University of Albany Alumnus Brett Queener Named To The 2013 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Team

 For the fourth time in his career and for the second consecutive year, Brett Queener has been named a 2013 Major League Lacrosse All-Star, announced Monday, June 24.
Queener, a 2007 United States Inside Lacrosse Association All-America Honorable Mention selection at UAlbany, is having one of his best seasons at the major league level since being drafted in 2008. The Penn Yann, N.Y. native leads the majors with a .620 save percentage and is third with an 11.26 goals against average amongst goalkeepers.

In his six-year major league career, playing for the Hamilton Nationals for the last three, Queener is one of four Major League Lacrosse goalkeepers named to the all-star squad. He is accompanied by Drew Adams (New York Lizards), Jesse Schwartzman (Denver Outlaws), and Kip Turner (Chesapeake Bayhawks).

The 38 players named as all-stars will be divided into two teams, as selected by the winners of the MLL Ultimate Fan Fantasy contest. Cameron MacKenzie and Frank Ranfone will pick their teams playground-style to form their very own All-Star squads to compete in the game. Several All-Stars will also participate in the Half-Time Skills competition which will include Fastest Shot, Accuracy and Freestyle contests. The All-Stars will wear specially designed jerseys that will be auctioned off following the game to benefit JDRF, the 2013 All-Star Game’s charity.

The MLL All-Star Game, presented by Moe’s Southwest Grill, takes place on Saturday, July 13, at 7:00 pm in Charlotte, N.C., at American Legion Memorial Stadium, and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

University of Albany's Jones Places Fifth At USA Junior Championship 400m Finals

DES MOINES – University at Albany freshman Taariq Jones placed fifth in the 400m dash finals Saturday afternoon at the USA Track and Field Junior National Championships.

Running in the outside lane at Drake Stadium, Jones recorded a time of 47.80, as Marcus Chambers from the Seatown Express Track Club won the event with a mark of 46.55.

With the top eight finishers in each event earning All-America honors, Jones became UAlbany’s 12th Junior All-American since 2004, joining teammate James Sommer, who earned the accolade Thursday for his seventh-place 3,000m steeplechase performance. The pair also joins Alexander Bowen, Matthew Catera, Sean Halpin, Tyler Fogarty, John Moore, Joe Greene, Alyssa Lotmore, Ryan Gaedje, Jessica Ortman, and Jenna Ortman in the Great Dane archives.

The USA Junior Championships feature athletes between 16 and 19 years of age and serve as the selection for the Pan American Junior Championships in Medellin, Colombia in August. The top two finishers with a world standard in each event are invited to compete as members of Team USA.

University of Albany's Bowen Ties For 11th At NCAA Championships, Earning Second-Team All-America Honors

EUGENE, Ore. – Competing in the high jump Friday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., sophomore Alexander Bowen cleared 7-2.50 (2.20m), tying for 11th place in the 24-athlete field. The performance garnered Bowen second-team All-America honors by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Starting with the 6-8.75 (2.05m) mark, Bowen cleared the first three heights with ease. In his first attempts, Bowen leapt over 6-8.75 (2.05m), 6-10.75 (2.10m), and 7-0.50 (2.15m). The Beacon, N.Y. native missed his first two shots at the 7-2.50 mark, before conquering the feat to move on to the 7-4.25 (2.20m) stage.

Already the program record holder (7-3.25), Bowen looked to set the bar even higher, but his Championship journey came to a close at the new height.

Bowen, a four-time America East high jump title-winner, 2013 IC4A champion, and 2012 USA Junior National Champion, along with select University at Albany teammates will have one last opportunity to pick up hardware this season when they compete June 20-23rd at the USA Junior and Senior National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

UAlbany Claims Second Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup

PORTLAND, Maine -- Winning eight America East championships during the 2012-13 season, the University at Albany has claimed the conference’s Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup for the second time in school history, announced by the league office Tuesday evening at its annual awards dinner in Portland, Maine.

The Commissioner’s Cup annually recognizes the strongest athletic program in the America East Conference as determined by a scoring system, which rewards a school for success both during the regular season and championship competition in the conference’s 20 sports.

"The Commissioner's Cup symbolizes broad-based excellence which is defined by the dedication and commitment of our student-athletes, coaches and staff,” said Vice President of Athletic Administration and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Dr. Lee McElroy. “This significant distinction reflects the mission and values of the University."

The Great Danes tied an America East record by winning eight league titles and also captured four regular-season crowns with as many runner-up finishes to help net 390 points -- 90 more than any other school, marking the largest margin of victory since 2002.

Stony Brook came in second place for the second time in four years, earning 300 points, followed by UMBC (246 points) in third, University of New Hampshire (227) in fourth, Binghamton University (220) in fifth, University of Vermont (216) in sixth, University of Hartford (191), University of Maine (169) and Boston University (162).

UAlbany 2012-13 Highlights
• Won second America East Commissioner’s Cup in program history (2004-05).
• Captured conference championships in field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and men’s lacrosse.
• Regular-season champions in volleyball, women’s basketball, men’s lacrosse and softball.
• Runners up in volleyball, women’s tennis and softball.
• Reached championship final in 8-of-11 America East sponsored sports.
• Won both basketball championships in the same year -- just the sixth occurrence in league history.

The scoring system for the Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is as follows: In sports where regular-season round robin competition is conducted, the first-place institution in the final standings receives four points times the total number of teams involved in conference play. The second-place institution receives four less points; third place receives eight less points, and so on. Additionally, the America East (tournament) champion receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place receives four less points and so on down to the last-place institution which receives two points.

In sports where regular-season round robin competition is not conducted (cross country, tennis, track & field, swimming & diving), the first-place institution at the America East championship receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place gets four less points and so on down to the last place team which receives two points.