University of Albany

John Battaglino Honored as Lacrosse Magazine's Best Women's Coach of 2011 - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-26T10:30:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - After a tremendous, record-breaking 2011 women's lacrosse season for the Great Danes, head coach John Battaglino garnered numerous coaching awards after his first season in the reigns; including the recently announced Lacrosse Magazine Best Women's Coach of 2011.

Battaglino took the team 18-1 during his first season to set a program record for wins. Amongst those 18 wins was an America East Conference Championship title, the first for UAlbany, followed by the first NCAA Tournament game and first NCAA Tournament win. Topping that off, the Great Danes was the only Division I team to go undefeated in the regular season.

Lacrosse Magazine chose Battaglino for both his outstanding first season at the helm and working with a miniscule, injury-plagued roster. Battaglino told LM, "I've always been a big proponent of getting kids to make reads. I'm looking for five, six, seven kids on the scoreboard. They're all looking to score, to pounce on lanes and opportunities. It's a lot more fun to play, and it's a lot more fun to coach, especially when they start getting it. As soon as they start to see that, it's very rewarding."

The Great Danes 2012 campaign will begin at John Fallon Field on February 18th as they host Niagara.

UAlbany Football Finishes Season Ranked On Two National FCS Polls - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-25T10:28:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - The UAlbany football program finished up the 2011 season ranked on two national polls, and was receiving votes in a third. The Great Danes were voted 23rd in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll, and 21st in the Any Given Saturday FCS Poll. UAlbany also finished up the season receiving votes in the Sports Network Media Poll.

The Great Danes earned a share of their fifth Northeast Conference championship with 31-21 victory over Sacred Heart. Head coach Bob Ford, who has 255 career victories, led the program to its first NCAA FCS postseason appearance. UAlbany reached the eight-win plateau for the fourth time as a NCAA Division I FCS program. The Great Danes made their first NCAA appearance in football since 1977, taking on Stony Brook in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. UAlbany placed eleven players on the 2011 All-Northeast Conference squad, led by defensive end Eddie Delaney, who was just the second UAlbany defensive lineman to be recognized on three occasions during a career. Ford was voted the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth time.

Paul Layton Named A 2011 ECAC Football Championship Subdivision Special Team All-Star - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Sophomore punter Paul Layton was named a 2011 ECAC Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Special Team All-Star, as announced by the organization. Layton, along with the rest of the first-team all-star honorees, will be recognized at the Eastern College Football Awards Banquet presented by FieldTurf on Thursday, February 16, in the Chase Club at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Layton, who hails from Burnt Hills, N.Y., finished the season sixth among the nation's punting leaders with a 42.6 average. He booted 17 kicks of 50 or more yards this season, and was named the Great Danes' Most Valuable Special Teams Player at the team banquet. He was named to the Northeast Conference First Team, and was the league's Special Teams Player of the Week on two occasions.

McNish, Lagno & Fanning Set School Records; Men Place Third, Women Place Sixth at Great Dane Classic - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-21T10:25:00.000-08:00

New York, N.Y. -Pat McNish, Paul Lagno, and Kathryn Fanning set more school records at the 10th Annual Great Dane Classic Saturday, January 20th in the NYC Armory. The men's squad finished third overall, while the women placed sixth out of 26 and 24 scoring team fields, respectively. The event featured over 50 teams.

Fanning, this week's America East Conference track performer of the week ran the 1,000 meter in 2:49.33 to place first which qualifies her for the ECAC Championships. Fanning exceeds a UAlbany record set in 2007 (2:50.74).

Lagno, also garnered America East honors this past week, soared in the mile run to finish with a time of 4:04.40. The time surpasses a record set in 2009 by over a half second.

Pat McNish soared 19' 4.00" in the long jump to finish third and qualified for the ECAC Championships. The previous school record was a half an inch shorter and set in 2009. McNish also had a 38' 8.25" triple jump score, good for eighth overall.

Elsewhere on the field, Janice Johnson garnered a 10th place finish in the shot put with a 41' 2.25" throw, a season-best. Ashley Grant had a high jump mark of 5' 5.00" to place sixth. On the track, the legs of Kamilah Williams, Elia Francis, Tynelle Taylor-Chase and Allison Rogers completed the 4 x 400 meter relay in 3:52.10 for fourth overall and qualifying for ECAC round. In the distance medley, Miranda McConnell, Allison Rogers, Sherez Mohamed, and Emily Finnegan finished in 12:01.85 for third overall; also an ECAC qualifying mark.

Alfonso Scannapieco leap 16' 8.75" to place first in the pole vault; the mark qualifies him for the IC4A Championships at the end of the season. Scannapieco also clocked an 8.65 in the 60 hurdles to place 13th overall. Chris Burke (4:13.24) had top-10 times in the mile run, while Alex Leuchanka (14:45.37), Christopher Buchanan (14:54.83) and Ethan Clary (15:12.64) placed in the top-20 in the 5,000 run. Matthew Catera and Elijah Pardo completed the 60 hurdles in 8.40 and 8.45 respectively, both top-10 performances overall. Alexander Bowen had another impressive high jump mark of 6' 11.00" to place third.

The Great Danes will take a week off before returning to the Armory the first weekend of February for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, a two-day event.

Mike Black America East Co-Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

Cambridge, Mass.- Junior Guard Mike Black was voted the America East Conference Co-Player of the Week, which was voted on by the conference office. The other recipient for the award was Boston U.'s sophomore guard DJ Irving. This is Black's second time in his career that he has been honored with Player of the Week.

Black, a Chicago, Ill. native, had a career week in the Great Danes' two victories last week. Against New Hampshire, Black went off early in the game surpassing his previous career-high of five rebounds with seven in the first half. He would finish out the game with nine rebounds and 17 points in route to an 86-63 victory. Then versus Maine, the junior point guard matched his Wednesday night's results with nine rebounds and 15 points leading to a thrilling victory, 76-75.

Since conference play has begun, he is averaging 16.6 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, 4.4 assists per game. When the junior guard dishes out seven assists or more in a game, UAlbany is 5-0 on the season.

Five Great Danes Set Records at the Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

University Park, Pa. - Kathyrn Fanning, Alexander Bowen, Paul Lagno and Sherez Mohamed set school records, while Alfonso Scannapieco set a new meet record at the Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge on Saturday, January 14th. The competition featured squads from Penn State, Cornell, Maryland, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia, meeting at Ashenfelther III Indoor Track.

Fanning began the day with a 4:51.88 mile time to finish third overall, setting a new UAlbany school record previously set in 2007. Alexander Bowen became the first UAlbany track and field athlete to jump over seven feet in the high jump (7' 0.25"), which is 1.25 inches more than the record previously set in 2002. Bowen, a freshman, placed second overall in the event.

Paul Lagno ousted his own record set last season in the 3,000 meter (8:16.88). Sherez Mohamed ran the 600 meter six-tenths of a second quicker than the record set last season by Brittany Eveleth, taking sixth place with the 1:36.00. Scannapieco set both a meet and personal record by soaring 16' 6.00" with the pole vault, good for first place.

In other women's track events, Jonelle White clocked a 2:15.95 800 meter time for second, while Brianne Bellon took fifth in the 1,000 meter with a 2:54.38 time. The Great Danes ran the distance medley in 12:06.87 as Emily Finnegan, Allison Rogers, Fanning and Bellon split up each leg. Pat McNish made an 18 foot and 5.25 inch leap to finish first in the long jump event.

Notable track events on the men's side include the first place 60 meter performance by Earnest Waters (6.87), while Donald Williams, Jr. clocked 6.88 in the same event. The 3,000 meter event featured a top-four Great Dane lineup; Paul Lagno took first as he clocked 8:16.66, while Chris Burke (8:27.00), Alex Leuchanka (8:28.93), and Chris Buchanan (8:33.35) completed the quartet finish. Meanwhile, Kareem Morris leaped 23 feet for a second place finish in the long jump.

The Great Danes will resume their schedule on Friday, January 20th for the 10th Annual Great Dane Classic held at the NYC Armory.

Ebone Henry Scores 1,000th Career Point; UAlbany Defeats New Hampshire, 60-44 - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Junior guard Ebone Henry scored her 1,000th career point, while Lindsey Lowrie led all players with 23 points, as UAlbany defeated New Hampshire, 60-44, in America East Conference women's basketball action on Wednesday evening at Lundholm Gymnasium. The Great Danes, who remain in first place in the league standings, improve to 10-7 overall and 4-0 in conference play.

UAlbany jumped out to a quick 13-2 lead and never looked back. A 3-pointer by Lowrie, one of five in the game for the junior, were the first points of the contest, while Julie Forster grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back to give UAlbany a 5-0 lead three minutes into play. New Hampshire's Morgan Frame hit a jumper to put the Wildcats on the scoreboard, but Lowrie and Henry combined for six points on three straight Great Dane possessions to extend the UAlbany lead to 11-2. Forster capped the run with a jumper before Frame hit two free throws for New Hampshire with just over 12 minutes left in the first half.

The Great Danes continued to extend their lead as the half continued, getting up by 14 on another trey by Lowrie before Keyana Williams put UAlbany on top, 23-7 with a jumper at 5:27. Forster gave the Great Danes what would be their largest lead of the half, 24-7, with a free throw, before New Hampshire's Player of the Game, Kelsey Hogan, dropped in two free throws to cut the UAlbany advantage back to 15. Lowrie and Forster both hit buckets to put the Great Danes back ahead by 17 in the late going, but New Hampshire's Denise Beliveau converted a layup with just under two minutes left to set the halftime score at 28-13.

Lowrie kicked off the second half just like the first, draining a 3-pointer off an assist from Kate Cronin. UAlbany continued to roll, building up a 25-point advantage on a jumper by Lowrie at 17:14. New Hampshire's Kaylee Kilpatrick ended the Great Dane run with a layup, but Forster responded with a jumper in the paint to keep UAlbany ahead by a 25-point margin. A 3-pointer by Cari Reed kicked off a 9-0 run by the Wildcats, as New Hampshire was able to cut the deficit to 14, 40-26, with just over 13 minutes left to play. However, Henry sunk a shot from long range to end any threat by the Wildcats, and Lowrie followed with a trey of her own to keep the Great Danes ahead by 20, 46-26, with 10:48 left to play.

Henry scored her 1,000th career point on the first of two free throws with just under eight minutes left to go, which put UAlbany ahead by 22. New Hampshire continued to fight, getting the score back under 20 three more times as the game wound down. A 7-0 run by the Wildcats cut the Great Dane lead to 14, 56-42, but freshman Margarita Rosario nailed two free throws to keep UAlbany with an 18-point advantage. New Hampshire's Alexandra Leftridge scored the final basket of the game with 20 seconds remaining to set the final score.

Lowrie's 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting led three Great Danes in double figures. Henry totaled 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Forster chipped in with 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. UAlbany shot 43.6-percent (24-55) from the floor, including 41.2 percent (7-17) from 3-point range. The Great Danes also outrebounded New Hampshire, 39-25.

Kilpatrick scored a team high 14 points for New Hampshire (8-7, AE 1-2), while Frame added eight points. Beliveau led the Wildcats off the boards with five rebounds, while also adding four points and three steals.

UAlbany (10-7, AE 4-0) will return to action on Saturday, visiting Maine in America East action.

Track & Field Sweeps America East Field Performances of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

Cambridge, Mass. - Unviersity at Albany's Alfonso Scannapieco and Kelsey Hanson recieve America East Confernence Field Performers of the Week with their first place finishes this past weekend at the Crowell Open.

Scannapieco placed first overall in the heptathlon with 4,956 points to begin the 2012 season for the Great Danes. He took the top spot in three field events including the long jump (21-07.25), the high jump (6-04.25) and the pole vault (15-03.00). The Crowell Open marked Scannapieco's first competiton with the Great Danes after transferring from Empire College.

Hanson, meanwhile, took first in the pentathlon with a score of 3,262, over 200 points more than the second place finisher. She leapt to victory in the long jump (16-11.50) and turned in solid second-place finishes in the high jump (5-03.25) and shot put (33-02.00).

Scannapieco and Hanson, along with the rest of the Great Dane squads, will return to action this coming weekend at the Penn State Nittany Lion Challenge in University Park, Pa.

Gerardo Suero Named Mid-Major Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Gerardo Suero was named mid-major player of the week on nbadraft.net on Saturday, Jan. 7. Suero averaged 23.0 points in UAlbany's last two victories this past week. The junior guard is currently fourth in the nation in scoring with 22.1 points per game and has found the free throw line more than anyone else in the nation with 142 free-throw attempts.

Suero, the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native, has been one of the most consistent scorers on the Great Dane roster. In the past eight games, he has scored 20-plus points in which UAlbany is 6-2 overall. He has scored in double-digits in every game he has played in this year. Suero, a junior college transfer, has had no problem adjusting to the Division I level as he has been able to not only make it to the free-throw line more than anyone in the nation but has made the second-most free throws with 116.

Suero and the rest of the Great Danes look to win their fourth consecutive game on the road against Stony Brook on Sunday, Jan. 8 at Pritchard Gym at 2 pm.

Eddie Delaney Wins Maxwell Football Club Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia, Pa. - University at Albany's Eddie Delaney has been named the winner of the Maxwell Football Club's Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award, as announced by the club's president, Ron Jaworski, on Wednesday afternoon. The Maxwell Football club has been presenting a Spirit Award since 2000, only in years when deemed appropriate. The award was re-named the Brookshier Award in 2010.

Delaney, a senior defensive end from Holtsville, N.Y., plays without a left hand and wears an insulin pump to control diabetes. An All-Northeast Conference Defensive First Team selection, Delaney made 54 tackles and led the Great Danes with 11.5 hits for a loss. He also established the program's FCS single-season record with 8.5 sacks.

In addition to excelling on the field, Delaney also devoted himself to numerous pursuits in the local community. He has taken a large role in an effort to raise awareness and funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and has spoken to the Sugar Free Gang on several occasions, inviting the group to attend UAlbany football games. The Sugar Free Gang, established in 1989 at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, N.Y., actively involves children and their families as full partners with their health care providers in managing type 1 diabetes. Delaney, who developed many of his own workout and weight lifting plans, would like to work in the future to help create plans to help children overcome disabilities in the same way he did.

"This is a tremendous honor for Eddie and for the University," said UAlbany head coach Bob Ford, who led the Great Danes to the NEC Championship title and first FCS Tournament berth in 2011. "Eddie is a tribute to the sport of football and to UAlbany. He is a great role model for kids with disabilities and, in addition, he is a great football player."

The Brookshier Award was named after Tom Brookshier, who earned distinction as an All-Pro cornerback on the 1960 NFL Champion Philadelphia Eagles. After a broken leg ended his playing career, Brookshier took to the broadcast booth, working three Super Bowls with longtime partner Pat Summerall. Brookshier passed away in January 2010, and the Maxwell Football Club re-named the Spirit Award in his honor. The award is presented only when deemed appropriate, to a member of the football community who best exemplifies extraordinary spirit in overcoming adversity or demonstrating service. The award was last given to Boston College's Mark Herzlich in 2009, and has also been presented to Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills (2008) and Tedy Bruschi of the New England Patriots (2005).

The Maxwell Football Club was established in 1935 in Philadelphia, Pa. The organization presents the Maxwell Award for the College Player of the Year. This award is presented in honor of Robert W. (Tiny) Maxwell, legendary college player, official and sports columnist.

The 75th Maxwell Football Club National Awards Gala will be held at the Harrah's Atlantic City Resort on March 2, 2012. The event is open to the public. Tickets may be purchased on the Maxwell Football Club website at www.maxwellfootballclub.org or by calling 215-643-3833.

Dan Di Lella Named to 14th Annual FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

Cleveland, Ohio - University at Albany's Dan Di Lella was named to the Football Champioship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team, as announced by the FCS ADA and president Marilyn McNeil. Di Lella was one of 58 student-athletes selected to the Academic All-Star squad out of 92 nominees from across the country.

Di Lella, a 6-foot-5 quarterback from Neshanic Station, N.J., 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. A business administration major with a minor in criminal justice, Di Lella holds a 3.22 cumulative grade point average.

Student-athletes from all FCS institutions are eligible for ADA Academic All-Star awards. Nominees are required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) and must be a starter or key player. He must have reached his second year of athletic and academic standing and must have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position.

Women's Lacrosse 2012 Schedule Features Boston College & North Carolina - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Highlighted by eight home games at John Fallon Field and two contests against 2011 NCAA Tournament participants, second-year head coach and 2011 America East Conference Coach of the Year John Battaglino has announced the squad's 2012 schedule.

The Great Danes open the 2012 campaign on February 18th with a home match against Niagara before a four-game traveling stretch at North Carolina (Feb. 24th), Marist (Mar. 3rd), Siena (Mar. 7th), and George Mason (Mar. 10th).

UAlbany will host northeast rivals Boston College and Massachusetts in mid-March, with Longwood coming to the Capital Region on March 16th during the three-game homestand.

Conference play begins on March 24th as the defending America East champions travel to UMBC, followed by an additional non-conference game at John Fallon Field against Stanford on March 30th. The Great Danes open the month of April hosting Binghamton (3rd) and Boston University (7th). Two of the final three games of the regular season will be played on the road, traveling to New Hampshire (April 14th) and Vermont (April 28th), while the home field finale is set for April 21st against Stony Brook.

The top four seeds from the seven-team America East will qualify for the conference tournament, which will be held at the highest seed on May 3rd and 5th.

UAlbany returns 11 letterwinners from last year's record-setting team that finished 18-1 (6-0 AE); winning the conference title and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinal round.

Gerardo Suero Voted America East Player of the Week; Third Time this Season - UAlbany Sports 2012

2012-01-02T10:04:00.000-08:00

Cambridge, Mass.- Gerardo Suero has been voted as this week's America East Conference Player of the Week, which was voted on by the conference office. In UAlbany's 1-1 record last week, Suero totaled 50 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists while going 13-of-16 from the free throw line to total 106 free-throws made which is second in the nation. Of the 13 free throws that he hit last week, his last free-throw came on a three-point play at the end of the Mount St. Mary's game that gave UAlbany its eighth non-conference win of the season.

Suero, a Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native, is finding it easier and easier to score on a game-to-game basis as he averaged 25.0 points in two games last week. In the game against Maryland in the Comcast Center, he arguably had his best performance by scoring 22 points on 9-of-23 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds, five of which were offensive, and dished out eight assists. Then against Mount St. Mary's in Knott Arena, he one-upped his last performance by recording his first career double-double of 28 points and 10 rebounds, while going a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, and converting a three-point play with 38 seconds to go to give UAlbany the lead,65-64, and the eventual eighth non-conference win.

The 6-foot-4 junior guard is flourishing at the Divison I level as he has climbed as high as fourth in the nation in scoring with 22.0 points per game. Suero has been able to put up 20-plus points on 10 different occasions and has hit 20-plus in the last six games. How he has achieved his scoring at a consistent mark is not only his ability to slash to the basket but by finishing his play. Suero has hit 106-of-128 free throws on the season, which puts both numbers in the top two of the nation with free throws made second and free throws attempted first.

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

2011-12-31T09:45:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-19T06:44:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-15T06:46:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

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.

ALBANY CUP - Annual Award - Top Division I Collegiate Athletic Program In Albany Region

2011-12-04T04:58:00.000-08:00

(statistical update)

THE ALBANY CUP

Annual award given to the top division I collegiate athletic program in the city of Albany. (based on records since the University of Albany and Siena College began scheduling full year competition in most/all sports)

Annual winners:
2011 Winner - UAlbany
2010 Winner - UAlbany
2009 Winner - UAlbany
2008 Winner - UAlbany
2007 Winner - UAlbany
2006 Winner - UAlbany
2005 Winner - UAlbany
2004 Winner - UAlbany
2003 Winner - UAlbany
2002 Winner - UAlbany

UAlbany Overall Record: 85-28-3

2011 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 9 Siena 4, Ties 0

UAlbany 18 Siena 2 - Women's Lacrosse: February 23, 2011
Siena 4 UAlbany 3 - Tennis: February 27, 2011
UAlbany 7 Siena 3 - Softball #1: March 31, 2011
Siena 2 UAlbany 1 - Softball #2: March 31, 2011
UAlbany 5 Siena 1 - Softball #3: April 26, 2011
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 - Softball #4: April 26, 2011
UAlbany 12 Siena 10 - Men's Lacrosse: April 26, 2011
UAlbany 3 Siena 1 - Volleyball @ Rose Hill Classic: Sept 10, 2011
UAlbany 8 Siena 0 - Field Hockey: Sept 21, 2011
Siena 1 UAlbany 0 - M Soccer: Sept 25, 2011
UAlbany 3 Siena 0 - Volleyball: Nov 2, 2011
UAlbany 72 Siena 48 - W Basketball: Dec 3, 2011
Siena 64 UAlbany 60 - M Basketball: Dec 5, 2011

2010 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 12 Siena 2, Ties 0

UAlbany 12 Siena 13 - Men's Lacrosse: March 2, 2010
UAlbany 18 Siena 2 - Women's Lacrosse: March 12, 2010
UAlbany 6 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: March 21, 2010 Game #1
UAlbany 11 Siena 3 - Women's Softball: March 21, 2010 Game #2
UAlbany 4 Siena 1 - Women's Softball: March 24, 2010 Game #1
UAlbany 4 Siena 2 - Women's Softball: March 24, 2010 Game #2
UAlbany 7 Siena 0 - Women's Tennis: April 20, 2010
UAlbany 8 Siena 1 - Women's Softball: April 27, 2010 Game #1
UAlbany 5 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: April 27, 2010 Game #2
UAlbany 1 Siena 0 - Men's Soccer: Sept 15, 2010
UAlbany 9 Siena 1 - Women's Field Hockey: Sept 28, 2010
UAlbany 0 Siena 1 - Golf: October 10, 2010
UAlbany 88 Siena 82 - Men's Basketball: December 4, 2010
UAlbany 63 Siena 59 - Women's Basketball: December 4, 2010

2009 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 9 Siena 3, Ties 1

UAlbany 8 Siena 7 - Men's Lacrosse: February 25, 2009
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: March 25, 2009
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: March 25, 2009 Game #2
UAlbany 11 Siena 10 - Women’s Lacrosse: April 7, 2009
UAlbany 7 Siena 0 - Women’s Tennis: April 15, 2009
UAlbany 5 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: April 28, 2009
UAlbany 11 Siena 2 - Women's Softball: April 28, 2009 Game #2
Siena 2 UAlbany 1 - Women's Soccer: Sept 16, 2009
UAlbany 0 Siena 0 - Men's Soccer: Sept 23, 2009
UAlbany 3 Siena 0 - Volleyball: Oct 14, 2009
UAlbany 4 Siena 0 - Field Hockey: Oct 18, 2009
Siena 65 UAlbany 61 - W Basketball: Dec 6, 2009
Siena 83 UAlbany 54 - M Basketball: Dec 6, 2009

2008 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 9 Siena 2

UAlbany 18 Siena 8 - Women's Lacrosse: March 3, 2008
UAlbany 3 Siena 2 - Women's Softball: March 27, 2008
UAlbany 2 Siena 1 - Women's Softball: March 27, 2008
UAlbany 13 Siena 6 - Men's Lacrosse: April 2, 2008
UAlbany 6 Siena 1 - Women's Tennis: April 16, 2008
UAlbany 7 Siena 3 - Women's Softball: April 29, 2008
Siena 4 UAlbany 0 – Women’s Soccer: Sept 7, 2008
UAlbany 3 Siena 0 – Men’s Soccer: Sept 21, 2008
UAlbany 5 Siena 0 – Field Hockey: October 7, 2008
UAlbany 3 Siena 0 – Volleyball: October 15, 2008
Siena 71 UAlbany 64– Men’s Basketball: December 6, 2008

2007 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 8 Siena 4, Ties 1

UAlbany 21 Siena 8 - Men's Lacrosse: March 3, 2007
UAlbany 8 Siena 5 - Women's Lacrosse: March 12, 2007
Siena 5 UAlbany 3 - Women's Softball: March 28, 2007
UAlbany 4 Siena 2 - Women's Softball: March 28, 2007
UAlbany 6 Siena 1 - Women's Tennis: April 17, 2007
UAlbany 8 Siena 1 - Women's Softball: May 1, 2007
UAlbany 11 Siena 4 - Women's Softball: May 1, 2007
UAlbany 7 Siena 0 – Field Hockey: September 14, 2007
Siena 3 UAlbany 1 – Men’s Soccer: Sept 19, 2007
UAlbany 2 Siena 2 – Women’s Soccer: Sept 26, 2007
UAlbany 3 Siena 2 – Volleyball: October 21, 2007
Siena 61 UAlbany 50 – Women’s Basketball: December 1, 2007
Siena 75 UAlbany 71 – Men’s Basketball: December 1, 2007

2006 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 8 Siena 2, Ties 1

UAlbany 16 Siena 4 - Women's Lacrosse: February 24, 2006
UAlbany 14 Siena 9 - Men's Lacrosse: March 4, 2006
UAlbany 9 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: March 29, 2006
Siena 11 UAlbany 10 - Women's Softball: March 29, 2006
UAlbany 4 Siena 3 – Women’s Tennis: April 19, 2006
UAlbany 6 Siena 0 – Field Hockey: September 6, 2006
UAlbany 0 Siena 0 – Women’s Soccer: Sept 8, 2006
UAlbany 3 Siena 1 – Men’s Soccer: Sept 20, 2006
UAlbany 3 Siena 1 – Volleyball: Sept 26, 2006
UAlbany 72 Siena 52 – Women’s Basketball: November 17, 2006
Siena 76 UAlbany 75 – Men’s Basketball: December 2, 2006

2005 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 7 Siena 4

UAlbany 14 Siena 11 - Women's Lacrosse: February 25, 2005
UAlbany 9 Siena 6 - Women's Softball: March 23, 2005
UAlbany 4 Siena 3 - Women's Tennis: April 19, 2005
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: May 4, 2005
Siena 3 UAlbany 2 - Women's Softball: May 4, 2005
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 – Women’s Soccer: Sept 5, 2005
UAlbany 4 Siena 1 – Field Hockey: Sept 7, 2005
Siena 1 UAlbany 0 – Men’s Soccer: Sept 21, 2005
UAlbany 3 Siena 0 – Volleyball: October 4, 2005
Siena 61 UAlbany 55 – Women’s Basketball: November 23, 2005
Siena 82 UAlbany 74– Men’s Basketball: December 2, 2005

2004 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 11 Siena 1

UAlbany 12 Siena 5 - Women's Lacrosse: March 27, 2004
UAlbany 4 Siena 3 - Women's Softball: March 30, 2004
UAlbany 5 Siena 2 - Women's Softball: March 30, 2004
UAlbany 5 Siena 2 - Women's Tennis: April 12, 2004
UAlbany 14 Siena 2 - Men's Lacrosse: April 22, 2004
UAlbany 4 Siena 1 - Women's Softball: May 6, 2004
UAlbany 5 Siena 1 – Women’s Softball: May 6, 2004
Siena 2 UAlbany 1 – Women’s Soccer: Sept 3, 2004
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 – Field Hockey: Sept 8, 2004
UAlbany 1 Siena 0 – Men’s Soccer: Sept 10, 2004
UAlbany 3 Siena 0 – Volleyball: Sept 21, 2004
UAlbany 86 Siena 65 – Men’s Basketball: December 6, 2004

2003 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 7 Siena 3

UAlbany 18 Siena 6 - Women's Lacrosse: March 25, 2003
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 - Women's Softball: April 13, 2003
UAlbany 6 Siena 5 - Women's Softball: April 13, 2003
UAlbany 14 Siena 2 - Men's Lacrosse: April 22, 2003
UAlbany 3 Siena 1 – Volleyball: Sept 2, 2003
UAlbany 2 Siena 0 – Men’s Soccer: Sept 13, 2003
UAlbany 7 Siena 1 – Field Hockey: September 17, 2003
Siena 2 UAlbany 0– Women’s Soccer: Sept 21, 2003
Siena 63 UAlbany 46 – Women’s Basketball: November 21, 2003
Siena 71 UAlbany 50 – Men’s Basketball: November 21, 2003

2002 Head to Head, 1 on 1 Competition
TOTALS: UAlbany 5 Siena 3

UAlbany 10 Siena 3 - Women's Lacrosse: March 26, 2002
Siena 7 UAlbany 0 - Women's Tennis: April 17, 2002
UAlbany 17 Siena 5 - Men's Lacrosse: April 18, 2002
UAlbany 3 Siena 1 – Men’s Soccer: Sept 28, 2002
UAlbany 3 Siena 1 – Field Hockey: October 1, 2002
UAlbany 3 Siena 1 – Volleyball: November 12, 2002
Siena 74 UAlbany 56 – Women’s Basketball: November 22, 2002
Siena 79 UAlbany 75 – Men’s Basketball: November 22, 2002

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

2011-12-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-28T07:27:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-27T09:15:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-25T07:18:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-25T07:16:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-22T08:32:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-22T08:29:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-22T08:27:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-19T23:11:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-19T00:17:00.000-08:00

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.

University of Albany Advances to America East Volleyball Championship Match with Sweep of UMBC - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - America East Conference Setter of the Year Brooke Stanley finished with a double-double of 34 assists and 15 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 win over UMBC in an America East Tournament semifinal match on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. With the win, the Great Danes advance to their sixth tournament championship match, taking on Stony Brook on Saturday evening.

The two teams played a back-and-fourth first set that was tied nine times in the early going before Traci Vandegrift recorded a kill that gave UAlbany a 14-13 lead and put the Great Danes on top for good. Vandegrift combined with Casey Wright for two block assists that sandwiched a UMBC attack error and gave UAlbany a 17-13 advantage. Back-to-back kills by Stanley and Samantha Brostrom put UAlbany ahead, 22-15, before UMBC attempted to rally. America East rookie of the year Dalton Tolliver recorded three straight kills, pulling the Retrievers to within 22-19, prompting UAlbany to take a timeout. UAlbany got to set point on a bad set by UMBC, but Emily Vandegrift recorded a kill to keep the set going. Traci Vandegrift connected on an assist from Stanley to end the set and give UAlbany a 1-0 match lead.

The second set started much like the first, with neither team able to build a large advantage. After Brostom gave UAlbany a 16-15 lead with a kill, UMBC scored the next six points, taking a 21-16 advantage on a kill by setter Alexandria Spaay. UAlbany rallied back, and down 24-21, got a kill from Wright that spurred UMBC to take a timeout. With the Retrievers at set point, Traci Vandegrift took over UAlbany's service game, and served UAlbany to the win. Wright and Stanley teamed up for a block on a UMBC attack, while Wright posted a solo block followed by a monster kkill to tie the set at 24-24. A UMBC attack error gave UAlbany set point, and Wright smashed a kill down the middle to give the Great Danes a 2-0 advantage.

UAlbany came out firing in the final set, getting ahead 15-9 on a service ace by Gabby Whitworth. Emily Vandegrift recorded a kill on the next serve and pulled the Retrievers to within 16-13, taking advantage of UAlbany attack errors. Ahead, 21-17 on a Dunja Prgomet kill, Lindsey McCloskey served for two points, getting a huge block from Whitworth and Traci Vandegrift. The Retrievers used consecutive UAlbany attack errors to close in to 23-20, but a kill by Traci Vandegrift gave the Great Danes match point. Prgomet took an assist from McCloskey and knocked a kill down the line for the win.

Tolliver led UMBC with 13 kills and four total blocks, while Emily Vandegrift added nine kills and nine digs for the Retrievers. Spaay finished with a double-double of 30 assists and 12 digs, while Ali Loynachan totaled a team-high 17 digs. UMBC wraps up the season with an overall record of 16-12.

Brostrom led UAlbany with 13 kills, while Prgomet totaled nine kills and 14 digs. America East defensive specialist of the year Laurie Gonzalez recorded a match-high 20 digs. The Great Danes out-blocked the Retrievers, 7-5.5.

UAlbany (20-8) advances to the America East Championship, facing Stony Brook at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The Seawolves earned their spot in the finals with a 3-1 victory over New Hampshire earlier on Friday. UAlbany swept Stony Brook, 3-0, in two regular-season matches this year.

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UAlbany (20-8) def. UMBC (16-12), 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-20)

University of Albany's Laurie Gonzalez Earns Fourth Straight America East Volleyball Defensive Specialist of the Year Award - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

Cambridge, Mass. - Senior libero Laurie Gonzalez was named the America East Conference Volleyball Defensive Specialist of the Year for the fourth straight season, as announced by the league office on Thursday afternoon. Senior setter Brooke Stanley earned the third America East setter of the year award of her career, while classmate Casey Wright made her second appearance on the all-conference first team. Freshman Samantha Brostrom was also honored, earning all-rookie team accolades, and head coach MJ Engstrom earned her second coach of the year award.

Gonzalez became the first player in America East history to earn the defensive specialist of the year title for four consecutive years. A native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, Gonzalez became UAlbany's all-time digs leader this season, amassing 1,998 over four seasons. As a senior, she averages a league-best 5.30 digs per set, accumulating 488 in 27 regular-season matches. She is also second on the squad with 26 service aces this season.

Stanley, who returned to the court this season after missing 2010 with an injury, came back for the Great Danes in top form, earning her third setter of the year award. Stanley, who earned America East setter of the week honors five times this season, averaged a league-best 10.88 assists per set and also paced UAlbany with a team-high 32 service aces. Stanley, who currently owns three of the top ten single-season assist totals, will add another to the list after this season, as she has totaled 1,001 as a senior. She is also second on UAlbany's all-time assists chart with 4,747.

Wright makes her second straight appearance on the all-conference first team, after posting the league's top hitting percentage for the third consecutive season. Wright, who averages a team-high 3.35 kills per set, is hitting .391 on the season, and also averages a team-best 0.77 blocks per set. Brostom, an outside hitter, has made her presence known for the Great Danes as a rookie both offensively and defensively. The native of Ellicott City, Md. is second on the team with 2.74 kills per set and also averages 2.10 digs per set. She has posted 14 service aces and totaled 14 blocks, starting 22 of 24 matches played as a freshman.

Engstrom, in her third season as head coach of the Great Danes, earns her second coach of the year award. Engstrom, who previously served as an assistant coach for UAlbany, guided the Great Danes to their fourth straight America East regular-season title this season, as the team led the conference in four statistical categories. UAlbany looks to reach their fifth consecutive season with 20 or more wins, after going 19-8 overall and 11-1 in league play.

2011 America East Volleyball All-Conference Teams

First Team: Laurie Gonzalez, L, UAlbany; Brooke Stanley, S, UAlbany; Casey Wright, MB, UAlbany; Kami Nethersole, OH, Hartford; Amy Keding, OH, New Hampshire; Lauren Fletcher, MB, Providence; Alicia Nelson, OH, Stony Brook.

Second Team: Xiomara Ortiz, L, Binghamton; Alex Roland, MB, Binghamton; Dalton Tolliver, MB, UMBC; Jansan Falcusan, S, New Hampshire; Lauren Laquerre, OH, New Hampshire; Morgan Thatcher, RS, New Hampshire; Evann Slaughter, MB, Stony Brook.

All-Rookie: Samantha Brostrom, UAlbany; Kristin Hovie, Binghamton; Sareeta Nethersole, Hartford; Jackie Tamburri, Hartford; Hannah Schmidt, UMBC; Dalton Tolliver, UMBC; Laura Hathaway, Stony Brook.

Player of the Year: Alicia Nelson, Stony Brook

Setter of the Year: Brooke Stanley, UAlbany

Defensive Specialist of the Year: Laurie Gonzalez, UAlbany

Rookie of the Year: Dalton Tolliver, UMBC

Coach of the Year: MJ Engstrom, UAlbany

Five University of Albany Great Danes Garner 2011 Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-Region Field Hockey Honors - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Sophomore midfielder Corrine McConville earned her first Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I First Team All-Northeast Region award, while four other University at Albany players were named to the second team. The all-region first and second teams were announced by NFHCA Executive Director Jennifer Goodrich on Thursday, Nov. 17. Katharina Helling, Christina Patrick, Taylor Luke and Kristi Troch were all second-team honorees.

McConville makes her second appearance on the All-Northeast team after a second team nod last season. Aiding the 2011 team with her second-best point total of 28 (12 G, 3 A), McConville is now eligible for NFHCA All-America consideration which is set to be announced Monday, Nov. 21.

Helling, playing at defensive midfield in her first season of collegiate competition, was named to the second team after posting a 15 point season (5 G, 5 A) to rank fourth on the team. She also was a key asset on the UAlbany defense that allowed a league-leading 1.30 goals per game.

Patrick, Luke and Troch each make their second straight second team honors. Patrick led the Great Dane offense with 13 goals and six assists, which was tabbed fourth-best in America East Conference standings. Troch earned goalkeeper of the year accolades after topping the league in shutouts (5) and a 1.33 goals against average to anchor the UAlbany defense. Luke, starting in all 20 games this season at defense, tallied three defensive saves to help the Great Danes shutdown opponents and secure key victories.

UAlbany (13-7) finished the season ranked 14th on the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Coaches' Poll after making top-20 appearances for all 11 weeks of the 2011 season.

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Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-Northeast Region
First Team
Kaela Barker Northeastern University
Maike de Jager Boston College
Whitney Frates University of New Hampshire
Stephanie Gardiner University of Maine
Kelly Hood Dartmouth College
Kyle Lyons University of New Hampshire
Corrine McConville University at Albany
Jacinda McLeod Boston University
Kate Murphy Boston University
Kelly Newton University of Maine
Crystal Poland Northeastern University
Hayley Rausch University of New Hampshire
Nicole Schuster Boston College
Courtney Tavener Boston College
Nicole van Oosterom Boston University
Aleisha Widdall University of Massachusetts

Second Team
Pam Aldridge Northeastern University
Megan Bozek University of New Hampshire
Carly Dickson Harvard University
Macey Gaumond Boston University
Katharina Helling University at Albany
Taylor Luke University at Albany
Carolyn Malloy Northeastern University
Lisa Masini Dartmouth College
Jocelyn Mitchell University of Maine
Giovanna Monaco Boston University
Christina Patrick University at Albany
Lizzie Priest Northeastern University
Carla Tamer Boston College
Kristi Troch University at Albany
Anna Wetherall Boston College
Kim Young University of Massachusetts

University of Albany Basketball Will Travel to Virginia for NIT Tip-Off's Third & Fourth Rounds on Nov. 21-22 - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. -- The National Invitation Tournament has announced that the University at Albany will play in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off's third and fourth rounds at George Mason University's Patriot Center on Nov. 21-22. The 10,000-seat arena is located in Fairfax, Virginia, nearly 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C.

The NIT's third and fourth rounds have a pre-determined schedule. UAlbany will meet Monmouth, of the Northeast Conference, on Monday at 5:00 p.m., before facing Colonial Athletic Association opponent George Mason on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

King Rice, the former North Carolina point guard under the legendary Dean Smith, is in his first season as Monmouth's head coach. Rice was previously an assistant at Vanderbilt, Providence, Illinois State and Oregon. The Hawks have opened the schedule with losses to three highly-regarded teams in Villanova, Virginia Tech and George Mason. Ed Waite, a 6'3" junior, leads the team in scoring (10.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 pg). Jesse Steele, who played in 18 games last year after transferring from Army, scores at a 7.3 clip. Northeastern transfer Dion Nesmith also contributes 7.3 points.

George Mason (2-1) has eight letterwinners, including two starters, returning from last year's 27-7 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament's third round. The Patriots have made six NCAA appearances and won four CAA championships. Paul Hewitt, who guided Georgia Tech to five NCAAs and was the Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the year, is in his first season at the helm. Hewitt has a 258-190 career record. Ryan Pearson, a second-team All-CAA forward, averages 20.7 points. The 6-foot-6, 237-pound senior also collects 11.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore guards Vertrail Vaughns (15.0 ppg) and Sherrod Wright (14.0 ppg) score in double figures.

UAlbany (1-2) has started the season with a pair of losses to national top-10 programs sandwiched around a 77-68 victory over Brown in the NIT's first round. Gerardo Suero, a 6'4" junior, is off to a terrific start to as a Great Dane, averaging 25.7 points. He scored 31 against fifth-ranked Syracuse, the most points by an opponent at the Carrier Dome in three years. Logan Aronhalt and Mike Black earned all-conference recognition last season. Aronhalt, who recorded a double-double in the Brown win, contributes 17.3 points per game. Black adds 10.3 points and 4.0 assists. Luke Devlin, a 6'8" sophomore, was a member of 2011 America East Conference All-Rookie Team.

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Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off
Third and Fourth Rounds
(Patriot Center, Fairfax, Virginia)

Monday, Nov. 21
UAlbany vs. Monmouth, 5:00 p.m.
George Mason vs. Brown, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 22
Brown vs. Monmouth, 5:00 p.m.
UAlbany vs. George Mason, 7:30 p.m.

2011 UAlbany FCS Football Gameday vs Sacred Heart - 11/19/11

2011-11-15T05:48:00.000-08:00

University of Albany Football: Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

UAlbany FCS Football Homepage

UAlbany FCS Football Roster

UAlbany FCS Football Stats

UAlbany FCS Football Media Guide

UAlbany FCS Football Game Notes

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NEXT GAME

Date: November 19, 2011
Time: 1pm
Opponent: Sacred Heart
Location: University of Albany – Albany, NY
Facility: University Field
Directions
Tickets

Distance:
From Albany - 0m
From Syracuse – 145m
From Boston – 170m
From NYC - 157m

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2011 UAlbany FCS Football Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 at Colgate L 34-37 --
Sat, Sep 17 Maine L 15-31 --
Sat, Sep 24 at Columbia W 44-21 --
Sat, Oct 1 at St. Francis (PA) W 41-20 --
Sat, Oct 8 Duquesne W 38-10 --
Sat, Oct 15 Robert Morris W 28-17 --
Sat, Oct 22 at Central Connecticut State W 63-35 --
Sat, Oct 29 at Wagner W 24-0 --
Sat, Nov 5 Bryant L 17-31 --
Sat, Nov 12 at Monmouth W 41-24 --
Sat, Nov 19 Sacred Heart 1:00 pm --

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Gameday Live Media Coverage:

FoxSports Radio - Great Dane Football
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Pregame Media Coverage:

Big Purple Fans - UAlbany Fan Board

Coach's Corner:

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Sacred Heart: Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

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2011 Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 Marist L 7-20 --
Fri, Sep 16 Bryant L 6-26 --
Sat, Sep 24 Dartmouth W 24-21 --
Sat, Oct 1 at Central Connecticut State W 37-24 --
Sat, Oct 8 at Columbia W 34-25 --
Sat, Oct 15 St. Francis (PA) W 60-45 --
Sat, Oct 22 Monmouth L 17-31 --
Sat, Oct 29 at Robert Morris W 27-15 --
Sat, Nov 5 at Wagner L 21-27 --
Sat, Nov 12 Duquesne L 15-29 --
Sat, Nov 19 at Albany 1:00 pm --

University of Albany Men's Basketball Defeats Brown in NIT Season Tip-Off's First Round; Suero & Aronhalt Lead Way - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

Syracuse, N.Y. - Gerardo Suero had 29 points and Logan Aronhalt added 19 points and 13 rebounds as UAlbany held off Brown, 77-68, in the opening round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off on Monday, Nov. 14 at the Carrier Dome. UAlbany meets Syracuse, a 92-56 winner over Manhattan, in the second round on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN3.

The Great Danes built a 62-49 lead with 6:19 remaining after Aronhalt made a three-point field goal and Luke Devlin scored in the lane. Brown (1-1) came storming back behind the play of Matt Sullivan, a 6-foot-5 junior who had 19 of his 26 points after halftime.

The Bears sliced the deficit to 65-60 after Sullivan buried one of his five 3-pointers and made two free throws. UAlbany (1-1) was still ahead 71-66 three minutes later, but Suero converted a fastbreak opportunity and Mike Black canned a pair of foul shots to end the comeback bid.

"They got into a rhythm offensively and exposed our defense," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team was coming off a season-opening loss against 10th-ranked Pittsburgh. "Our defense got too comfortable and we were hurt by Mike Black being in foul trouble. We need to fine tune some things, but we achieved our goal of getting a win."

In the first half, the Great Danes used a string of 10 unanswered to take an early 16-4 lead. Luke Devlin nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing to ignite that stretch, while freshman Peter Hooley's steal and layup ended the outburst. The Great Danes made 10 of their first 16 field goal attempts to move out to a 28-14 margin, as Suero drilled a three-pointer. UAlbany shot 53.8 percent from the field en route to a 12-point halftime advantage.

The Bears, who made 12-of-29 from beyond the arc, worked their way back into the contest with long-range shooting. John Harris' three-pointer from the left corner chipped away at a double-figure lead, before Sean McGonagill made a 21-footer that closed the gap to 52-46 with 12:30 left. The Great Danes answered when Aronhalt hit a jumper and split two free throws. Ralph Watts scored with an offensive rebound to push the margin back to double digits.

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy," offered Suero, who made 9-of-12 from the field and 9-of-11 from the line. "Defensively, we need to talk more. But a win keeps you motivated to keep winning."

Black, who played just 20 minutes after picking up his fourth personal foul early in the second half, had nine points and seven assists. McGonagill, last season's Ivy League rookie of the year, finished with 17 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

"We are still trying to figure each other out and how to complement each other," said Aronhalt, who recorded his second career double-double. "Overall, we played well together."

University of Albany Receiver Cole King Selected Northeast Conference Football Rookie of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Cole King has been selected as the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week in football, as announced Monday, Nov. 14 by the conference office. King earned the weekly award for the second time this season.

A redshirt freshman from Syracuse, N.Y., King was the Great Danes' leading receiver in a 41-24 come-from-behind victory over Monmouth. He made four receptions for 84 yards, as his team remained in a tie for first place in the NEC standings. King has caught at least two passes in nine of 10 games played this year.

All four of King's catches went for first downs and two of them paved the way for touchdowns on the following play. King caught his first pass of the day, a 32-yard gain that set up Andrew Smith's one-yard TD run. After Monmouth went back in front 10-7, King struck again. The rookie receiver converted a second-and-six situation with a 13-yard catch and the Danes again went onto reach paydirt on the very next play. King added a 19-yard reception and registered a 20-yard gain on a third-and-seven early in the fourth quarter.

King is second on the team in receptions with 29, first in receiving yards, second (525) in touchdown catches (6) and first in average yards per catch (18.1).

Paw Prints: UAlbany meets Sacred Heart in the final game of the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 19 ... the Great Danes can earn a share of the Northeast Conference championship with a victory ... UAlbany would also receive the conference's automatic NCAA FCS playoff berth ... the Great Danes have made just one NCAA appearance in its football history, advancing to the 1977 Division III playoffs.

University of Albany's Julie Forster Named First America East Women's Basketball Player of the Week for 2011-12 - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-14T05:41:00.000-08:00

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Julie Forster was named the America East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the first week of the 2011-12 season, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

Forster led the Great Danes to a 2-0 start to the season, averaging 21 points and 14 rebounds against Fordham and La Salle. In the season opener at Fordham, Forster scored 16 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, while also recording five steals, two assists and one block. In the home opener versus La Salle, Forster scored a career-high 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor and converting 10-of-13 shots from the free throw line. She also tied a career-best with 20 rebounds and recorded five blocks, five steals and three assists, all in 40 minutes of action.

Forster shot 57.6 percent (15-26) from the floor for the week and shot 75.0 percent (12-16) from the free throw line. She sat out just one minute of action in the two games.

Forster Scores a Career-High 26 Points in 81-76 University of Albany Women's Basketball Win Over La Salle - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Julie Forster scored a career-high 26 points and tied a career-best with 20 rebounds to lead UAlbany to an 81-76 win over La Salle in women's basketball action on Sunday afternoon at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes are 2-0 to start the season for the second straight season.

UAlbany jumped out to a 6-0 lead on two baskets by Forster followed by an Ebone Henry layup. However, La Salle then went on a 10-0 run to take a four-point lead on a jumper by Nadia Duncan. A lay-in by Forster tied the game at 10-all, before Alexis Scott put the Explorers back on top by six, 18-12, with just under 13 minutes left to play. La Salle held onto a slight lead until 6:37, when two free throws by Forster tied the game at 20-20 and then gave UAlbany back the lead.

The Explorers powered back, building up a nine-point advantage with a 12-2 run, capped by a layup by Brittany Wilson at 3:51. UAlbany would not give in, coming back over the next minute and a half to pull within one, 32-31, on a 3-pointer by Cassandra Callaway at 2:19. A pair of free throws by Jordan Mosley kept the Explorers on top by three, but layups by Forster and Callaway in the closing minute sealed a 35-34 halftime advantage for the Great Danes.

UAlbany came out of the locker room firing, building up a 10-point lead, 65-55, on a 3-pointer by Lindsey Lowrie at 9:08. The Great Danes continued to roll, pushing the lead to 12 on back-to-back shots from long range from Lowrie and Sarah Royals. La Salle attempted to rally, pulling within six, 75-69, on a jumper by Jordan Mosley with just under three minutes to play. The teams exchanged baskets through the final minute, and Ebonee Jones hit two free throws to pull the Explorers withing five, 79-74 with just 12 seconds left to play. Adrienne Jones converted a layup with under 10 seconds to go, before Ebonee Jones hit a jumper in the paint at the buzzer to set the final score.

Forster, who also posted a career-high five blocks, added five steals and three assists while going 10-for-13 from the free throw line and 8-of-10 from the field in 40 minutes of action. Callaway chipped in with 17 points and a team-high five assists, converting all six of her attempted free throws. Royals and Adrienne Jones also reached double-digit scoring totals, finishing with 11 and 10, respectively.

Brittany Wilson scored a team-high 17 points for La Salle (1-1), while Mosley and Jada Payne added 16 points apiece. Duncan added 11 points and six rebounds, while Mosley led the Explorers off the boards, pulling down a team-high nine rebounds. La Salle outshot the Great Danes, going 43.6-percent from the field, but the Explorers also committed 25 turnovers, including 12 steals by UAlbany.

UAlbany (2-0) will return to action on Wednesday, visiting Iowa at 7 p.m.

University of Albany Volleyball Closes Out Regular Season with 3-0 Sweep of Hartford on Senior Day - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-13T05:37:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Brooke Stanley recorded 29 assists, six digs, two kills and two service aces to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Hartford to close out the regular season on Sunday afternoon at University Gymnasium. Stanley, along with classmates Casey Wright, Laurie Gonzalez and Abbey Wexel were honored in a ceremony prior to the start of the match. The Great Danes defeated Hartford with set scores of 25-18, 25-16 and 25-18.

The teams played a close start to the first set, with Hartford taking a 12-8 advantage on a kill by Michelle Cordell before building a five-point lead on a UAlbany attack error. However, the Great Danes battled back, and tied the match at 15-15 on a kill by Traci Vandegrift, before pulling ahead, 18-15, on a service ace by Gabby Whitworth. A Stanley kill gave UAlbany a 21-17 advantage, prompting Hartford to take a timeout. UAlbany got to set point on a kill by Samantha Brostrom, before Whitworth smacked a kill off a Stanley assist to end the first set.

UAlbany came out firing in the second set, building up a 10-4 advantage behind the service game of Wexel, who recorded three consecutive aces in five service attempts. An ace by Dunja Prgomet gave the Great Danes a 14-4 advantage and UAlbany continued to roll from there. Despite an attempt by Hartford to rally in the late goings, which included a block by Sareeta Nethersole and Lindsay Anderson, the Hawks could not come all the way back. The Great Danes got to set point on a Prgomet kill and took a 2-0 lead on a Hartford attack error.

Whitworth got things going for UAlbany in the third set, serving for nine straight points, including an ace, giving the Great Danes an early 11-2 lead. One of Wright's ten kills put UAlbany ahead, 13-4, and Hartford took a timeout to regroup. UAlbany would not give the Hawks a chance, however, as Natalee Gruse came into serve and posted two aces in six service attempts, putting the Great Danes ahead, 22-9. UAlbany got to match point on one of Whitworth's three aces, but Hartford got a kill from Nethersole and put Michelle Cordell behind the service line. The Hawks rattled off seven straight points before Wright finished off the match with a kill up the middle.

Brostrom and Whitworth each finished with six kills for the Great Danes, who hit .237 for the match. Laurie Gonzalez totaled a team-high eight digs, and also served up one of UAlbany's 12 aces in the match. Nethersole recorded a match-high 13 kills for Hartford (12-18, AE 3-9), while Cordell totaled 13 digs and seven kills. UAlbany out-blocked the Hawks, 7-3, holding Hartford to .139 hitting.

UAlbany (19-8, AE 11-1) will host the America East Conference Championship Tournament on Friday and Saturday. Final seeding and times are to be determined.

University of Albany FCS Football Rallies in 41-24 NEC Win at Monmouth; Smith Accounts for Three Touchdowns - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-12T05:33:00.000-08:00

West Long Branch, N.J. - Andrew Smith ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, as UAlbany came from behind in the second half for a 41-24 Northeast Conference victory over Monmouth on Saturday, Nov. 12 at Kessler Field. The Great Danes remained in a tie for first place in the conference standings.

Monmouth (5-5, NEC 4-3) cashed in on a Jameson Zacharias' interception during the first series of the second half to take a 17-14 lead. The Hawks moved seven plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Craig Peterson, who completed 32 of 49 passes for 296 yards and two scores, guided his team into position. Freshman Julian Hayes drove five yards over the left side and into the end zone.

UAlbany (7-3, NEC 6-1) responded with 27 unanswered points in regaining the lead. Herb Glass booted the first of two field goals to draw his team even. After the Great Danes' defense forced a punt, Smith broke loose on a 62-yard touchdown scamper for a 24-17 margin with 1:36 remaining in the third period. Smith, who rushed for 131 yards on 14 carries, busted out on the right and raced up the sideline.

The Great Danes, who have won seven of their last eight contests, extended the lead to 31-17 early in the final stanza. Dan Di Lella, a senior quarterback, hit tailback Dillon Romain in the left flat with a screen pass and the sophomore advanced up the sideline to finish off a 53-yard scoring play. The drive started when cornerback Leon Saddler picked off a Peterson pass.

UAlbany used special teams play to end its scoring outburst. With the Great Danes lined up for a punt at the Monmouth 44, Smith took a short snap and threw a jump-pass to Justinian Mason. The sophomore free safety caught the ball in the middle of the field and worked his way to paydirt. Glass added a 39-yard field goal with 3:08 left.

"We had big plays in all three phases of the game," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team will play for the NEC championship and NCAA automatic berth next Saturday. "We couldn't seem to get off the field (on defense) in the first half, but we went to a nickel package and that helped. I told our coaches we are in a ten-round fight and we just need to keep punching."

In the first quarter, Monmouth scored with the opening kickoff on a 12-play drive that resulted in Eric Spillane's 37-yard field goal. Peterson, a senior signal-caller, made the key plays with a third-down completion and a 27-yard throw to Mitchell Pollard. Following a short punt, the Great Danes went ahead on Smith's one-yard run. The touchdown was set up by Di Lella's 32-yard pass to wide receiver Cole King.

The Hawks came back with a 16-play, 78-yard scoring drive for a 10-7 advantage. Peterson kept the sequence alive with four third-down passes, including a six-yard touchdown completion to tight end Mike McLafferty. UAlbany struck quickly again to go back in front. Di Lella found tight end Brian Parker wide open in the middle of the Monmouth zone and the redshirt freshman rumbled 55 yards to the end zone for a 14-10 lead. The Great Danes had an opportunity to increase its lead, but Di Lella was held short of the goal line on a fourth-down sneak with 1:30 remaining in the period.

"It was an inside zone play," explained Smith on the 62-yard touchdown run. "I bumped it out and felt them (the defense) at my feet, but I just kept going. This is a big championship game coming up. This is what we came here for; it's playoff time."

UAlbany's Di Lella passed for a career-high 306 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first UAlbany quarterback to throw for 300-plus since 1997. Hayes rushed for 78 yards on 18 carries for the Hawks, who came into the contest tied for third in the conference standings.

"We had a much better attitude and were determined to win," said Di Lella about his team coming off a last week's league loss. "They were in my face and my rib cage on that screen pass, but I knew we had a great play. We want to be explosive."

Paw Prints: UAlbany is tied for first in the NEC standings with Duquesne, a 29-15 winner over Sacred Heart ... the Great Danes have reached the seven-win mark in nine of 13 seasons as an NCAA FCS program ... UAlbany now has six or more wins in conference play for the sixth time since joining the league in 1999 ... TB Andrew Smith became the ninth Great Dane to rush for 2,000 or more yards in a career (2,020) ... Ryan Kirchner is the fourth UAlbany to receiver to surpass 100-career receptions (103) ... ILB Jon Morgan made 10 tackles, his fourth double-figure effort of the season, and registered a career-high 2.0 sacks.

UAlbany 41, Monmouth 24 (Nov. 12, 2011, West Long Branch, N.J.)

ALBANY (7-3,6-1) vs. Monmouth (5-5,4-3)

Date: Nov 12, 2011 • Site: West Long Branch, NJ • Stadium: Kessler Field • Attendance: 3768

University of Albany Seals Up America East Regular-Season Volleyball Title With 3-2 Win Over New Hampshire - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

Albany, N.Y. - Brooke Stanley recorded a double-double of 49 assists and 21 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-2 win over New Hampshire in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday night at University Gymnasium. With the victory, UAlbany sealed up the America East regular-season title, and will host the league championship tournament next weekend. The Great Danes defeated the Wildcats with set scores of 26-24, 22-25, 25-12, 29-27 and 15-10.

It took extra points in the first set, but UAlbany came out on top behind four kills by Dunja Prgomet. After a back-and-forth start, the Great Danes finally took control on a kill by Samantha Brostrom at 13-10. Stanley then served for three points, getting blocks from Brostrom and Gabby Whitworth to pull ahead 16-10. However, New Hampshire would rally back from the deficit to tie the set at 22-all on a kill by Delaney Dameron. The teams exchanged points, with UAlbany getting the first set point after a Wildcat service error. Morgan Thatcher kept the match going for New Hampshire, but another service error gave the Great Danes set point once again, and Prgomet ended it with a kill.

After UAlbany jumped out to an early lead in the second set, New Hampshire came back to tie the score at 8-8 on a kill by Lauren Laquerre. UAlbany built up a 14-10 advantage with a service ace by Stanley, prompting New Hampshire to take a timeout. The Wildcats came back, using one of seven kills in the set by Amy Keding to tie the score at 20-20. Once again, the teams exchanged points, but Laquerre gave New Hampshire set point with a kill, and the Wildcats ended the set with a strong attack by Morgan Thatcher.

UAlbany rolled through the third set, as Brostrom served for four straight points to give the Great Danes a 7-4 advantage, getting a block from Whitworth and Traci Vandegrift on that point. Casey Wright put up a solo block on a Wildcat attack to give the UAlbany a 10-6 advantage, and Abbey Wexel took over the service game. The senior served for nine consecutive points, giving the Great Danes an insurmountable 19-6 lead. One of Brostrom's three kills in the set gave UAlbany set point, and the Great Danes took a 2-1 match lead on a kill by Whitworth.

New Hampshire would not go down without a fight, as they took the fourth set in extra points. The set was tied 13 times, but the Wildcats used nine kills from Keding to seal the win. Back-to-back kills by Laquerre gave New Hampshire set point, but a Wildcat service error followed by a kill by Prgomet extended the set. Brostrom gave UAlbany a chance to end things with a kill of her own at set point, but Keding responded to tie the score at 27-27. New Hampshire took advantage of consecutive UAlbany attack errors to pull out the set win.

New Hampshire took an early lead in the fifth and decisive set, getting ahead, 8-5, on a UAlbany error. After the teams switched sides, a Wildcat service error put the ball in Laurie Gonzalez's hands behind the service line. The senior libero served for four straight points, including two aces, to give UAlbany a 10-8 lead. Back-to-back kills by Keding tied the set back up at 10-10, but the Great Danes rallied, getting three kills from Prgomet, along with two New Hampshire attack errors to seal up the victory.

Prgomet finished with 19 kills and 12 digs, while Brostrom also completed a double-double of 16 kills and 16 digs. Wright was the third UAlbany player in double-digit kill totals with 14, while Gonzalez led the Great Danes defensively with 26 digs. Stanley, who also had one solo block, was just one off her career high digs total. UAlbany out-blocked New Hampshire, 10-5, getting multiple four blocks from both Vandegrift and Whitworth.

Keding led the Wildcats with 23 kills, while also recording 14 digs. Laquerre added 15 kills while Thatcher finished with 10. Libero Sam Henke totaled a match-high 27 digs, while setter Jansan Falcusan recorded a double-double of 43 assists and 10 digs to lead New Hampshire (9-19, AE 7-4).

UAlbany (18-8, AE 10-1) will close out the regular season on Sunday, hosting Hartford at 2 p.m. The Great Danes will honor their four senior members prior to the match.

University of Albany's Henry Scores 19 Points to Lead Women's Basketball to 59-42 Season-Opening Win Over Fordham - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-11T05:38:00.000-08:00

Bronx, N.Y. - Ebone Henry recorded a game-high 19 points and six steals to lead UAlbany to a 59-42 win over Fordham in the women's basketball season opener for both teams at Rose Hill Gym on Friday evening. It is the Great Danes' second consecutive season opening win.

Fordham jumped out to an early lead in the contest, getting a 3-pointer from Arielle Collins at 16:49 to give the Rames a 9-2 advantage. A second Collins trey put Fordham ahead, 12-5, before UAlbany embarked on an 18-2 run, pulling ahead, 23-14 on a jumper by Cassandra Callaway. In the run, Henry recorded back-to-back steals and fastbreak layups before nailing consecutive 3-pointers to pace the Great Danes.

Fordham got three's from Abigal Corning and Rainat Griff to pull back within three, but UAlbany continued to roll, getting ahead by nine on a layup by Henry with just over three minutes to play, putting the Great Danes up, 29-20. The Rams attempted to rally before the half, as Corning added two of her nine first-half points from the free throw line with just over a minute to go, but Julie Forster hit a jumper with 55 seconds left on the clock to set the 33-24 halftime score.

UAlbany finally pushed the lead to double digits in the early goings of the second half, as a free throw by Henry made the score 36-26. Fordham cut the Great Danes' advantage back to four, 42-38, with just under eight minutes to go, getting another jumper by Corning, but UAlbany posted a 10-1 run that put them on top, 52-39 with 4:59 left to play. After Forster's layup set that score, the teams ran three and a half minutes off the clock before a free throw by Fordham's Becky Peters ended the drought. UAlbany scored seven of the game's final nine points to set the final score.

Forster and Callaway also reached double-digit scoring totals for the Great Danes, chipping in 16 and 10, respectively. Forster led the team on the boards, pulling down a team-high eight rebounds, while also recording five steals and one block. Adrienne Jones chipped in 10 points off the bench for UAlbany and also grabbed six rebounds.

Corning finished with a team-high 14 points for Fordham (0-1), while Peter's grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and chipped in with seven points.

UAlbany (1-0) will return to action on Sunday, hosting La Salle in the 2011-12 home opener at 2 p.m.

University of Albany Volleyball Continues Hot Streak, Defeating Providence in Four Sets on the Road - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

Providence, R.I. - Casey Wright led three players with double-digit kill totals, totaling 19 on .607 hitting, as UAlbany defeated Providence, 3-1, in America East Conference volleyball action on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Hall. The Great Danes defeated the Friars in four games with set scores of 25-20, 25-11, 23-25 and 25-14.

UAlbany took the first set behind six kills on seven attempts from Wright. Laurie Gonzalez, who finished with a match-high 29 digs, totaled 10 in the first set alone. Providence took an early lead in the set, but UAlbany came back and built up a 20-16 advantage on a kill by Samanta Brostrom. UAlbany got to set point on a kill by Dunja Prgomet and finished off the first on one of Traci Vandegrift's three kills in the set.

UAlbany rolled through the second set, backed by strong serving by the Great Danes. Brooke Stanley served for the first three points, starting with a service ace, and UAlbany built up a 6-2 advantage in the early going. Gabby Whitworth then served for five straight points, including two service aces, putting the Great Danes ahead, 11-2. Providence's service game was not getting support from the offense, as UAlbany capitalized on several Friar errors throughout the set. It was an attack error that gave the Great Danes set point, but a kill by Anna Russian and a UAlbany error kept the match going. Another Providence error ended the set in UAlbany's favor.

The Friars would not go down without a fight, however, getting six kills from Laurent Fletcher in leading Providence to the two-point set win. The set was tied 15 times throughout, including at 23-23 on a kill by Vandegrift following a UAlbany timeout. A service error by the Great Danes gave Providence set point, and Carly Morrison served up on of the Friars' five aces in the match to end the set and extend the match.

UAlbany came out firing in the fourth, getting two kills from Brostrom sandwiching one from Vandegrift to start play. Brostrom served up an ace two points later, giving UAlbany a 5-1 advantage. UAlbany built up a 14-9 lead on a solo block by Vandegrift on an attack attempt by Lauren Hendel, prompting Providence to take a timeout. The Great Danes continued to roll, getting back-to-back kills by Stanley and Wright to put UAlbany ahead, 20-12. Consecutive kills by Vandegrift gave the Great Danes match point, and Brostrom smacked her 11th kill of the match to end play.

Brostrom finished with a double-double, adding 17 digs to her totals, while Stanley added a double-double of the assist-dig variety, totaling 55 assists and 12 digs. Vandegriftwas the third player in double-digit kill totals with 13 off .314 hitting, while Prgomet added 14 digs and nine kills.

Fletcher recorded a team-high 12 kills for Providence (8-20, AE 2-8), while Cassie Muzzonigro finished with a team-best 21 digs. Morrison finished with 33 assists and nine digs, and Kelly Ashmore recorded 11 digs for the Friars.

UAlbany (17-8, AE 9-1) will welcome America East opponent New Hampshire to University Gymnasium on Friday for a 7 p.m. match.

University of Albany Uses Two Late Goals to Advance to America East Conference Men's Soccer Semifinals - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

Burlington, Vt. - It's an America East Conference quarterfinal match that the University at Albany men's soccer team won't forget for a long time. With four minutes remaining and third-seeded Vermont leading, 2-1, everyone at Centennial Field believed the game was over. However, back-to-back own-goals in a three minute span by Vermont defenders capped UAlbany's win over Vermont, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon. First-year head coach Trevor Gorman grabbed his first postseason win and the just the second overall for the men's soccer program.

With Vermont (9-7-1) ahead, 1-0, at the half, UAlbany looked to tie the match. In the 63rd minute co-captain David Pinto was pressuring the Catamount defense. He sent a crossing pass inside the box to teammate Brandon Wilson, who headed the ball towards the net, but was denied by Vermont goalkeeper David Ramada. Then, in the 76th minute, Pomare Te Anau and Wilson hooked up on a bang-bang play to tie the game, 1-1.

In the 86th minute, UAlbany(6-9-3) experienced déjà vu when Vermont's DJ Edler delivered the go-ahead goal with a header off a free kick, which he did to the Great Danes twice six days ago in the regular season, that looked to take the wind out of the UAlbany sails. With the Great Danes down a goal and four minutes remaining, the match seemed to be over. However, in the 87th minute, Te Anau sent a crossing pass into the box looking for one of his teammates, but found a Vermont defender to redirect it in his own goal to tie the game, 2- 2, with about three minutes remaining.

The Great Danes continued pressuring the Catamount defense, and in the 89th minute as UAlbany's Te Anau chipped a pass inside the goalkeeper box. Ramada struck it away from the net, only to have it redirected by his own defender's back to give UAlbany the eventual game-winner.

Physical play highlighted the first half with Vermont getting the first shot in net. In the 15th minute the Catamounts Joe Losier carried the ball inside the 18-yard box and made a crossing pass that eluded the first Vermont offender but found the foot of Zach Paul, whose shot hit the inner part of the cross bar to grab the early 1-0 lead.

UAlbany led in corners, 5-1, and the teams were even in shots,8-8. Vermont's Ramada recorded three saves on six chances, while UAlbany's Foncette didn't record a save and allowed two goals.

UAlbany advances to the tournament semifinals for the second time in program history, visiting Stony Brook on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

University of Albany Men Soccer's Adrian Foncette Named to America East 2nd Team; Pomare Te Anau on Rookie Team - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

Cambridge, Mass.- Univeristy at Albany's Adrian Foncette was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team, as announce by the league office on Thursday, Nov. 3. Pomare Te Anau was also recognized by the conference as a member of the All-Rookie Team. Both players and the Great Danes will be in preparation for Saturday, Nov. 5 America East Quarterfinal match against Vermont at 1 pm.

Foncette, an Arima, Trinidad native, has excelled in his four years playing at UAlbany. For his career, Foncette has tallied the program's fourth best in career saves (262) and shutouts (12). This season has been by far Foncette's best as a starter with season bests in wins (5), shutouts (4), and goals against average (1.15). The Great Dane goalkeeper, as compared to the rest of the goalkeepers in the America East, is second in both save percentage (.790), total saves (64), and fourth in goals against average (1.15).

Te Anau, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, has brought a bright spot to the Great Danes' future. This season, Te Anau has recorded four goals and four assists for a total of 12 points. The freshman standout was recognized twice this season as America East Rookie of the Week (Aug.27-Sept.5, Oct. 3-9).

University of Albany Volleyball Overpowers Crosstown-Rival Siena in Three Sets on Dig Pink Night - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-03T06:28:00.001-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Dunja Prgomet had seven kills and seven digs, as UAlbany swept past Siena in three sets on "Dig Pink" night at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes, who extended their winning streak to five straight, defeated their crosstown-rivals by scores of 25-10, 25-15 and 25-16.

In the first set, UAlbany (16-8) tallied eight of nine points to break things open. Freshman Samantha Brostrom scored off a blocker, before the Saints had a pair of attack errors. Laurie Gonzalez finished off the run with a service ace. The Great Danes wrapped the opening frame when Prgomet delivered a cross-court kill to the right side.

Siena's Akana Taylor, who seven kills and nine digs, helped her team stay within striking distance in the second set. But Gonzalez came up with two of her 13 digs to help turn the tide. She dug out a serve that led to Progmet's push over the net for the first point and then made a diving save that set up another kill. Still leading leading 10-7, the Great Dane ran off five straight points to pull away. Brostrom and Gabby Whitworth scored points off attacks in that outburst.

After Taylor's kill off a blocker pulled Siena (10-13) within 6-4 in the final set, the Great Danes seized control with run of six points in a row. UAlbany's defense came up with the last three points. Casey Wright and Prgomet blocked a pair of hitting attempts, before Brooke Stanley teamed with Wright to stuff Taylor's strike and take a 12-4 advantage.

Stanley, an all-conference setter, finished with 22 assists and six digs. Wright and Whitworth each five kills for the Great Danes, who also defeated Siena in four games back on Sept. 10th at Fordham's Rose Hill Classic. UAlbany has won 12 of their last 13 matches. Jacqueline Skeen added seven kills for the Saints, who saw their six-match win streak come to an end.

Rick Dunetz, the founder of the Side-Out Foundation, was in attendance for the match, which had 281 in attendance. UAlbany head coach MJ Engstrom accompanied Dunetz to UAlbany's Cancer Research Center on the East Campus in East Greenbush earlier on Wednesday.

"We are doing our part for raising awareness for breast cancer," said Engstrom, whose team was participating in its fourth Dig Pink match. "One thing that the Side-Out Foundation helps with is education - for both the public and potential researchers. Having Rick here was awesome. Going to the Cancer Research Center enlightened me on how much research is being done right here in the Capital Region."

UAlbany will continue America East Conference play on Sunday, visiting Providence at 4 p.m.

Men's Basketball Meets Capital Region Media in Annual Luncheon at SEFCU Hall of Fame Room

2011-11-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - After advancing to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2006 and 2007, the University at Albany men's basketball program fell on hard times for a brief period. Those struggles appear to be in the rearview mirror after the Great Danes provided their second-best improvement in 97 seasons one year ago.

Head coach Will Brown's squad finished 16-16, bettered its win total by nine from the previous season, and tied for third in the America East Conference standings. The Great Danes return four starters, including two all-conference guards from the 2010-11 team.

"We have a nice group returning with six of our top seven players returning, explained Brown at UAlbany's basketball media luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 2. "We have some talented newcomers and we are trying to acclimate them on what we are doing, but our guys are working real hard and that's what we have been talking about is to play as hard as you can for as long as you can. I think our guys are starting to buy into that, we are trying to do a lot in practice to make practice more difficult than the actual games."

Logan Aronhalt and Mike Black, a pair of All-America East third-team selections, form one of the top scoring backcourts in the region. Aronhalt, a 6-foot-3 junior, was among the conference leaders in scoring at 14.6 points per game. He scored in double figures 23 times and canned 73 three-point field goals. Black, who runs the point position, averaged 12.3 points and 2.9 assists. He struck for a career-high 26 points at Maine, as his team ended the regular season with a four-game win streak.

"I am very excited," Aronhalt said. "I think we have a very talented team this year. The season starts a little more than a week away, so our first game against Pittsburgh is going to be very exciting going to a big stage. I think the team is ready to go."
Luke Devlin had a major impact in his first season as a collegian. The Australian forward was named to the conference's all-rookie team and earned the league's weekly rookie award five times. He led the team in rebounding (6.9 pg) and scored at a 7.4 clip. Devlin recorded seven double-doubles in points and rebounds.

Blake Metcalf, a 6'9" junior, and John Puk, a 6'10" sophomore, bolster the baseline. Metcalf, who does all the dirty work and shoots better than 53 percent from the field, adds 4.0 points and 4.8 rebounds on the baseline. Puk, whose three uncles each played major college football, blocked 37 shots in his first collegiate season. He has added 20 pounds to his frame. Ralph Watts, a 6'5" swingman, and Jacob Iati came off the bench last year and had productive minutes.

The Great Danes have added six new faces to the roster and each received an introduction to the college game during a seven-day Canadian tour last summer. Gerardo Suero, a junior college player who hails from the Dominican Republic, was a consistent double-figure scorer in UAlbany's five exhibition games. Jayson Guerrier, an honorable mention junior college All-American, also showed promise.

Enhanced recruiting efforts on the continent of Australia provided the addition of Peter Hooley, a 6'4" guard, and Sam Rowley, a 6'5" forward. Hooley won a bronze medal at his country's under-20 national championship. The coaches went back to familiar areas to find two freshmen. Tanner Gibson, a speedy point guard, played for the same Ohio high school that produced Aronhalt, while Chris Page attended Metcalf's Plainfield High in Indiana.

"I feel that I am one of the grandpas of this team and I always joke around with the young guys," Black offered. "I am trying to become more of a leader on the team knowing that I am a junior not a freshman so I am out there trying to let the guys know where they should be on the floor and help them grow."

Paw Prints: The Great Danes will scrimmage for a brief period at the beginning of Friday's Purple & Gold Event at SEFCU Arena, sponsored in part by the UAlbany Alumni Association ... UAlbany meets Pittsburgh, ranked No. 10 nationally in the Associated Press preseason poll, on Friday, Nov. 11 in the season opener ... the Great Danes will compete in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off on Nov. 14-15 in Syracuse, N.Y.

Women's Basketball Preparing for Start of 2011-12 Season; Meet Media at Annual Luncheon

2011-11-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - The University at Albany women's basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the America East Conference one year ago, prior to the start of head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson's first season. Last March, the Great Danes stood in fifth place in the league standings and fell just short of upsetting eventual league champion Hartford in the conference quarterfinals. In the 2011-12 preseason poll, UAlbany made a four-spot jump, but don't expect the Great Danes to get too far ahead of themselves.

"I think last year when we were picked eighth, that was a source of motivation," said Abrahamson-Henderson, who opened up her first season as head coach of the Great Danes with five straight wins. "We live one day at a time. We don't think about March at all. We think about today and today's practice and that's it, because tomorrow is not promised and yesterday is gone, so we just worry about that day at task."

The Great Danes bring back four starters from last year's squad, including junior Ebone Henry, who was the first player to earn a major America East award in program history after being tabbed the league's defensive player of the year at the end of last season. Henry finished second in the conference with 2.6 steals per game, and was among the league leaders in scoring (third, 14.4 ppg) and rebounding (eighth, 7.3 ppg).

"We have really high expectations," said Henry, who was also an all-conference first team and all-defensive team honoree as a sophomore. "We only lost one main player from last year so we are expected to better from last year, which was pretty good. We are all focused and worked hard in the summer and did really well in the preseason. We are ready."

Also returning to the court is all-conference honoree Julie Forster, who joined Henry on the all-defensive squad after leading the league in rebounds for the second straight season, and Cassandra Callaway, who will be serving as a team captain along with Forster and Keyana Williams. Forster averaged 9.7 rebounds per game in 2010-11, and set UAlbany's single-season record for boards, pulling down 292. Callaway, a 5-7 guard, will run the floor from the point guard position this season, after averaging 10.0 points per game as a junior. Having seasoned veterans on the floor, combined with a year mentored by Abrahamson-Henderson, the Great Danes feel confident.

"It's great because we had a chance to be under [Coach Abe]," stated Callaway. "She builds confidence for us because she knows exactly what kind of players we can be. The confidence level comes from within and all of us are able to build each other up on the court."

Abrahamson-Henderson brought in three new players to the fold, and expects all of them to have an immediate impact, despite the strength coming back. Guards Sarah Royals and Allysia Rohlehr, along with center Megan Craig, bring depth and talent to a Great Danes' squad that is taking every day seriously.

"We are excited, very healthy, look like a team, look together," said Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team will kick off the 2011-12 season on Friday night at the Purple & Gold Scrimmage at SEFCU Arena. "Our slogan for this year is 'One team, one heartbeat.' We look completely different from last season at this time. They are very strong physically and that makes them very strong mentally."

The Great Danes enter the regular season on Friday, Nov. 11, visiting Fordham, before returning to Albany for the home opener against LaSalle on Sunday, Nov. 13.

University of Albany's Kristi Troch Claims Second America East Goalkeeper of the Year; Ten Great Danes Honored - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Kristi Troch was named the America East Conference Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year for the second straight season, as announced today by the conference office. In all, six Great Danes were selected all-conference and four were to chosen to the all-rookie squad.

Troch helped her team tie a league-high with seven shutouts, as she led the league in solo shutouts with a career-high and program-best five. Playing more than any goalkeeper in the league, Troch had just over 1,295 minutes in the cage to garner league-best 1.35 goals against average, a mark which also ranks 10th in the country and fourth-best save percentage (.722). Troch, who started in 18 of 19 games this season, currently has a career-best 11 wins which ties her for third in the program's single-season win record. Troch has been a steady anchor for the UAlbany the past two seasons and will remain a key asset going into the conference's postseason tournament.

Midfielder Katharina Helling and last season's rookie of the year Corrine McConville join Troch on the all-conference first team. Helling, a graduate student, tallied five goals and helped on five other scores in her first season at the collegiate level. She is fourth on the team with 15 points. McConville, a unanimous selection, has been an offensive leader for the Great Danes scoring 12 goals and helping on four for a team second-best 28 points. She led the conference for the second straight season in shots and was also ranked in the top ten in goals scored.

Defender Taylor Luke and forwards Christina Patrick and Daphne Voormolen earned second-team honors for their season performances. Luke sits in a four-way tie for first in the league in defensive saves with three. Patrick has a fourth-best goal output (13) and points per game (1.68). She has 32 points on 13 goals and six assists. Voormolen was second in the league with 72 shots and ranked in the top ten in points (23), goals (8), and assists (7).

UAlbany had the most freshmen on the all-rookie squad. Jordan Homyak and Echo Bretz, two of the four Lehighton (Pa.) High School graduates currently on the UAlbany roster, along with Chloe Pachuilo had unanimous votes. Amy Nicklin, a forward from Stockport, England, also made the unit. The squad has combined for three goals and two assists on the season.

UAlbany, the nation's 12th-ranked team with a 13-6 record, meets No. 10 New Hampshire (15-4) in the first semifinal game of the 2011 America East Conference Field Hockey Championship in Durham, N.H. on Friday, November 4th at 1:00 p.m. Both live stats and live streaming will be available for the entire tournament weekend through the America East website.

Paw Prints: UAlbany received its highest national ranking in the current the Kookaburra/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I Weekly Poll as the Great Danes jumped up six spots to 12th after a 3-2 conference victory over New Hampshire at Alumni Turf Field on Oct. 29 to finish the regular season ... The Great Danes matched their highest ranking two weeks ago at No. 15, a position achieved three times last season.

Paw Prints II: Christina Patrick has been selected to participate in the 2011 NFHCA Division I Senior Game to be held on Saturday, November 19th at the University of Louisville (Louisville, Ky.) in conjunction with the NCAA Final Four ... Patrick will be joined by six other America East Conference athletes.

University of Albany's Adrian Foncette Voted America East Conference Fans' Choice Soccer Player of The Year - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-11-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany s men's soccer goalkeeper Adrian Foncette has been voted America East Conference Fans' Choice Player of the Year. Foncette received 195 votes (35%). Boston U.'s Stephen Knox came in second place with 113 (20%) votes and Vermont's Yannick Lewis received 80 (14%) votes to round out the top three. More than 550 fans vote for the award through a web-based system.

Foncette, a starter in all 14 matches this season, has tallied 64 saves and accrued a .790 saves percentage, both figures are second among goalkeepers in the America East. Foncette, an Arima, Trinidad native, has recorded 262 saves and 12 shutouts in his career as a Great Dane, which places him fourth all-time in each category among the program's all-time leaders.

Foncette and the Great Danes prepare to play the Vermont Catamounts in the America East Conference Tournament's quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 1:00 p.m. at Centennial Field. UAlbany is making its first conference postseason appearance since 2008 under first-year head coach Trevor Gorman.

Basketball's Purple & Gold Event on Friday at SEFCU Arena; TWCS TV Package Announced

2011-11-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Tuesday, Nov. 1 that plans have been finalized for the Purple and Gold Basketball Scrimmage, sponsored in part by the UAlbany Alumni Association. The event will be held at SEFCU Arena on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m.

The school's men's and women's basketball teams will both be on display in controlled scrimmage play. Head coach Will Brown and the men's program has four starters returning, including All-America East Conference guards Logan Aronhalt and Mike Black. Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, the women's head coach, returns Ebone Henry, the America East Defensive Player of the Year and all-conference forward Julie Forster.

In addition, UAlbany's spirit groups, including the cheerleaders, dance team and pep band, will be performing during the expected 90-minute program. There will be contests with the opportunity to win an iPod Nano, a one-semester book scholarship and a flat screen television. The t-shirt gun will also deliver prizes to fans. The event will conclude with a meet and greet, with free pizza and music.

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Albany, N.Y. - The University at Albany men's and women's basketball programs are scheduled to have a combined ten games televised as part of Time Warner Cable Sports package during the 2011-12 season.

Time Warner Cable Sports will air four men's games from UAlbany's SEFCU Arena and the Big Purple Growl doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 4. The broadcast schedule includes Colgate (Dec. 7), New Hampshire (Jan. 11), Binghamton (Jan. 25) and Vermont (Feb. 15). The Big Purple Growl features a pair of America East Conference contests against Stony Brook, beginning with the women's game at 4:30 p.m. Rodger Wyland and John Quattrocchi will provide the play-by-play coverage.

Additionally, the Great Danes will face Siena on Time Warner Cable Sports in the Capital Region on Monday, Dec. 5 and could possibly be involved in an ESPN3 broadcast during the second round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off on Nov. 15.

The UAlbany women will also have non-conference games televised against Siena (Dec. 3) and Canisius (Dec. 22). Both will air on Time Warner Cable Sports.

University of Albany Field Hockey's Corrine McConville Receives America East Weekly Honors - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

Cambridge, Mass. - Corrine McConville was named America East Conference Field Hockey Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

McConville, 2010 America East Rookie of the Year, scored the game-winning goal in Saturday's 3-2 victory over No. 10 New Hampshire. The game-winner came off a penalty stroke opportunity to which McConville took advantage of as she lifted the ball to the top left corner of the cage, giving the Great Danes a 3-2 lead with eight minutes left in regulation. She improves to 4-for-5 on penalty stroke attempts on the season.

With the goal, McConville increases her season point total to 28 for second-best on the squad; contributing 12 goals and four assists going into the America East tournament weekend. McConville now holds a top-10 program record for single-season points. At the top of the league in shot total for the past month, McConville averages four shots per-game this season having tallied 76 in 19 regular-season games.

McConville and the Great Danes, despite the season finale win over UNH, will enter this week's America East tournament as the fourth seed and will face the Wildcats in a 1:00 p.m. semifinal game Friday, November 4th in Durham, N.H. The second semifinal game will feature Boston U. and Maine.

2011 UAlbany FCS Football Gameday vs Bryant: 11/5/11

2011-10-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

University of Albany Football: Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

UAlbany FCS Football Homepage

UAlbany FCS Football Roster

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NEXT GAME

Date: November 5, 2011
Time: 1pm
Opponent: Bryant
Location: University of Albany – Albany, NY
Facility: University Field
Directions
Tickets

Distance:
From Albany - 0m
From Syracuse – 145m
From Boston – 170m
From NYC - 157m

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2011 UAlbany FCS Football Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 at Colgate L 34-37 --
Sat, Sep 17 Maine L 15-31 --
Sat, Sep 24 at Columbia W 44-21 --
Sat, Oct 1 at St. Francis (PA) W 41-20 --
Sat, Oct 8 Duquesne W 38-10 --
Sat, Oct 15 Robert Morris W 28-17 --
Sat, Oct 22 at Central Connecticut State W 63-35 --
Sat, Oct 29 at Wagner W 24-0 --
Sat, Nov 5 Bryant 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 12 at Monmouth 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 Sacred Heart 1:00 pm --

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Gameday Live Media Coverage:

FoxSports Radio - Great Dane Football
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Pregame Media Coverage:

Big Purple Fans - UAlbany Fan Board

Coach's Corner:

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Bryant: Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

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2011 Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 at Maine L 13-28 --
Sat, Sep 10 American International W 27-16 --
Fri, Sep 16 at Sacred Heart W 26-6 --
Sat, Sep 24 Wagner W 30-28 --
Sat, Oct 1 at Duquesne L 28-31 --
Sat, Oct 8 Stonehill W 42-7 --
Sat, Oct 15 Monmouth L 35-40 --
Sat, Oct 22 at Robert Morris W 34-27 --
Sat, Nov 5 at Albany 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 12 St. Francis (PA) 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 Central Connecticut State 12:00 pm --

University of Albany Women's Soccer Advances to America East Championship With 1-0 Win Over Hartford - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

West Hartford, Conn. - A match highlighted by a relentless UAlbany defense, including goalkeeper Jackie Ubert's third complete shuout, and Shayla Bergeron's lone goal resulted in a Great Danes' victory over Hartford, 1-0, in the America East Conference Women's Soccer Semifinals on Monday, Oct. 31. UAlbany will play Boston U., on Saturday, Nov. 5, in its first America East finals match since entering the conference

With the match scoreless through the first half, UAlbany (10-9-1) found daylight in the 47th minute when Maggie DeVerna sent a short pass to the foot of Bergeron just inside the 18-yard box. Bergeron directed the shot just underneath the crossbar for the 1-0 lead. Hartford wouldn't go away, as the Hawks peppered Ubert with 13 shots, including two on net, but Ubert would deny them all to preserve the 1-0 win.

"I just tried to stay confident and calm," said Ubert, who has let the Great Danes to an undefeated record since taking over in goal for the last seven games. "Communication is a big part of being a goalkeeper. I just tried to talk as much as I could, give direction and support them."

The first half was powered by Hartford (13-3-3), as the Hawks led in shots, 3-1, and in corner kicks, 2-0. In the 13th minute, Hartford looked to grab the early lead when the Hawks' Arielle Aikens received a perfect through ball only to be denied by Ubert. In the 32nd minute, Hartford looked to capitalize from a corner kick with a header by Amelia Periera, but Ubert made another key save on Hartford's second shot on net to preserve the scoreless tie at half.

Overall, Hartford lead in shots, 16-4, and in corner kicks, 5-0. Hartford's Erin Quinlan saved two shots on three chances. UAlbany's Ubert denied all four shots that she saw.

"We have become a lot stronger and tighter as a defensive unit," said head coach Mary-Frances Monroe on her stellar defensive play. "This is huge. We've been on a nice run since two games into the conference season and ever since then we've started to connect and every game we've gotten a little bit better."

The Great Danes will face #14 Boston U. (17-2-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Nickerson Field. The Terriers enter the contest on a 12-game winning streak. UAlbany fell to Boston U., 2-0, earlier this season in Albany.

University of Albany FCS Football Tailback Andrew Smith Chosen Northeast Conference Football Offensive Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Andrew Smith has been named Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Oct. 31 by the conference office. Smith, a junior tailback, received the NEC's weekly award for the second time this season.

Smith rushed 23 times for 149 yards, the second-best performance of his career, and one touchdown in last Saturday's 24-0 victory over Wagner. In blizzard conditions due to a rare October snowstorm, Smith was featured on an eight-play, 45-yard drive in the second quarter that gave his team a 7-0 lead. He scored on a one-yard run, his seventh consecutive carry, to cap the march. The native of Guilderland, N.Y., also helped break open a tight game in the third quarter. He caught a 15-yard first-down pass and broke free on a 48-yard run in a drive that led to 14-0 advantage.

Smith accounted for 170 all-purpose yards, his second-highest total as a collegian, and has reached the century mark in that category in six consecutive games. He recorded his fifth career 100-yard rushing effort. Smith leads the Great Danes in rushing with 720 yards and seven touchdowns, plus is sixth in the NEC in all-purpose yards (115.1 ypg).

UAlbany (6-2, NEC 5-0) is in first place in the conference standings. The Great Danes, who have won six in a row, host Bryant at University Field on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 1:00 p.m.

Paw Prints: UAlbany owns a six-game winning streak, tying the third longest in the program's Division I FCS history ... the Great Danes recorded their 11th shutout as an FCS program by holding Wagner to 204 yards, including 25 passing ... UAlbany has reached the five-win mark in Northeast Conference play in 10 of 13 seasons as a league member ... the Great Danes and Bryant will meet for the third time this weekend ... the Bulldogs posted a 24-7 victory one year ago ... Bryant's Jordan Brown, a Walter Payton Award candidate as the nation's top FCS player, is averaging 163.5 rushing yards, 241.1 all-purpose yards and 13.8 points ... the Great Danes are eighth in scoring (35.9 ppg) and tied for ninth in red-zone efficiency (91%) among the NCAA leaders ... DT Zach Gallo made a career-high 11 tackles and recovered a fumble last week ... DE Eddie Delaney added eight tackles and equaled a career-best 1.5 sacks ... Delaney's sacks wiped out two second-half scoring threats by the Wagner offense ... the Great Danes are receiving votes in both The Sports Network and FCS Coaches national polls.

University of Albany FCS Football Punter Paul Layton Named Northeast Conference Special Teams Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Paul Layton has been selected Northeast Conference Special Teams Player of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Oct. 31 by the conference office. Layton, a sophomore from Burnt Hills, N.Y., earned the conference award for the second time this season.

Despite blizzard conditions, a snow-covered field, and 20 mile-per-hour winds, Layton averaged 38.3 yards in six punting attempts during a 24-0 victory over Wagner. He helped provide his team with favorable field position and booted a 58-yarder from his own end zone in the second quarter. Three of his punts went to the Seahawks' 20-yard line and beyond. He also assisted placekicker Herb Glass as the holder on all placements. In the wintry conditions, Glass made all three point-after attempts and a 23-yard field goal.

Layton is fourth among the Division I FCS national leaders with a 43.8 punting average. He has placed 17 punts inside the opposition's 20-yard line and has 13 kicks of 50 yards or longer this season.

University of Albany Men's Cross Country Captures First America East Conference Title - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-29T23:21:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Chris Burke paced the University at Albany men's cross country team to their first America East Conference Championship title on Saturday, October 29th, as the program joined the league in 2001. Burke completed the 8,000-meter course in 24:25.67, as the Great Danes placed three runners in the top-ten.

"We wheeled out a brand new course this year, we're really proud of that and to win our first conference title at home is awesome. It really is ", said coach McVey on UAlbany's first cross country title since entering the America East Conference. "Chris is a senior for us and Paul has another year of eligibility for us and they both ran smart races. They had an opportunity to run on the course at our invitation two weeks ago so that played a factor in how well they did. But they both ran smart races and I 'm just really, really proud of them."

UAlbany and Boston University tied with 60 points each, but the Great Danes were awarded the tie-breaker with Burke's finishing time. The Terriers and Great Danes edged the third-place finisher, University of Maine by nine points. Riley Masters of Maine took his second straight America East championship title in 24:18.66 to set a new course record and finish ahead of 84 competitors.

Coming in after Burke, UAlbany's 2011 45th Annual Invitational winner, Paul Lagno finished fifth overall in 24:47.19. Completing the Great Dane top-five finishers were Ethan Clary (24:50.24, 8th), Alex Leuchanka (25:08.34, 13th), and Chris Buchanan (25:33.09, 32nd).

Paw Prints: Coach Craig McVey and his staff were voted by fellow America East Conference coaches as Coaching Staff of the Year ... The Great Danes will compete in the NCAA Northeast Regional (Amherst, N.Y.) on November 12th and the IC4A Championship (Van Cordlandt Park, Bronx, N.Y.) on November 19th to conclude the 2011 season.

University of Albany Field Hockey Holds Off New Hampshire, 3-2, in America East Play; McConville Nets Game Winner - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Corrine McConville capitalized on penalty stroke opportunity in the 62nd minute to give the No. 18 University at Albany a 3-2 victory over No. 10 New Hampshire in America East Conference action Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.

The Great Danes tallied the lone goal in the first half with a tip-in from Katharina Helling coming off a long shot by Daphne Voormolen with under ten minutes remaining. The goal was Helling's fifth on the season and Voormolen's seventh helper.
New Hampshire (14-4, 4-1AE) rebounded in the 45th minute as Melyssa Woods received a pass near the left post from Hayley Rausch to sneak past UAlbany goalkeeper Kristi Troch. Voormolen and Chantae Miller teamed up to give the Great Danes a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute when Miller's intended shot was received by Voormolen and tipped into the right corner. Play would remain neutral for the next six minutes and the Wildcats took a timeout to regroup. Joyce Kellie of New Hampshire notched the equalizer in the 55th minute with possession of the ball off a defenders stick.

UAlbany (13-6, 3-2 AE) was awarded a penalty stroke in the 62nd minute after a jostle in the crease. McConville would take the shot for the Great Danes and capitalize, giving UAlbany a 3-2 lead. The goal was McConville's 12th on the season as she has gone 4-for-5 on penalty strokes this season. UAlbany held the Wildcats to no shots for the remainder of the game to give New Hampshire their first conference loss this season.

"We played a complete game today," said UAlbany Head Coach Phil Sykes. "This was a very good team win for us against a talented UNH team. We will now focus on next weekend's America East tournament."

For the Wildcats, goalkeeper Katherine Nagengast made four saves in the effort. Troch made three saves, good for her 11th win this season which ties her for third in single-season wins in program history.

The Great Danes had a slight edge on shots, 9-7, and were the only team awarded penalty corners; UAlbany had four in the match.

Up next for UAlbany is the America East championship weekend which is hosted by New Hampshire on November 4th and 6th. The Great Danes will either be seeded third or fourth; final rankings will be announced by the conference after the completion of all games this weekend.

Paw Prints: Before today's game, three graduating Great Danes were honored; Erin Crosson, Christina Patrick, and graduate student Katharina Helling ... Over four seasons, Crosson and Patrick helped UAlbany to a 54-27 record and two America East Conference Championship titles ... The Great Danes have qualified for the America East tournament seven consecutive years.

University of Albany FCS Football Prevails 24-0 in Battle With Wagner and Snow; Andrew Smith Rushes for 149 Yards - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Staten Island, N.Y. - Andrew Smith rushed for 149 yards and one touchdown and Dillon Romain ran for a pair of scores in the second half, as UAlbany posted a 24-0 victory over Wagner in Northeast Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Wagner College Stadium. A driving rain turned into three inches of snow prior to kickoff and covered the field.

UAlbany (6-2, NEC 5-0) broke open a tight game in the third quarter. Wagner (1-7, NEC 1-4) marched from near midfield to inside the Great Danes' 20-yard line. But defensive Eddie Delaney sacked quarterback Nick Doscher on third down and Kenny Howard's fourth-down reception was well short of the yard marker.

The Great Danes then marched 86 yards in nine plays for a 14-0 lead. Smith, a junior tailback, hauled in a 15-yard pass for a first down, before exploding over the right side on a 48-yard scamper. Romain ran five straight times to finish off sequence, including a two-yard blast over right guard.

The Seahawks, who have lost seven in a row since a season-opening win, mishandled a UAlbany punt midway through the fourth quarter and cornerback Duane Harper made the recovery. Herb Glass' 23-yard field goal gave his team a 17-0 cushion. UAlbany's defense set up another score when inside linebacker Jon Morgan forced a fumble following a completed pass and safety Brandon Baylor made a 38-yard return. Romain blasted over right tackle on a three-yard touchdown run with 6:50 remaining.

"We wanted the shutout," said Morgan, who made eight tackles. "We have a mature defense with a lot of starters back. It was a challenge to play in those conditions and then get some turnovers."

The blizzard forced both offenses to be conservative in the opening half. Doscher, who did not even attempt a pass before the break, had his team on the move during its second possession after scrambling for a first down to keep the drive alive. But running back Dominique Williams would later fumble and UAlbany defensive tackle Zach Gallo made the recovery. Williams, one of the nation's top rushers, finished with 145 yards on 34 attempts.

After a short punt on the first play of the second period, the Great Danes featured Smith on an eight-play, 45-yard scoring march. Smith ripped off a 16-yard run to get his team inside the five-yard line. He later dove over right guard for a one-yard touchdown, his seventh consecutive carry, for a 7-0 lead with 11:46 left before the intermission.

"We knew on Thursday that the weather was going to be an issue," offered Smith, who also caught three passes for 21 yards. "It came down to the elements and we knew we had to pound the ball. The defense collapsed in the gap on that long run and I was able to take it to the outside."

Wagner's Doscher, second on the school's career total offense chart, completed just 4 of 8 passes for 25 yards and was limited to 20 on the ground. UAlbany's Dan Di Lella connected on 6-of-11 through the air for 53 yards.

"The conditions were a great equalizer," explained UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team has won six straight games. "I think we are better and healthier than Wagner at this point in the season, but the game was still pretty close into the second half. We have a confident group and I am happy about our defensive performance."

Paw Prints: UAlbany recorded its first shutout since last October 9th, a 48-0 win over Saint Francis, Pa. ... the Great Danes and Wagner met for the 15th time ... UAlbany has reached the five-win mark in conference play for the ninth time in 13 seasons as a league member ... the Great Danes have won eight in a row against NEC opposition ... defensive tackle Zach Gallo made a career-high 11 tackles and defensive end Eddie Delaney matched a career-best with 1.5 sacks ... Andrew Smith accounted for 100-plus all-purpose yards for the sixth consecutive game ... Smith toppled the 100-rushing mark for the fifth time in his career.

#18 University of Albany Field Hockey Holds Off #10 New Hampshire, 3-2 in America East Action; McConville Nets Game Winner - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

Gonzalez Becomes University of Albany Volleyball Career Digs Leader; UAlbany Volleyball Sweeps UMBC - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Laurie Gonzalez became UAlbany's career digs leader, recording a match-high 23 to lead the Great Danes to a 3-0 win over UMBC in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. UAlbany posted set scores of 25-21, 25-21 and 25-15 to sweep the Retrievers. Gonzalez, who passed Ashley DeNeal '08 to take over the top spot in UAlbany annals, now has 1,917 career digs.

UMBC jumped out to an early 9-3 lead on three straight kills, including two by Ali Loynachan, prompting UAlbany to take a timeout. Dunja Prgomet recorded a kill to end the UMBC rally. The Great Danes rallied from the deficit, tying the match at 11-11, and then taking the lead on three consecutive kills by Casey Wright. Emily Vandegrift recorded a kill to pull the Retrievers back within one, 17-16, but UAlbany continued to rally, as Gonzalez served for three straight points, including a service ace, putting the Great Danes ahead, 22-17. UAlbany got to set point on one of Wright's six kills in the first, but Loynachan and Dalton Tolliver nailed back-to-back kills to keep UMBC in play. However, a Retriever service error ended the set in UAlbany's favor.

The teams played a close start to the second set, tying the match six times in the early going before UAlbany took control. Progomet took over the service game after a Wright kill, and served for four straight points, including one of UAlbany's five service aces, to put the Great Danes ahead, 11-7. Emily Vandegrift pulled the Retreivers back within 14-13 on a kill, but UAlbany continued to rally. After a UMBC service error, Abbey Wexel served for four consecutive points to put UAlbany up, 21-16. After a block by Tolliver and Alexandria Spaay, Samantha Brostrom gave UAlbany set point with one of her nine kills in the match. Traci Vandegrift took an assist from Brooke Stanley to end the set and give the Great Danes a 2-0 match lead.

The Great Danes, who defeated UMBC, 3-0, earlier this season, were determined not to let the match go past three sets, and came out firing after the break. The Great Danes built up an 11-7 lead on a kill by Wright, and a kill by Traci Vandegrift prompted UMBC to take a timeout, down 13-8. The teams exchanged points on serves before Traci Vandegrift smacked back-to-back kills to put UAlbany ahead, 22-14. A Retriever attack error gave UAlbany set point, and Brostrom served up an ace to end the match and give the Great Danes the three-set sweep.

Wright recorded a match-high 16 kills on .500 hitting for UAlbany, while Traci Vandegrift added another nine, hitting .353 for the match. Stanley finished with 34 assists and eight digs, while Wexel added 12 digs for the Great Danes. Emily Vandegrift led the Retrievers with eight kills, while Spaay recorded a double-double of 25 assists and 12 digs. Libero Ali Goc added 13 digs for UMBC (12-11, AE 2-6).

UAlbany (14-8, AE 7-1) will return to action on Sunday, hosting Stony Brook in America East Conference action at 1 p.m.

Bergeron Leads University of Albany Women's Soccer to 2-1 Double-Overtime Win Over Vermont in America East Quarterfinals - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Shayla Bergeron scored the gamewinner in the second overtime period to lead UAlbany to a 2-1 victory over sixth-seeded Vermont in an America East Women's soccer quarterfinal match on Thursday afternoon at Varsity Field. The third-seeded Great Danes move on to the tournament semifinals against #2 Hartford on Sunday.

After a scoreless first overtime, Bergeron tallied the decisive goal in the 108th minute. The junior forward picked the ball up at midfield and took it all the way through the Vermont defense. She passed four Catamount defenders, coming head on with Vermont goalkeeper Sarah Leiby, chipping the ball into the left side of the net for the score.

UAlbany got on the board first in regulation, as Maggie DeVerna passed the ball ahead to Katie Grant, who shot from just outside the goalie box. In the 10th minute, Grant's shot sailed just above Leiby's head and into the top right corner. Vermont netted the equalizer in the 72nd minute to send the ball to overtime. Off of a Vermont free kick into the box, Midori Eckenstein headed the ball towards the net, where Ellie Mills got a head on the ball in the air and redirected it past UAlbany's Jackie Ubert.

The teams played a fairly even game, with Vermont holding a slight 19-16 edge in shots and 8-5 advantage in corner kicks. Ubert played all 107:34 for the Great Danes between the pipes, making 10 saves. Leiby also recorded a complete game for Vermont, stopping 10 shots. The Catamounts end the season with a 5-10 overall record.

UAlbany (8-9) will look to win its first America East semifinal game against Hartford on Sunday at 2 p.m. The two teams played to a 1-1 tie in the regular season in Albany.

University of Albany Women's Soccer Earns Four America East Post-Season Accolades - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-26T14:09:00.000-07:00

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Chrissy Klepper and Rebecca Lee highlight a group of four Great Dane student-athletes honored on the America East Conference Women's Soccer All-Conference teams, as announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon. Klepper and Lee were both named to the all-conference second team, along with Chelsea DeVerna. Freshman Stephanie Nelle earned a spot on the all-rookie squad.

Lee leads the team on the season with four goals and two assists for 10 points. She has recorded one game-winning goal, and has converted 2-of-3 penalty kicks. In a 5-3 victory over New Hampshire in September, Lee scored two goals, and she netted the game winner in a 1-0 win at UMBC earlier in October. Klepper is second in scoring, recording three goals and three assists this season for nine total points. She has netted two game winners, and is second on the squad with 29 shots. The senior midfielder scored the winning goal in the season opener against Sacred Heart and netted the go-ahead tally in the regular-season finale win over Stony Brook.

DeVerna makes her third consecutive appearance on the all-conference second team. The junior forward has scored three goals and tallied one assist, while leading the Great Danes with 34 shots. DeVerna's goal against Maine on Oct. 16 helped lead UAlbany to a 3-1 victory to close out a stretch of four straight wins. Nelle has anchored a Great Dane defense that has recorded three shutouts and a 2.01 goals against average this season.

UAlbany (7-9-1, AE 5-2-1) will host Vermont in an America East Championship quarterfinal game on Thursday at 2 p.m. The Great Danes enter the tournament on a six-game undefeated streak, dating back to Oct. 2. UAlbany won four in a row before tying Hartford, and ended the regular season with a 2-1 victory on the road at Stony Brook.

-agate-

2011 America East Women's Soccer All-Conference Teams

First Team: Jessica Luscinski, F, Boston U.; Mary Beth Hamilton, F, Hartford; Amelia Pereira, F, Hartford; Brittany Heist, MF, Boston U.; Kylie Strom, MF, Boston U.; Caitlin Alves, MF, Hartford; Monique Lamotte, MF, New Hampshire; Angelina Cords, D, Boston U.; Katherine Donnelly, D, Boston U.; Michele DeSanti, D, Hartford; Erin Quinlan, GK, Hartford.

Second Team: Chelsea DeVerna, F, UAlbany; Tiya Gallegos, F, Boston U.; Rachel McKee, F, UMBC; Rebecca Lee, MF, UAlbany; Chrissy Klepper, MF, UAlbany; Stephanie Gilkenson, MF, New Hampshire; Sa'sha Kershaw, MF, Stony Brook; Christiana Lang, D, Hartford; Kelly Mooney, D, New Hampshire; Alexa DeMaio, D, Vermont; Alice Binns, GK, Boston U.

All-Rookie Team: Stephanie Nelle, UAlbany; Connie Gormley, Binghamton; Ariana Aston, Boston U.; Taylor Krebs, Boston U.; Jamie Turchi, Boston U.; Chanel Johnson, Hartford; Jordan Pellerin, Maine; Camile Varin-Tremblay, Maine; Meghan Ledwith, New Hampshire; Regan Bosnyak, Stony Brook; Alexandra Dezenzo, Vermont; Kerry Glynn, Vermont.

Striker of the Year: Jessica Luscinski, Boston U.

Midfielder of the Year: Brittany Heist, Boston U.

Defender of the Year: Angelina Cords, Boston U.

Goalkeeper of the Year: Erin Quinlan, Hartford

Rookie of the Year: Taylor Krebs, Boston U.

Coaching Staff of the Year: John Natale, Hartford

2011 UAlbany FCS Football Gameday @ Wagner: 10/29/11

2011-10-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

University of Albany: Championship Subdivision Football (FCS)

UAlbany FCS Football Homepage

UAlbany FCS Football Roster

UAlbany FCS Football Stats

UAlbany FCS Football Media Guide

UAlbany FCS Football Game Notes

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NEXT GAME

Date: Saturday, October 29, 2011
Time: 12pm
Opponent: Wagner
Location: Staten Island, NY
Facility: Wagner College Stadium
Directions
Tickets

Distance:
From Albany - 165m
From Boston – 229m
From NYC - 13m

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2011 UAlbany FCS Football Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 at Colgate L 34-37 --
Sat, Sep 17 Maine L 15-31 --
Sat, Sep 24 at Columbia W 44-21 --
Sat, Oct 1 at St. Francis (PA) W 41-20 --
Sat, Oct 8 Duquesne W 38-10 --
Sat, Oct 15 Robert Morris W 28-17 --
Sat, Oct 22 Central Connecticut State W 63-35 --
Sat, Oct 29 at Wagner 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 5 Bryant 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 12 at Monmouth 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 Sacred Heart 1:00 pm --

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Gameday Live Media Coverage:

FoxSports Radio - Great Dane Football
Webcast
Live Stats

Pregame Media Coverage:

Big Purple Fans - UAlbany Fan Board

Coach's Corner:

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Wagner University: Championship Subdivision Football (FCS)

Football Homepage

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Football Media Guide

Football Stats

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2011 Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 St. Francis (PA) W 38-28 --
Sat, Sep 10 at Richmond L 6-21 --
Sat, Sep 17 Central Connecticut State L 24-28 --
Sat, Sep 24 at Bryant L 28-30 --
Sat, Oct 1 at Cornell L 7-31 --
Sat, Oct 8 Georgetown L 10-24 --
Sat, Oct 22 at Duquesne L 21-37 --
Sat, Oct 29 Albany 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 5 Sacred Heart 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 12 at Robert Morris 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 at Monmouth 12:00 pm --

Stadium:

University of Albany Football's Dan Di Lella Named NEC Offensive Player of the Week for Second Straight Time - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Dan Di Lella has been chosen Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Oct. 24 by the conference office. Di Lella, a 6-foot-5 quarterback, was recognized with the league award for the second consecutive week.

Di Lella set a school record with five touchdown passes, including four in the first half, and scored on a 20-yard run in the third quarter in last Saturday's 63-35 NEC victory against Central Connecticut State. He jump-started a run of 21 unanswered in the second half that broke the game open. He found tight end Paul Booker with a 7-yard scoring pass, his fifth of the game, and then ran for touchdown that gave his team a 49-21 lead.

A native of Neshanic Station, N.J., Di Lella is the first UAlbany player to account for six touchdowns in a game at the Division I FCS level. He completed 14-of-22 through the air for a career-high 283 yards, tying the sixth-best figure in school annals. Di Lella added 75 yards on the ground and established the program's FCS single-game record with 358 total yards. In seven starting assignments, he has thrown for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is 21st nationally in total offense at 258.6 yards per game.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (5-2, NEC 4-0) is receiving votes in both national Division I FCS polls ... the Great Danes own a five-game winning streak for the first time in two years ... UAlbany surpassed the 500-mark in total yards with 573 against Central Connecticut State, plus scored its most points in a conference game ... QB Dan Di Lella, who set the program's FCS standard with 358 total yards last week, helped the offense score on nine of 11 possessions ... the Great Danes are fourth nationally in scoring (37.6 ppg) and ninth in total offense (448.9 ypg) ... TB Andrew Smith has accounted for 100 or more all-purpose yards in five consecutive games ... WR Ryan Kirchner is the 12th UAlbany player to reach 1,000 career receiving yards (1,006) ... FS Justin Hassan became the sixth active UAlbany defender to register 100 career tackles (101) ... UAlbany travels to Wagner on Saturday, Oct. 29 for a 12:07 p.m. kickoff ... the contest is part of the NEC television package and can be seen on ESPN 3 and Fox College Sports.

University of Albany All-America Track Hurdler Alie Beauvais Competes at XVI Pan American Games - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Former University at Albany All-America hurdler Alie Beauvais will compete this week at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Beauvais, who will represent his native country of Haiti, is scheduled to run in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles preliminary round on Wednesday, Oct. 26. The Pan American Games are held the year prior to the Summer Olympics.

Beauvais, who attended Hempstead High School on Long Island, earned third-team All-America honors last year when he advanced to the NCAA 400-hurdles semifinals. Beauvais, who also qualified for nationals in 2009, punched his ticket to the NCAAs with a third-place effort at the East Preliminary Round.

Beauvais suffered a leg injury in early May at the 2011 America East Conference meet, but returned one month later to compete at NCAA regionals. He ran a season-best time of 51.08 seconds when he took third at Penn Relays. In 2010, Beauvais set the school's indoor 500-meter record of 1:02.32.

During his career, he previously represented Haiti and advanced to the finals in the 400-hurdles at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games. In addition to UAlbany's success at the America East Conference level, Beauvais was a key figure in the program's three IC4A championships.

University of Albany's Brooke Stanley Earns Fifth America East Volleyball Setter of the Week Award - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-25T05:51:00.001-07:00

Cambridge, Mass. - Senior setter Brooke Stanley was named the America East Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. It is Stanley's fifth weekly award this season.

Stanley led the Great Danes to two sweeps last week, as the team defeated Colgate, 3-0, in non-league action on Wednesday before posting a 3-0 win over Binghamton in America East play on Sunday. The native of Hendersonville, N.C. averaged 12.33 assists, the highest in the conference for the week, and led the team to a .356 hitting percentage. She also recorded 1.50 digs and 1.17 kills, along with two service aces on the week.

Against Colgate, Stanley finished with 38 assists, four kills, four digs and an ace while the Great Danes hit .360 as a team. Versus the Bearcats at home, she tallied 36 assists, three kills, five digs, two blocks and an ace. One of Stanley's two blocks against Binghamton was a solo block in the second set that gave the Great Danes a commanding 17-12 lead. She leads the conference with 11.03 assists per set this season, while UAlbany leads the league with a team hitting percentage of .232.

University of Albany W Soccer Edges Stony Brook; Hosts Vermont in Thursday's America East Quarterfinal Match - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Chrissy Klepper scored the game-winner with an unassisted goal off a free kick to lead UAlbany to a 2-1 win over Stony Brook in America East Conference women's soccer action on Sunday afternoon at LaValle Stadium. The Great Danes, who secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming America East Championship, will host sixth-seeded Vermont on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the league tournament.

After a scoreless first half, UAlbany ended the drought with a goal in the 61st minute. Senior Katie Grant took a long cross from Harrison from the right wing. Grant and Stony Brook goalkeeper Chelsea Morales both went for the ball, but Grant got there first, heading it into the net. Ten minutes later, Klepper netted what would prove to be the game-winner, taking an assist off Amy Harrison's free kick from 45 yards out on the right wing. Morales misplayed the ball in the air, and Klepper knocked it across the goal line for the score.

The Seawolves attempted a late comeback, as Sa'sha Kershaw scored a goal in the 74th minute to cut the UAlbany lead to one. Christi Casamassina sent a crossing pass from the right wing, were Kershaw collected the ball and slipped it past UAlbany netminder Jackie Ubert with two taps.

UAlbany held a 19-13 shot advantage, including a 13-8 tally in the second half, and also took three corner kicks to Stony Brook's one. Ubert played a complete game between the pipes for the Great Danes, recording five saves, while Morales stopped seven UAlbany shots for Stony Brook (4-12-1, AE 2-5-1).

UAlbany wraps up the regular season with a 7-9-1 overall record, posting a 5-2-1 ledger in America East play. The Great Danes have not lost a game since October 2, notching four straight victories before settling for a tie against league-leader Hartford on Thursday. UAlbany defeated Vermont (5-9-4, AE 3-4-1), 2-1, in the regular-season meeting between the two teams. The winner will face No. 2 seed Hartford on Sunday at 2 p.m.

University of Albany Volleyball Sweeps Binghamton in Three Sets; Tied for First in America East Standings UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Casey Wright recorded a match-high 16 kills on .481 hitting to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Binghamton in America East Conference volleyball action on Sunday afternoon at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes swept the Bearcats with set scores of 25-16, 25-17 and 25-15.

UAlbany came out firing, building up a quick 9-3 advantage in the first set on a kill by Wright, prompting Binghamton to take an early timeout. The Bearcats regrouped and scored the next four points to pull within 9-7, but Wright smacked another one of her five kills in the set to end the rally and put the Great Danes back in control. UAlbany pulled ahead, 14-10, on a kill by Samantha Brostrom, but a kill by Binghamton's Kristin Hovie, followed by two Great Dane errors allowed the Bearcats to get within a point. A timeout by UAlbany refocused the Great Danes, who quickly jumped back ahead, getting to set point on back-to-back kills by Gabby Whitworth. A Binghamton attack error ended the set and gave UAlbany a 1-0 match lead.

The teams played a closer start to the second set, tying the score six times before UAlbany pulled ahead, 18-13, behind the service game of Abbey Wexel. A kill by Annelot Nieuwenhuis ended the rally, but Wright smashed a kill up the middle and put The Great Danes back in control. Dunja Prgomet, who recorded two service aces on the day, notched one on her first serve, and then served for three additional points to put the Great Danes up by ten, 23-13. Grace Vickers recorded a kill and then took over serve for Binghamton and attempted to start a rally for the Bearcats, pulling within 23-17. Wright took an assist from Stanley to get UAlbany to set point, and then recorded a kill off her own serve to end the set.

UAlbany wasted no time after the break, and built up a 12-6 lead on back-to-back kills by Brostrom. Binghamton pulled to within four, 14-10, on a service ace by Julie Chambers, but the Great Danes would not fold, building up a 19-11 advantage on the team's fifth ace of the day, served up by Brostrom. Wright was involved the the final four points of the match, recording three kills, including the match-winner, and combining with Stanley on a block for set point.

Brostrom added nine kills in the match, going without an error in 24 attempts for a .375 hitting percentage, while also coming up with 11 digs. Stanley quarterbacked the Great Danes to a .352 team hitting percentage, finishing with 36 assists, five digs, three kills and two blocks. Laurie Gonzalez recorded 12 digs, and now needs just ten digs to set the UAlbany career record.

Binghamton (10-15, AE 2-5) was led by Hovie and Nieuwenhuis, who each totaled nine kills. Libero Xiomara Ortiz finished with 11 digs, while Emily Litwin added 10 digs defensively. Setter Amanda Dettmann finished with 29 assists and eight digs.

UAlbany (13-8, AE 7-1) will return to action on Friday, hosting UMBC in America East action at 7 p.m. The Great Danes posted a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Retrievers earlier this season in Baltimore.

University of Albany Football's Di Lella Sets School Record for TD Passes in 63-35 NEC Win at Central Conn. State - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

New Britain, Conn. - Senior quarterback Dan Di Lella threw a school-record five touchdown passes and ran for another score in leading UAlbany to a 63-35 Northeast Conference victory over Central Connecticut State on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Arute Field. The Great Danes, who have won five in a row, remained in sole possession of first place in the conference standings.

UAlbany (5-2, NEC 4-0) led 35-21 at the intermission, but then exploded for 21 unanswered in the second half. The Great Danes drove 80 yards in 10 plays on their first offensive series. Andrew Smith, a junior tailback, broke free on the right sideline with a 57-yard screen pass to wipe a second-and-21 situation. Di Lella wrapped up the possession with a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Paul Booker, his fifth of the game to break the program's all-time standard.

Di Lella, who threw for a career-high 283 yards on 14-of-22 through the air, and added 75 yards on the ground, called his own number the next time the Great Danes touched the ball. His completed a 29-yard pass to Cole King and followed with a 20-yard scamper to paydirt. Defensive tackle Andrew Smith ended the scoring spree with a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 56-21 advantage.

"I just followed (offensive guard) Kyle O'Keefe on the screen," explained Smith, who had 125 all-purpose yards. "We have the talent and now it is all coming together. We have the same guys from last year; there is a chemistry. Dan (Di Lella) knows the offense and he knows the receivers."

UAlbany broke a 7-7 tie in the opening period by scoring on consecutive possessions. Di Lella hooked up with reserve tight end Brian Parker on a 57-yard touchdown reception, his first career catch, in beating a cornerback blitz. After the Blue Devils ran out of downs at the Albany 39, the Great Danes mixed the run and pass on a six-play drive. Di Lella fired a 34-yard post-pattern strike to Nick Hutcherson for a two-touchdown lead.

In an offensive shootout from the start, Central Connecticut State (2-6, NEC 1-4) answered with a 12-play, 71-yard march. Gunnar Jespersen's 36-yard completion to Deven Baker on third-and-12 kept the series alive. Jespersen finished off the sequence with a one-yard run over right guard. UAlbany retaliated with a 14-play drive for a 28-14 advantage. Di Lella's seven-yard shovel pass put Smith across the goal line.

The Blue Devils, who have dropped five straight, came up with the game's first turnover when linebacker Lawton Arnold hit Di Lella as he threw and strong safety Antwione Reese came up with the interception near midfield. The miscue led to Jespersen's 18-yard scoring pass to a high-leaping Baker. UAlbany regrouped once again with a drive that ate up most of the first-half clock. Dillon Romain's nine-yard run on fourth down was a key play. Ryan Kirchner would later haul in Di Lella's pass with two hands in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard score and a 14-point halftime margin.

"Dan Di Lella threw the ball well and ran the ball well," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team set a record for most points against an NEC opponent. "The defense struggled early on, but we figured it out at halftime and were able to get a number of three-and-outs."

CCSU's Jespersen completed 11 of 18 pass attempts for 205 yards. He threw a 47-yard scoring pass in the opening period and 30-yard TD in the final stanza, both to wide receiver Nick Bacarella. Brian Fowler and reserve quarterback Andrew Clements, a converted linebacker, added 85 and 74 rushing yards, respectively.

"It was a team effort," offered Di Lella, who broke a single-game record that was shared by Joe Savino and Brad Aldrich. "Your teammates help you out and that means a lot to me. I trust everyone to make a make a play. We just wanted to keep our foot on the gas."

Paw Prints: UAlbany has a five-game win streak for the first time in two years ... the Great Danes and Central Connecticut State met for the 16th time ... the last three games in the series were each decided by three points or less ... the Great Danes set a program record for most points against an NEC opponent, as the previous mark was 58 against Saint Francis, Pa. on Oct. 20, 2007 ... QB Dan Di Lella established career-highs in passing yards (283) and total offense (368) ... Di Lella eclipsed Michael Oliva's record of most total offensive yards against an NEC team, as Oliva had 323 against Stony Brook on Oct. 2, 1999 ... Ryan Kirchner became the 12th UAlbany receiver to surpass 1,000 career receiving yards (1,006) ... the Great Danes have won seven straight against conference opposition ... UAlbany has registered four or more league wins in all 13 seasons as an NEC member.

University of Albany Volleyball Sweeps Non-Conference Opponent Colgate - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hamilton, N.Y. - Dunja Prgomet recorded a match-high 12 kills on .480 hitting to go along with seven digs, leading UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Colgate in non-conference volleyball action on Wednesday evening at Cotterell Court. The Great Danes swept the Raiders with set scores of 25-18, 25-18 and 25-13.

Colgate jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first set before service error ended the run. Michelle McCarthy put the Raiders up 5-1 with a kill, but UAlbany came roaring back, eventually tying the set at 10-10 on a kill by Traci Vandegrift and taking its first lead with a Prgomet kill. Another kill by McCarthy tied the set for a final time at 11-11, but the Great Danes rattled off six straight points to take a 17-11 advantage. UAlbany continued to roll, getting back-to-back kills from Gabby Whitworth, followed by a service ace by Brooke Stanley, getting ahead, 23-16. Samantha Brostrom gave UAlbany set point with a kill before Prgomet took an assist from Stanley to end the set.

UAlbany's momentum carried into the next set. Despite a back-and-forth start, the Great Danes took an 8-7 advantage on a kill by Whitworth, and scored the next three points to pull ahead, 11-7, and prompt Colgate to take a timeout. After a UAlbany service error gave the Raiders a chance to rally back, Whitworth smacked another kill, giving Brostrom the ball behind the service line for the Great Danes. Brostrom served for six straight points, putting UAlbany up by 10, 18-8 before Colgate could get another point on a kill by Maureen Colligan. Brostrom later gave the Great Danes set point with a kill before Stanley ended the set with a kill of her own off an assist from Natalee Gruse.

The Great Danes did not slow in the third set, building up a quick 9-2 advantage behind five serves by Laurie Gonzalez, including two aces and two blocks by Vandegrift and Casey Wright. The teams exchanged points before UAlbany embarked on another rally, scoring five straight points to build up a 19-8 advantage. UAlbany scored the final three points of the set, getting to match point on a Colgate attack error and ending the match on a kill by Vanessa Sheffield.

Wright finished with nine kills, while Whitworth and Vandegrift added seven and six, respectively. Gonzalez led the team defensively with 24 digs, while Brostrom added 11 digs and two aces. Stanley totaled 38 assists, along with four digs, four kills and one ace.

Colgate (9-12) was led by Lindsay Young with 10 kills, while McCarthy added nine. Lexi Finger paced the Raiders defensively with 13 digs. Caitlin Cremin and Blaire Safir also totaled double-digit dig totals with 11 and 10, respectively. Kaylee Fifer tallied 32 assists and helped the Raiders with eight digs and five kills.

UAlbany (11-8) will return to action on Sunday, hosting Binghamton in America East play at 5 p.m.

University of Albany Field Hockey Moves Up to 15th in NFHCA Poll - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany field hockey climbed to No. 15 in the Kookaburra/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I Coaches Poll, the program's eighth consecutive week in the rankings. The weekly poll was announced Tuesday, October 18 by the organization.
After sweeping both America East Conference opponent Vermont and Delaware to record their third and fourth consecutive shutout, the Great Danes moved up one position switching spots with Boston U. (16th). Also on the move were other conference foes; Maine bumped up to 13th and New Hampshire dropped two spots to 10th.

UAlbany (12-5) has two regular-season games remaining, both featuring conference opponents. The Great Danes will travel to Boston U. Saturday, October 23rd at 3:00 p.m. and host New Hampshire on Saturday, October 29th at 1:00 p.m.

Paw Prints: After defeating Delaware 4-0 on this past Sunday, the Great Danes hosted their second annual "Stick it to Cancer" fundraiser and clinic. The team hosted 85 athletes from the Shenendehowa School District to work on field hockey skills and training. UAlbany raised $300 from donations for the National Foundation of Cancer Research and $425 for the Luke Romano Fund.

UAlbany's Paul Lagno Named America East Conference Cross Country Performer of the Week

2011-10-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany's Paul Lagno has been selected for the second time this season as the America East Conference Men's Cross Country Performer of the Week, as announced Tuesday, October 18th by the league office.

Lagno successfully defended his men's individual crown, leading UAlbany to a second consecutive team title in the R.K. Munsey Men's Championship Race at the 45th Annual UAlbany Invitational on October 15th during Homecoming Weekend. Finishing ahead of 184 participants, he clocked an 8K time of 24:42. This was Lagno's second first-place finish on the season, after completing 6,000 meters in 18:11.17 at the Monmouth Kick-Off to set a new course record. That performance also garnered the junior harrier his first conference weekly honor this season.

Following the UAlbany Invitational performance the men's team moves up two spots to eighth in the USTFCCCA Northeast Regional, the program's highest ranking to date. The Great Danes men's and women's cross country teams will now focus on the America East Championship, hosted by UAlbany on Saturday, October 29th.

UAlbany Quarterback Dan Di Lella Named Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week

2011-10-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Dan Di Lella has been named Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Oct. 17 by the league office. Di Lella, a 6-foot-5 quarterback, helped move the Great Danes into sole possession of first place in the conference standings following last Saturday's 28-17 victory over Robert Morris at University Field.

Di Lella, a senior from Neshanic Station, N.J., passed for a career-high 279 yards and three first-half touchdowns in his team's fourth win in a row. He completed 20 of 30 attempts to tie the eighth-best single-game passing total in school history. Di Lella led his team to touchdowns on consecutive possessions in the first quarter. He fired a 44-yard scoring strike to Cole King and a 9-yard TD pass to Nick Hutcherson. The UAlbany signal-caller hooked up with Ryan Kirchner on a 27-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Di Lella, who became the eighth UAlbany quarterback to pass for more than 2,000 career yards in the contest, led an offense that piled up 473 yards. In six starting assignments, has thrown for 1,274 yards and 11 touchdowns, plus added 178 yards on the ground. UAlbany (4-2, NEC 3-0) owns a four-game win streak for the first time since 2009.

Paw Prints: The Great Danes have moved to first place in the Northeast Conference standings for the first time since Oct. 26, 2009 ... UAlbany travels to Central Connecticut State on Saturday, Oct. 22. at 12 noon ... the Blue Devils rallied for an overtime win last year and came from behind for a 31-29 decision in 2009 ... UAlbany won its Homecoming game for the sixth consecutive year ... QB Dan Di Lella was also recognized by College Sports Madness as the NEC's player of the week ... TB Andrew Smith has accounted for 100 or more all-purpose yards in fourth straight games ... UAlbany is No. 16 in total offense (428.2 ypg) and No. 19 in scoring (33.3 ppg) among the NCAA Division I FCS leaders ... the Great Danes are receiving votes in both national polls ... Paul Layton is fourth nationally with a 45.4 punting average ... Eddie Delaney made four tackles and had a career-high 1.5 sacks versus Robert Morris ... Delaney, who was the subject of a national Associated Press wire story last week, will be noted in the upcoming edition of Sports Illustrated.

Casey Wright Named America East Conference Volleyball Player of the Week

2011-10-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

Cambridge, Mass. - Casey Wright was named the America East Conference Volleyball Player of the Week after leading UAlbany to a 1-1 week in league play, as announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon. It is Wright's first weekly honor of the season.

The senior middle blocker averaged 5.00 kills and 1.50 blocks per set, while posting a .509 hitting percentage in matches against Hartford and New Hampshire. Wright, a native of Ballston Spa, N.Y., recorded 14 kills without an error in 23 attempts for a .609 hitting percentage in a three-set sweep of Hartford on Friday. She also finished with six total blocks, including three solo, against the Hawks. Wright followed that up with a 16-kill performance at New Hampshire, hitting .438 for the match, adding three blocks and three digs.

2011 UAlbany FCS Football Gameday @ C Connecticut State: 10/22/11

2011-10-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

University of Albany Football: Championship Subdivision Football (FCS)

UAlbany FCS Football Homepage

UAlbany FCS Football Roster

UAlbany FCS Football Stats

UAlbany FCS Football Media Guide

UAlbany FCS Football Game Notes

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NEXT GAME

Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011
Time: 12pm
Opponent: Central Connecticut State
Location: New Britain, CT
Facility: Arute Field
Directions
Tickets

Distance:
From Albany - 124m
From Boston – 113m
From NYC - 115m

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2011 UAlbany FCS Football Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 at Colgate L 34-37 --
Sat, Sep 17 Maine L 15-31 --
Sat, Sep 24 at Columbia W 44-21 --
Sat, Oct 1 at St. Francis (PA) W 41-20 --
Sat, Oct 8 Duquesne W 38-10 --
Sat, Oct 15 Robert Morris W 28-17 --
Sat, Oct 22 at Central Connecticut State 12:00 pm --
Sat, Oct 29 at Wagner 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 5 Bryant 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 12 at Monmouth 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 Sacred Heart 1:00 pm --

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Gameday Live Media Coverage:

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Pregame Media Coverage:

Big Purple Fans - UAlbany Fan Board

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Central Conn State: Championship Subdivision Football (FCS)

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2011 Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 Southern Connecticut State W 35-21 --
Sat, Sep 10 at James Madison L 9-14 --
Sat, Sep 17 at Wagner W 28-24 --
Sat, Sep 24 Monmouth L 12-24 --
Sat, Oct 1 Sacred Heart L 24-37 --
Sat, Oct 8 at Massachusetts L 26-42 --
Sat, Oct 15 at Duquesne L 21-28 --
Sat, Oct 22 Albany 12:00 pm --
Sat, Oct 29 at St. Francis (PA) 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 5 Robert Morris 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 at Bryant 12:00 pm --

Stadium:

University of Albany Field Hockey Ousts Delaware, 4-0, in Non-Conference Play For Fourth Straight Win - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Three UAlbany players tallied in the first half en route to a 4-0 shutout win over Delaware in non-conference field hockey action Sunday afternoon. The Great Danes and Blue Hens faced off in the second annual "Stick it to Cancer" fundraiser and clinic event by UAlbany field hockey, which supports both the Luke Romano Fund and the National Foundation for Cancer Research.
In the eleventh minute of the game senior forward Christina Patrick received a quick rebound pass from teammate Daphne Voormolen to put away her 13th goal on the season and fifth game winning goal on the year. Over the next 15 minutes the Blue Hens would take a few shots, but none hit the target. Regaining possession, the Great Danes converted on a long shot from Taylor Luke as Nina Walters threw her stick in front of the shot, tipping it high for her third goal this season.

UAlbany (12-5, 2-1 AE) converted on an awarded penalty stroke late in the first half to hold a 3-0 lead going into halftime. Corrine McConville made the tally, moving to 3-for-4 in penalty strokes on the season. Katharina Helling added the final goal in the game in the 55th minute as she found a loose ball in front, putting it into the high right corner.

"Very good team effort today, as we had great ball movement and solid defense," said UAlbany Head Coach Phil Sykes. "Delaware is a strong team, we were fortunate to score four goals. We hope to keep this momentum into next weekend's conference game at Boston U."

UAlbany goalkeeper Redshirt freshman Sammie Rimback made her first start this season and completed the shutout for the Great Danes with four saves. UAlbany has now shutout their opponents for the last 245 minutes and 21 seconds of play.

Delaware (6-9) goalkeeper Noelle Diana made eight saves in the loss. The Blue Hens totaled for eight shots, with only four falling on target.

The Great Danes completed a four-game homestead with four shutout victories. The team will travel to Boston U. next Saturday, October 23rd for a 3:00 p.m. start as they look for another conference game victory.

University of Albany Women's Soccer Captures Fourth Straight Match to Record Longest Division I Win Streak - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Katie Grant took assists from Chrissy Klepper and Kendra Harrell-Vigil to score the first goal of the game just 10:25 into play, leading UAlbany to a 3-1 win over Maine in America East Conference women's soccer action on Sunday afternoon at Varsity Field. The senior trio, who were honored along with the team's other three seniors prior to the start of the game, helped the Great Danes to their fourth straight win. It is the first time in Division I history that UAlbany has won four consecutive games.

Harrell-Vigil chipped a pass ahead to Klepper, who headed the ball to Grant in the 11th minute of play. Grant redirected the ball into the net to give the Great Danes the early lead. Maine tied the game at 1-1 in the 19th minute, and Jordan Pellerin crossed the ball in front of the goal, where it was misplayed by UAlbany goalkeeper Jackie Ubert. Maggie Malone collected the stray shot and knocked it into the net.

The Great Danes took the lead for good at 33:11, as Casey Marks connected on a penalty kick. Chelsea DeVerna took an assist from Katie Dunn two minutes later to give UAlbany an insurance goal. Dunn passed the ball from the top left side of the box, where DeVerna tapped the ball past Maine goalkeeper Meagan Price-Leibenzeder, setting the final score of 3-1.

The teams played a scoreless second half, with each team taking five shots. UAlbany held a 13-8 shot advantage for the game, while both teams took two corner kicks. Price-Leibenzeder made four saves in the game for Maine (4-8-1, AE 1-5-0), while Ubert stopped two Black Bear shots.

UAlbany, who also honored seniors Rebecca Lee, Katie Norwood and Nicole Berard, will return to action on Thursday, in the final home game of the season, hosting Hartford at 3 p.m.

University of Albany FCS Football Gains First Place in Northeast Conference Standings with 28-17 Homecoming Victory - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Quarterback Dan Di Lella passed for a career-high 279 yards and three touchdowns in leading UAlbany to a 28-17 Northeast Conference victory over Robert Morris on Saturday, Oct. 15 at University Field. The Great Danes, who have won four straight, moved into sole possession of first place in the conference standings.

UAlbany (4-2, NEC 3-0) scored on two consecutive possessions in the opening quarter and grabbed a 14-0 lead. After a short punt by Robert Morris' Tony LaMancusa, Di Lella went upstairs on the first play from scrimmage and wide receiver Cole King made a leaping 44-yard touchdown catch in the end zone. The Great Danes followed with an 11-play, 80-yard march. DiLella, who completed 20-of-30 through the air, twice hooked up with Nick Hutcherson during the series, including a 9-yard scoring pass with 3:46 left in the period.

The Great Danes, who were playing before a homecoming crowd, took advantage of a mistake by the visitors midway through the second quarter when fullback Jamar Cromwell fumbled on a third-and-two play and cornerback Duane Harper made the recovery at the Colonials' 36. After the UAlbany offense later backed up due to a holding penalty, Di Lella moved to his right and found wide receiver Ryan Kirchner in the end zone, who got one foot inside the end line on a 27-yard touchdown catch.

"It was a broken play," explained Di Lella, who also threw three touchdown passes two weeks ago against Saint Francis, Pa. "Ryan (Kirchner) gave me a wave hello. I didn't see it, but I heard it was a great catch. It was good that we able to jump on them, because they jumped on us last year."

Robert Morris (2-4, NEC 2-1) dominated the third quarter to get back into the contest. Safety Cameron Chadwick stopped tailback Andrew Smith on fake-punt run to jump-start his team's first touchdown. The Colonials moved eight plays to paydirt. Quarterback Jeff Sinclair converted a third-and-nine situation with a 16-yard pass to tight end Shadrae King. Sinclair, who threw for 158 yards and added 78 on the ground, connected with Donte Jeter on an 8-yard TD. The all-conference signal-caller led his squad on a 13-play drive during its next offensive set that resulted in Greg Langer's 36-yard field on the last play of the stanza.

Still leading 21-10, UAlbany regained momentum on its next series with a six-play scoring march, all on the ground. Dillon Roman, a sophomore tailback, rushed five straight times, including a 34-yard burst into RMU territory. Romain, who ran 13 times for a season-best 93 yards, bounced off a pile and across the goal line on a one-yard blast with 12:53 remaining. Sinclair wrapped up the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown run in the final minute of play.

"We dominated play early and got up by 21 points with an opportunity to get one or two more scores," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team has its longest winning streak since the 2009 season. "We have some correctable mistakes to address, especially the penalties. We have got to come back down to earth, because next week's opponent beat us last year."

UAlbany's Smith added 90 rushing yards on 17 carries, as his team racked up more than 440 total yards for the fourth consecutive game. Kirchner had six receptions for 66 yards, and King hauled in four passes for 97.

"We were able to keep pressure (on the quarterback) with four guys," said defensive end Eddie Delaney, who had four tackles, 1.5 sacks and a pass break-up. "It frees up our linebackers and allows everyone to stay in coverage. The NEC is very competitive. You have to treat every game like it's a championship."

Paw Prints: UAlbany won its sixth consecutive Homecoming & Fall Festival game and improved to 28-11 all-time ... the Great Danes avenged a pair of losses to Robert Morris, after suffering a 38-0 setback last year and a last-second 13-10 defeat in 2009

... the Great Danes have won four in a row, their longest win streak since October 2009

... UAlbany's offense has totaled more than 435 yards in four consecutive games for the first time since the 2000 campaign ... QB Dan Di Lella's 279 passing yards ties the eighth-highest single-game total in program history ... TB Andrew Smith gained 100-plus all-purpose yards for the fourth straight game ... DT Zach Gallo had three tackles and a sack and joined the 100-career tackle club (102) ... Megan Buchanan (1996-00), basketball & golf, Steve Checksfield (1998-02), baseball & football, Samantha Cohen (1995-99,) cross country/track & field, and Howard Sellers (1990-94), track & field, were inducted into the UAlbany Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday evening and served as honorary game captains for the pre-game coin toss.

University of Albany's Paul Lagno Leads Men's Cross Country to Second Straight UAlbany Invitational Title - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-15T05:12:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Paul Lagno successfully defends title and led University at Albany to second consecutive title in the R.K. Munsey Men's Championship Race at the 45th Annual UAlbany Invitational Saturday afternoon held on a modified 8k course due to construction.

Lagno finished with a time of 24:42.6 in the men's 8,000-meter course, giving the Great Danes their fourth first overall finisher in the last ten years. Last week's America East Conference Men's Cross Country Performer of the Week Chris Burke finished second overall with a 24:45.9 time. Ethan Clary placed fourth for UAlbany, crossing the line at 25:20.9. The 185 competitors could not pass the trio, as they led from start to finish. Rounding out the top-five Great Danes finishers were Chris Buchanan in twelfth (25:55.7) and Alex Leuchanka in seventeenth (26:06.2).

"For the first year on the new course site it was a huge undertaking to get ready," said UAlbany Coach Craig McVey. "As for the race, we raced real well and the 25 visiting schools that competed loved the course too. Overall, today and the course was an awesome setting for cross country."

UAlbany, ranked 10th in the latest USTFCCA Division I Northeast Regional Poll, took the crown over the 21 competing teams by finishing 14 points ahead of second place finisher Binghamton. Division III standout Middlebury College took third place, finishing 70 points ahead of fourth place University of New Hampshire. Rounding out the top-five team scores was Brandeis who had two top-20 finishers.

In the Men's Purple 8k Race, Marist harrier Nick Salek finished the course first in 26:49.5. UAlbany had three top-five finishers; Patrick Murphy (3rd, 27:09.2), Ryan Florkiewicz (4th, 27:12.9) and John Dellalo (5th, 27:13.8).

The Great Dane harriers will now focus on the America East Championship, hosted by UAlbany on Saturday, October 29th. "We are excited with the conference (championship) meet coming up in two weeks," McVey on the upcoming championship portion of the season. "This next week it's all about going back and evaluating what we did on our own course and taking that to practice for the next two weeks. We will find out where we are and by the time we get to the championship meet we will be two weeks more prepared and healthier."

University of Albany Volleyball Remains Undefeated in America East Play; Downs Hartford in Three Sets - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

West Hartford, Conn. - Casey Wright recorded a match-high 14 kills on .609 hitting, along with six total blocks, leading UAlbany to a three-set sweep of Hartford in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening. The Great Danes, who remain undefeated in league play, won the match with set scores of 25-15, 25-17 and 25-22. UAlbany has now won 11 of the team's last 12 matches, including seven straight.

UAlbany jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead, as senior Brooke Stanley started the match with two service aces, sandwiched around a Hartford setting error. Wright recorded back-to-back kills to put UAlbany up, 12-6, and Dunja Prgomet served for three straight points, including a solo block by Wright. Michelle Cordell recorded a kill for Hartford to pull the Hawks within 15-9, but UAlbany continued to roll. A Hawk service error put the ball in Samantha Brostrom's hand for the Great Danes, building up a 20-11 lead. UAlbany got to set point on a block by Wright and Stanley, but Cordell took an assist from Danielle Etta to keep the set going. Wright then put a kill down the middle to end the set in UAlbany's favor.

The teams played a closer start to the second set, tying it up three times in the early going before Wright recorded a kill to give UAlbany's Abbey Wexel serve. Wexel served for four consecutive points, getting a kill and a block from Wright in the rally, and putting the Great Danes head, 10-5. Brostrom recorded two kills for UAlbany to build the Great Danes' advantage to 15-8, forcing Hartford to take a timeout to regroup. The Hawks got back-to-back kills from Kami Nethersole, pulling within 16-13. However, the Great Danes continued to build a lead, holding onto a five point lead, 20-15, on another solo block by Wright. The senior middle blocker then got UAlbany to set point and recorded the set-winning kill once again.

The third set was an early back-and-forth battle, with eight ties before UAlbany took the lead for good. Stanley served up an ace to knot the set at 11-11, and then served for three more points, including another ace, putting the Great Danes up, 14-11. The teams exchanged points before Hartford pulled within 18-17 on a UAlbany error. The Great Danes responded with a block by Wright and Stanley, and built up a 21-17 lead with kills by Brostrom and Stanley. Nethersole tallied back-to-back kills, pulling Hartford to within 23-21, prompting UAlbany to take a timeout. Brostrom tallied her 11th kill of the match to give the Great Danes set point, but Lindsay Anderson extended the set for Hartford. Stanley ended the set with a kill, keeping UAlbany's league record unblemished.

Stanley quarterbacked the Great Danes to a .327 team hitting percentage, finishing with 34 assists, along with three kills, two digs and four service aces. Laurie Gonzalez led the team defensively, recorded a match-high 20 digs, while Prgomet added nine digs and five kills. Traci Vandegrift recorded eight kills on .375 hitting.

Nethersole led Hartford (10-12, AE 1-4) with 11 kills, while Cordell added eight kills and 10 digs. Sareeta Nethersole added eight kills and nine digs. Setter Jackie Tamburri finished with 27 assists, seven digs and two block assists for the Hawks.

University of Albany Field Hockey Blanks Vermont, 3-0, in America East Play to Record Third Straight Shutout - UAlbany Sports 2011

2011-10-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman Chloe Pachuilo scored her first collegiate goal in the second minute of the game off her own rebound shot. University at Albany scored two more goals in the second half for the 3-0 America East Conference win over University of Vermont on Friday afternoon.
UAlbany (11-5, 2-1 AE), in its third of four home game stretch, completed its third straight shutout and allowed only one shot by Vermont (6-8, 0-3 AE). In the second half, Daphne Voormolen tallied her seventh on the year with a long shot just inside the arch to put the ball past Catamount goalkeeper Stephanie Zigmunt. Chantae Miller added an insurance goal in the 62nd minute, making it 3-0, with a short pass from Katharina Helling.

In the backfield, Zigmunt made 14 saves to bring her season total to 138, which is leads all America East goalkeepers. For UAlbany, Kristi Troch saved the one Vermont shot on goal and completed her fourth shutout of the season, again leading the league.

The Great Danes controlled both shots and penalty corners with a 31-4 and 14-3 edge, respectively.

On Sunday, October 16 the Great Danes will host Delaware at 1:30 p.m to complete a four-game home stand. UAlbany will be hosting the 2nd Annual "Stick it to Cancer" fundraiser and clinic, with all proceeds split between the Luke Romano Fund and National Foundation for Cancer Research.

2011 UAlbany FCS Football Gameday vs Robert Morris - 10/15/11

2011-10-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

University of Albany Football: Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

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NEXT GAME

Date: October 15, 2011
Time: 1pm
Opponent: Robert Morris
Location: University of Albany – Albany, NY
Facility: University Field
Directions
Tickets

Distance:
From Albany - 0m
From Syracuse – 145m
From Boston – 170m
From NYC - 157m

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2011 UAlbany FCS Football Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 at Colgate L 34-37 --
Sat, Sep 17 Maine L 15-31 --
Sat, Sep 24 at Columbia W 44-21 --
Sat, Oct 1 at St. Francis (PA) W 41-20 --
Sat, Oct 8 Duquesne W 38-10 --
Sat, Oct 15 Robert Morris 1:00 pm --
Sat, Oct 22 at Central Connecticut State 12:00 pm --
Sat, Oct 29 at Wagner 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 5 Bryant 1:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 12 at Monmouth 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 Sacred Heart 1:00 pm --

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FoxSports Radio - Great Dane Football
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Big Purple Fans - UAlbany Fan Board

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Robert Morris Football: Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

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2011 Schedule:

Sat, Sep 3 Dayton L 13-19 --
Sat, Sep 10 at Liberty L 7-38 --
Sat, Sep 17 at Morgan State L 12-13 --
Sat, Oct 1 at Monmouth W 23-20 --
Sat, Oct 8 St. Francis (PA) W 45-14 --
Sat, Oct 15 at Albany 1:00 pm --
Sat, Oct 22 Bryant 12:00 pm --
Sat, Oct 29 Sacred Heart 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 5 at Central Connecticut State 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 12 Wagner 12:00 pm --
Sat, Nov 19 at Duquesne 12:00 pm --

UAlbany FCS Football's Defensive Tackle Zach Gallo Selected Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week

2011-10-10T06:03:00.000-07:00

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Zach Gallo has been selected Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, Oct. 10 for his performance in last Saturday's 38-10 victory over Duquesne at University Field. Additionally, Paul Layton has been named College Football Performance Awards national punter of the week for the second time this season.

Gallo, a senior defensive tackle from Sayville, N.Y., made five tackles with one sack and a forced fumble in the showdown with league-leader Duquesne. The Dukes, who entered the contest averaging 33.8 points and 470.8 yards per game, were held to season-lows by a UAlbany opponent in total yards (235), rushing yards (91) and first downs (9).

Gallo, a 6-foot, 265-pound defender, twice wiped out scoring threats by the nation's fifth-ranked offense. With Duquesne facing a fourth-and-one at UAlbany's 34-yard line early in the second quarter, Gallo blew by his blocker and dropped preseason all-conference running back Larry McCoy for no gain. Early in the fourth quarter, Gallo spoiled the Dukes' first-down opportunity from the Great Danes' 29 by forcing McCoy to fumble. Gallo is tied for sixth on the team in tackles with 24 and needs one to reach the 100-career mark as a collegian.

Layton, a sophomore from Burnt Hills, N.Y., averaged 55.7 yards in three punting attempts against Duquesne. He nailed a 66-yard quick kick in the second quarter and had punts of 50 and 51 yards in the third period. Layton, who has 12 punts of 50 or more yards this season, is second among the NCAA Division I FCS leaders with a 47.4 average.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Robert Morris will meet on Saturday, Oct. 15 with first place in the Northeast Conference standings on the line ... kickoff is 1:07 p.m. on Homecoming/Fall Festival Weekend ... the game will be televised on Time Warner Cable Sports, with Rodger Wyland and Zach Bye providing the coverage ... UAlbany's Bob Ford and Robert Morris' Joe Walton each started their programs ... Ford recorded his 250th win as a college head coach last Saturday and is second only to Penn State's Joe Paterno in career victories among active Division I FBS or FCS coaches ... Walton, the from New York Jets' head coach from 1983-89, is in his 18th season at Robert Morris and has a 105-73-1 record ... QB Dan Di Lella was the College Sports Madness' NEC Player of the Week after he passed for 176 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 90 yards against Duquesne ... UAlbany's offense racked up more than 400 yards for the third straight game, a first since the 2003 season ... TB Andrew Smith recorded his third consecutive 100-yard rushing effort ... Steve Checksfield, a two-sport star in baseball and football, will one of four former athletes enshrined in the UAlbany Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday ... Checksfield was a first team All-NEC tight end in UAlbany inaugural season at the Division I FCS level in 1999.

UAlbany's Brooke Stanley & Samantha Brostrom Earn America East Weekly Volleyball Awards

2011-10-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Brooke Stanley has been chosen America East Conference Setter of the Week in women's volleyball, as announced on Monday, Oct. 10 by the conference office. In addition, freshman outside hitter Samantha Brostrom was tabbed as the conference rookie of the week.

Stanley, a senior from Hendersonville, N.C., has earned the league's setter award in four of the last five weeks. She led the Great Danes to a three-set sweep over America East opponent Providence on Oct. 7. Stanley totaled 49 assists, eight digs, three service aces and three kills and led an attack that hit .466 as a team for the match. She is first among the America East leaders at 11.87 assists per set.

Brostrom, who hails from Ellicott City, Md., received the conference rookie-of-the-week award for the second time this season. She registered a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs against Providence, plus had just two errors in 17 chances for a .529 hitting percentage. Brostrom is tied for eighth in hitting percentage (.304) and is 10th in kills (2.87 per set) among the America East leaders.

UAlbany (10-7, AE 4-0) is tied with New Hampshire for first place in the conference standings. The Great Danes have won 10 of their last 11 matches.