifth Northeast Conference championship. UAlbany will make its first Division I FCS playoff appearance and will play in an NCAA postseason game for the first time since 1977. Ford, who started the program at the club level, is the Division I FCS active leader with 255 career victories.

Paw Prints: UAlbany placed eleven players on the All-Northeast Conference team, the highest total since 2008 ... the Great Danes have had 10 or more players voted to the all-conference squad eight times since joining the league in 1999 ... DE Eddie Delaney joins DT Michael Dungey (2005-07) as the lone defensive lineman to earn All-NEC honors three times ... OLB Kyle Jordan is just the second Great Dane to be recognized as NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year ... Colin Disch, an inside linebacker, was named in 2004 ... UAlbany meets Stony Brook, the Big South Conference champion, in an NCAA FCS first-round game on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2:00 p.m. ... Shawn Kenney and former Ohio State defensive back Rob Harley will handle the broadcast for ESPN3.

University of Albany Downs Monmouth, 85-49, in NIT Season Tip-Off; Jayson Guerrier Has 28 Off Bench - UAlbany Sports 2011

Fairfax, Va. - Jayson Guerrier had 28 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in leading UAlbany to an 85-49 victory over Monmouth in the Dick Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off's third round on Monday, Nov. 21 at George Mason University's Patriot Center.

Monmouth (0-4) trailed by 13 at halftime, but closed the gap to 39-31 early in the final period. Army transfer Jesse Steele hit a layup after Ed Waite's steal and Dion Nesmith drilled a three-pointer. UAlbany (2-2) responded with a 13-2 run to regain control. Mike Black, who had nine points and nine assists, connected on a fastbreak layup. The junior guard then set up Guerrier for a conventional three-point play when he was fouled on a made basket. Guerrier sank two free threw after collecting an offensive rebound for a 52-33 cushion.

The Great Danes, who recorded their second-largest win as a Division I program, pushed the lead to 69-39 when Jacob Iati and Black sank back-to-back three-point shots. Guerrier, who made 9-of-10 from the field in 28 minutes of play, delivered his fifth 3-pointer with 6:09 remaining.

"Jayson (Guerrier) can really shoot," said UAlbany coach Will Brown about a player who transferred from Alabama Southern Community College. "He can put pressure on the defense, but it has just taken him awhile to get adjusted. Ralph Watts was also terrific off the bench and he is valuable to us because he can play four positions. If we get contributions from our bench like this, we will be fine."

In the first half, UAlbany reversed an 8-5 deficit with 11 unanswered. Guerrier canned a three-point field goal to put his team in front. Watts, a 6'5" sophomore then hit consecutive long-range jumpers, including the second off a skip pass from Black. Watts had 10 of his career-high 12 points in the period.

Still leading 21-17 later in the half, UAlbany tallied nine of the game's next 11 points. Guerrier, a 6-foot-4 junior, made another 3-pointer after blocking a shot on the previous defensive possession. Gerardo Suero, the third UAlbany players in double figures with 16 points, sank a pair of free throws and Guerrier converted in the lane for a 30-19 advantage with 3:58 left before the break.

The margin swelled to 16 points after Black made a layup following a Monmouth turnover and Watts and Guerrier each split a pair of foul shots. Mike Myers Keitt, a 6-foot-7 senior, connected in the lane and Nesmith, a Northeastern transfer, made a three-pointer, before Luke Devlin scored off a tip-in just before the buzzer for a 38-25 halftime cushion.

"We have a real deep bench now and we showed that today," offered Watts, who made three 3-pointers in the first half. "It felt good that both Jayson and I got more minutes and that boosted our confidence."

The Great Danes, who shot 52 percent from the floor, including 13-of-31 from beyond the arc, meet George Mason in NIT play on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The Patriots advanced to the NCAA Tournament's third round last year.

"Whenever I come off the bench I try to provide energy," said Guerrier, an honorable mention All-American on the junior college level last season. "I got looks and it went down for me. I tried to rebound hard as well."

Paw Prints: UAlbany has split its opening four games for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign ... the Great Danes' 36-point win was the second-largest at the Division I level ... UAlbany defeated Binghamton, 76-37, last year to set the standard ... the Great Danes defeated Monmouth for the first time after having lost twice in UA's first two seasons as a Division I program ... Monmouth is coached by King Rice, a Binghamton, N.Y. native and former North Carolina point guard under Dean Smith.

University of Albany's Zach Gallo Named Northeast Conference FCS Football Defensive Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Zach Gallo has been selected Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Nov. 21 by the conference office. He was honored for his performance in last Saturday's 31-21 victory over Sacred Heart which wrapped up a share of the NEC championship.

Gallo, a senior defensive tackle from Sayville, N.Y., set up the go-ahead score in the second half with his first career interception. He added five tackles and two pass break-ups to go along with his pivotal play. Gallo picked off a pass intended for SHU running back Sean Bell to give the Great Danes possession at the Pioneers' 23-yard line. QB Dan Di Lella later threw a 14-yard scoring pass to Ryan Kirchner for a 21-14 lead. Earlier in the day, Gallo deflected a third-and-seven pass intended for Sacred Heart tight end Rich Rossi. With UAlbany holding a 10-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, Gallo stuffed SHU quarterback Tim Little for no gain on a third-and-one play. On the very next defensive series, he broke up a first-down pass attempt that was intended for receiver Rock Tate.

Gallo, who was one of 17 seniors making their final home appearance, is fourth on the team in tackles (58), plus has 3.5 hits for a loss and 2.0 sacks. He has 134 career tackles in 45 games played as a collegian.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (8-3, NEC 7-1) earned a share of its fifth Northeast Conference championship ... the Great Danes secured their first NCAA Division I FCS playoff berth ... UAlbany's lone NCAA appearance came as a Division III program in 1977 ... the Great Danes will be playing in their seventh postseason game, including a 2008 Gridiron Classic win over Jacksonville ... the Great Danes, who advanced to the postseason with victories in eight of their last nine games, have reached the eight-win mark for the fourth time at the FCS level ... QB Dan Di Lella threw four touchdown passes, including two in each half, against Sacred Heart ... Di Lella established the program's single-season record with 24 TD passes, breaking Joe Savino's 1997 record of 22 ... WR Ryan Kirchner, who set the program's FCS standard with three touchdown receptions vs. Sacred Heart, earned a College Football Performance Award in the honorable mention category ... TB Andrew Smith accounted for a season-high 215 all-purpose yards last week, the second-highest figure of his career ... Smith, who ran for 135 yards on 23 carries, became the eighth UA player to register 1,000 rushing yards in a season (1,052) ... the junior has a streak of nine straight games with 100-plus all-purpose yards and has moved to fourth in career yards with 3,218 ... DE Eddie Delaney had two second-half sacks and made six tackles against Sacred Heart ... the senior has eclipsed the program's FCS single-season record with 8.5 sacks.

University of Albany's Gerardo Suero Selected America East Conference Basketball Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Gerardo Suero has been chosen America East Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball, as announced on Monday, Nov. 21 by the conference office.

Suero, a 6-foot-4 junior, averaged 30.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals in two games. He totaled 29 points and nine rebounds as UAlbany held off Brown for a 77-68 victory in the NIT Season Tip-Off's first round on Nov. 14. Suero accounted for 31 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 98-74 loss to No. 5 Syracuse in NIT's second round the following night. He netted the most points by a Great Dane since Jason Siggers had 34 against Vermont on Jan. 13, 2007 and posted the highest total by a Syracuse opponent at the Carrier Dome in three years.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Suero's three-game total of 77 points is the most by a UAlbany player since All-America guard Jamar Wilson had 79 from Feb. 11-20, 2006. He is averaging 25.7 per game.

Paw Prints: UAlbany is playing in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off's third and fourth rounds at George Mason University's Patriot Center ... the Great Danes meet Monmouth on Monday, Nov. 21 at 5:00 p.m. and the host school on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

University of Albany Field Hockey's Corrine McConville Voted to Longstreth/NFHCA All-America Second Team - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany's Corrine McConville, coming off her stellar sophomore season, earned a spot on the 2011 Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I All-America Second Team. The first, second and third All-American teams were announced Monday afternoon by NFHCA Executive Director Jennifer Goodrich.

McConville served as an offensive leader for the Great Danes in the 2011 season as she was second in goals scored (12) and tied for fourth in assists (4). In the regular-season finale against New Hampshire, she tallied the game winner in the 62nd minute as UAlbany took a 3-2 victory. McConville had a pair of two-goal performances on the season against Yale and Stanford.

In 20 games played this season, McConville racked up 76 shots to lead the league with a 3.80 shots per game average. She made a season-best seven shots in games against Siena and Yale. The midfielder ranked among the conference's top-10 in points (28), points per game (1.40) and goals per game average (0.60).

Paw Prints: McConville becomes the third field hockey player at UAlbany to garner All-America recognition ... current UAlbany assistant coach and former player Michelle Simpson received the award twice, a second-team selection in 2007 and 2008... 40 UAlbany student-athletes have been honored as All-Americans at the Division I level.

Bus to NCAA 1st Round - UAlbany FCS Football @ Stony Brook

Event title: Fan Bus to Football NCAA
Event date: November 26, 2011 8:30 AM
Event end date: November 26, 2011 9:00 PM
Location: Bus departs from the Alumni House

Description:

Come on UAlbany – Show our UA Spirit and cheer on the football team in their first trip to the NCAAs! Hop on the fan bus to be a part of history and watch Coach Ford take his first Division I team to compete in the NCAA against Stony Brook on Sat. Nov. 26. Limited tickets available! Register by Wed. Nov. 23 by 2 pm to reserve your spot.

Includes round trip bus transportation from the Alumni House, game ticket and continental breakfast. Bus will leave the Alumni House at 8:30 am and return after the end of the 2 pm game.

Only $20 for roundtrip bus ride, ticket, & continental breakfast

https://secure.www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/UAB/event/showEventForm.jsp?form_id=116993

University of Albany FCS Football Travels to Stony Brook for NCAA FCS First-Round Matchup on Saturday, Nov. 26 - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany head coach Bob Ford and his Great Dane football program will make their first NCAA appearance in 34 years when UAlbany travels to Stony Brook for a first-round matchup on Saturday, Nov. 26. Kickoff will be announced at a later time. The NCAA Division I FCS bracket, a field of 20 teams comprised of 10 conference champions and 10 at-large squads, was announced today on ESPNU.

UAlbany (8-3) captured its fifth Northeast Conference championship following a 31-21 victory over Sacred Heart on Nov. 19. The Great Danes shared the conference crown with Duquesne, but were awarded the league's automatic berth after winning the head-to-head matchup in October. UAlbany upgraded to the NCAA FCS level at the beginning of the 1999 season. The Great Danes last appeared in the NCAAs as a Division III program in 1977.

Stony Brook (8-3) won the Big South Conference title after defeating Liberty, 41-31, in its final regular-season game. The Seawolves, who have won eight in a row, are coached by former UAlbany captain Chuck Priore. Stony Brook, ranked No. 22 nationally in the Sports Network poll, features the top scoring offense in the nation at 39.6 points per game. Miguel Maysonet and Brock Jackolski have each gained more than 1,000 yards for a ground attack that is third nationally. Maysonet, who scored the go-ahead touchdown against Liberty, has 1,485 yards and 15 TDs. Jackolski has run for 1,229 yards and 13 scores.

The Great Danes, who have reached the win column in eight of their last nine contests, have been balanced on offense throughout the season. Dan Di Lella, a senior quarterback, has thrown for 2,325 yards and 24 touchdowns. Andrew Smith is the ninth UAlbany running back to topple the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season with 1,052 and nine TDs. Jon Morgan, an inside linebacker, is the leading tackler with 97, while defensive end Eddie Delaney has set the program's FCS record with 8.5 sacks.

Quotes Following Sunday's NCAA Division I Football Selection Show
UAlbany coach Bob Ford - (on place in bracket) "We are probably where we should be, we are an outside group coming in. I think we are fortunate playing a team we are somewhat familiar with. Head coach Chuck Priore was one of our captains and coached for a period of time here. I have got a lot of respect for him and we are ready for the challenge."

(on whether UAlbany can win) "Yes, I think anytime you go into any football game, unless you are completely depleted with injuries, you have a fighting chance. Now we are going to have to do a lot of things very, very well, which we have done this year and we will see what happens."

Defensive end Eddie Delaney (on NCAA berth) "It means a lot because we helped lead us to this position and all this hard work has finally paid off. When you are one of the main guys who is making a big impact and it results in the NCAA tournament, it means a lot."

Tailback Andrew Smith (on NCAA appearance) "Words can't describe it. All this blood, sweat, tears, we have been through so much tragedy with people losing family members and the hard work that has gone through all encompasses this. This is what we wanted, it was attainable, and the reason why I came here, overall not a better feeling."

Defensive tackle Zach Gallo (on winning game) "With this team I feel that we are on a roll and we will try to keep going with it. Stony Brook was our rival before and we will try to renew this rivalry. We will go in there and give it all we got to get that ‘W'.

(role of defensive line) "With Stony Brook's great running backs, our defensive line, led with senior leadership, will have a big role in this game to contain them as best we can to give our team a chance to win. Our goal is to shut down the run game, and if we can do that we can win."

Paw Prints: ESPN3 will televise the UAlbany-Stony Brook first-round NCAA game nationally ... UAlbany is making its seventh postseason appearance, but first since a 2008 Gridiron Classic win over Pioneer Football Conference champion Jacksonville ... since the Great Danes moved to the Division I FCS level, the program has played in two other postseason contests ... UAlbany defeated Duquesne in the 2002 ECAC Classic and lost to Dayton in the 2007 Gridiron Classic.

Seniors Lead University of Albany to Sixth America East Volleyball Championship - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - America East Conference Setter of the Year Brooke Stanley was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, as she led UAlbany to its sixth America East Conference Volleyball Championship with a 3-0 sweep of Stony Brook on Saturday evening at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes defeated the Seawolves with set scores of 25-19, 25-21 and 25-17 to take home their second straight championship title and sixth in the last eight years.

The two teams battled through the first set, which was tied three times in the early going, including 7-7 on a kill by All-Tournament selection Casey Wright. Wright's kill sparked the Great Danes to then build up an 11-8 advantage on a kill by Traci Vandegrift. However, Stony Brook climbed back to tie the set at13-13 on a kill by America East Player of the Year Alicia Nelson. The teams exchanged points before a kill by Samantha Brostrom and a block by Stanley and Gabby Whitworth put the Great Danes up, 19-16, and prompted the Seawolves to take a timeout. Vandegrift and Whitworth teamed up to block an attack by Evann Slaughter, before UAlbany got to set point on a kill by Dunja Prgomet. Wright finished off the set with a kill down the middle to give the Great Danes a 1-0 advantage.

The second set started off much like the first, with the teams tying up the score nine times before UAlbany took the lead for good on a kill by Wright that put the Great Danes on top, 15-14. UAlbany continued to build on its lead, getting a kill by Vandegrift and a service ace by Brostrom to pull ahead, 21-17. The teams again exchanged points down the stretch before Wright gave UAlbany set point on a kill from an assist from Stanley. Kaitlin Costello extended the set a point with a kill for Stony Brook, but Wright smashed the winner for the second straight set to give UAlbany a 2-0 match lead.

UAlbany came out firing after the break, as Stanley served for the first six points of the set. After a ball handling error gave the ball to Stony Brook, Laura Hathaway served for three straight points to pull the Seawolves to within 6-4. Stony Brook took a timeout after a huge solo block by Wright that pushed UAlbany's lead to 11-7, and the Seawolves were able to regroup and take advantage of some Great Dane miscues to pull back within 11-10. UAlbany would not fold, however, and climbed to a 21-16 lead on back-to-back kills by Wright and Prgomet. Abbey Wexel, one of four seniors on the UAlbany squad, served for four straight points, as the Great Danes got to set point on a kill by Prgomet. Stony Brook's Greta Strenger smacked a kill to try to keep the Seawolves in the match, but Wright finished off the third consecutive set for the Great Danes to give the Great Danes the victory.

Wright recorded a team-high 14 kills, hitting .542 for the match, and also finished with three total blocks. Prgomet, who joined Wright and Stanley on the all-tournament team, added 12 kills and six blocks for the Great Danes on .440 hitting. Stanley totaled a match-high 39 assists, while libero Laurie Gonzalez totaled 14 digs. Stanley quarterbacked the team to a .393 hitting percentage, while the Great Danes out-blocked the Seawolves, 8-0.

"We put pressure on ourselves every day in practice," said UAlbany head Coach MJ Engstrom, who was named the league's coach of the year for the second time. "This is all part of that. We get better and better every day at practice, and this is the result. [Stony Brook] played a great match. Fortunately, we played a little bit better."

Nelson led all players with 16 kills and also added six digs. Strenger added 12 kills for Stony Brook, while setter Kelsey Sullivan finished with 36 assists and nine digs. Libero Laura Hathaway totaled a match-high 17 digs for the Seawolves. Stony Brook finishes the 2011 season with a 15-13 record overall.

UAlbany (21-8) has reached the 20-win plateau for the fifth straight season and fourth under head coach MJ Engstrom. The Great Danes will find out their destination in the NCAA Tournament via the America East's automatic bid on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. The NCAA Selection Show will be broadcast live on ESPNU and NCAA.com.

University of Albany FCS Football Earns Share of Northeast Conference Title; Secures First NCAA FCS Playoff Berth - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Dan Di Lella threw four touchdown passes, including two in each half, in leading UAlbany to a 31-21 victory over Sacred Heart in the season's final regular-season game on Saturday, Nov. 19 at University Field. The Great Danes earned a share of the Northeast Conference championship and their first trip to the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs with the league's automatic berth.

"It's a tremendous group of seniors," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team shared the conference crown with Duquesne but advanced to the NCAAs by winning the head-to-head matchup in October. "The defensive line made some huge plays in the second half and they are a senior group. There is great satisfaction in coaching when you watch a team and individuals made a progression."

UAlbany (8-3, NEC 7-1) broke a 14-14 halftime tie by scoring on consecutive possessions in the third quarter. Defensive tackle Zach Gallo intercepted a short pass meant for running back Sean Bell at the Pioneers' 23-yard line. Di Lella later tossed a 14-yard scoring pass to Ryan Kirchner, who slid on one knee in the left end zone to make the catch. The Great Danes followed with a 10-play drive that resulted in Herb Glass' 31-yard field goal and a 24-14 advantage. Andrew Smith's 38-yard scamper moved his team deep into SHU territory. The junior tailback rushed for 135 yards on 23 carries.

Sacred Heart (5-6, NEC 3-5) responded with a seven-play, 77-yard march. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to Albany 31. Tim Little, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, then delivered a 31-yard strike to Sean Kessler, who gathered the pass on the right sideline between defenders and advanced to the end zone.

After defensive end Eddie Delaney camp up with a sack, UAlbany took possession at midfield and drove nine plays to paydirt for a 31-21 margin. Di Lella ran an option play for a first down at the SHU 24, before Smith broke free for 11 yards. Di Lella, who completed 19 of 29 passes for 165 yards, would find Kirchner on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 9:29 to play.

The late stages of the game did not come without some anxious moments. The teams combined for a missed goal and three turnovers on four straight possessions. The biggest play came when Little completed a 38-yard pass to Rickey Moore Jr., but UAlbany safety Jake Ciccarello stripped the ball and cornerback Randall Exantus made the recovery in his own red zone with 2:21 remaining.

"This is a phenomenal feeling," said Gallo, whose squad won the program's fifth NEC crown, but will make its first-ever NCAA FCS postseason appearance. "I am happy for Coach (Bob) Ford. He deserves to be in the playoffs and I am personally very proud to send him there."

The Pioneers, who were in the conference race until a couple of close losses the last two weeks, took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter when Little hooked up with tight end Rich Rossi on a 10-yard touchdown throw. Sacred Heart had opened the scoring on its first series of the game as holder Jo Jo Jamiel scored on a three-yard run off a field goal fake. Little finished 27-of-44 through the air for 265 yards.

The Great Danes, who have won eight of their last nine contests, answered with a touchdown in both situations. Di Lella connected with fullback Justin Petersen on third-and-goal from the three-yard line in the first quarter. The combination of Di Lella and Kirchner worked for the first of three times on the day on a 9-yard TD pass with 3:55 left before the intermission. Di Lella kept the drive alive with a fourth-down completion to Smith.

"This means more than words," offered Di Lella, who established the program's single-season record with 24 touchdown passes. "At the start of the year, I thought I would be on the bench, but things worked out for me. I am proud of what we did today."

Paw Prints: UAlbany earned one of 10 conference automatic berths in the NCAA Division I FCS field ... the tournament bracket will be announced on ESPNU at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20 ... the Great Danes have won or shared NEC championships in 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2011 ... UAlbany has reached the eight-win mark for the fourth time as a Division I FCS program ... the Great Danes own seven wins in conference play for just the second time ... Dan Di Lella's 24 touchdown passes eclipses the old mark of 22 set by Joe Savino in 1997 ... Eddie Delaney established the program's FCS single-season record with 8.5 sacks.... Andrew Smith became the ninth Great Dane to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season (1,052).

University of Albany Women's Cross Country Defends ECAC Championship; Men's Place Second at IC4A Meet - UAlbany Sports 2011

Bronx, N.Y.- University at Albany cross country's sophomore Kathryn Fanning and senior Chris Burke led their squads to a first and second place finish in the ECAC and IC4A Championships on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Van CortlandtPark in Bronx, N.Y. The Great Danes' women's cross country won the ECAC university division title for the second year in a row. Princeton men's cross country finished ahead of UAlbany's squad to take the IC4A championship division title.

The first four harriers for the UAlbany women's squad finished in the top-30 of 215 participants. After Fanning crossed the tape in first with a time of 18:06, junior Emily Finnegan placed 13th (18:41) followed by junior Melissa Del Rosario in 15th (18:43) and Miranda McConnell in 28th (19:08) to round out the top 30.

As for UAlbany's men's cross country team, senior Chris Burke finished first for the Great Danes and fourth overall (24:57). After Burke crossed the finish line, junior Ethan Clary came in with a time of 25:22 (10th) followed by teammates Paul Lagno (29th, 25:45) and Chris Buchanan (40th, 25:55) to round out the top 40 harriers in a field of 154.

This concludes both of UAlbany's men's and women's cross country seasons. Most of the squads runners will compete in both Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field to prepare for next season.

-agate-

IC4A Championship Team Standings (Championship Division)
1. Princeton 50; 2. UAlbany 121; 3. La Salle 145; 4. Syracuse 168; T5. Duquesne 190; T5. Saint Joseph's 190; 7. Georgetown 192; 8. Liberty 219; 9. Massachusetts 221; 10. Central Connecticut State 223; 11. Connecticut 233; 12. Marist 241; 13. Boston College 273; 14. Iona 360; 15. Columbia 367; 16. George Mason 378; 17. Rider 380

Individual Champion: Joe Stilin, Princeton, 24:47.

UAlbany Finishers: 4. Chris Burke 24:47; 10. Ethan Clary 25:22; 29. Paul Lagno 25:45; 38. Alex Leuchanka 25:53; 40. Chris Buchanan 25:55; 81. Richard Sniffen 26:27; 112. Tyler Fogarty 27:12; 121. Craig Weiss 27:30; 122. Patrick Murphy 27:32; 128. Brandon Camenzuli 27:28; 143. John Delallo 28:22;.

ECAC Championship Team Standings (University Division)
1. UAlbany 109; 2. Marist 119; 3. Towson 159; 4. Sacred Heart 176; 5. Delaware 195; 6. Monmouth 197; 7. Rider 205; 8. Fordham 212; 9. Bucknell 228; 10. George Mason 231; 11. Binghamton 237; 12. Fairfield 242; 13. Central Connecticut State 247; 14. St. John's 346; 15. Temple 421; 16. Holy Cross 459; 17. Seton Hall 470; 18. Longwood 485; 19. Hofstra 498; 20. Hampton 499; 21. NJIT 548; 22. Siena 641.

Individual Champion: Kathryn Fanning, UAlbany, 18:06

UAlbany Finishers: 1. Kathryn Fanning 18:08; 13. Emily Finnegan 18:41; 15. Melissa Del Rosario 18:43; 28. Miranda McConnell 19:08; 52. Ada Lauterbach 19:24; 89. Brianne Bellon 19:52; 134. Brianna Service 20:28; 200. Rachel Wysocki 22:29; 206. Amanda Elsenson 22:52.