#15 UAlbany upended by #13 Boston U in America East Field Hockey Championship Final

Cambridge, Mass. -- Pam Spuehler scored one goal and added two assists to lead Boston University, the nation's 13th-ranked team, to a 4-1 victory over UAlbany in the America East Conference Field Hockey Championship on Sunday, Nov. 4 at MIT's Jack Barry Field. The Terriers won their third straight conference championship.

UAlbany (15-5) struck first on a penalty corner goal scored by freshman Sam Daly at 21:11. Jess Lindsey and Anouk Vandenberg assisted on the tally, which was redirected into the top left-hand corner from the middle of the circle. Boston U. came back a minute later and capitalized on a corner, as Gabby Hajjar took a pass from Holly Wiles and got a shot past UAlbany goalkeeper Ashley Ross. The teams went back and forth for the remainder of the half, hitting the break tied at 1-1.

Spuehler, who was involved in the last three goals for Boston U., recorded her first points of the day in the 43rd minute, as Suus Dekker passed the ball from the left side and Spuehler blasted a shot from the top of the circle to the left corner of the cage. Hajjar scored again for the Terriers at 57:37, as Spuehler past from the right side. Hajjar got her stick on the ball in front of the cage to redirect in past Ross by the near post. Boston U. closed out the scoring in the 65th minute as Spuehler again came from the right and passed the ball to Hayley Hamada in front of the cage.

UAlbany outshot Boston U., 9-7, and held a 9-3 advantage in penalty corners, including 5-1 in the second half. Ross finished with one save for the Great Danes while America East rookie of the year Kim Kastuk had three saves in the cage. Boston U. (17-5) earned the conference's automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Field Hockey Championship. The Great Danes, who are ranked 15th in the latest NFHCA natonal poll, will wait to learn if they can claim an at-large bid into the national tournament.

America East Conference Championship

#15 UAlbany (15-5) 1 0 - 1
#13 Boston U. (17-5) 1 3 - 4

UAlbany: Scoring - Sam Daly (1-0), Jess Lindsey (0-1), Anouk Vandenberg (0-1). Goalkeeper - Ashley Ross (70:00, 4 GA, 1 save).

Boston U.: Scoring - Gabby Hajjar (2-0), Pam Spuehler (1-2), Hayley Hamada (1-0), Holy Wiles (0-1), Suus Dekker (0-1). Goalkeeper - Kim Kastuk (70:00, 1 GA, 3 saves).

America East All-Championship Team

Pam Spuehler, Boston U., Most Outstanding Player
Suus Dekker, Boston U.
Sarah Shute, Boston U.
Holly Wiles, Boston U.
Michelle Simpson, UAlbany
Anouk Vandenberg, UAlbany
Ashley Ross, UAlbany
Kim Striegler, Vermont
Kelly McClintock, Vermont
Kiera Williams, New Hampshire
Sam Geary, New Hampshire

Cowdrey Leads UAlbany Volleyball To 3-2 Win Over UMBC

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – UAlbany’s Amanda Cowdrey tallied a game-high 22 kills and added 18 digs to lead the Great Danes to a 3-2 win over UMBC in America East Conference volleyball action on Sunday afternoon at University Gymnasium. UAlbany came back from a 2-0 deficit to take the victory in five sets (33-35, 26-30, 30-18, 30-10, 15-12). The win clinches the sixth consecutive conference post-season tournament berth for the Great Danes.

Kate Eckhardt also posted a double-double, recording 11 kills and a match-high 24 digs for UAlbany. Brook Stanley led all players with 59 assists and also tallied five service aces. Tawny Dahmes had 21 digs, while Ashley Crenshaw (14), Teresa Coppiellie (13) and Kamisha Kellam (20) each scored double-digit kills. Kellam also had six total blocks for the Great Danes.

Ashley Oscars had a team-high 20 kills for the Retrievers and added nine digs. Bridget Scheetz and Tiffany Johnson each recorded 12 kills, while Stacey Carroll led the team in assists with 47 for UMBC (19-10, AE 5-5). Britney Hodson (17) and Pam Jarrett (16) had double-digit digs for the Retrievers.

UAlbany (18-8, AE 7-3) played its final home match of the season and honored seniors Crenshaw and Natasha Marquis prior to the start of the match. The Great Danes will finish up the league portion of their schedule with a pair of matches next weekend at Maine on Friday, Nov. 9 and then at New Hampshire on Sunday, Nov. 11.



UAlbany (18-8, AE 7-3) def. UMBC (19-10, AE 5-5), 3-2 (33-35, 26-30, 30-18, 30-10, 15-12).

UMBC 2, UAlbany 3 (Nov 04, 2007)

Gaby Seguin-Gauthier Scores as UAlbany Ties Hartford 1-1

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – UAlbany’s Gaby Seguin-Gauthier scored in the 87th minute, but Hartford responded less than 30 seconds later, as the two teams tied, 1-1, in double overtime in America East Conference action on Sunday, Nov. 4. With the draw, UAlbany is knocked out of playoff contention, while Hartford clinches the fourth seed in the conference’s postseason tournament.

The Great Danes and Hawks played a scoreless first half to go into intermission dead-locked. Hartford’s best scoring opportunity occurred with 30 minutes remaining in the first half when Oswald Adu drew UAlbany goalkeeper Steward Ceus out of net, but Brian Gordon blocked the shot out of bounds for the Great Danes.

Just over seven and a half minutes into the second half, freshman Ian Peach had a header attempt from the goal box saved by Hartford goalie Matt Glaeser. UAlbany pressured the goal in the 68th minute but Glaeser turned aside a sliding shot by Sander Anker.

Seguin-Gauthier gave the Great Danes the lead as he received a flighted ball from classmate Mikael-Taylor McNamara and broke down the left sideline. After cutting towards the middle of the field, Seguin-Gauthier slotted a shot past Glaeser with 3:47 remaining in regulation.

Hartford (7-4-6, AE 2-1-5) evened the score on header by Andreas Blamo off a feed from Corey Patrick with less than three and a half minutes remaining. Junior Joe Hogan had a shot on goal with 22 seconds remaining, but Glaeser came up with the diving save to force overtime.

Hartford had a slight advantage in shots in the contest, 13-12, but UAlbany outshot the Hawks 10-7 after intermission. Seguin-Gauthier led the Great Danes in shots with four. Hartford had a 5-3 edge in corner kicks in the match. Ceus registered fives saves in the contest, while Glaeser turned away six shots.

UAlbany closes out its season 3-10-4 overall and 2-3-3 in the America East Conference.


Hartford (7-4-6, AE 2-1-5) 0 1 0 0 - 1

UAlbany (3-10-4, AE 2-3-3) 0 1 0 0 - 1


Hartford: Scoring – Andreas Blamo (1-0), Corey Patrick (0-1). Goalkeeping – Matt Glaeser (110:00, 1 GA, 6 saves).

UAlbany: Scoring – Gaby Seguin-Gauthier (1-0), Mikael-Taylor McNamara (0-1). Goalkeeping – Steward Ceus (110:00, 1 GA, 5 saves).

UAlbany 1, Hartford 1 (2 OT) (Nov 04, 2007)

UAlbany Remains in First Place in NEC Standings with 45-17 Victory Against Robert Morris

NEC Standings

Albany 4-0
C.Conn 4-1
Wagner 3-2
Monmo 3-2
St.Fran 1-4
Sacred 0-5

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Sophomore tailback David McCarty rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 61-yard scoring pass to lead UAlbany to a 45-17 victory over Robert Morris in Northeast Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 3 at University Field. The Great Danes, who have won five in a row, remained in sole possession of first place in the conference standings.

UAlbany (6-3, NEC 4-0) led 17-10 in the second quarter, when McCarty gathered in a pass in the right flat, cut to the sideline, dodged two defenders, and raced to the end zone with 3:16 remaining before halftime. McCarty’s 61-yard touchdown represented the longest pass play by the Great Danes’ offense since 2001.

The Great Danes, who accounted for 292 of their 377 yards on the ground, featured McCarty exclusively on an eight-play scoring drive that extended the lead to 31-10 with 11:49 left in the third quarter. McCarty’s five-yard run, his third touchdown of the day, capped the scoring sequence. UAlbany completed its string of 21 unanswered points when reserve tailback Justin Gannon reached paydirt on a two-yard run over the right side with 6:35 remaining in the final period. Linebacker Justin Brancaccio’s interception set up the 57-yard march.

UAlbany jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the opening period. Safety Dave Nicomini recovered a fumble on the second play from scrimmage which led to Jason Fralicker’s 33-yard field goal. McCarty, who rushed for more the 100 yards for the fifth time this season, later broke free over the left side and eluded a defender en route to a 35-yard touchdown scamper. Following Dave West’s blocked punt with less than two minutes left in the quarter, tailback Omar Johnson bulled his way through the middle on a two-yard scoring run.

“Our defense came to play in that first quarter and held them without a first down in that period,” said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, whose team matched its longest winning streak at the Division I FCS level. “(David) McCarty is a pretty good back, and our offense played fairly well except for a few foolish penalties. Every week is a championship week for us. We have to keep winning the next one to get to the next one.”

Robert Morris (3-6, NEC 2-3) responded with a 10-point second quarter to close the gap. Michael Walser ended an 11-play drive with a 41-yard field goal. Quarterback Erik Cwalinski, who connected on 19-of-37 through the air for 223 yards, then delivered a 23-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Julian Ellison. The series was kept alive by a roughing-the-punter penalty and Cwalinski’s fourth-down completion to tight end Regis Flowers.

“I am trying to be a good running back,” explained McCarty, who has gone over the 100-yard rushing mark in three consecutive games. “We have three other talented backs, so every practice is struggle where you have to go 110 percent or the other people will take your spot. We have a tight camaraderie as a group that has improved as the season has gone along.”

Cwalinski, a 6-foot-3 junior, also threw a three-yard scoring pass to Sean McElhinny in the final period, but the RMU offense was limited to 64 net rushing yards. Ellison finished with six receptions for 116 yards. UAlbany’s Johnson, who was playing in his final home game along with 13 other seniors, added 70 yards on the ground in 16 attempts. He scored his second TD of the game, an 18-yard run around right end with 1:24 left.

‘We had a good all-around game,” offered senior inside linebacker Colin Disch, who made a team-high eight tackles and added one sack. “The special teams blocked a punt and were solid, the offense moved the ball, and the defense played well for the most part. I am not too emotional at this point because I am fortunate that we have two more games and are fighting for a conference championship.”

UAlbany Football Meets Robert Morris on Senior Day in Final Home Game of Season

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- UAlbany meets Robert Morris in a key Northeast Conference football matchup on Saturday, Nov. 3 at University Field. Kickoff is 1:07 p.m. Fourteen seniors will be making their final home appearance, including captains Colin Disch, Michael Dungey and Sam Pagano. The game will be televised on the NEC TV Network and seen in the Capital Region on Time Warner Cable (TW3). Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports Radio AM 980, beginning with the pre-game show at 12:45 p.m.

UAlbany (5-3, NEC 3-0) currently stands in first place in the conference standings. The Great Danes posted their fourth consecutive win in last week's 24-10 triumph at Wagner. Robert Morris (3-5, NEC 2-2) has won five conference championship in its history, including a pair of mid-major national championships. The Colonials are led by Joe Walton, who served as the head coach of the NFL's New York Jets from 1983-89.

UAlbany Field Hockey meets Boston University in America East Championship final

UAlbany beat Vermont today in overtime, 2-1, and advances to the America East Championship final to be played on Sunday, November 4th at 1:30pm at Jack Barry Field (Cambridge, Mass.)

Michelle Simpson scored at the five minute mark to put UAlbany on the board first. UAlbany had 7 shots on goal in the first half. Kelly McClintock scored for Vermont at the 52 minute mark. The game remained tied to force the game into overtime.

Michelle Simpson remained hot into the overtime period, scoring the sudden death goal at the 78th minute and putting UAlbany into the championship final on sunday.
Her two goals were numbers 12 and 13 of the season. UAlbany outshot Vermont 20-11 in this semifinal game.

UAlbany downs Binghamton in America East Volleyball action

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – UAlbany’s Teresa Coppiellie recorded her first career double-double with a career-high 17 kills and 15 digs to lead the Great Danes to a 3-1 win over Binghamton in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. UAlbany won with scores of 30-24, 28-30, 30-27 and 30-24.

Coppiellie also finished with three service aces and two total blocks for UAlbany. Freshman Amanda Cowdrey recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs while junior Kamisha Kellam finished with 13 kills and 11 total blocks, including five solo. Senior Ashley Crenshaw added 12 kills and three total blocks. Freshman setter Brooke Stanley led all players with 55 assists and also recorded six service aces, five digs, four block assists and two kills. Freshman libero Tawny Dahmes recorded a match and career-high 30 digs.

Senior Jacki Kane led Binghamton with 15 kills while Ashley Allen finished with a double-double, recording 11 kills and 17 digs. Setter Lindsey Mueller also had a double-double for the Bearcats with 41 assists and 16 digs, along with three service aces. Libero Jaclyn Strader had 21 digs for Binghamton (15-16, AE 6-4).

UAlbany (16-8, AE 5-3) will return to action on Sunday, Nov. 4, hosting America East rival UMBC at 3 p.m. The Great Danes will honor their two graduating seniors, Crenshaw and Natasha Marquis, prior to the start of the match.


UAlbany (16-8, AE 5-3) def. Binghamton (15-16, AE 6-4), 3-1 (30-24, 28-30, 30-27, 30-24).

America East Media Day Set For Tuesday, November 6

Courtesy: America East Communications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- America East will hold its Men’s and Women’s Basketball Media Day on Tuesday, November 6. For the first time, Media Day will be conducted digitally and interviews will be available online at AmericaEast.com The 2007-08 Preseason Coaches’ Polls and Preseason All-Conference teams will also be announced.

Head coaches from both programs at each of the nine member institutions answered questions submitted by members of the media via videotape. America East Commissioner Patrick Nero also addressed various issues regarding the upcoming season.

The men's season tips off on Monday, November 5 as Maine takes on Richmond in the 2K Classic in Memphis, Tenn. The women's slate begins on Friday, November 9 with five teams in action.

UAlbany Men's & Women's Basketball Programs Hold Annual Media Day at SEFCU Arena

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – The University at Albany men’s and women’s basketball programs held their annual media day luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 31 in the SEFCU Arena Athletic Hall of Fame Room. Capital Region media were invited to engage in a question-and-answer session with head coaches Will Brown and Trina Patterson as well as selected student-athletes.

The two-time defending America East Conference Champion men’s team posted a 23-10 record last year. The Great Danes are embracing the challenge of defending their conference reign and returning to the NCAA Tournament. When commenting on having the proverbial “target on his team’s back,” Coach Brown explained that he looks forward to meeting the task.

“It excites me that we have thirteen kids in our program that have people whispering about how good they can be,” says Brown, whose team has registered 20-plus wins in back-to-back campaigns. “We want to see our seniors go out in a good fashion and I don’t see them allowing this team to take a step back.”

Senior captain Brent Wilson, a two-time All-America East Conference selection, echoed his coach’s sentiments in looking forward to meeting the expectations following consecutive NCAA berths.

“It’s exciting to be in this position, said Wilson, who become the program’s 28th 1,000-point scorer this season. “It’s nice to have a target on our backs now, especially since my first year we were thought of as a win on everyone’s schedules – it’s good to be here in my final season.”

The women’s team, returning four starters from last season’s 9-22 squad, is looking to use its speed and athleticism to create havoc against conference opposition. Coach Patterson is basing her season’s success on three key components.

“Our goal is to strive for greatness, while stressing a ‘team first’ mentality,” offers Patterson, who is in her sixth season at the helm. “The three keys to our season are to be fundamentally sound, play at a fast tempo, and put the team before individuality.”

The men’s team begins their schedule on the road at Bucknell on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. The women go up against the Big Ten Conference’s Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.

Teresa Boring Garners America East Rookie Of The Year Honors

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – Freshman Teresa Boring was named the America East Conference Rookie of the Year, as announced by the conference on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Boring led the team in scoring with 20 points on nine goals and two assists. She tallied six consecutive goals for the Great Danes over a four game stretch from Sept. 14-26 in which UAlbany went 2-1-1. The native of Plainfield, Ill. also had a team-high three game-winning goals, which earned wins over Indiana State (9/14), Youngstown State (9/16), and Binghamton (10/11). The win over Binghamton was the first over the Bearcats in the program’s history.

Boring, also named to the league’s all-rookie squad, earned back-to-back rookie of the week honors (Sept. 4-9 and Sept. 10-16) after scoring five goals and adding an assist en route to a 3-0-1 record.

A four-year letterwinner at Plainfield High School, the 5-9 striker led the Wildcats to a 64-14-3 record and four conference championships. She scored 40 career goals and 17 career assists on her way to four all-conference and all-section selections and two conference most valuable player awards.

UAlbany concluded its season with a 5-10-3 record, the most successful season in the program’s history since joining the Division I ranks in 1999. This is the second-consecutive season that the squad has posted an improving record.

Don Johnson Leads UAlbany to 1-0 Win Over Maine

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Junior Don Johnson scored just under three minutes into the game to lead UAlbany to a 1-0 win over Maine in America East Conference men’s soccer action at Varsity Field on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Johnson collected a loose ball and turned and fired a shot from just outside the penalty box arc into the upper right corner of the goal for the Great Danes. UAlbany controlled play much of the rest of the half, but could not add to its lead and the two teams went into intermission with UAlbany ahead, 1-0.

The second half was back-and-forth, but neither team could convert their opportunities. UAlbany had three shots turned away by Maine goalkeeper Nemanja Kostic in a 30-second span early in the second half. Maine had its best scoring opportunity at the 71:38 mark when Dimitri Anastasiou had a breakaway, but UAlbany keeper Steward Ceus came out of goal and used his 6-foot-6 frame to tip the ball away.

UAlbany outshot the Black Bears 13-7 in the contest, including 7-2 in the opening half. Junior Gaby Seguin-Gauthier led the Great Danes in shots with three. Maine used a 3-1 edge in corner kicks in the second half to hold a 4-3 advantage in the match. Ceus recorded three saves to register his third shutout of the season, while Kostic made five saves for Maine (3-13-1, AE 1-6-1).

UAlbany (3-10-3, AE 2-3-2) closes out its regular season on Sunday, Nov. 4 against Hartford at 2 p.m. Senior Mike DiNeen will be recognized prior to kick-off for his contributions to the Great Dane program.


Maine (3-13-1, AE 1-6-1) 0 0 - 0

UAlbany (3-10-3, AE 2-3-2) 1 0 - 0


Maine: Scoring – None. Goalkeeping – Nemanja Kostic (90:00, 1 GA, 5 saves).

UAlbany: Scoring – Don Johnson (1-0). Goalkeeping – Steward Ceus (90:00, 0 GA, 3 saves).

UAlbany 1, Maine 0 (Oct 31, 2007)

UAlbany Field Hockey Ranked #15 by STX/NFHCA Heading Into America East Championship

The UAlbany field hockey team is ranked #15 in the STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll, as announced on Tuesday morning. It is the eighth straight week the Great Danes have been nationally ranked, and it is the highest national rank they've earned to date.

Simpson Led UAlbany to a 3-0 Defeat of America East Foe New Hampshire on Sunday, earning a #2 seed for the America East Conference Field Hockey Championship. They complete the regular season, posting a 14-4 record and a 4-1 mark in conference play. Michelle Simpson was named America East Conference field hockey player of the week.

The Great Danes, who have won nine of their last ten contests will face third-seeded Vermont on Friday in the second semifinal game. The America East Championship is hosted by top-seeded and 14th-ranked Boston U., and will be held at MIT's Jack Berry Field. The Terriers will face fourth-seeded New Hampshire at 12 p.m. on Friday, to be followed by UAlbany and Vermont at 2:30 p.m.

Women's Soccer Closes Season With 2-0 Victory Over Delaware State

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Ashley Tirabassi scored her third goal of the season to lead the UAlbany women’s soccer team to a 2-0 win over Delaware State on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at Varsity Field. The victory gave the Great Danes a 5-10-3 overall record, making for the best finish in program history since moving to Division I in 1999.

UAlbany came out shooting in the first half, taking 22 shots, but were unable to beat Hornet’s keeper Courtney Haas. The best chance for the Great Danes to tally came with just under 16 minutes to play in the half when Uju Ogbuawa sent a blast from the top of the box to the far post that sent Haas sprawling for the save. The teams would head into the break knotted at 0-0.

The Great Danes struck just over a minute into the second half when Diana Barrera stripped a DSU defender and fed a ball to the top of the box that Tirabassi finished to the top left corner. UAlbany would up its lead to 2-0 at the 63:23 mark when Teresa Boring scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season off of a Caitlin Mulligan corner kick.

UAlbany had an astounding 50-3 advantage in shots. Haas finished with 17 saves, while Maria Liguori was forced to only make one stop in her first shutout of the season for the Great Danes. Liguori played all 1702:50 minutes for UAlbany this season, making 109 saves.

The win over the Hornets snapped a four match losing streak for the Great Danes and cemented the second straight season in which the program saw improvement. UAlbany graduates eight seniors, who all saw action together for the first time this season over the last 10 minutes of the game.


UAlbany (5-10-3, AE 1-7-0) 0 2 - 2

Delaware St. (2-13-2) 0 0 - 0


UAlbany: Scoring – Ashley Tirabassi (1-0), Teresa Boring (1-0), Diana Barrera (0-1), Caitlin Mulligan (0-1). Goalkeeping – Maria Liguori (90:00, 0 GA, 1 saves).

Delaware St.: Scoring –None. Goalkeeping – Courtney Haas (90:00, 2 GA, 17 saves).

Delaware State 0, UAlbany 2 (Oct 30, 2007)

Fall Festival at Final Home Football Game

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany SAAC, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, will be hosting a Fall Festival for Kids at the November 3rd Football Game. The festival starts at 12:00 PM in front of the entrance to the Physical Education Building. Come hang out with athletes from different sports and play some carnival games with them! Activities include a potato sack race, putting station, hoopshoot, other games and PRIZES. 3 Activity tickets for $1 and the proceeds will benefit the Regional Food Bank of Northeast NY. After hanging out with the athletes, cheer on your UAlbany Football team at 1:00pm as they take on Robert Morris in their final home game of the season. For tickets to the game, call (518) 442-4683.

Sports Network's FCS College Football Poll

Team (First-place votes) Record Points Previous Rank

1. Northern Iowa Panthers (59) 8-0 2,558 1
2. North Dakota State Bison (37) 8-0 2,456 2
3. Massachusetts Minutemen (6) 7-1 2,330 4
4. Montana Grizzlies (7) 8-0 2,300 3
5. McNeese State Cowboys (3) 8-0 2,272 5
6. Southern Illinois Salukis 7-1 2,069 7
7. Delaware Blue Hens 7-1 1,866 9
8. New Hampshire Wildcats 6-2 1,828 8
9. Appalachian State Mountaineers 6-2 1,689 10
10. Wofford Terriers 7-2 1,612 11
11. Richmond Spiders 6-2 1,454 14
12. James Madison Dukes 6-2 1,432 6
13. Delaware State Hornets 7-1 1,284 12
14. Elon Phoenix 6-2 1,215 16
15. Yale Bulldogs 7-0 1,179 13
16. Eastern Kentucky Colonels 7-2 1,068 17
17. Georgia Southern Eagles 6-2 850 22
18. Grambling State Tigers 7-1 789 21
19. Western Illinois Leathernecks 6-3 624 24
20. Hofstra Pride 6-2 518 15
21. Alabama A&M Bulldogs 7-1 404 NR
22. Youngstown State Penguins 5-4 292 20
23. Villanova Wildcats 5-3 253 NR
24. Eastern Washington Eagles 5-3 245 NR
25. Nicholls State Colonels 5-3 224 18

Others receiving votes: Eastern Illinois 208, Holy Cross 179, Cal Poly 147, Central Arkansas 127, Fordham 109, The Citadel 88, Norfolk State 87, Montana State 76, Dayton 59, San Diego 50, Harvard 47, Jacksonville State 36, South Dakota State 25, Hampton 19, Northern Arizona 15, Iona 11, Albany 9, Prairie View 5, Liberty 2, Winston-Salem State 2, Colgate 1.

As of October 29, 2007, at 02:27 PM ET

Mike Wall Named NEC Special Teams Player of the Week, Football Third in National Mid-Major Polls

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Somerset, N.J. – University at Albany’s Mike Wall has been selected as the Northeast Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in last Saturday’s 24-10 victory against Wagner, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Oct. 29. Wall, a senior flanker, was chosen for the second time this season.

Wall returned the opening kickoff 58 yards to set up a first-quarter field goal. He also caught two passes for 34 yards and punted on a third-down quick kick. Wall’s 15-yard touchdown reception, his first of the season, snapped a 3-3 deadlock early in the second period. Wall, who has accounted for 1,516 career all-purpose yards, has 13 receptions for 146 yards this season.

***********

Albany, N.Y. – Following last Saturday’s victory over Wagner, UAlbany moved up one spot to third in The Sports Network Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Mid-Major Poll. The Great Danes, who have won four straight games and went undefeated in the month of October for the first time since 1998, remained third in the Football Gazette rankings.

UAlbany (5-3, NEC 3-0) took over sole possession of first place in the conference standings. The Great Danes host Robert Morris in their final home game on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 1:00 p.m. The contest will be televised on the NEC TV Network and seen in the Capital Region on Time Warner Cable (TW3). UAlbany is ranked 19th among the NCAA Division I FCS national leaders in rushing defense (119.0 ypg) and has held five opponents under the 100-mark. The Great Danes are 28th nationally in rushing at 196.5 yards per game. Sophomore David McCarty, who ran for 125 yards and one touchdown against Wagner, has four 100-yard games this season.

THE SPORTS NETWORK: 1. Dayton, 2. San Diego, 3. Albany, 4. Drake, 5. Iona, 6. Morehead State, 7. Central Connecticut State, 8. Davidson, 9. Duquesne, 10. Wagner.

FOOTBALL GAZETTE: 1. Dayton, 2. San Diego, 3. Albany, 4. Drake, 5. Morehead State, 6. Wagner, 7. Iona, 8. Davidson, 9. Central Connecticut State, 10. Valparaiso.

Michelle Simpson Named America East Conference Field Hockey Player of the Week

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – UAlbany’s Michelle Simpson earned the final America East Conference Field Hockey Player of the Week award, as announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon. She earned the award for the second time this season.

Simpson scored two unassisted goals in the Great Danes' 3-0 win over America East rival New Hampshire on Oct. 27 as her team secured the second seed in the upcoming conference championship. Simpson scored both goals in the first half, recording her first tally of the game as she drove in the circle past several defenders and poked the ball into the left corner of the cage. She added her second goal at the 16-minute mark by converting a fastbreak opportunity. Simpson now has 11 goals and eight assists on the season for 30 total points. She is fourth in the America East in scoring at 1.67 points per game.

UAlbany (14-4) will face third-seeded Vermont in the semifinal round of the America East Championship on Friday, Nov. 2 at 2:30 p.m. The Great Danes are currently ranked No. 16 nationally.

UAlbany Field Hockey Seeded Second For America East Conference Championship

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – The 16th-ranked University at Albany field hockey team earned the No. 2 seed for the America East Conference Field Hockey Championship after posting a 14-4 record and a 4-1 mark in conference play. Boston University earned the No. 1 seed with a 2-0 win over Vermont on Saturday and will host the postseason tournament Friday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 4 at MIT’s Jack Barry Field.

The Terriers finished the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record in conference play. Boston U. (15-5) is ranked 14th in the most recent NFHCA/STX national poll. The Terriers will host No. 4 seed New Hampshire (9-10, AE 2-3) in the first semifinal. UAlbany will play No. 3 seed Vermont (12-6, AE 3-2) in the other semifinal. The Great Danes defeated the Catamounts, 1-0, in their regular-season matchup.

Semifinal game times are 12 noon and 2:30 on Friday. The championship game will be played at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Boston U. enters the championship as the two-time defending champions. New Hampshire looks for its second America East Championship crown, while both the Great Danes and the Catamounts are on the hunt for their first conference titles.


2007 America East Field Hockey Championship (Cambridge, Mass.)

Semifinal Round (Friday, Nov. 2)

No. 1 Boston U. (15-5, AE 5-0) vs. No. 4 New Hampshire (9-10, AE 2-3), 12 p.m.

No. 2 UAlbany (14-4, AE 4-1) vs. No. 3 Vermont (12-6, AE 3-2), 2:30 p.m.

Championship (Sunday, Nov. 4)

Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1:30 p.m.

UAlbany Volleyball Sweeps Hartford, 3-0, in America East Matchup

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

West Hartford, Conn. – Junior middle blocker Kamisha Kellam recorded a team-high 15 kills and nine total blocks to lead UAlbany to a three-game sweep of Hartford in America East Conference volleyball action on Saturday evening. The Great Danes won the match with scores of 30-27, 30-23 and 30-24.

Freshman outside hitter Amanda Cowdrey recorded her 14th double-double of the season, and her 10th straight match with double-figure kills, finishing with 12 kills and a team-high 15 digs. She also tallied two service aces and two block assists. Freshman outside hitter Kate Eckhart added eight kills, six digs and two block assists, while freshman setter Brooke Stanley finished with 35 assists and five digs.

Katie O’Hara led Hartford (7-19, AE 0-8) with 12 kills and six total blocks. Sarah Boss led the Hawks defensively with 11 digs while Lindsay Ford finished with 11 assists and eight digs. Erin Macro added eight kills and two total blocks for Hartford.

UAlbany (16-8, AE 5-3) returns home after being on the road for five straight matches, hosting America East rival Binghamton on Friday, Nov. 2.


UAlbany (16-8, AE 5-3) def. Hartford (7-19, AE 0-8), 3-0 (30-27, 30-23, 30-24).

UAlbany Field Hockey #2 Seed in America East Championship

Courtesy: America East Communications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- Boston University will host the 2007 America East Field Hockey Championship Friday (November 2) and Sunday (November 4) at Jack Barry Field on the MIT campus in Cambridge.

The Terriers will host No. 4 seed New Hampshire (9-10 overall, 2-3 America East) in one semifinal Friday. No. 2 seed Albany (14-4, 4-1) will play No. 3 seed Vermont (12-6-, 3-2) in the other semifinal on Friday. Albany (No. 16) joins Boston University in the national top 20.

Semifinal game times are 12 noon and 2:30 on Friday. The championship game will be played at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

UAlbany Moves Into First Place in Northeast Conference Standings Following 24-10 Victory

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Staten Island, N.Y. -- Sophomore tailback David McCarty rushed for 125 yards and one touchdown in leading UAlbany to a 24-10 Northeast Conference victory over Wagner on Saturday, Oct. 27 at Wagner College Stadium. The Great Danes, who have strung together four straight wins, moved into first place in the conference standings after Central Connecticut State fell from the unbeaten ranks in league play.

UAlbany (5-3, NEC 3-0) put the game away late in third quarter when cornerback Ross Bertrand picked off Wagner quarterback Matt Abbey and returned the ball 36 yards to the Seahawks' 21. Omar Johnson, who ran for 53 yards, all in the second half, later powered over left guard on a three-yard run for a 24-3 lead on the second play of the final period.

Wagner (5-3, NEC 3-2) closed within two touchdowns with 3:56 remaining on a two-yard blast by fullback Richard Parker. Senior tailback Jason Butler, who ran for 100-plus yards for the eighth time this season, set up the TD with a 47-yard scamper. UAlbany sacked Abbey twice on his team's last series to end any threat.

"We felt that first down was critical,” said UAlbany head coach Bob Ford. “We wanted to take the run away and make them throw the ball. As the game wore on, our ability to run the football took its toll on their defensive line."

In an opening half that featured several gadget plays, a faked punt by Wagner backfired. UAlbany took advantage of a short field to break a 3-3 tie early in the second quarter. Vinny Esposito fired a 15-yard scoring pass to flanker Mike Wall, who hauled in the ball over the shoulder of cornerback Tavares Lee with 13:19 left in the stanza.

The Great Danes took a 17-3 lead by marching 69 yards for a touchdown. Esposito hit Wall with a boot-leg pass for 19 yards, before scrambling for another first down. David McCarty then cut over left guard and into the end zone untouched on a 14-yard scamper with 3:03 remaining before halftime.

Both teams used several trick plays in the first quarter. Wagner's Matt Abbey connected with Lon Woods for 46 yards off a flea-flicker on his team's first offensive set. Piotr Czech's 29-yard field goal tied the contest at three apiece. Wall's 58-yard return with the opening kickoff led to Jason Fralicker's 37-yard field goal.

"I told the line to make the holes and lead the way and I will follow them,” said McCarty, who toppled the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time this season. “It's good to know that there are backs like (Colin) Simmons and (Omar) Johnson behind me. There's no jealously about who gets the most carries."

Wagner's Abbey completed 21 of 30 passes for 218 yards, but was intercepted twice. Butler finished with 116 rushing yards in 24 carries. Esposito threw for 91 yards and added 20 on the ground for the Great Danes, who ran for 240 against a defense that was ranked among the best in the Division I FCS ranks heading into the contest.

"We played team defense today,” said UAlbany’s Michael Dungey, who had seven tackles, including four solo and a half-sack. “No one tried to do things that they were not supposed to; we stayed in our gaps. It's nice but it doesn't matter that we are in first place. You only get a trophy at the end of the season."

Simpson Leads UAlbany to a 3-0 Defeat of America East Foe New Hampshire

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Senior midfielder Michelle Simpson scored two goals to lead #16 UAlbany to a 3-0 win over New Hampshire in America East Conference field hockey action on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Turf Field. With the win, the Great Danes improve to 14-4 overall, with a 4-1 record in conference play.

Sophomore forward Nicole Savage scored the Great Danes’ first goal of the game on a penalty corner with 24:06 on the clock. Jess Lindsey and Anouk Vandenberg recorded assists on the tally. Simpson scored her first goal less than a minute later, driving past defenders into the circle and slipping a shot past New Hampshire goalkeeper Margaux Shute. Simpson gave the UAlbany a three-goal lead at the 16:00 mark, taking a fast break into the circle and scoring an unassisted goal.

UAlbany outshot New Hampshire 12-6, while the Wildcats had a 9-6 advantage in penalty corners. Shute made four saves in the cage for New Hampshire (9-10, AE 2-3) while UAlbany goalkeeper Ashley Ross made two stops for the Great Danes in her sixth shutout of the season.

UAlbany will wait for the outcome of the Boston U./Vermont game to find out the final regular-season standings and the seeding for the America East Tournament. The A-East tournament will be held at the highest seed on November 2-4.


UAlbany (14-4, AE 4-1) 3 0 - 3

New Hampshire (9-10, AE 2-3) 0 0 - 0

UAlbany: Scoring – Michelle Simpson (2-0), Nicole Savage (1-0), Jess Lindsey (0-1), Anouk Vandenberg (0-1). Goalkeeper – Ashley Ross (70:00, 0 GA, 2 saves).

New Hampshire: Scoring – None. Goalkeeper – Margaux Shute (70:00, 3 GA, 4 saves).

Cummings Places 14th, Yurkewecz 16th at America East Championship

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Junior Laura Cummings placed 14th and Brian Yurkewecz placed 16th to lead the UAlbany women’s and men’s cross country teams at the America East Conference Championship meet at Stony Brook on Saturday, Oct. 27. The Great Danes placed sixth in the team standings in the women’s competition, while the men were seventh as a team. Stony Brook captured the women’s team competition to end Boston U’s three-year reign, while New Hampshire won the men’s team title for the second straight year.

Cummings covered the 5,008-meter course in a time of 18:35.0 to cross the finish line 14th. Freshman Kristine Mun was the second Great Dane to finish, completing the course in 24th place in 19:12.1. Senior Jessica Chichester finished 37th in 19:52.4, freshman Ally Panos placed 49th in 20:36.7, and junior Tashia Alexander crossed the finish line 52nd in 20:58.1 to round out the top-five competitors for UAlbany.

Boston U’s Andrea Walkonen won the women’s race in a time of 17:27.2 to lead the Terriers to a second place team finish.

Yurkewecz completed the 8,124-meter men’s course 16th in a time of 26:44.3. Senior Ricardo Estremera completed his final America East Championship race in 24th place with a time of 27:07.9. Freshman David Rothman finished 37th in 28:04.1, junior Joe Belokopitsky completed the course in 29:10.4 to place 51st, and junior Jared Jupin finished 52nd in 29:16.5 to round out the top-five harriers for the Great Danes.

Alex Felce led a trio of Stony Brook competitors in the top-five by winning the race in 25:32.0.

UAlbany Volleyball upset by AE leader Stony Brook

Albany, N.Y. – Morgan Sweany recorded a double-double with a 22 kills and 12 digs to lead Stony Brook to a 3-2 comeback-victory over UAlbany in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening. The Seawolves won by scores of 27-30, 23-30, 30-21, 30-28 and 15-12. Stony Brook improves to 19-7 overall, 7-1 in conference play while UAlbany falls to 15-8 overall and 4-3 in A-East play.

Senior middle blocker Ashley Crenshaw finished with a team-high 18 kills for UAlbany, while freshman outside hitter Amanda Cowdrey recorded a double-double of the kill-dig variety, tallying 17 kills and 15 digs. Junior middle blocker Kamisha Kellam added 11 kills while sophomore outside hitter Kate Eckhardt finished with a team-high 21 digs to go along with six kills, three service aces, three assists and two block assists.

Jackie Ahlers led all players with 31 kills for Stony Brook while setter Kaitlyn Deutsch recorded a match-high 67 assists and 17 digs. Amy Oleksiej added 11 kills. Noelle Bay and Linda Weber helped lead the Seawolves defensively with 21 and 18 digs, respectively.

UAlbany continues America East play on Saturday afternoon, visiting Hartford at 6 p.m.

ESPNU Covers UAlbany Basketball

"COACH AND PROGRAM

Coach Will Brown believes …

''This is probably the most talented and deepest we've been since I've been here,'' Brown said. ''We return seven of our top nine scorers; we have guys who have played in big games. We don't have our bail-out guy yet, but we have some good players who will play defense and rebound.''

PLAYERS

One player who will have to adopt a different mindset is 6-5 senior guard Brian Lillis (6.9 ppg, 2.3 apg). Lillis played every position except center last year and earned America East Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors.

''We need him to be more aggressive on the offensive end,'' Brown said. ''No guy is willing to accept that challenge more than him, because he really wants to win.
''He's a guy who can elevate his game.''

Aside from working hard, Lillis could seek counsel from older sister Jennie, a three-time All-Big Ten performer who is among Iowa's all-time leading scorers with 1,762 points and is currently an assistant coach at Marquette.

Fellow Hawkeye starter Brent Wilson (11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) will be the Great Danes' primary offensive weapon. The 6-8 senior would be more well known if not for the other Wilson, who absorbed most of the spotlight during his career. He earned all-rookie honors as a freshman and All-America East third-team honors as a sophomore and junior.

He was the Great Danes' best three-point shooter last year, connecting 44 percent of the time. Brown, however, would like to see him develop his low-post game.

''He put on about 17 pounds in the last couple months, so he's stronger physically,'' said Wilson of the 250-pound Wilson. ''We're encouraging him to stay on the low block. But for a point forward to shoot the ball like he does, it allows our other guys to create more.''

The Great Danes' third senior, 5-9 guard John Iati (5.9 ppg, 1.0 apg), could be their most important player. Iati earned America East Rookie-of-the-Year honors after averaging 14 points per game, three assists and leading Division I in minutes per game with 40.

Brown is banking on the fact that Iati, like Wilson and Lil-lis, are in their final go-around and want to leave their own mark on the program.

''Brett, Brian, Jon; they're all tough kids and I think they want to go out in style,'' Brown said. ''They're also smart and they hear people saying that no way are they going to be as good without Jamar. It's a personal challenge for them.'' Lillis, Wilson and Iati will be the key figures for the Great Danes, but when Wilson talks about being excited about depth, he's talking about the next group of players, which includes experienced returnees and talented transfers.

Brian Connolly (5.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg), a 6-8 junior forward, played in every game last year. Brown likes to match him up with Wilson because of his ability to shoot.
''He can rip it from the high post,'' Brown said. ''He's a kid who's going to have a breakout year.''

Sharing time at center will be 6-11 sophomore Brent Gifford (1.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg) and 6-7 junior Jimmie Covington (1.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg). Covington is shorter than some of the Great Danes' wing players, but he makes up for it with his strength. Gifford, meanwhile, slimmed down in the off-season, from 285 pounds to 250.

Reid Anderson (0.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg), a 6-5 sophomore guard, will provide depth in the frontcourt.

Brown filled … three roster spots, plus the ones made available by graduation, with players he believes will help right now.

Brown went the junior-college route with two of the players. Jerell Hastings, a 6-5 guard from Lon Morris Community College in Texas, led his team to the NJCAA Na-tional Tournament, where it placed sixth. Hastings will be joined by 6-2 guard Rob Moores from Pratt Community College in Kansas. Moores originally agreed to a scholar-ship with Toledo and was offered one by La Salle before attending Pratt, which competes in the Jayhawk Conference, one of the best junior college leagues in the country. Moores has three years of eligibility remaining.

Tim Ambrose, a 6-0 guard, isn't a transfer but is new to the Great Danes' lineup. During his senior year at Our Savior New American School in Centereach, N.Y., received scholarship offers from several America East and A-10 schools.

Joining those three will be two high school recruits -- Josh Martin, Albert Turley, and Billy Allen.

''We want to bring in kids we feel are winners, and who are going to bust their butts to help us get better as a team and win an America East championship,'' Brown said. ''All the pieces of the puzzle have to fit right away.''

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: B
BENCH/DEPTH: A
FRONTCOURT: A
INTANGIBLES: B "

by ESPNU


Further Indepth Coverage - 2007/08 Men's Basketball Recruits - by uofalbany blog

Billy Allen, swingman

Billy Allen is a 6-foot-6, 210-pound swingman from Hamilton, Ohio (Hamilton H.S.).
Allen was named to the 2005-06 Associated Press Division I All-Ohio squad in the honorable mention category. He averaged 17.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists when he was chosen to the All-Southwest District second team. Allen, who posted a triple-double in one game as a junior, also earned a spot on the All-Greater Miami Conference squad. He contributed 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in his sophomore campaign, and was the sixth man on Hamilton 's 2003-04 Division I state championship team.

"He understands the game as a coach's son," UAlbany head coach Will Brown said. "He is a big-time shooter and plays every position on the floor for his high school team. His versatility, shooting ability and physical make-up will allow him the opportunity to make an impact as a freshman."

Albert Turley, forward

UAlbany received an oral commitment from 6-foot-7, 270-pound forward Albert Turley of Westfield High School in Houston, according to Westfield coach Larry Brown.

Turley averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and a city-leading 4.2 blocks per game for Westfield, which finished 25-11 in Class 5A, Texas’ highest division.

“He’s a big kid and he’s got a lot of upside,” Larry Brown said. “He’s a great kid and he’s got good hands. His future is ahead of him. He’s a great character person.”

Larry Brown said Turley had scholarship offers from McNeese State and Southeastern Louisiana during the early signing period but decided to wait.

Larry Brown said Purdue, Arkansas State and New Mexico were scheduled to see Turley tonight, but he expected Turley to stick by his decision.

“He liked the (Albany) kids,” Larry Brown said of Turley’s visit to UAlbany .“Coach Brown did a tremendous job recruiting him. They’ve been in the (NCAA) tournament the last couple of years and they have a definite need for a big (player). It was just a good fit.”

Josh Martin, guard

Another addition to UAlbany is "Josh “SCRAP” Martin from Simon Gratz HS in Philly. Josh is a tough hardnosed city guard who has a great feel for the game. He won a state championship as a junior and lost in the city final as a senior. Simon Gratz has a history of sending players to the Division 1 level. NBA players Aaron McKie and Rasheed Wallace played at Simon Gratz. Josh had offers from several programs and we were fortunate to be the university that he decided to attend.

We are excited about the potential of the 2008 Great Danes! It was very important to me that we continued to recruit and sign quality people. The young men in this class will have an impact on our program over the next four years. They will work hard and represent our program and university in a positive manner!" by Coach Brown

Jerel Hastings, small forward

Jerel is a transfer from Lon Morris CC, TX. Jerel is an excellent athlete who has that special ability to draw fouls. He does a great job of attacking the basket. He is an excellent offensive rebounder and finisher. Jerel is a good mid-range shooter and can defend four spots on the perimeter.

Lon Morris CC won the region championship and advanced to Hutchinson, KS where they finished 6th at the NJCAA National Tournament. He was the teams 2nd leading scorer, leading rebounder, and leader in FT’s made and attempted. He can do a little of everything.

He played high school ball at Dallas South Oak Cliff HS and won a state championship as a senior. He signed with Stephen F Austin University and had a rough freshman year because of injury. He tore up his knee and had surgery during the early part of his freshman season. He missed 9 games as a result of the injury and came back too quickly. He was 100% this past season and was the best player on a very talented Lon Morris CC basketball team.

Robert Moores, guard

The UAlbany men’s basketball team filled its final scholarship for next season with the commitment of 6-foot-2 guard Robert Moores of Pratt (Kansas) Community College, Pratt coach Trevor Rolfs confirmed Tuesday night.

Moores, a Chicago native, averaged 13.9 points per game and shot 41.9 percent from 3-point range for Pratt, which was 24-8 overall as a member of the Jayhawk Community College Conference.

Rolfs said Moores can play both guard spots and fill UAlbany’s need for perimeter scoring following the departure of guards Jamar Wilson and Jason Siggers.

“He’s got good size for a point guard - at 6-2 he’s very long,” Rolfs said. “He handles the ball extremely well. He’s a very tough kid mentally and physically. Probably what sets Rob apart from a lot of point guards is that the best part of his game is that he’s a very good 3-point shooter.”

Moores spent two seasons at Pratt, but redshirted his first year, so he’ll have three seasons of eligibility remaining at UAlbany. That’s more than the usual two seasons a school gets from a juco transfer.

Rolfs said Utah State and Northern Colorado also were “heavily involved” with Moores but had yet to offer him a scholarship.

Moores visited the UAlbany campus last weekend and signed his national letter of intent on Tuesday.

Asked why Moores chose UAlbany, Rolfs explained, “They’re an established program in a good conference and they’ve been to the NCAAs the past two years. He just felt comfortable with their system and what they’re going to want him to do.”

Tim Ambrose, guard 2006 Recruit, eligible this coming year. Tim Ambrose is a delight to watch. He is an athletic guard who can dazzle a defender with his speed, strength or athletic skills. There was some interest from schools like Southern Cal, St. John's, Georgetown, Clemson, and Fairfield. Strong athlete who can get to the rim and play with tremendous athleticism.


Anthony Raffa, point guard

Anthony Raffa is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from Strathmere, N.J. (Wildwood Catholic H.S.). Raffa was the second-leading scorer in the Cape Atlantic League at 22.7 points per game. He also ranked among the league leaders in assists (3.0 pg), steals (3.3 pg) and free throw percentage (.715). As a junior, he was voted first-team All-Cape Atlantic League National Conference. Raffa led Wildwood Catholic to New Jersey 's Non-Public Class B final, the program's first appearance in the championship since 1988. The Crusaders, who went 22-8 overall, also captured the South Jersey , sectional and CAL National titles. Raffa averaged 11.0 points per game as a sophomore.

"He is our point guard of the future and a fierce competitor," Brown offered. "He led his team to the state championship game and played at the prestigious ABCD summer camp last year. He is fearless and can flat out make plays, so we have high expectations that he will have a postive effect on our program from day one."

Raffa will be joining the Great Danes for the 2008/09 season.

Great Danes / Dallas Cowboys connected

ALBANY -- Although the Dallas Cowboys have a bye this weekend, assistant head coach Tony Sparano still will fly to a game.

It's the first time he will see his sons, Tony and Andy, play football for the University at Albany.

Tony is a sophomore defensive end and Andy a freshman center with the Great Danes (4-3 overall, 2-0 Northeast Conference), who face Wagner on Saturday for an important league game on Staten Island.

"I'm tickled to death," their father said from his office in Dallas. "I just can't wait."

Sparano, in his fifth season with Dallas, got permission from head coach Wade Phillips to leave because the Cowboys don't play again until Nov. 4 at Philadelphia.

Being the son of an NFL coach has its perks. In high school, the Sparano brothers had seats on the 40-yard line at Cowboys home games. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten have had dinner at their home in Colleyville, Texas.

But it also requires sacrifice because of their father's long workdays.

"A lot of people come up to my two sons and think it's cool, 'Hey, your dad is in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys,' " the elder Sparano said. "My kids are smart enough to know that it's really cool on game day, but the other six days, when I come home at 10:30 at night, it's not really that cool."

He did get to watch his sons play often on Friday nights in high school.

Tony Sparano, the son, went to three high schools because his father was an assistant for the Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cowboys during his scholastic career.

"It wasn't the easiest thing," the son said. "Just when you kind of felt like you'd found your role, you were up and going somewhere else. At the same time, it prepared me more for coming to college and the real world. I hope to be a coach one day, too."

He served as a Jaguars ballboy and broke down opponents' film with his father in Jacksonville.

The Sparanos, who graduated from Grapevine High School in Colleyville, came to UAlbany to play Division I-AA football and return to their Northeast roots. They grew up in Connecticut while their father was the head coach at the University of New Haven from 1994 to 1998.

Also, UAlbany offensive coordinator Peter Rossomando has known the Sparano brothers since they were small children. Rossomando played for the elder Sparano at Boston University when Sparano was offensive coordinator there from 1989 to 1993.

"Having (Rossomando) here, it's someone you can always talk to, someone who will shoot you straight," the younger Tony Sparano said. "It made my decision to come here even easier."

Tony Sparano, the father, said he'll "be the guy in the top row" at Saturday's game to be as unobtrusive as possible.

Andy Sparano, who played in his first game last week, said he'll be happy just to have his father there.

"I feel like I play better when he's there," he said. "I'm always trying to prove something to him, always trying to make him proud."

By MARK SINGELAIS

UAlbany's athletic successes revive school spirit and spur donors

In 2000, UAlbany alumnus Bill Fuller Jr. wouldn't have considered writing a check to his alma mater's athletics department. He had no reason to.

"Not at all. I felt it was a large community college and it really didn't bring people back to it, didn't hold on to alumni," said Fuller, a 1984 graduate and president of R.C. Fuller Inc. in Locust Valley in Nassau County. "It didn't really offer anything."

That's coming from a man who said he's committed about $50,000 in donations to the athletics department over the past several years.

It's a story line that University at Albany athletics director Lee McElroy has seen a lot lately: Donors who once didn't want to help out are now happy to give, and many existing donors are compelled to give more to help boost the school's 19 athletic programs.

A string of nationally noticed athletic achievements--what Fuller called "tangible product"--has been a rising tide lifting the entire department. And the victories come at an opportune time: McElroy might need to raise as much as $10 million for a new stadium that's in the works.

The rekindled school spirit has translated into more donations and a larger budget. In the past five years, revenue from donations, ticket sales and corporate advertising combined have more than tripled to $2.15 million.

Athletics officials project that the budget will near $12 million for the 2009-10 school year, about $5 million more than where it stood when McElroy took over. He has said the new stadium could more than double the size of the current budget.

"They had a reason to say, 'Yes,' " McElroy said of new and existing donors. "The pride, the exposure--it's had a really, really profound impact on how they feel about the institution."

Many alumni openly gush about the Great Danes now, but McElroy didn't see such pride when he began his job in 2000. The year before, the school officially made the jump to Division I athletics, a demanding move to the highest level of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

"We were so under-resourced and under-funded as a Division II or Division III program, not to mention a Division I program," McElroy said. "Literally, I was going knocking on doors saying, 'Look, we need your help to keep the doors open so we can compete.'

"I had people say, 'I don't even know if I ever went to a game when I was in college there. Why should I be supporting it?' " he said.

McElroy patiently constructed the answer to that pointed question. The school joined a conference for the 2001-02 school year, helping the programs gain acclaim partly because its teams could win conference championships--which many teams did.

The building momentum exploded in the spring of 2006, when the men's basketball team won the conference championship and nearly upset No. 1 seeded Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament. The team followed up that year with another conference title and NCAA appearance this spring.

"The entire message changed," McElroy said. "It changed from trying to keep the doors open, to now, sustaining this level of excellence--which is an entirely different sell."

And McElroy is mainly focused on selling one big-ticket item: a new multi-use stadium, the centerpiece of a development plan he created soon after he came to Albany.

The school has submitted a $60 million proposal to the State University of New York system's board of trustees. It's just an initial offer that will likely change once the trustees and state officials start delving into the details.

Peter Bulger, an alumnus and donor, spoke enthusiastically about the new stadium but said many donors are taking a wait-and-see approach.

"I think the No. 1 resistance is the feeling that you're giving to the state of New York, as opposed to a specific university," said Bulger, chief operating officer for CL King and Associates in Albany.

"Right now, everyone wants to see the state of New York either step up or not step up. If they say they're going to basically build it ... people will be more apt to follow," he added. "It's very difficult for the private sector to lead on this."

This month, the school is expected to award a contract of at least $250,000 to recommend the best location for the stadium, said spokesman Brian DePasquale.

After that, engineers and architects will step in to design the stadium; school officials have said that settling on the stadium's general look and location will likely make it easier to sell the project.

Armed with just a conceptual drawing, McElroy is pitching the facility as a prudent investment that will help put the program on a par with its peers in the conference and the state, while attracting countless regional and statewide events.

He said he sees a stark improvement from when he went door to door in 2000.
"I've not had anyone say, 'No.' "

by Adam Sichko The Business Review

Corrin Conroy Finishes Tied for Eighth at Knights Invitational

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Hillsborough, N.J. – Freshman Corrin Conroy shot a final round 79 to lead the UAlbany women’s golf team at Fairleigh Dickinson’s Knights Invitational at Royce Brook Golf Club on Tuesday, Oct. 23. The Great Danes finished in sixth place at the two-day event with a team total of 697.

Conroy finished the invitational in a tie for eighth place with a total score of 165 on rounds of 86 and 79. Conroy was one of only eight competitors to card a sub-80 round. Senior Maggie Taylert finished in a tie for 16th place with a second round 90 to finish at 172. Junior Sun Hwa Kim followed up her opening round 91 with an 88 on the second day for a two-day score of 179 and a 26th place finish. Sophomore Jessica Signorelli tallied an 89 in the final round to finish in a tie for 29th at 181. Senior Rebecca Lukac rounded out the Great Dane competitors with a 94 on Tuesday for a 192 total score.

Host Fairleigh Dickinson captured the top three individual scores to win the team competition with a final score 646. Michele Holzwarth won the individual portion of the invitational with a two-day score of 156, after carding an invitation-best round of 76 on Tuesday.

-agate-

TEAM SCORES

1. Fairleigh Dickinson 326-320 - 646; 2. Hofstra 325-341 - 666; 3. Hartford 333-337 - 670; 4. Rutgers 346-325 - 671; 5. Monmouth 333-349 - 682; 6. UAlbany 351-346 - 697; 7. Central Conn. St. 356-364 - 720; DNF. Wagner 340-DNF.


INDIVIDUAL SCORES

1. Michele Holzwarth (Fairleigh Dickinson) 80-76 - 156; T2. Eva Mayr (Fairleigh Dickinson) 78-82 - 160; T2. Lisa Warrilow (Fairleigh Dickinson) 82-78 - 160; T2. Amy Hoffmann (Hofstra) 77-83 - 160; 5. Lauren Huhnerkoch (Rutgers) 83-78 -161; T6. Rylee Plitz (Monmouth) 81-81 - 162; T6. Juliana Carrillo (Hartford) 78-84 - 162; T8. Corrin Conroy (UAlbany) 86-79 - 165; T8. Lucie Sarochova (Central Conn. State) 81-84 - 165; T10. Alison Hanlon (Hofstra) 78-88 - 166; T10. Terry Grandis (Rutgers) 87-79 - 166; T10. Morgan Heyrman (Hofstra) 82-84 - 166;


UALBANY SCORES

T16. Maggie Taylert 82-90 - 172; 26. Sun Hwa Kim 91-88 - 179; T29. Jessica Signorelli 92-89 - 181; 35. Rebecca Lukac 98-94 - 192.

David McCarty & Daniel Bocanegra Earn Northeast Conference Weekly Football Awards

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Somerset, N.J. – University at Albany’s David McCarty has been named the Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week in football for his performance in last Saturday’s 58-21 victory over Saint Francis, Pa. UAlbany’s Daniel Bocanegra was chosen NEC Special Teams Player of the Week.

McCarty, a sophomore from Gansevoort, N.Y., rushed for a career-high 170 yards and two touchdowns. He scored on runs of 13 and 10 yards in the first half as his team built a 31-7 lead at the intermission. McCarty scampered 63 yards on the first play of the third quarter to set up another touchdown. His rushing total was the highest by a Great Dane since Oct. 30, 2004.

McCarty, who has run for 140 or more yards three times this season, moved from flanker to tailback last spring. He leads the team in rushing with 663 yards and five touchdowns.

Bocanegra, a junior from Daly City, Calif., accounted for 112 all-purpose yards against Saint Francis. His 53-yard punt return in the first quarter, the longest by a UAlbany player since 1999, in the first helped set up a touchdown. He returned three punts for 80 yards, the highest total by a Great Dane against an NEC opponent. Bocanegra, who was last year’s starting quarterback, also caught two passes for 32 yards. He is the squad’s top receiver with 21 catches for 267 yards this season.


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Albany, N.Y. – Following a 58-21 victory over Saint Francis, Pa. last Saturday, UAlbany moved up two spots to fourth in The Sports Network Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Mid-Major Poll. The Great Danes remained third in the Football Gazette FCS rankings.

UAlbany (4-3, NEC 2-0) scored its most points in a conference game and tied another mark with eight touchdowns last week. The Great Danes, who have won three straight, rushed for 334 net yards, the highest single-game total since 2004. UAlbany is ranked 29th in rushing among the NCAA Division I FCS national leaders at 190.29 yards per game and is 10th in turnover margin (+1.43). The Great Danes are the lone FCS team among 116 programs to have not lost a fumble this season.


THE SPORTS NETWORK FCS POLL: 1. San Diego, 2. Dayton, 3. Central Connecticut State, 4. Albany, 5. Duquesne, 6. Drake, 7. Wagner, 8. Iona, 9. Morehead State, 10. Davidson.

Alysia Hough Named America East Conference Field Hockey Rookie of the Week

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – UAlbany freshman midfielder Alysia Hough was named the America East Conference Rookie of the Week in field hockey, as announced by the conference on Monday afternoon. It is the first weekly honor for Hough this season.

Hough recorded two goals in two games for the Great Danes last week. She was responsible for UAlbany’s lone goal against Boston University, taking a pass from Michelle Simpson and directing it into the cage. Hough, who hails from Lehighton, Pa., also scored the Great Danes’ first goal in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Rutgers. She has three goals and one assist on the season.

UAlbany (13-4, AE 3-1), ranked #16 in the latest STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll, wraps up regular-season play on Saturday, Oct. 27, hosting conference opponent New Hampshire at 1 p.m.