UAlbany Volleyball Set to Host 2012 America East Conference Tournament

ALBANY, N.Y.-- University at Albany has earned the top seed and will host the 2012 America East Volleyball Championship for the fifth-straight year - and eighth time in the last nine years - on Friday and Saturday at University Gymnasium. Also in the championship field are #2 Binghamton, #3 UMBC, and #4 New Hampshire. UAlbany earned the top seed with a sweep of Providence on Friday evening, capturing their fifth-straight America East regular-season title and eighth in the last nine years. The Great Danes have also won the last two America East tournament titles and six of the last eight. UAlbany closed out the regular season with a 13-14 record overall, going 10-2 in conference play. UAlbany will be matched up with No. 4 seed New Hampshire (15-13, 7-5 AE) at 7 p.m. on Friday night in the second semifinal. The Great Danes and the Wildcats took their final match of the regular season to five sets last Sunday. New Hampshire has qualified for the tournament in back-to-back years and is looking to secure its first America East crown since winning consecutive titles in 2002 and 2003. Binghamton (11-17, 8-4 AE), who has won the only two titles UAlbany has not in the last eight seasons, earned the No. 2 seed in the America East Championship with a win over Stony Brook on the final day of regular-season play, after tying with UMBC in the standings. Binghamton won the tiebreak between the two teams, as although they split the season series, the Bearcats won more sets (4) than UMBC (3) in head-to-head matchups. UMBC (15-14, 8-4 AE) clinched a playoff spot with a four-set win over Stony Brook on Friday. The Retrievers were idle on Sunday, just awaiting the results of the other matches to find out their seed. UMBC has now qualified for three-straight America East Championships and four of the last five. Binghamton and UMBC will play the first semifinal game at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16. The winners of the two semifinal matches will compete in the final on Sat., Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. The title game will be streamed for free at AmericaEast.com. 2012 America East Volleyball Championship Friday, Nov. 16 - Semifinals #4 New Hampshire at #1 Albany, 7:00 p.m. #3 UMBC vs. #2 Binghamton, 4:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 - Final Semifinal Winners, 7:00 p.m.