University of Albany's Valerie Sourbeer Named America East Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Valerie Sourbeer was named the 2009 America East Conference Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon.

Sourbeer, a senior outside hitter, posted a 3.65 cumulative grade point average with a major in business administration. She helped lead UAlbany to its second straight undefeated conference season and was named to the all-conference first team. Sourbeer averaged a team-best 3.09 kills per set while recording a .270 hitting percentage. She was also named to the all-academic squad for the second consecutive year and was the only unanimous selection to the team as a senior. A three-time America East Honor Roll recipient, Sourbeer earned a spot on the Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2007 and 2009. She is a member of the UAlbany Athletics Academic Honor Roll.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Sourbeer and Livergood Named to America East Volleyball All-Academic Team - Ualbany Sports 2009

Cambridge, Mass. - Seniors Valerie Sourbeer and Laura Livergood were both named to the 2009 America East Volleyball All-Academic Team as announced by the league office on Thursday afternoon.

Sourbeer, the only unanimous selection among the eight honorees, maintains a 3.63 cumulative grade point average with a major in business administration. An all-conference first team selection, Sourbeer lead the Great Danes this season, averaging a team-best 3.09 kills per set. She was also one of the team's top hitters, recording a .270 hitting percentage, and recorded 29 total blocks. Sourbeer, a member of both the America East and UAlbany Athletics Honor Rolls, was also an all-academic team selection last year.

Livergood earned her first all-academic team award after posting a 3.64 GPA in human biology. A defensive specialist, Livergood played in 25 matches as a senior, averaging 1.53 digs per set. A member of the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll and the UAlbany Athletic Director's Honor Roll, she also recorded 14 service aces as a senior.

To be nominated for distinction on the America East All-Academic Team, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve for their team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team's games or competitions. In the classroom, student-athletes must have a 3.30 cumulative GPA and have completed at least one calendar year at their institution.

UAlbany wrapped up the 2009 season with a 22-9 record overall. The Great Danes won their third straight regular-season title before falling to Binghamton in the America East Conference Championship match.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Volleyball Closes Out 2009 Season With 3-0 Win Over American at University Gym - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Teresa Coppiellie recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of American in the final match of the season at University Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 28. The Great Danes won with set scores of 25-18, 25-16 and 25-11.

UAlbany was in control from the beginning, recording a .366 hitting percentage for the match, while holding the Eagles to a .085 clip. Casey Wright posted a .667 hitting percentage, recording six kills to go along with six total blocks. America East Conference Player and Setter of the Year Brooke Stanley led all players with a .714 hitting percentage, recording five kills to go along with a match-high 31 assists, eight digs, and four total blocks. Laurie Gonzalez finished with a match-best 12 digs for the Great Danes, who outblocked the Eagles, 12-3, and recorded six service aces.

American (18-13) was paced by right side hitter Angelina Waterman, who recorded a team-best 11 kills and added 10 digs. Magdalena Tekiel and Cassandra Ricketts added seven kills each for the Eagles, while Cynammon Burns led the team defensively with 11 digs. Krysta Cicala finished with 30 assists and one of American's three service aces.

UAlbany wraps up the 2009 season at 22-9 overall. The Great Danes won their third straight regular-season title before falling to Binghamton in the America East Conference Championship match.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Advances to America East Volleyball Championship Match With 3-0 Win Over UMBC in Semifinals - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - America East Conference Player and Setter of the Year Brooke Stanley finished with a double-double of 30 assists and 13 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of UMBC in the first semifinal match of the 2009 America East Volleyball Championship, held at University Gymnasium on Friday afternoon. The Great Danes won with match scores of 25-19, 25-17 and 25-11.

UAlbany jumped out to a quick 4-0 advantage in the first set behind Stanley's service game. After a UAlbany ball handling error gave UMBC its first point, the Great Danes got a kill from Valerie Sourbeer and consecutive kills from Teresa Coppiellie to build up a 7-1 lead. UAlbany continued to roll in the set, getting up 19-9 on a UMBC error. The Retrievers took over serve after a kill by Ali Loynachan and took advantage on back-to-back UAlbany attack errors to pull within 19-12. UMBC attempted to rally late, pulling within 23-19 before a service error gave the ball back to UAlbany. Coppiellie recorded a service ace on set point for UAlbany.

The Great Danes came out firing again the second set, building up a 5-1 lead in the early going on a block assist by Casey Wright and Kalyn Mostert. UMBC powered back to tie the mach at 7-7, getting consecutive blocks by Alyssa Lang and Iman Kennedy and a service ace from Ashley Oscars. The Retrievers took a 8-7 lead on a UAlbany attack error, but a kill by Coppiellie put the Great Danes back in control. Coppiellie served for three straight points to put UAlbany back on top, 12-9. The teams exchanged points before Stanley took over the service game, producing three points, including a kill and solo block by Sourbeer. Lang and Kennedy combined for another block to pull the Retrievers within 20-16, but a kill by White ended UMBC's attempt at a rally. Abbey Wexel came into the game to serve, getting the Great Danes set point with a service ace. Lang took an assist from Kira Giles to keep the set alive, but Coppiellie smashed a kill to end the set in UAlbany's favor.

UMBC had first serve in the final set, getting a solo block from Oscars and a combined block by Loynachan and Sarah Joy to start play. UAlbany tied the score at 2-2 on a kill by Wright and a service ace by Stanley, before a service error gave the ball back to UMBC at 3-3. Sourbeer recorded a kill on the Retrievers' serve to put the ball in Laura Livergood's hands. Livergood proceeded to serve for eight straight points, putting the Great Danes up 12-3 on a Mostert kill. Lang recorded a kill to pull the Retrievers within 15-8, but UAlbany recorded nine of the next 10 points, getting to set point at 24-9 on a UMBC attack error. Naomi Bush recorded back-to-back kills to keep the Retrievers alive, but Wright finished the match off with a kill in the middle.

Sourbeer finished with a match-high 11 kills for UAlbany, while Coppiellie added nine. The Great Danes had three players finish with double-digit digs, led by Stanley. Mostert and Gonzalez recorded 11 and 10, respectively. Loynachan led UMBC with six kills, while Giles recorded 15 assists. Lang totaled a team-high 11 digs and three block assists. Both teams finished with 10 total blocks in the match. UMBC finishes up the season with a 13-13 overall record.

UAlbany (21-8) will advance to the America East Championship match, to be held on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Great Danes, who will be playing for their fourth consecutive championship title, will face the winner of the second semifinal between second-seeded New Hampshire and third-seeded Binghamton.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Volleyball Setter Brooke Stanley Sweeps Both the 2009 Player of the Year and Setter of the Year Awards

Albany, N.Y. – Following in the footsteps of a former Great Dane, University at Albany junior setter Brooke Stanley (Hendersonville, N.C./West Henderson) swept both the 2009 Player of the Year and Setter of the Year awards, as voted on by the league’s volleyball head coaches. Teammate sophomore Laurie Gonzalez (Carolina, Puerto Rico/St. Francis School) shared the Defensive Specialist of the Year honor with University of New Hampshire junior Sara Heldman (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove), while UMBC outside hitter Naomi Bush (Fruitport, Mich./Fruitport) was tabbed the Rookie of the Year. Albany Head Coach M.J. Engstrom rounded out the end of season hardware with her first career Coach of the Year recognition.

Stanley, a 5-8 setter, was a seven-time recipient of the Setter of the Week award and also earned the league’s Player of the Week honor once while recording 11 double-doubles. Also earning Setter of the Year last season, the junior led America East in assists with 10.70 helpers per set. Stanley topped 1,000 assists for the third straight season and has already reached 3,000 assists for her career as a junior. Stanley has given opponents headaches with her all-around play though, racking up 31 service aces and 2.83 digs per set, ranking fourth and ninth, respectively. She is the only setter to rank among the top ten in either one of those categories. Come conference matches, Stanley’s numbers become even more impressive, averaging 11.61 assists and 3.64 digs per set, while recording 13 aces in 33 sets against America East foes.

Stanley becomes just the second player in conference history to sweep both the Player and Setter of the Year awards since the Setter of the Year award was first handed out in 2000. The only other recipient of both honors was former Great Dane Blair Buchanan ‘06, who did so for three straight years beginning as a sophomore in 2004.

Gonzalez, a 5-9 libero, is another repeat selection, earning Defensive Specialist of the Year honors as a freshman. The sophomore led the conference in digs with 4.95 per set, ranking 35th in Division I. Gonzalez reached double-digit digs in 22 of 24 matches, setting a season and career high of 31 digs in a four-set victory over Colgate. She finished the regular season with 15 double-digit dig performances, including a 30-dig effort against league-rival Binghamton.

Heldman, a 5-9 libero who changed positions after seeing time as a setter last year, finished with a league-high 5.30 digs per set in conference matches. She finished with a 4.80 digs per set average overall, good for 49th in the country, and recorded double-digits in 25 of 27 matches, including the final 12 contests of the season. Facing a must-win situation in the last weekend of the regular season, Heldman helped New Hampshire surge back from a two-set deficit against Stony Brook by digging out a conference-high 38 balls. She also served up 20 aces this season, good enough for top 20 in the conference.

Bush, a 6-0 outside hitter, becomes the fourth Retriever in the past five years to take home the top award for a rookie, including the second consecutive. Bush, an outside hitter, finished second for UMBC with 2.48 kills per set, hitting at a .233 clip. She is ranked second among America East freshmen in both those categories. Bush led all rookies in the league with 2.85 points per set, which also ranked 13th among all conference leaders. This four-time Rookie of the Week recipient also contributed 10 aces and 29 total blocks in her freshman campaign.

Engstrom is in her second year leading the Great Danes and has a perfect 22-0 record in America East play since she has taken over, including a 10-0 record during this season’s conference slate. The Albany head coach has led the squad to the top seed in this year’s championship with her team sitting atop the league rankings in five of seven statistical categories. Also for the second consecutive year, she has coached the league’s top player, setter and defensive specialist.

Besides Stanley, this year’s All-Conference First Team is also made up of Albany’s Teresa Coppiellie (Canton, Mich./Canton), Valerie Sourbeer (Valley Center, Calif./Valley Center/Pacific) and Hillary White (Aberdeen, S.D./Aberdeen/Colorado State), Binghamton University’s Michelle McDonough (Orland Hills, Ill./Andrew), New Hampshire’s Lindsay Fogarty (Pleasanton, Calif./Amador Valley) and Stony Brook University’s Harmonie Calinda (Huntington, N.Y./Hofstra).

Gonzalez and Heldman are both joined on the second team by Binghamton’s Anna Lejina (Riga, Latvia/Riga Secondary/University of Latvia), UMBC’s Alyssa Lang (Richmond, Va./Deep Run), New Hampshire’s Kirsten Bates (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop Carroll), Stony Brook’s Ashley Headen (Alexandria, Va./St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes HS) and Lindsey Gordon (N. Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford).

The six-player All-Rookie Team includes Bush, Binghamton’s Alexandrea Roland (Austin, Texas/Austin), University of Hartford’s Kami Nethersole (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson), UMBC’s Ali Loynachan (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair), Stony Brook’s Sally Downs (Coppell, Texas/Coppell) and Corinne Perry (Northport, Texas/Northport).

Eleven of the all-conference first and second team honorees will be in action at University Gymnasium in Albany this weekend for the 2009 America East Volleyball Championship. The top-seeded Great Danes will take on the fourth-seeded UMBC Retrievers in the first semifinal on Friday at noon, while the second-seeded Wildcats will play the third-seeded Binghamton Bearcats at 3 p.m. The winners will play for an automatic NCAA Championship berth and the league title on Saturday, November 21 at 1 p.m.

UAlbany Hosts 2009 America East Volleyball Championship on Nov. 20-21 at University Gym

Cambridge, Mass. - After completing its second straight undefeated conference season, the University at Albany is the top seed and will host the 2009 America East Conference Volleyball Championship on Nov. 20-21 at University Gymnasium on campus. It is the third time in the last four years that UAlbany will host the league's postseason tournament. The Great Danes, who have won 16 matches in a row, have captured the America East regular-season title in four of the last five seasons.

UAlbany (20-8, AE 10-0) will face fourth-seeded UMBC (13-12, AE 5-5) in the first semifinal on Friday at 12 noon. New Hampshire (13-14, AE 5-5), which won four straight league matches to end the regular season and move from fifth to second in the standings, will take on third-seeded Binghamton (13-15, AE 5-5) in the second semifinal at 3 p.m.. The semifinal winners will play for the conference championship and an automatic NCAA Tournament berth on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 1 p.m.

A four-way tie for the final three seeds in the tournament field emerged after regular-season play was completed. New Hampshire, Binghamton, UMBC and Stony Brook all finished with 5-5 conference records, and the deadlock had to be broken by going deep into the tie-breaking criteria. Three of UNH's last four wins were over Binghamton, Stony Brook and UMBC.

UAlbany will welcome the other three teams and fans to University Gymnasium for the championship. Tickets are $7 for adults, $3 for youth aged 14 and under, and $2 for America East students with proper ID. More information on the championship can also be found at the America East website, www.americaeast.com.

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2009 America East Conference Volleyball Tournament
(University Gymnasium, Albany, N.Y.)

Friday, Nov. 20

Semifinal Round
#1 UAlbany (20-8, AE 10-0) vs. #4 UMBC (13-12, AE 5-5), 12 p.m.
#2 New Hampshire (13-14, AE 5-5) vs. #3 Binghamton (13-15, AE 5-5), 12 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 21

Championship
Winner Semifinal #1 vs. Winner Semifinal #2, 1 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Volleyball Completes Second Straight Undefeated Conference Season With Sweep of Hartford - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Teresa Coppiellie recorded 12 kills with a .611 hitting percentage to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Hartford in the America East Conference regular season finale on Saturday afternoon at University Gymnasium. With the win over the Hawks, the Great Danes complete their second straight undefeated conference season. UAlbany has not lost an America East match since 2007. The Great Danes, who honored seniors Hillary White, Valerie Sourbeer and Laura Livergood prior to the match, won in straight sets with scores of 25-12, 25-20 and 25-18.

UAlbany rolled in the first set, building up an early 7-2 lead on a kill by Coppiellie. Hartford's Lindsay Ford responded with a kill of her own, followed by a kill by Erin Macro to pull the Hawks within 7-4. A Hartford service error put the ball back in UAlbany's service, and the Great Danes went on to build up a quick 15-7 advantage on a kill by Sourbeer. The teams exchanged errors, before a block by Casey Wright and Kalyn Mostert put UAlbany up, 18-10, and gave the serve to Laurie Gonzalez, who served for three straight points. Coppiellie recorded a solo block and assisted on another block with White in that stretch. Coppiellie took an assist from Brooke Stanley on set point to seal the win for the Great Danes.

The second set went back and forth in the early going, with four ties before UAlbany got ahead, 8-4 with a Stanley kill. Hartford tied the match again at 11-11 on a kill by Macro, and the score was tied six more times before White served for three points to give the Great Danes a 20-17 advantage. Hartford pulled back within 21-20 on a UAlbany attack error, but a kill by Mostert gave the serve to Livergood, who was able to serve for the final three points, getting a kill from Wright to end the set.

UAlbany jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the final set, getting two blocks from Mostert and Wright early in play. The Great Danes got kills from Sourbeer and Coppiellie to continue to build a lead, but Hartford rallied back to 12-10 on a kill by Macro, who led the Hawks with nine kills in the match. Sarah Boss recorded a kill to tie the set at 13-13 and the teams exchanged kills until back-to-back Sourbeer kills put UAlbany up, 20-17. Livergood served for the final three points in the final set, capitalizing on a Coppiellie kill and two Hartford errors to complete the sweep.

Hartford (7-21, AE 0-10) was led defensively by Danielle Etta with 10 digs and Ford, who recorded 20 assists. The Hawks hit .047 as a team, recording just one block in the match. Maddison Molyneux finished with three service aces for the Hawks.

Sourbeer totaled nine kills for the Great Danes, while Stanley recorded 34 assists and nine digs. Gonzalez led the team with 16 digs, while Mostert finished with five total blocks. The Great Danes hit .353 as a team, producing seven total team blocks.

UAlbany (20-8, AE 10-0) will host the America East Conference Tournament next weekend as the top seed. Game times are set for 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20 with the championship match scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. The remaining three teams will be determined as the conference's regular season wraps up on Sunday, Nov. 15.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Volleyball Remains Undefeated in America East Play, Sweeping Stony Brook, 3-0 - UAlbany Sports 2009

Valerie Sourbeer finished with a match-high 17 kills, while Casey Wright (Ballston Spa) recorded a .583 hitting percentage with eight kills to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Stony Brook in America East Conference volleyball action on Sunday afternoon. The Great Danes won the match with set scores of 25-18, 25-23 and 25-20.

The Great Danes jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first set behind the service game of Brooke Stanley. The Seawolves attempted to fight back, pulling within 8-5 on a UAlbany handling error, but the Great Danes continued to roll, getting ahead, 16-8 on a Wright kill. After a kill by Stanley gave UAlbany a 19-11 advantage, Laurie Gonzalez served for four straight points, getting a block assist from Hillary White and Kalyn Mostert to put the Great Danes up, 23-11. Stony Brook's Harmonie Calinda served for four points, attempting to start a rally for the Seawolves, but a kill from White on set point gave UAlbany the win.

UAlbany came out firing again in the second set, getting a kill from Sourbeer on the opening serve, followed by four straight service points from Stanley, giving the Great Danes an early 5-0 advantage. Stony Brook battled back successfully in the set, tying the match at 8-8 behind the service game of Sally Downs. The Seawolves took their first lead of the match on a UAlbany attack error, and was able to get ahead, 14-11, before Sourbeer ended the rally with a kill. The Great Danes rallied to tie the set at 19-19 and regained the lead behind Stanley's serve, getting consecutive kills from Sourbeer to put UAlbany up 23-21. Sourbeer gave the Great Danes set point, but Lisa Doremus kept Stony Brook alive. Wright took an assist from Stanley off Stony Brook's serve to end the set in UAlbany's favor.

Stanley's service game continued to pace the Great Danes in the final set, as the junior setter served for five straight points to open up play. Stony Brook attempted to regain control with two service aces by Lindsey Gordon, pulling within 6-5, but UAlbany refused to back down. Wright smashed a kill to give the Great Danes a 15-9 advantage, before the teams exchanged several points, with UAlbany holding onto a six-point advantage, getting a kill from Stanley to set the score at 21-15. Sourbeer crushed three kills in the late going, including getting the Great Danes to set point at 24-18. Stony Brook got kills from Doremus and Ashley Headen to stay alive, but Stanley took an assist from Teresa Coppiellie to get UAlbany its 15th straight win.

Sourbeer's .486 hitting percentage helped UAlbany hit .376 as a team. White and Coppiellie also finished with double-digit kill totals, tallying 12 and 10, respectively. Stanley finished with a double-double of 46 assists and 11 digs, while Gonzalez led all players with 23 digs.

Calinda led Stony Brook with 14 kills, as UAlbany held the Seawolves to a .197 team hitting percentage. Calinda also recorded two of Stony Brook's six service aces and finished with seven digs. Setter Corinne Perry finished with 27 assists and seven digs, while Jeanette Gibbs totaled 20 digs for Stony Brook (13-12, AE 5-4).

UAlbany (19-6, AE 9-0) will return to action on Saturday, hosting Hartford at 4 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Volleyball Remains Undefeated in Conference Play With 3-1 Win Over UMBC - UAlbany Sports 2009

Baltimore, Md. - Teresa Coppiellie recorded a career-high 18 kills and 16 digs, while Brooke Stanley finished with 50 assists and 17 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-1 win over UMBC in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening. With the win, the Great Danes move to 8-0 in league play and clinch the top seed for the upcoming conference tournament. UAlbany won the match with set scores of 25-18, 22-25, 25-20 and 25-21.

The Great Danes had three players reach double-digit kill totals, led by Coppiellie, who also managed a .340 hitting percentage. Valerie Sourbeer and Hillary White each recorded 14 kills, while Laurie Gonzalez and Abbey Wexel led the team defensively with 12 and 10 digs, respectively. UAlbany also outblocked the Retrievers, 11-7, led by six total blocks by Casey Wright (Ballston Spa). Five Great Danes finished with multiple blocks, while Stanley also recorded two service aces in addition to finishing with her 10th double-double of the season.

Alyssa Lang paced UMBC (13-10, AE 5-3) with 14 kills and 11 digs to go along with three service aces, while Naomi Bush added 13 kills for the Retrievers. Setter Kira Giles also recorded a double-double for UMBC with 23 assists and 14 digs while Alexandria Spaay added 24 assists.

UAlbany (18-8, AE 8-0) remained the only undefeated team in conference play with its 14th straight victory. The Great Danes will return to action on Sunday, visiting Stony Brook for an America East match at 1 p.m.

-agate-

UAlbany (18-8, AE 8-0) def. UMBC (13-10, AE 5-3), 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21).

University of Albany Volleyball's Teresa Coppiellie & Brooke Stanley Earn America East Conference Weekly Awards - UAlbany Sports 2009

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Teresa Coppiellie and Brooke Stanley were named the America East Conference Volleyball Player and Setter of the Week, respectively, as announced on Monday, Nov. 2 by the conference office. With her first honor of the season, Coppiellie becomes the third straight Great Dane to earn the player of the week award. Stanley was chosen the conference's top setter for the fifth consecutive week.

Coppiellie, a junior from Canton, Mich., recorded a double-double with a match-high 11 kills and 10 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of New Hampshire on Oct. 30. In the week's only match, the outside hitter averaged 3.67 kills, 3.33 digs and 1.00 aces while hitting at a .370 clip. Coppiellie recorded just one attack error and smacked three service aces.

Stanley, a junior from Hendersonville, N.C., quarterbacked her team past New Hampshire, keeping the Great Danes undefeated in conference play and extending UAlbany's win streak to 13 straight. Against the Wildcats, Stanley recorded a match-best 30 assists, nine digs and two service aces to go along with two kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Stanley, who is among the league leaders in three statistical categories, leads the conference with 11.0 assists per set in league play.

UAlbany (17-8, AE 7-0) will return to action on Friday, visiting second-place UMBC at 7 p.m. The Great Danes have a two-game lead in the America East standings with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Volleyball Sweeps New Hampshire at "Dig Pink" Event at University Gymnasium - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Teresa Coppiellie recorded a double-double with a match-high 11 kills and 10 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of New Hampshire in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes and Wildcats faced off in the second annual "Dig Pink" match, which raised money and awareness for the Side-Out Foundation, which supports breast cancer research. UAlbany won the match with scores of 25-11, 25-14 and 25-17.

UAlbany rolled in the first set, building up a quick 5-0 lead behind the service game of Brooke Stanley. The Great Danes controlled much of the set, getting 11 kills and five service aces, including two from Coppiellie. Lindsay Fogarty paced New Hampshire with four kills in the set.

After UAlbany got out to a 3-0 advantage in the second set, Fogarty served for four straight points for New Hampshire, putting the Wildcats on top, 5-3. Kalyn Mostert ended the rally with a kill and Coppiellie tied the set at 5-5 with a kill of her own. UAlbany held control from then on, getting aces from Laurie Gonzalez and Stanley, who served for four consecutive points late in the set to give the Great Danes a 22-13 lead. After a service error on the Great Danes, Mostert and Coppiellie recorded back-to-back kills before Casey Wright ended the set with a solo block of Lauren Laquerre's attack.

New Hampshire jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the final set, but Gonzalez took over the service game for the Great Danes at 3-2 and served for six straight points, including two kills by Mostert and a service ace. The team's exchanged service errors, before Coppiellie served for three points to put UAlbany ahead, 13-5. Later in the set, Gonzalez served for four consecutive points, including back-to-back service errors to give the Great Danes a 21-11 advantage. New Hampshire attempted a rally, getting kills from Justine Elliott and Kirsten Bates to pull within 21-15. UAlbany continued to roll, however, getting a kill from Sourbeer to end the match for the Great Danes.

Sourbeer and Mostert finished with eight kills apiece, while Gonzalez led the team defensively with 15 digs. Stanley recorded a match-high 30 assists and notched two of UAlbany's 11 service aces in the match.

Fogarty finished with a team-high seven kills for New Hampshire (9-14, AE 1-5). Setter Kate Uitti recorded 18 assists, while libero Sara Heldman led the team with 12 digs.

UAlbany (17-8, AE 7-0), won its 13th straight match, and raised over $3,000 in support of the Side-Out Foundation. SEFCU president Michael Castellana was on hand to present a check for $2,000 to UAlbany Athletic Director and Vice President Lee McElroy, in support of the Great Danes and the Side-Out Foundation.

UAlbany will return to action on Friday, Nov. 6, visiting UMBC at 7 p.m.

UAlbany (17-8, AE 7-0) def. New Hampshire (9-14, AE 1-5), 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-17)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Volleyball Set to Host "Dig Pink" Event Against New Hampshire on Friday

Albany, N.Y. - The University at Albany volleyball team will be sponsoring the second annual "Dig Pink" event on Friday, Oct. 30 as the Great Danes host America East Conference rival New Hampshire at University Gymnasium. Match time is 7:00 p.m. Dig Pink, established by the Side-Out Foundation, is a National Breast Cancer awareness rally that is taking place throughout the month of October, sponsored by high schools and colleges across the country.

UAlbany volleyball has been supported once again this season by SEFCU, who is donating $2,000 for the second straight year to the Side-Out Foundation. SEFCU president Michael Castellana will be on hand to present a check to UAlbany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy in support of the Great Danes and the Side-Out Foundation.

The Side-Out Foundation was established in 2004 by a group of individuals drawn together by their love of volleyball and a shared passion to be a part of the war against breast cancer. Side-Out's mission is to raise money for the war against breast cancer through the recreational activity of volleyball. The Side-Out Foundation is a Virginia-based 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization with a serving Board of Directors and advisors from the healthcare sector to provide oversight and guidance regarding the strategic direction and recommended allocation of donations and grants.

The match, which will be streamed live on www.ualbanysports.com, will feature several tributes to breast cancer victims, survivors and those continuing the fight. There will be areas for spectators to learn more about breast cancer and the Side-Out Foundation, and they will have the opportunity to make donations to support the organization's mission. More information is available at www.digpink.org and at www.side-out.org.

UAlbany (16-8, AE 6-0) is currently riding a 12-match win streak and is in first place in the America East Conference standings.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's White & Stanley Take Home America East Weekly Honors - Ualbany Sports 2009

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- University at Albany remained undefeated with two more conference wins last weekend and garnered this week's America East Volleyball Player and Setter of the Week awards. Senior middle blocker Hillary White (Aberdeen, S.D./Aberdeen) earned the award for top player, while junior setter Brooke Stanley (Hendersonville, N.C./West Henderson) made it four in a row with this week's Setter of the Week award.

Senior middle blocker White averaged 3.12 kills, 1.38 digs, 0.75 blocks and a remarkable .535 hitting percentage in two wins over Binghamton over the weekend, keeping the Great Danes undefeated in league play. At home on Friday, White finished with 14 kills, eight digs and five total blocks, hitting .444 for the match. In Vestal on Sunday, White recorded a team-high 11 kills with three digs and one block assist, hitting .688. For the week, White totaled 25 kills on 43 attempts with just two attack errors. The senior, a two-time all-conference selection, is receiving her first career Player of the Week award.

Stanley led the Great Danes to two wins over Binghamton, averaging 11.25 assists, 3.62 digs and 0.75 kills, while also finishing with five service aces and four block assists. In Friday's win at home, the junior setter recorded a match-high 55 assists and a career-high 22 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. She also added five kills with a .455 hitting percentage, two service aces and four block assists. On Sunday in Vestal, Stanley totaled 35 assists and seven digs, along with three service aces and one kill. Stanley's quarterbacking of the Great Danes offense led Albany to a .301 team hitting percentage. This is Stanley's fourth straight Setter of the Week honor and fifth of the season.

Team Notebook:

UAlbany (16-8 overall record, 6-0 America East record) won its 11th and 12th straight matches with two victories over Binghamton on Friday and Sunday to remain the lone undefeated team in the conference... Senior middle blocker Hillary White (Aberdeen, S.D./Aberdeen) averaged 3.12 kills, 1.38 digs and a remarkable .535 hitting percentage in the two wins... She totaled 25 kills on 43 attempts with just two attack errors for the week... Junior setter Brooke Stanley (Hendersonville, N.C./West Henderson) quarterbacked the Great Danes to the two wins over the Bearcats... On Friday, Stanley recorded a match-high 55 assists and a career-best 22 digs for her eighth double-double of the season... She also added five kills with a .455 hitting percentage, two service aces and four block assists... On Sunday, Stanley totaled 35 assists and seven digs, along with three service aces... Senior outside hitter Valerie Sourbeer (Valley Center, Calif./Valley Center) averaged a team-high 3.38 kills for the week, while junior outside hitter Teresa Coppiellie (Canton, Mich./Salem) added 2.62 kills and 2.75 digs per set... Sophomore middle blocker Casey Wright (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) led the team at the net with 10 total blocks, including four solo, and is averaging a team-best 1.06 blocks per set on the season... Libero Laurie Gonzalez (Carolina, Puerto Rico/St. Francis School) paced the team defensively with 5.88 digs per set over the weekend... The Great Danes will return to action with one match on Friday, hosting New Hampshire at 7 p.m... UAlbany will be celebrating the second annual Dig Pink event, to raise money and awareness for the Sideout Foundation in support of breast cancer research.

Courtesy: AE News

University of Albany Volleyball Sweeps Binghamton, 3-0, in America East Rematch - UAlbany Sports 2009

Vestal, N.Y. - Teresa Coppiellie and Hillary White each recorded 11 kills to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Binghamton on Sunday afternoon at West Gym. It was the team's second time facing each other in the last three days, as UAlbany came out with a 3-2 win when the two teams met at University Gymnasium on Friday. The Great Danes came away with the win by posting set scores of 25-21, 25-13 and 25-21.

UAlbany rallied back from an early 4-1 deficit in the first set behind the service game of Laurie Gonzalez. Gonzalez served for four straight points, sandwiching a service ace between kills by Coppiellie and Kalyn Mostert, while Coppiellie also got a solo block in the series. Binghamton ended the rally with a kill from Michelle McDonough, but the Great Danes continued to roll, building up a 17-13 lead with a Bearcat attack error. Binghamton powered back, tying the set at 19-19 on a UAlbany ball handling error. The Great Danes jumped back in front with kills by Casey Wright and Valerie Sourbeer, while a service ace by Brooke Stanley gave UAlbany a 23-20 lead. Kills by Mostert and Coppiellie ended the first set in UAlbany's favor.

UAlbany quickly built up an 9-4 lead in the second set on a kill and service ace by Coppiellie. A service error by Binghamton put UAlbany ahead, 11-6, and put the ball in Stanley's hands for the service. Stanley served for six straight points, getting one service ace and five blocks at the net for the Great Danes. Wright was involved in four blocks during that series, while Sourbeer and Mostert also got in on the blocking action, giving UAlbany a 17-7 advantage. Binghamton was unable to recover, and the Great Danes rolled to the set win, getting a kill from White to end play.

UAlbany came out firing in the third set, building up a 6-2 lead on the service game of Laura Livergood, and building up a 15-9 advantage on a kill from Stanley. Binghamton would pull within 17-15 on a kill from McDonough, but Coppiellie responded with a kill of her own, and then served for four straight points to put the Great Danes ahead, 22-15. McDonough recorded another kill to get the Bearcats within23-18, before Elana King served for three consecutive points to pull Binghamton within two points. However, a Bearcat attack error gave the ball back to UAlbany, and Stanley finished the match with a service ace.

White finished the match with a .688 hitting percentage, taking 16 attempts without committing an error, leading the Great Danes to a .317 percentage as a team. Sourbeer added nine kills for UAlbany, while Wright totaled five blocks. Stanley finished with a match-high 35 assists to go along with seven digs and three service aces, while Gonzalez led the team defensively with a match-best 17 digs.

McDonough recorded a match-high 16 kills for Binghamton (11-11, AE 3-3). Anna Lejina added eight kills, while Brianna Strong totaled 11 digs for the Bearcats. Setter Lindsey Mueller recorded 24 assists.

UAlbany (16-8, AE 6-0) remains the only undefeated team in the conference, extending its win streak to 12 matches. The Great Danes will return to action on Friday, Oct. 30, as they host New Hampshire. UAlbany will be hosting the Second Annual Dig Pink match against the Wildcats, as the Great Danes will look to raise money and awareness for the Sideout Foundation in support of breast cancer research.

UAlbany (16-8, AE 6-0) def. Binghamton (11-11, AE 3-3)

UAlbany 3, Binghamton 0 (Oct 25, 2009)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Confirms Top Dog Position in America East Volleyball Action With Win over Binghamton - UAlbany Sports 2009

Valerie Sourbeer led five players in double-digit kills, tying a career-high with 18, in leading UAlbany to a 3-2 win over Binghamton in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes won with scores of 25-12, 29-27, 18-25, 21-25 and 15-11. UAlbany improved to 15-8 overall, and remain the only undefeated team in the league with a 5-0 America East ledger.

The Great Danes came out firing in the first set, hitting a remarkable .773, finishing with 17 kills and no errors, while holding Binghamton to a .100 hitting percentage. Sourbeer finished with six kills in the set, while setter Brooke Stanley and middle blocker Hillary White combined for two block assists on Bearcat attacks.

Binghamton played a tougher second set, rebounding from an eight-kill first set to record 20 kills and a .409 hitting percentage in the second. Junior outside hitter Michelle McDonough led the Bearcat offense with seven kills, including two late in the set that kept play alive. After building up a 19-13 lead, UAlbany allowed Binghamton to rally back behind the service game of setter Lindsey Mueller, tying the match at 21-21 on a UAlbany attack error. The match volleyed back and forth from that point, with neither team closing out on match point five times. The Great Danes went ahead 28-27 on a kill by Casey Wright (Ballston Spa), before she combined with Kalyn Mostert for a block to seal the set win.

Binghamton took advantage of poor hitting by UAlbany in the third set. The Great Danes had 13 kills to Binghamton's 12, but committed eight attack errors to give the Bearcats the advantage. Anna Lejina and Mueller continued their strong serving, as Lejina served for four straight points, with McDonough getting two kills in that rally to put Binghamton up, 20-13. The Great Danes attempted a comeback, getting a kill from Sourbeer sandwiched with kills by White, but UAlbany could not pull together the rally. A block by Mueller and Dawn Lammert was followed by a service ace by McDonough to give the Bearcats the third set victory.

UAlbany was looking to put the match away in the fourth set, but the Great Dane offense managed only 10 kills and a .143 hitting percentage, while Binghamton smashed 18 kills in the set. Lejina, McDonough and Lammert all recorded four kills in the set, while the Great Danes struggled to find a rhythm. UAlbany was able to tie the set on three occasions, but Binghamton continued to roll, with service aces coming from Brianna Strong and Alex Roland. UAlbany took a time out on Binghamton set point, and Lejina served an ace into the Great Danes' back line to end the set in the Bearcats' favor.

UAlbany, playing in its first five-set conference match since 2007, fell behind in the deciding frame, 4-1, before Teresa Coppiellie slammed a kill to put the ball into the Great Danes' hands. A Bearcat attack error tied the set at 5-5, and the score would bounce back and forth from there, with the final tie coming at 9-9 on a Sourbeer kill. Stanley took over the UAlbany service game, going for four straight points, getting consecutive kills from Sourbeer and a solo block from Wright to give the Great Danes a 13-9 advantage. Stanley set up a ball for Mostert at 13-11 to give the Great Danes match point, and Wright and Mostert combined for UAlbany's 10th block of the match to give the Great Danes the victory.

White finished with 14 kills for UAlbany, while Wright added 13 and Coppiellie and Mostert each recorded 10. Stanley recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 55 assists and a career-high 22 digs in the match. Coppiellie also finished with a double-double, notching 16 digs, while libero Laurie Gonzalez led the Great Danes defensively with 30 digs.

McDonough finished with a team-high 18 digs for Binghamton (11-10, AE 3-2), while Lammert and Lejina recorded 16 and 13 kills, respectively. Strong finished with a match-high 31 digs, while Mueller recorded 53 assists, 10 digs and three total blocks.

UAlbany (15-8, AE 5-0) will return to action on Sunday, traveling to Binghamton at 5 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Brooke Stanley Named America East Player and Setter of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2009

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Brooke Stanley was named the America East Conference Volleyball Player and Setter of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. It is Stanley's third straight setter of the week honor, and the first player of the week accolade of her career.

Stanley led UAlbany (14-4, AE 4-0) to sweeps of America East foes Stony Brook and UMBC over the weekend, as well as a 3-0 win over crosstown-rival Siena on Oct. 14. She averaged 11.67 assists to go along with 3.11 digs, 1.11 kills and a .308 hitting percentage. Stanley recorded a match-high 34 assists to go along with six digs and two kills versus Siena and recorded her seventh double-double of the season against Stony Brook, accumulating 35 assists and 14 digs, while also adding five kills. In the weekend finale against UMBC, a battle of the final unbeaten America East teams, Stanley recorded 36 assists, eight digs and three kills, along with a solo block.

Stanley's strong setting against the Retrievers helped the Great Danes reach a .324 hitting percentage as a team. UAlbany did not commit an attack error in the first set in recording a .516 hitting mark. Stanley quarterbacked the squad to a league-best team hitting percentage of .294 for the week. She is the conference's leader in assists with an average of 10.38 helpers per set this season and is also among the league leaders in service aces (0.27 aps) and digs (2.62 dps).

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Controls UMBC for 3-0 Sweep in America East Volleyball Action - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Valerie Sourbeer recorded a match-high 12 kills, while UAlbany recorded a .324 hitting percentage and 10 team blocks, as the Great Danes recorded a 3-0 win over UMBC in America East Conference volleyball action on Sunday afternoon at University Gymnasium. UAlbany won in straight sets with scores of 25-12, 25-19 and 25-11.

The Great Danes came out firing in the first set, hitting .516 as a team, getting 16 kills without committing an error. Back-to-back kills by Teresa Coppiellie put UAlbany ahead, 7-2, and forced UMBC to take an early timeout. UAlbany's offense continued to fire on all cylinders, as the Great Danes built up an 18-7 lead on a Retriever service error. After a kill from Naomi Bush pulled UMBC within 10, UAlbany rattled off three consecutive points with a solo block by Casey Wright (Ballston Spa) and strong serving by Laurie Gonzalez. Hillary White smashed home a kill to give the Great Danes set point at 24-12, before the Retrievers, who hit .029 in the set, ended with an attack error to give UAlbany the win.

UMBC opened the second set strong, building up a 5-2 lead in the early going. A ball handling error put the serve back in Gonzalez's hands for UAlbany, and the Great Danes tied the set at 5-5 with a block assist by White and Kalyn Mostert. The Retrievers took the next point to get ahead by one, but White and Mostert combined for another block to swing the momentum back to UAlbany. The Great Danes took a 7-6 lead on a bad set by UMBC, and never looked back, building up to a 16-12 advantage on a Wright kill. UAlbany took advantage of poor hitting by the Retrievers, as attack and service errors combined to build the Great Dane lead to 20-15. After a service ace by UMBC's Alexandra Spaay pulled the Retrievers within 21-18, UAlbany took a quick timeout to regroup, and came out to rally towards set point, getting kills from Sourbeer and Wright, who smashed the winner on an assist from Brooke Stanley.

The third set was all UAlbany from the first serve, as UMBC had two attack errors to start the set. After Wright recorded a kill to put the Great Danes up, 3-1, she put up back-to-back solo blocks on Retriever attacks to give UAlbany a 5-1 lead. The Great Danes continued to roll, as a Coppiellie kill gave her serve, and UAlbany built up a 13-4 advantage. UMBC attempted to rally, getting a kill from Ali Loynachan and a block by Alyssa Lang to pull within 13-7. Mostert combined with Wright and White for blocks to induce attack errors from the Retrievers, holding UMBC to a -.140 hitting percentage in the set. After a kill by Coppiellie gave UAlbany a 21-11 lead, UMBC hit four straight attack errors, with a solo block from White ending the match.

Coppiellie and Wright each recorded nine kills for UAlbany, while Wright finished with a .533 hitting percentage and five total blocks, including three solo. Coppiellie was close to a double-double, finishing with 11 digs, while Gonzalez led all players with 17 digs. Stanley recorded with 36 assists and eight digs, while Mostert and White both finished with five total blocks.

Ashley Oscars led UMBC (11-18, AE 3-1) with six kills and 13 digs, while setter Kira Giles finished with a double-double, recording 12 assists and 10 digs. Pam Jarrett added 12 digs for the Retrievers.

UAlbany (14-8, AE 4-0) remains the only undefeated team in league play. The Great Danes will return to action on Friday, Oct. 23, hosting America East foe Binghamton at 7 p.m.


UAlbany (14-8, AE 4-0) def. UMBC (11-8, AE 3-1), 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-11)

UAlbany 3, UMBC 0 (Oct 18, 2009)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Teresa Coppiellie Leads University of Albany to 3-0 Win Over Stony Brook in A-East Volleyball Action - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Teresa Coppiellie recorded 15 kills to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Stony Brook in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes swept the Seawolves with scores of 25-24, 25-29 and 25-17.

In a battle of conference unbeatens, the Great Danes dominated offensively and defensively, holding Stony Brook to a .083 hitting percentage and outblocking the Seawolves, 10-4. UAlbany came out firing in the first set, scoring four straight points behind the service game of Brooke Stanley to get ahead, 14-6. Ashley Headen took an assist from Corrine Perry to end the UAlbany rally, but a kill by Kalyn Mostert followed by a solo block by Casey Wright but the Great Danes back in control. Coppiellie gave the Great Danes a 20-10 advantage with a kill, but Stony Brook attempted a comeback with three straight points, including a block by Headen and Sally Downs. Coppiellie recorded a service ace to give UAlbany a 22-13 advantage and the Great Danes received back-to-back kills from Sourbeer and Stanley to get to set point. A block assist from Wright and Stanley on a Stony Brook attack gave the Great Danes the easy first set win.

Stony Brook looked to even the match in the second, building up a 4-1 lead early on. The Seawolves held on to a slim lead until consecutive attack errors tied the match at 11-11 and then gave the Great Danes a one-point lead. Back-to-back kills by Harmonie Calinda put Stony Brook back on top by one, but the service game of Laura Livergood and Laurie Gonzalez drove UAlbany to a 21-14 advantage. The Seawolves attempted one last rally to pull within 22-18 on a Headen kill, but the Great Danes pulled forward, getting kills by Sourbeer and Stanley to end the set.

The third set featured five ties in the early going, with the last coming at 14-14 as Stony Brook knotted the score on a kill by Lindsey Gordon. UAlbany rallied from that point, getting ahead, 21-15, on three consecutive kills by Coppiellie. After a Greta Strenger kill that ended the UAlbany run, Coppiellie and Valerie Sourbeer combined for consecutive kills for the Great Danes before Stony Brook ended the set in the Great Danes' favor by committing an attack error.

Stony Brook (10-9, AE 2-1) got eight kills apiece from Headen, Gordon and Calinda. Perry finished with 28 assists and six digs, while Jeanette Gibbs finished with a team-high 15 digs defensively.

Stanley recorded her seventh double-double of the season for the Great Danes with 35 assists and 14 digs, while also recording five kills and one block assist. Sourbeer also finished with double-digit kill totals with 10, while Mostert and Wright led the team at the net, each finishing with six total blocks.

UAlbany (12-8, AE 3-0), which has now won nine straight matches, returns to action on Sunday, taking on UMBC in conference action at 2 p.m.

UAlbany (12-8, AE 3-0) def. Stony Brook (10-9, AE 2-1), 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-17).


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Volleyball Sweeps Siena College - UAlbany Sports 2009

Valerie Sourbeer recorded a team-high 11 kills, while Hillary White added 10 kills to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of crosstown-rival Siena in non-conference volleyball action at UHY Court on Wednesday evening. The Great Danes defeated the Saints with scores of 25-19, 25-14 and 25-23.

UAlbany posted a match-high .375 hitting percentage in the first set, led by White's six kills on eight attempts. White recorded a .556 hitting percentage for the match, managing double-digit kills without recording an error. Casey Wright finished with nine kills and two block assists, while Kalyn Mostert was strong at the net with five total blocks, including two solo. Setter Brooke Stanley, the reigning America East Conference Player of the Week, finished with a match-high 34 assists and six digs. The Great Danes finished with five services aces in the match.

Siena (7-10) was led by Burgandy McCurty, who finished with a match-high 17 kills to go along with seven digs. Aubrey Bobo and Amanda Sawlsville recorded nine and eight kills, respectively, while Bobo totaled 13 kills. Libero Lesli Akeo led the Saints defensively with 17 digs, while Amanda Sawlsville had three total blocks. Sarah Sivertson and Kau'i Robello split time at the setter position, finishing with 22 and 14 assists, respectively.

UAlbany (11-9) will return to University Gymnasium for the first match since September 5, welcoming America East rival Stony Brook at 7 p.m.

UAlbany (11-9) def. Siena (7-10), 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-23)

University of Albany's Stanley Earns Second Straight America East Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week Award - UAlbany Sports 2009

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's 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 second straight weekly honor and her third of the season.

Stanley, a junior setter from Hendersonville, N.C., recorded her seventh double-double of the season in the Great Danes' only match of the week against Hartford on Oct. 9. In a 3-0 sweep of the Hawks, Stanley moved into second place on UAlbany's career assists chart, surpassing Lisa Grenier with 3,262 helpers. She tallied 28 assists in the match to go along with a team-high 10 digs. Stanley also recorded three service aces, two kills and a .667 hitting percentage.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information