University of Albany Softball Earns Top Seed for America East Conference Tournament: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy:The University of Albany softball team earned the top seed for the America East Conference Championship, a double-elimination tournament, set to take place Thursday, May 8 through Saturday, May 10, at Albany Field. UAlbany swept a three-game series with Boston University to claim the regular-season title, the first since 2005.

Tickets for the event are available through the UAlbany ticket office. Admission is $7 for ages 14 and up and $4 for students with an America East school identification card. Spectators are directed to park in the Dutch Quad Gold parking lot. Limited parking will be available in the SEFCU Arena Gold parking lot.

2008 America East Conference Softball Championship - Albany Field – Albany, N.Y.

Thursday, May 8
Game One: #1 UAlbany (32-15, AE 16-5) vs. #4 UMBC (24-27, AE 12-9), 1 p.m.
Game Two: #2 Boston U. vs. #3 Stony Brook 3:30 p.m.

Friday, May 9
Game Three: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game Four: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1:30 p.m.
Game Five: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 10
Game Six: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 12 p.m.
Game Seven: (if necessary): Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 2:30 p.m.


Following Article By Bob Weiner, Schenectady Gazette

The 32-15 Great Danes, who barely qualified for the America East Conference tournament a year ago and then surprised everyone by winning the championship, have appeared in three straight NCAA tournaments.

Last year’s team was young, but this year’s squad, which clinched the reg­ular-season title over the weekend and will be the top seed and host for the conference tourn­ament beginning Thursday, is even greener — and perhaps a little cocky, as well.

“Sometimes, it’s nice to have a little exper­ience. Even though we were also very young a year ago, I’m still not sure that experience is overrated, because it does help, especially in certain sit­uations. We definitely don’t have much of it,” said Cannata. “We have 15 freshmen and sophomores. We only have one junior and two seniors on the roster. Because of that, it took a while during the year to get everyone going on the same page. Last year was a roller coaster, and this year, it was even more so.”

UAlbany’s youth gave Cannata some stomach aches this season. “We’re a lot more athletic this year, but that inexperience played a part in so many one-run games this year. It didn’t matter whether we were playing somebody good or somebody bad, we still seemed to get stuck in a one-run game,” she said. “It was definitely rough on me, trying to coach them in those situations.”

Fortunately for the Great Danes, talent carried the day. Sophomore pitcher Leah McIntosh of Whitby, Ontario, led a deep staff, while Shenendehowa graduate Michelle Connors, a sophomore second baseman, and junior utility player Meagan Butsch wielded big bats in a powerful lineup.

But it all starts on the mound. “Leah definitely is having a great year, but she got tendonitis in her forearm and missed 10 days, right in the middle of our conference season,” Cannata said. “We were able to hold our own during that time with some nice pitching from Marissa Powell and Brittany Rose, but I’m glad Leah is back. She is extremely talented. She pitches for the Canadian junior national team and she throws very hard. Her best pitch is the rise ball, and she also has a curveball.”

“I’m not feeling that bad, right now, but I had to take a cortisone shot, and I didn’t really want to go that route,” said McIntosh, who has a 15-5 record with a 1.65 earned run average. She also has completed 19 of her 21 starts, and has posted seven shutouts. “I love taking the ball. I know we have depth, and it’s awesome that our other pitchers came through when I was hurt, but we have a young pitching staff. I’m young, but I’ve been pitching for 15 years, and nothing really rattles me,” she said.

Powell, from Dallas, is 13-9 with a 2.99 ERA, while Rose, a Schen­ectady High School graduate, is 3-1 with a 3.35 ERA. “Marissa is another hard thrower, but she uses a drop ball rather than a rise ball as her out pitch. Brittany Rose came in when we really needed her, especially when Leah was out. She throws hard, but she needs a little more control.”

Leadoff hitter Amber Maisonet, a senior outfielder from Newburgh, is a team leader in more ways than one. She sets the table for the power hitters and is batting .372, second in the America East Conference. Connors, the team’s No. 3 hitter, and Butsch, the cleanup hitter, excel at driving in runs. Connors, who is batting .331, has a team-high eight home runs and 29 RBI, while Butsch, the conference’s top hitter at .381, has six homers and 28 RBI.

“If I don’t drive Amber in, Meagan will,” said Connors. “We have a tremendous amount of talent and depth on this team. I’ll contribute in any way I can. I consider myself both a line-drive hitter and a power hitter, but we have a lot of good hitters all the way through our lineup.”

The pitching is sharp and the top half of the lineup provides plenty of punch, but the Great Danes don’t always field the ball the way Cannata would like. “Let’s just say our defense plays like a bunch of freshmen,” she said. “But it’s been better lately. Since we’re more athletic, they can get to the ball quicker. Once they began to feel comfortable, they started to make the plays, but it took them a while.”

That inexperience that Cannata keeps coming back to is one of the reasons why she’s not as happy as one would think about hosting the America East Conference tourn­ament.
“I think it puts more pressure on the kids,” said Cannata, who has guided the Great Danes to seven straight appearances in the conference tournament. “If we were more experienced, I would love playing at home, but now, the kids are going to class and taking finals. In fact, they’re right in the middle of finals, and they are all in the dorms. When you’re on the road, you are all together in the hotel rooms, and you are less distracted.”

University of Albany Student-Athletes Earn Recognition at 8th Annual Great Dane Awards: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy presented Brian Lillis and Amber Maisonet with ECAC Merit Medals at the eighth annual Great Dane Awards, held at SEFCU Arena on Monday, May 5. The event celebrates UAlbany Athletics in the 2007-08 academic year. Presidential Scholar-Athlete Awards were given to Amanda Hall, Kelly Martinson, Mike Ammann and Steve Ammann. Each of the 19 intercollegiate men’s and women’s teams handed out their most valuable player awards.

ECAC Merit Medals are annually awarded to the school’s top senior male and female student-athletes who have shown excellence in the classroom and as competitive athletes during the current academic year. Presidential Scholar-Athlete Awards are presented to the Department of Athletics’ top students.

Maisonet, a senior outfielder on the softball team, has a 3.85 cumulative grade point average in psychology. Maisonet, a three-time first-team All-America East Conference selection, has led the program to three conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances. She is currently batting .372 with 25 stolen bases. Maisonet is the school’s career leader with 227 hits and is tied for first in runs with 148 and is second in stolen bases with 94.

Lillis, a senior guard/forward on the basketball squad, has a 3.23 GPA in business administration. He was voted to the all-conference first team after averaging 15.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Lillis, who was one of 10 players at the Division I level to lead his team in all three categories, was also selected as the America East Fans’ Choice Player of the Year. He led the Great Danes to a pair of America East championships and two NCAA berths during his career.

Hall posted a 3.88 GPA in business administration. A member of the women’s tennis team, Hall had an 18-8 singles record and a 17-11 mark in doubles play this spring. The Great Danes went 18-7 in dual matches, their best season as a Division I program. Martinson, who hails from Madison, Wis., has a 3.99 GPA in social welfare with a dual minor in psychology and education. Her basketball career was cut short due to injury, but she provided leadership for a program that registered its best-ever record in America East Conference play and reached the conference tournament’s semifinal round.

Mike Ammann has a 3.87 GPA in accounting with a dual minor in business administration and athletics. He received the 2008 UAlbany President’s Award for Leadership and was chosen to last year’s ESPN The Magazine District all-academic team. Ammann accounted for 65 career points as a lacrosse midfielder. Steve Ammann, who has twice been voted to the All-America East second team in lacrosse, has a 3.86 GPA in business administration with a concentration in finance and marketing. Steve and his twin brother, Mike, have been involved in numerous community service projects, including Habitat for Humanity. Steve was fourth on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 12 assists as a senior.

************

2007-08 University at Albany Team MVP Awards

Fall: Ricardo Estremera (Men’s Cross Country), Laura Cummings (Women’s Cross Country), Michelle Simpson (Field Hockey), Michael Dungey (Football), Steward Ceus (Men’s Soccer), Meghan Garrity (Women’s Soccer), Kamisha Kellam (Women’s Volleyball).

Winter: Brian Lillis (Men’s Basketball), Gia Sanders (Women’s Basketball), Jean Juste & David Parker (Men’s Indoor Track & Field), Laura Cummings & Jenn Gurrant (Women’s Indoor Track & Field).

Spring: Brendan Rowland (Baseball), Corrin Conroy (Women’s Golf), Jordan Levine (Men’s Lacrosse), Kayla Best & Sara Wolf (Women’s Lacrosse), Amber Maisonet, Meagan Butsch & Leah McIntosh (Softball), Charlotte Tatler (Women’s Tennis), TBD (Men’s Track & Field), TBD (Women’s Track & Field).

Spirit Awards: Tori Palmer (Cheerleading), Katie Lappin (Dance).

University of Albany's Leah McIntosh and Gina Mason Earn America East Weekly Softball Awards: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – UAlbany’s Leah McIntosh and Gina Mason earned America East Conference weekly softball awards, as announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon. McIntosh earned her fourth pitcher of the week honor, while Mason was named the conference’s rookie of the week for the first time.

McIntosh, a native of Whitby, Ontario, tossed three complete-game shutouts for wins last week, recording 39 strikeouts in 21.0 innings to go 3-0 on the week. The sophomore hurler took a perfect game inot the seventh inning in a 4-0 win over Manhattan and established UAlbany’s Division I single-game record with 18 strikeouts. McIntosh also recorded two shutout wins over Boston U., fanning 15 in a 7-0 win on Saturday and six in a 3-2 victory on Sunday, helping to secure the Great Danes as the top seed in the conference tournament.

Mason, who saw time at first base and designated player for UAlbany last week, hit .467, recording seven hits, five runs and 10 RBI. She hit two doubles, one triple and two home runs, including her first career grand slam in a 7-0 win over Boston U. Mason, a native of Sacramento, Calif., finished with a 1.133 slugging percentage and did not strike out in 15 at bats. She recorded six RBI in the series-opening win against Boston U., and followed up with a 2-for-3 performance, including a two-run double, in the nightcap. Mason leads all UAlbany freshmen, hitting .230 for the season, and is third on the team with 25 RBI.

For University of Albany's Athletic Director, Lee McElroy, Optimism Abounds: UAlbany Athletics

University at Albany Athletic Director Lee McElroy hung a sign on his office door last month that proclaims, "Optimism Reigns Here."

That was McElroy's response to the state Legislature killing $36.5 million in proposed funding for the new campus football stadium he has championed.

"I just wanted to let our people know we're fine," he said.

For McElroy to make a strong statement without uttering a word is typical of his firm yet understated management style, according to those who work with him.

McElroy, who is black, learned leadership at an early age as the oldest in a family of 12 children in segregated Beaumont, Texas. He's applied those lessons to help UAlbany grow from its infancy as an NCAA Division I athletic program.

"Lee is the principal reason the program has developed the way it has," said UAlbany Interim President George Philip. "He had a real vision for the program and he understands the concept of a student-athlete."

UAlbany joined Division I in 1999 amid skepticism that the school could be successful. During McElroy's eight years, the Great Danes have won 28 conference championships and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.

UAlbany doesn't compete at the highest level of Division I and isn't expected to. McElroy is in charge of a $13 million athletic budget, a fraction of the money spent by powerhouse programs such as Florida and UCLA.

That doesn't mean McElroy lacks ambition. He is tackling his remaining priorities: replacing the outdated football stadium and convincing former UAlbany athletes to donate more money to the program.

McElroy, 60, said he relates to Division I student-athletes because he was one himself.

He received a football scholarship from UCLA, which he said saved him from a career working in one of the oil refineries in Beaumont. That's where most of the classmates from his all-black high school ended up.

"I would have still been there," McElroy said. "Given what the refineries are doing to your lungs, I probably wouldn't have been alive ... . There weren't a lot of other options for a person of color."

McElroy graduated from UCLA in 1970 with a degree in political science and history. He taught in the public school system in Santa Monica, Calif., and served as a high school principal in Beaumont. He got his first job in college sports in 1981 as associate director of athletics at the University of Houston.

The night of his high school graduation, McElroy flew to Los Angeles to begin taking college classes. Being surrounded by gifted students at UCLA further fueled his ambition.

"The environment drives you to be successful," he said. "When you're in a class with people that are all motivated and intelligent, you work hard and rise to the top, or you're going to fail."

He's succeeded to be counted among the 5 percent of Division I athletic directors who are black.

McElroy said he felt tremendous pressure to succeed because he was the first child in a large family, the son of a mail carrier and a teacher's aide who stressed getting an education. He knew his six brothers and five sisters looked to him as an example.
His father told him to be the first one at the dinner table, and the other children would follow. It was his responsibility to make sure his siblings were home from school and the doors were locked for the night.

"Very early on you learned responsibility and accountability," McElroy said.

He said he asks the same from his coaches and demands they run a clean program and make sure their players graduate.

McElroy is fond of pointing out that UAlbany's athletes have a higher graduation rate (73 percent) than the general student body (63 percent).

Not that there haven't been problems.

The athletic department was rocked when three freshmen football players -- one from Texas, one from Georgia, one from Florida -- were arrested on rape charges in October 2006. Two pleaded guilty to third-degree rape.

"It was gut-wrenching," McElroy said. "I pride myself on giving kids an opportunity to succeed at the university and represent the university in a first-class manner."

Although he described the arrests as "an isolated incident," McElroy said they did spur a positive change. He implemented a program to ensure out-of-state freshmen receive greater supervision from coaches, older teammates and academic advisors.

McElroy also has left his imprint on UAlbany's coaching staff; only five coaches in UAlbany's 19-sport program remain from prior to his tenure.

However, those who work under McElroy say he takes a hands-off approach.

UAlbany men's basketball coach, Will Brown, said if McElroy calls, it's usually to offer support after a big win or tough loss, or to see if there's anything he can do for the program.

"He's not one of those micromanagers you have to clear everything through," Brown said. "He trusts my judgment."

Football coach Bob Ford, who has been at the school since 1970, said McElroy has given him more full-time assistant coaches and renovated the team's locker room.

"He's created an environment where you've got a fighting chance of succeeding," Ford said.

McElroy has an open-door policy and tries to meet with every recruit who comes on campus, as well as his or her parents.

As McElroy walked down to the SEFCU Arena court recently, sophomore volleyball player Kate Eckhardt stopped him to pass on a greeting from one of her professors. The rest of the volleyball team came over to say hello. Coaches say he knows each of the school's hundreds of athletes by name.

"He can recall conversations he had five years earlier with kids and their parents," said former UAlbany volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield, hired last month by Dayton.

Four decades after his playing career, McElroy remains an imposing presence. The former linebacker is 6-foot-3, broad-shouldered and fit from working out six days a week at a YMCA near his home in Slingerlands.

UAlbany Deputy Athletic Director Rick Coe called McElroy a "calming influence" who encourages his employees to speak up with ideas. When the football stadium proposal was nixed, McElroy called a staff meeting to reassure the staff.
Philip, who served on the search committee that first interviewed McElroy, says he is an unassuming man who would be fun to hang out with.

"He's genuine," Philip said. "He's a regular guy. He doesn't put on airs. He's easy to talk to."

That McElroy will be remembered for building UAlbany's Division I program is ironic, given that some peers warned him not to take the job because they sensed the school wasn't committed to being successful.

But McElroy, who previously was athletic director at American University in Washington, D.C., said he accepted the post because of its uniqueness and the persuasion of then-president Karen Hitchcock.

Last year, McElroy signed a five-year contract extension worth $220,000 annually.

"For me, anyway, you're going to get more pleasure and you're going to have a better experience building something from scratch and seeing it grow," he said.

McElroy, who is married, said he doesn't know whether this will be his final professional stop. But before he goes anywhere, he wants to build that football stadium.

Courtesy: Mark Singelais

University of Albany Scientist Studies Molecules to Understand Cardiac Arrhythmia

The study of small things could some day lead to big discoveries.
Haijun Chen spends countless hours in his new lab at the University at Albany, studying cells extracted from frog eggs or cardiac cells from mice and guinea pigs, looking at how what he refers to as "his molecules" behave.

His field is molecular physiology, and he concentrates on studying a group of molecules in the heart known to play a part in cardiac arrhythmia, better known as irregular heartbeat. The research is part of a four-year $260,000 American Heart Association National Scientist Development Grant.

In the past, the work scientists such as Chen, an assistant professor of biological sciences who got his start in his native China, have been doing in the field of biomedical research has led to breakthroughs in cardiac arrhythmia. Some of the discoveries have kept drugs off the market that would ultimately lead to cardiac arrhythmia-related death.

"The situation is much better than 10 years ago -- 10 years ago we didn't understand the issues. This all came from biomedical research," he says. "Ten, 15 years ago, people don't understand why cardiac arrhythmia happens, nobody knew what was the mechanism."

Search for cause

Studies have led scientists to understand that problems with specific molecules in the heart -- either there because of genetics or triggered by pharmaceutical use -- are the cause of irregular heartbeat.

Because of that research, safety testing of new drugs under development has improved, Chen says. Now, Chen says, new drugs must be tested on that group of molecules in a lab before a drug can be approved for the first stage of a clinic trial.

Chen's research under the heart association grant, which he is halfway through and began when he was working in a lab at Yale Medical School, builds on that, as he further studies a specific family of cardiac molecules to understand their function under both normal and diseased conditions. He came to the University at Albany in the fall, drawn there by a tenure-track position and funding to set up his own laboratory.

The second stage in his research will look at whether specific cardiac molecules may help protect the heart from damage during a cardiac event, such as stroke or heart failure.

"The next level is to try to do some mechanics of how other molecules in a similar family contribute to cardiac protection," he says. "It's the next level of medicine."

Roots in China

Chen started as a biomedical engineering student at China's Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He changed his focus to medical school after he was observing a dialysis machine with a group of fellow students and met a young patient who needed a kidney transplant. He was saddened to know the patient wasn't likely to get the necessary surgery because the procedure was rarely done in China during the 1980s. He thought he could make more of a difference in medicine than in engineering.

After graduating from medical university and later earning his doctorate in physiology in Germany, Chen headed to the Yale School of Medicine, where he studied molecular cardiology.

There, he began focusing his work on cardiac molecules. It's also where he learned about the amazing potential in molecular-level research, but also the unfortunate truth about funding for science.
During his time at Yale, he says the program lost a significant amount of National Institutes of Health funding, forcing his lab to cut its research staff by half. Even today, though he says he's fortunate to have the national grant from the heart association, he's limited in his work by the need for additional funds. Each piece of new equipment can cost tens of thousands of dollars. His one and only lab assistant started just a couple months ago.

"I have many ideas, and I don't have enough money to test the hypotheses," he says.

After hitting a high in 2004, the NIH budget has declined every year, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a nonprofit international group dedicated to advancing the field. Should proposals for 2009 go through, NIH funding would stand at 13 percent below what it was in 2004, if adjusted to reflect inflation, in biomedical research.

Meanwhile, the American Heart Association is second only to the government in cardiovascular disease and stroke research funding, investing more than $1 billion during the past 10 years and more than $2.7 billion since 1948, says Jeff Foley, senior director of research promotion for the association. He says that so far, heart association funding has led to the discovery and development of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, stents and clot-busting drugs.

"It won't happen overnight, though. It could be that -- years down the road -- Dr. Chen or another scientist utilizes the findings from Dr. Chen's current research," Foley says. "Each piece of research builds upon previous research and puts us closer to the answers that will end heart disease and stroke. With this in mind, we must continue funding heart disease- and stroke-related research at an aggressive pace."

Chen says his work isn't likely to directly lead to any cures for heart disease. It's just one small part of the wide-reaching molecular research being done by scientists around the world.

But together, these studies -- focused on a microscopic part of the human body -- can lead to big things.Haijun Chen
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences

PhD, Max Planck Institute/
Friedrich-Schiller University (2000)

Office: LS 2077
Lab: LS 2065
Office Phone: (518) 591-8854
E-Mail: hchen01@albany.edu

Courtesy: Jennifer Gish

University of Albany Among Advocates Urging NY State Governor Paterson to Release Frozen Funds

Chanting, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, SUNY cuts have got to go,” more than 300 members of United University Professions and other advocates rallied at the state Capitol in Albany urging Gov. Paterson to allow SUNY to spend nearly $110 million in revenues it collects from students and hospital patients that the state Division of the Budget has frozen.

“This is not taxpayers’ money—this is money that college students and their families have paid to SUNY for tuition, room and board, and other fees,” said UUP President Phillip H. Smith. “This is money SUNY hospital patients have paid for health care. Students and patients deserve to get the services from SUNY for which they’ve paid.”

Unless these funds are restored, Smith warned that access to SUNY will be curtailed, courses will be cancelled, class sizes will swell, and the quality of SUNY’s academic programs and hospital patient care will erode.

“This plan will dismantle the State University system,” Smith said.

NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi said withholding money that SUNY receives from tuition, dormitory fees and other payments “is the wrong approach at the wrong time. In tough economic times, the state should be investing more in SUNY and in students who will ultimately fill the high-quality jobs created by business here in New York state.”

NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan B. Lubin said with enrollment at a record high, and the state’s economy lagging, New York should be increasing funds to public higher education. “SUNY is the spark that will ignite upstate New York’s economic revitalization. We call on Gov. Paterson to reject this damaging plan that hurts students and SUNY.”

“When students pay tuition and dorm fees, we expect those dollars to be used to run the University,” said Cheryl Lynch, NYPIRG chairperson and a student from Stony Brook University. “Shrunken course offerings, increased class sizes, and a decline in student services may be all we get for our money if SUNY isn’t allowed full access to its revenue.”

UAlbany students Chelsea Cawley and Jess Reid echoed Lynch’s comments at the rally. Several state lawmakers also addressed the demonstrators.

Smith called on the governor to rescue SUNY by releasing the $109.4 million in revenues to allow SUNY to operate. He noted SUNY has already been hit with a $38 million state budget cut this year, and that SUNY expects to enroll its largest-ever freshman class next fall.

Courtesy: UUP Press Releases

University of Albany Men's Track Wins Fourth Consecutive America East Conference Championship, Women Place Third: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Orono, Maine – University at Albany’s Jean Juste won the 110-meter high hurdles in a conference-record time to lead the men’s track and field team to its fourth consecutive America East Conference championship on Sunday, May 4 at the Beckett Family Track & Field Complex. The men scored 196 points to easily defeat second-place New Hampshire. In the women’s competition, UAlbany registered three individual champions to finish in third with 116.50 points. Boston U. took the team championship with 193 points.

Juste, a junior from Hempstead, N.Y., raced to victory in the 110-hurdles by shattering the conference standard in 14.25 seconds. Juste, the conference indoor 55-meter hurdle champion, turned in the second-fastest performance in the program’s Division I history and qualified for the IC4A and NCAA East Regional meets. The previous conference record was set by Northeastern’s Peter Jasmin in 2005 and tied by UMBC’s Keith Brown in 2007. In the 200-meter dash, sophomore Jeffery Barnes (Albany H.S.) sprinted to a first-place finish in an IC4A-qualifying and personal-best time of 21.62 seconds. Barnes also competed with Andrew Overbaugh, Joe Greene and Drew Harrison on the 4x400-meter relay team, which turned in a season-best time of 3:15.48 to finish in second place, three-hundredths of a second behind first-place Binghamton. Junior Michael McCadney recorded the Great Danes’ third win of the day with a leap of 48-feet in the triple jump.

Greene, who was competing in the 400-meter hurdles for just the second time this season, placed second with an IC4A-qualifying time of 53.89 seconds. Senior Dieuseul Joseph took second in the 100-meter with an IC4A time of 10.79 seconds, just one-hundredth of a second behind Vermont’s Aaron Campbell. Freshman Tyler Fogarty (Shenendehowa) recorded a pair of second-place finishes. Fogarty crossed the finish line in 1:52.58 in the 800-meter run and joined Bryan Lasky, Jared Jupin and Joe Belokopitsky in the 4x800-meter relay, which finished in a season-best time of 7:47.38. Luke Schoen was named the meet’s top field performer after clearing the bar in a league-record 17-feet, 3 inches to win Saturday’s pole vault competition.

Kamilah McShine, this year’s conference women’s indoor hurdles champion, won the 100-meter hurdles for the second time in her career. McShine, who was also first in this same event as a freshman in 2006, raced to an America East-record and ECAC-qualifying time of 13.98 seconds. Senior Brenna Militello won the high jump for the second consecutive season by crossing the bar at 5-feet, 4.25-inches.

Juniors Laura Cummings and Jenn Gurrant each turned in a pair of top-5 finishes on the day. Cummings, who won the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Saturday, placed third in the 1,500-meter run in an ECAC-qualifying time of 4:33.09 and fifth in the 800-meter run in 2:15.30. Gurrant registered a fourth-place finish in the triple jump with a leap of 39-feet, 7.75-inches and finished fifth in the 400-meter dash in 58.44 seconds. Senior Arina Gerasimova leaped 39-feet, 10.50-inches in the triple jump to place third, an ECAC-qualifying distance. Junior Ritshell Verdier (132-7) and sophomore Ashley Lewis (124-10) finished second and third, respectively, in the discus throw.

-agate-

Men’s Final Team Scores
1. UAlbany 196, 2. New Hampshire 162, 3. Binghamton 119, 4. Boston U. 115.50, 5. UMBC 93.50, 6. Maine 64, 7. Stony Brook 55, 8. Vermont 39, 9. Hartford 13.

Men’s Individual Results
100 Meter Dash Final: 1. Aaron Campbell (Vermont), 10.78, 2. Dieuseul Joseph (Albany), 10.79, 3. Adrian Arthur (UMBC), 10.85. 110 Meter Hurdles Final: 1. Jean Juste (Albany), 14.25, 2. Garrett Askew (Albany), 14.50, 3. Nick Assini (Albany), 14.53. 200 Meter Dash Final: 1. Jeffrey Barnes (Albany), 21.62, 2. Travis Parker (New Hampshire), 21.82, 3. Cazal Arnett (Binghamton), 21.90. 400 Meter Dash Final: 1. Cazal Arnett (Binghamton), 47.04, 2. Khabir Edwards (Maine), 48.05, 3. Travis Parker (New Hampshire), 48.71. 400 Meter Hurdles Final: 1. Matthew Holman (Maine), 54.13, 2. Joe Greene (Albany), 53.89, 3. David Hanss (Vermont), 54.59. 800 Meter Run Final: 1. David Proctor (Boston U.), 1:51.79, 2. Tyler Fogarty (Albany), 1:52.58, 3. Joe Belokopitsky (Albany), 1:53.21. Men’s 1,500 Meter Run Final: 1. Robert Edgerton (New Hampshire), 3:45.89, 2. Jake Laroe (Boston U.), 3:50.74, 3. Alex Felce (Stony Brook), 3:50.85. 5,000 Meter Run Final: 1. Tim Hodge (Stony Brook), 14:30.06, 2. Jordan Horwitz (New Hampshire), 14:32.54, 3. Iain Whitfield (Stony Brook), 14:44.89. 4x100 Meter Relay: 1. Vermont, 41.97, 2. UMBC, 42.02, 3. New Hampshire, 42.19. 4x400 Meter Relay: 1. Binghamton, 3:15.45, 2. Albany, 3:15.48, 3. Maine, 3:16.27. 4x800 Meter Relay: 1. Boston U., 7:40.21, 2. Albany, 7:47.38, 3. UMBC, 7:48.83. Triple Jump: 1. Michael McCadney (Albany), 48-0, 2. Mubaarak Muhammad (Stony Brook), 47-2.25, 3. Brian Pendleton (UMBC), 46-2. Shot Put: 1. Brice Paey (New Hampshire), 54-10.25, 2. Joanel Lopez (Binghamton), 52-2.75, 3. Renauld Buck (Albany), 49-7.75. Discus Throw: 1. Jan Bicanic (Boston U.), 157-8, 2. Daniel Withrow (Boston U.), 157-4, 3. Justin Miller (Stony Brook), 141-10. Decathlon: 1. Richard Haigh (Boston U.), 6,384, 2. Dominic Dvaud (UMBC), 6,286, 3. Greg Daggett (Boston U.), 5,549.

Women’s Final Team Scores
1. Boston U. 193, 2. New Hampshire 119.50, 3. UAlbany 116.50, 4. UMBC 96, 5. Maine 84.50, 6. Binghamton 80.50, 7. Vermont 65, 8. Stony Brook 60, 9. Hartford 41.

Women’s Individual Results
100 Meter Dash Final: 1. Allyson Howatt (Maine), 11.96, 2. Tahari James (Boston U.), 12.02, 3. Whitney Ford (Boston U.), 12.17. 100 Meter Hurdles Final: 1. Kamilah McShine (Albany), 13.98, 2. Kiah Quarles (New Hampshire), 14.17, 3. Kierra Gregory (UMBC), 14.50. 200 Meter Dash Final: 1. Allyson Howatt (Maine), 24.17, 2. Kim Williams (Binghamton), 24.41, 3. Tahari James (Boston U.), 24.85. 400 Meter Dash Final: 1. Vicki Tolton (Maine), 55.94, 2. Lindsay Burlock (Maine), 56.27, 3. Keisha Short (Binghamton), 57.56. 400 Meter Hurdles Final: 1. Kaycee Martinez (Hartford), 1:01.27, 2. Rebecca Marshburn (Boston U.), 1:01.74, 3. Megan Donohue (New Hampshire), 1:01.84. 800 Meter Run Final: 1. Carmen Lagala (Vermont), 2:10.04, 2. Kat Warden (Boston U.), 2:11.75, 3. Katie Weider (Boston U.), 2:13.47. 1,500 Meter Run Final: 1. Holly Van Dalne (Stony Brook), 4:28.43, 2. Marisa Ryan (Boston U.), 4:29.69, 3. Laura Cummings (Albany), 4:33.09. 5,000 Meter Run Final: 1. Marisa Ryan (Boston U.), 16:24.85, 2. Dana Hastie (Stony Brook), 16:38.07, 3. Andrea Walkonen (Boston U.), 16:58.53. 4x100 Meter Relay: 1. Boston U., 46.51, 2. Binghamton, 47.64, 3. Albany, 48.31. 4x400 Meter Relay: 1. Maine, 3:50.19, 2. Binghamton, 3:53.19, 3. New Hampshire, 3:54.44. 4x800 Meter Relay: 1. Boston U., 9:04.76, 2. Stony Brook, 9:16.05, 3. Vermont, 9:19.70. High Jump: 1. Brenna Militello (Albany), 5-4.25, 2. Karly Neveu (Boston U.), 5-4.25, 3. Latasha Jarrett (Hartford), 5-2.25. Triple Jump: 1. Tahari James (Boston U.), 42-8.25, 2. Whitney Ford (Boston U.), 40-7.75, 3. Arina Gerasimova (Albany), 39-10.50. Discus Throw: 1. Ashley Fauntleroy (UMBC), 146-5, 2. Ritshell Verdier (Albany), 132-7, 3. Ashley Lewis (Albany), 124-10. Shot Put: 1. Ashley Fauntleroy (UMBC), 47-3.50, 2. Rachelle Wright (UMBC), 43-8, 3. Quiteelia Boyd (UMBC), 42-10.75. Heptathlon: 1. Latasha Jarrett (Hartford), 4,068, 2. Kelly Thomas (New Hampshire), 4,047, 3. May Roccio (New Hampshire), 4,043.

University of Albany Women's Golf Takes Home America East Conference Championship: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Simsbury, Conn. – Amanda McPhee and Corrin Conroy finished in a three-way tie for first place to lead the UAlbany women’s golf team to the America East Conference Championship on Sunday, May 4 at the par-72, 5,826-yard Simsbury Farms Golf Course. The Great Danes captured their second conference championship in five years with a two-round score of 657, to top Hartford by one stroke. McPhee and Conroy tied with Hartford’s Juliana Carrillo for top individual honors at 162. UAlbany's Richard "Doc" Sauers was recognized as the conference’s head coach of the year.

McPhee, a sophomore from Winchester, Mass., carded her second consecutive 81 to finish in the tie for first place. Freshman Conroy, who recorded a first-round leading 80 on Saturday, registered an 82 in the final round. The pair is the first set of Great Dane teammates to finish in a first place tie since Jill Friedman and Diane Onofry accomplished the feat in 2005.

Sophomore Jessica Signorelli followed her 83 in the first round with an 82 in round two to finish in fifth place at 165. Senior Maggie Taylert rounded out the top four UAlbany competitors with a two-day score of 168, on rounds of 80 and 88. Junior Sun Hwa Kim finished with a 183.
-agate-
Team Scores
1. UAlbany 324-333 – 657, 2. Hartford 327-331 – 658, 3. Boston U. 343-344 – 687.

Individual Scores
t1. Amanda McPhee (UAlbany) 81-81 – 162, t1. Corrin Conroy (UAlbany) 80-82 – 162, t1. Juliana Carrillo (Hartford) 82-80 – 162, 4. Sadie Heald (Hartford) 80-84 – 164, 5. Jessica Signorelli (UAlbany) 83-82 – 165, 6. Allison Hamilton (Boston U.) 82-84 – 166, 7. Megan Claxton (Hartford) 82-85 – 167, t8. Paige Gauthier (Hartford) 86-82 – 168, t8. Maggie Taylert (UAlbany) 80-88 – 168, t8. Kara Sikorski (Hartford) 83-85 – 168, 11. Ana Johnson (Boston U.) 89-84 – 173, 12. Lauren Stong (Boston U.) 90-87 – 177, 13. Dana DeStefano (Boston U.) 89-89 – 178, 14. Kaitlyn Mardeusz (Boston U.) 83-96 – 179, 15. Sun Hwa Kim (UAlbany) 91-92 – 183.

University of Albany Softball Defeats Boston U. to Claim America East Conference Regular-Season Title: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Sophomore second baseman Michelle Connors drove a solo home run over the left-field fence to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 win over Boston University in a showdown for first place in the America East Conference standings on Sunday, May 4 at Albany Field. UAlbany’s victory completed a three-game sweep of the Terriers and clinched the conference’s regular-season title. The Great Danes, who finished 32-15 overall and 16-5 in league play, will be the top seed for this week’s America East postseason tournament.

UAlbany scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take an early lead. Senior first baseman Leanne Tillman led off with a single to right field and was replaced on the base path by Tara Dalton. Right fielder Jess Bergin reached on a Boston U. error, and both runners advanced an extra base on the play. Catcher Kat Smith then hit a ground ball to the shortstop, but Dalton beat the throw to the plate and Bergin moved up to third on the fielders’ choice. Center fielder Nicole Kothe grounded out to the third baseman during the next at bat, allowing Bergin to cross the plate. Boston U. pitcher Kelley Engman then induced two ground outs to end the inning.

Connors gave the Great Danes a three-run cushion in the third with her team-leading eighth home run of the season. UAlbany hurler Leah McIntosh tossed her second shutout game in as many days, striking out six opposing batters and scattering four hits in a complete-game performance.

Engman also threw a complete game, allowing four hits and issuing just one walk without recording a strikeout for Boston U. (29-21, AE 15-6). Right fielder Rachel Moeller had two of the Terriers’ four hits.

“We haven’t played well consistently all year long,” said UAlbany head coach Chris Cannata, who has guided the program to three consecutive America East Conference tournament titles and three NCAA berths. “I thought that we would be playing better as the season went on because of our younger kids. We played well all week, against Siena and Manhattan, leading into the weekend. Taking three games from any team is tough, let alone a good team like Boston.”

UAlbany, which went 16-1 on its home field this season, will host the America East Conference Championship, a double-elimination tournament, on May 8-10.

-agate-

Boston U. (29-21, AE 15-6) 000 000 0 - 0 4 1

UAlbany (32-15, AE 16-5) 021 000 x - 3 4 0

Boston U.: Kelley Engman and Christy Leath.

UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith.

Gina Mason's Grand Slam Leads University of Albany Softball to Doubleheader Sweep of Boston University: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Freshman designated player Gina Mason drove a grand slam over the left field fence to lead UAlbany to a 7-0 win over Boston U. in the first game of an America East Conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Albany Field. Mason also went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the second game to help the Great Danes post a 3-2 defeat of the Terriers.

UAlbany (31-15, AE 15-5) took an early lead in game one, scoring two runs in the first inning. Left fielder Amber Maisonet led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Andrianna Walraven. Maisonet scored the game’s first run on a Boston U. error, while Michelle Connors, who reached base after being hit by a pitch, was driven in by Mason on a ground out to short.

Mason recorded her second RBI of the game in the third, doubling down the left field line, sending Connors home. The Great Danes loaded the bases in the bottom half of the fifth, led off with a single to centerfield by Nicole Kothe. Connors reached after being hit by a pitch and Butsch drew a walk off Boston U. pitcher Cassidi Hardy. Mason then drove her fifth home run of the season, and her first career grand slam, over the scoreboard in left field to give the Great Danes a 7-0 lead.

The Terriers got runners in scoring position in the top of the seventh to try and stay alive, but the Great Danes caught designated player Tyler Benson out at third to end the game. Hardy went 4.2 innings in the circle for Boston U., fanning three. Kelley Engman replaced Hardy in the fifth, recording three strikeouts over 1.1 innings.

UAlbany’s Leah McIntosh earned the complete-game shutout win for the Great Danes, striking out 15 opposing batters and scattering four hits. McIntosh, who threw her 18th complete game of the season, improved to 14-5, and recorded her sixth shutout.

Boston U. (29-20, AE 15-5) scored first in the nightcap, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Left fielder Shayne Lotito knocked a single up the middle and stole second, before scoring on a UAlbany error. Brooke Hudson knocked an RBI single to short to score catcher Christy Leath, who reached on a walk issued by UAlbany’s Marissa Powell.

The Great Danes responded in the bottom half of the inning, as Maisonet led off with a base hit for the second straight game. Walraven reached on a fielder’s choice, as Boston U. got Maisonet out at second base. Butsch followed with a single to right to advance Walraven. Mason then knocked a base hit, and advanced to second on the throw, which allowed Walraven to score. Mason advanced to third on an error by the Terriers’ right fielder, which also allowed Butsch to score, but was then called out due to interference to end the inning.

The score remained knotted at 2-2 until the bottom of the fourth, as Connors took first after being hit by a pitch. Butsch singled down the left field line to advance Connors to second, while Mason followed with a double to right centerfield, scoring Connors.

Boston U. got runners on base in the fifth and sixth innings, but could not capitalize. Powell induced three straight outs in the seventh to end the game and give UAlbany the doubleheader sweep. She finished with five strikeouts in a complete-game performance. Megan Currier recorded a complete game in the circle for the Terriers, fanning one opposing batter over six innings of work.
The teams, who are tied for first in the conference standings, will complete the season series on Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. The winner of the final game will be crowned regular-season champions and earn the right to host the America East Conference Tournament on May 8-10.

-agate-

Boston U. 000 000 0 - 0 4 2

UAlbany 201 040 x - 7 6 0

Boston U.: Cassidi Hardy, Kelley Engman (5) and Christy Leath.

UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith.




Boston U. (29-20, AE 15-5) 200 000 0 - 2 7 1

UAlbany. (31-15, AE 15-5) 200 100 x - 3 7 1

Boston U.: Megan Currier and Christy Leath.

UAlbany: Marissa Powell and Kat Smith.

Ryan Gugel Leads University of Albany Baseball Past UMBC, 12-9, in America East Conference Action: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Baltimore, Md. – Ryan Gugel homered and drove in three runs to lead UAlbany to a 12-9 win over UMBC in America East Conference baseball action on Saturday, May 3 at The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC.

UAlbany (12-33-1, AE 7-12) scored eight runs over the first three innings to jump out to an 8-1 lead. Gugel singled up the middle in the first inning to start the scoring by driving in sophomore Brendan Rowland, who walked with two outs. Junior Gary Pitcheralle followed with single through the left side to plate senior Mike Konstanty, who singled following Rowland’s walk. In the second frame, senior Tom Zink led off with a double to left field. Pete Eichner followed by reaching on an error, allowing Zink to race home from second. Two batters later, junior Sean Donovan registered a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Eichner. The Great Danes blew the game open in the third with four runs on three hits and two errors. Pitcheralle reached on an error by the catcher and came around to score on freshman Kyle Crean’s single and an error on the right fielder. Eichner singled through the right side after an out to knock in Crean. Junior Dave West then blasted a two-run homer to left center.

UMBC (18-24, AE 10-9) cut into the lead with a single run in the third inning. With the bases loaded following an error, double and a walk to open the frame, Joe Fowler hit into a double play to plate Mark Lemon. UAlbany got the run back in its half of the fourth as Rowland and Gugel each doubled to center field around an out.

The Retrievers scored eight runs over their next three at-bats to close their gap to 11-9. Joe Fowler started the rally with a two-run homer to left center in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Steve Russo and Lemon were each hit by pitches with one out. Following a fly out and a single by Scott Peddicord to load the bases, Russo scored on a wild pitch. After Fowler drew a walk to reload the bases, Lemon scored on an error by the first baseman. Two batters later, Shawn Retz plated Peddicord and Fowler with a single to left field.

UAlbany got two runs back in the top of the seventh on a pair of sacrifices. Eichner opened the inning with a walk and came home from first as West reached third on an error by the pitcher on his sacrifice bunt attempt. Donovan followed with his second sac fly of the contest to knock in West. UMBC narrowed the UAlbany lead to two with a pair of runs in the home half of the seventh. After Tom Meaney and Russo each doubled to open the frame, Lemon knocked in Meaney with a groundout to second. Two batters later, Peddicord drove in Russo with a single through the right side. Gugel capped the game’s scoring with a solo blast to right field to lead off the eighth inning.

Freshman right-hander Dave Kubiak picked up his third win of the season, striking out three over 5.2 innings, while allowing seven runs (three earned) on six hits. Junior Sean Gregory pitched the final 3.1 innings, yielding two runs on five hits, to record his second save. Dave Divita took the loss for the Retrievers, giving up nine runs (three earned) on nine hits over four innings.

The Great Danes and the Retrievers wrap up the four-game series on Sunday, May 4 at 12 p.m.
-agate-
UAlbany (12-33-1, AE 7-12) 224 100 210 - 12 11 2
UMBC (18-24, AE 10-9) 001 024 200 - 9 11 5
UAlbany: Dave Kubiak (W, 3-0), Sean Gregory (6, S, 2) and Ryan Gugel.
UMBC: Dave Divita (L, 3-5), Mike Fitzpatrick (5), Ryan Morse (7), Travis Pearson (8) and Tom Meaney.

University of Albany's Taylert and Conroy Lead the Way to First Round Lead at America East Golf Championship

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Simsbury, Conn. – Maggie Taylert and Corrin Conroy each fired an opening-round 80 to lead UAlbany to a first round lead at the America East Conference Women’s Golf championship at the par-72, 5,826-yard Simsbury Farms Golf Course. The Great Danes shot a program-record round of 324, for a three-stroke lead over Hartford.

Taylert and Conroy finished the first round tied for first place with Hartford’s Sadie Heald after carding eight-over par 80s. Taylert shot a round-best 39 on the front nine, before closing out her round with a 41. Conroy recorded a 42 in the opening nine holes and finished out her day with a 38 on the back nine.

Sophomore Amanda McPhee tied Taylert for the best front nine score with a 39 and totaled an 81 to place fourth after the first round. Sophomore Jessica Signorelli rounded out the Great Danes’ top four competitors with an 83, to finish tied for eighth. Junior Sun Hwa Kim carded a 91 for the Great Danes.

The final round of the championship will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 3.
-agate-
Team Scores
1. UAlbany 324, 2. Hartford 327, 3. Boston U. 343.

Individual Scores
t1. Sadie Heald (Hartford) 43-37 – 80, t1. Corrin Conroy (UAlbany) 42-38 – 80, t1. Maggie Taylert (UAlbany) 39-41 – 80, 4. Amanda McPhee (UAlbany) 39-42 – 81, t5. Megan Claxton (Hartford) 41-41 – 82, t5. Juliana Carrillo (Hartford) 42-40 – 82, t5. Allison Hamilton (Boston U.) 40-42 – 82, t8. Kaitlyn Mardeusz (Boston U.) 43-40 – 83, t8. Jessica Signorelli (UAlbany) 41-42 – 83, t8. Kara Sikorski (Hartford) 41-42 – 83, 11. Paige Gauthier (Hartford) 43-43 – 86, t12. Ana Johnson (Boston U.) 44-45 – 89, t12. Dana DeStefano (Boston U.) 46-43 – 89, 14. Lauren Stong (Boston U.) 44-46 – 90, 15. Sun Hwa Kim (UAlbany) 44-47 – 91.

University of Albany's Schoen and Cummings Break School Records on First Day of America East Conference Track / Field Championships: UAlbany Athletics

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Orono, Maine – UAlbany’s Luke Schoen won the pole vault and Laura Cummings won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with record-setting performances to lead the Great Danes on the first day of the America East outdoor track and field Championships at the Beckett Family Track & Field Complex on Saturday, May 3. The men’s team is in second place with 60 points, while the women are fourth with 27 points. New Hampshire leads the men’s competition with 75 points and Boston U. is in first on the women’s side with 56 points.

Schoen led a pair of Great Danes in the top-3 of the pole vault. Schoen, a sophomore from Bohemia, N.Y., recorded a program and conference-record and NCAA East Regional-qualifying leap of 17-feet, 3-inches to become the first Great Dane to eclipse the 17-foot mark. Freshman Michael Dempsey tied for second in the event by crossing the bar at 15-feet, 9-inches. In the long jump, Valete Graham finished first with an IC4A-qualifying leap of 24-feet, 0.25-inches and Kyle Nadler took second with an IC4A-qualifying distance of 23-feet, 6.75-inches. Freshman Wilfredo de Jesus Elias placed second in the hammer throw with an IC4A-qualifying distance of 181-feet, 7-inches.

In preliminary heats, four UAlbany men advanced to the finals of the 110-meter hurdles. Nick Assini recorded the top time, finishing in an IC4A-qualifying time of 14.78 seconds, while Jean Juste had the second-best time with an IC4A-qualifying 14.81 seconds. Garrett Askew (14.95) and Anthony Assent (15.43) also advanced to the finals. In the 400-meter hurdles, Andrew Overbaugh (55.31), Joe Greene (55.64) and Assini (55.80) advanced to the finals. Seniors Dieuseul Joseph (10.97) and Raphael Jean-Baptiste (11.20) qualified for Sunday’s finals of the 100-meter dash. Sophomore Jeffery Barnes turned in a time of 22.05 seconds to advance to the 200-meter dash finals, while Torshiro Jenkins qualified with a time of 22.50 seconds. Senior Drew Harrison recorded a time of 49.29 seconds to advance to the finals of the 400-meter dash.

On the women’s side, Cummings raced to a school-record time of 10:33.60 to win the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Cummings, a junior from Bay Shore, N.Y., eclipsed the previous school record of 10:34.62 set by Jessica Ortman at the 2006 America East Championships. In the hammer throw, freshman Kadine Johnson finished fifth with a toss of 142-feet, 11-inches, while sophomore Sineaid Corley placed seventh with a distance of 139-7. A pair of Great Danes scored points in the javelin throw as Ashley Lewis (108-5) finished sixth and Isabella Katsarelis (105-1) placed eighth.

In the 100-meter hurdle trials, junior Kamilah McShine turned in the top time of 14.30 seconds to advance to Sunday’s finals and qualify for the ECAC meet. Freshman Christen Griffin finished in 15.15 seconds, also qualifying for the finals. A trio of Great Danes qualified for the 400-meter dash finals. Junior Jenn Gurrant registered a time of 58.30 seconds, classmate Melissa Lee finished in 58.40 seconds and sophomore Octavia Clarkson crossed the finish line in 59.17 seconds. Gurrant also turned in an eighth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 17-feet, 9.75-inches. Freshman Rebecca Kelly qualified for the finals of 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:03.56.

Day two of the America East track and field championships continues on Sunday, May 4 at 9 a.m.

-agate-
Women’s Team Scores (through 6 events)
1. Boston U. 56, 2. New Hampshire 42, 3. Binghamton 27.50, 4. UAlbany 27, 5. Maine 23.50, 6. UMBC 22, 7. Stony Brook 18, 8. Vermont 17.

Women’s Individual Results
3,000 Meter Steeplechase: 1. Laura Cummings (UAlbany) 10:33.60, 2. Carolina Cortes (Stony Brook) 10:41.77, 3. Jessica Cickay (Boston U.) 10:43.26. 10,000 Meter Run: 1. Andrea Walkonen (Boston U.) 34.42.03, 2. Erin Lagasse (Boston U.) 36:32.80, 3. Latricia Rozeboom (New Hampshire) 36:36.92. Javelin Throw: 1. Corinne DiPietro (Vermont) 137-8, 2. Quiteelia Boyd (UMBC) 135-10, 3. Jennifer Hitchcock (New Hampshire) 122-8. Hammer Throw: 1. Ashley Fauntleroy (UMBC) 164-9, 2. Rebecca Even (Maine) 158-8, 3. Ashlee Lathrop (New Hampshire) 155-4. Pole Vault: 1. Rita Ciambra (New Hampshire) 11-11.75, 2. Carly Gross (Binghamton) 10-10, 3. Kiki Gifft (Binghamton) 10-4. Long Jump: 1. Tahari James (Boston U.) 20-3.50, 2. Whitney Ford (Boston U.) 19-2.50, 3. Edwina Clarke (Boston U.) 18-11.75.

Men’s Team Scores (through 7 events)
1. New Hampshire 75, 2. UAlbany 60, 3. Binghamton 42, 4. Maine 29, 5. Boston U. 23.50, 6. UMBC 17.50, t7. Stony Brook 10, t7. Hartford 10, 9. Vermont 6.


Men’s Individual Results
3,000 Meter Steeplechase: 1. Eric Ashe (Boston U.) 8:51.33, 2. Alex Felce (Stony Brook) 8:53.45, 3. Miles Bartlett (Maine) 8:53.69. 10,000 Meter Run: 1. Jordan Horwitz (New Hampshire) 30:41.69, 2. Wesley Dinnan (New Hampshire) 30:47.97, 3. Brent Powers (New Hampshire) 30:54.92. Hammer Throw: 1. Justin Halleck (Binghamton) 185-0, 2. Wilfredo de Jesus Elias (UAlbany) 181-7, 3. Justin Hidalgo (Binghamton) 166-11. Javelin Throw: 1. Michael Simon (New Hampshire) 197-10, 2. Daniel Poirier (Maine) 192-10, 3. Steve Paternoster (Hartford) 179-6. Long Jump: 1. Valete Graham (UAlbany) 24-0.25, 2. Kyle Nadler (UAlbany) 23-6.75, 3. Kevin Ralston (Binghamton) 23-2. High Jump: 1. Jeffery Ramos (Maine) 6-6, 2. Patrick Casey (New Hampshire) 6-4, 3. James Mildenberger (UMBC) 6-4. Pole Vault: 1. Luke Schoen (UAlbany) 17-3 (School Record, Meet Record, IC4A, NCAA Regional), t2. Kris Yelverton (Binghamton) 15-9, t2. Michael Dempsey (UAlbany) 15-9.

University of Albany Men's Lacrosse: Incoming freshman Joe Resetarits on US Lacrosse National Senior Showcase Rosters: UAlbany Athletics

US Lacrosse National Senior Showcase Rosters

BALTIMORE– US Lacrosse has announced the four team rosters for the 2008 National Senior Showcase, to be played June 20-21 at Benedictine University in Chicago. The annual all-star game features outstanding senior boys high school players representing the North, South, West and East regions of the country.

The National Senior Showcase (NSS), sponsored by Warrior Lacrosse, is an annual offering of the US Lacrosse Men's Division Coaches Council. Lacrosse players across the nation apply to be chosen for their regional team.

“We are very pleased to have 96 of the best high school seniors from all over the country playing in the fifth annual NSS,” said Jody Martin, men's division director at US Lacrosse. “We'd like to thank our High School Committee for their very diligent work in selecting these teams. As a truly national event, it exemplifies what US Lacrosse is all about and how much our game as grown. It is remarkable to have players from Alabama and Nevada play in this event for the first time alongside top talent from the traditional lacrosse hotbeds.”

The 2008 NSS rosters are as follows (information is current as of May 1, 2008):

NORTH REGION

Steve D'Amario
Alexander Demopoulos
Sean Finegan
Mark Flibotte
Billy Paster
Joe Resetarits
Connor Rice
Rich Bamberger
Chris Cook
Bobby Dattilo
Nick Gantsoudes
Tyler Gelnaw
Robert Grimm
Peter Jennings
Jeff Muscatello
Michael Shakespeare
Kyle Bedell
Ethan Clark
Bennett Dee
David Hamlin
Ben Knapton
Tyler Mordecai

http://www.laxpower.com/laxnews/news.php?story=10893

Jon Iati: A True Gunslinger rides off into the sunset

"I have no problem taking a big shot, at the end of the game, I have no problem taking it, I don't know that I'm always going to make it, but I have no problem taking it."
-Jon Iati

When the University of Albany Great Danes' season came to an end at the hands of Boston University in the America East Tournament quarterfinals, it meant the end of the careers of seniors Brian Lillis, Brent Wilson, and Jon Iati. Throughout the season Albany fans, and the America East as a whole, were abuzz with the phenomenal play of Lillis, a do everything All-Conference guard-forward. Likewise fans commended Brent Wilson's four-year career.

But little was said down the stretch about the prospect of losing Iati, Albany's longest tenured player. Perhaps it was what wasn't said that stood out the most, or more accurately what wasn't said during head coach Will Brown's post game press conference. There, the unfathomable happened: the outspoken and always quotable Brown was silent for several seconds while trying to compose himself when asked just what fifth-year senior Jon Iati had meant to his program during his time at Albany. Just how special Jon Iati was to the Albany program, and the league, may not resonate with many fans, but it certainly has never been lost on Brown, as there has never been a harder worker, or a more selfless teammate than Albany's smallest player.

When he did collect his thoughts, Brown, choking back his emotions, gushed about Iati, saying "He should be an inspiration for everybody that (has heard) 'you can't do this, you're too small, you're not strong enough.' We list him at 5'10", he's like 5'7". People don't know the true story about Jon, Jon's had two shoulder surgeries, two broken toes, and he had major back surgery in August and he was told by two doctors that his career was over."

Fans tend to know Brown as a brash, at times boisterous, coach, never shy to speak his mind. But he showed a different side of himself when talking about Iati, as it was touching to hear him talk about his fifth-year senior. "The last thing you think when you see Jon Iati in street clothes is that he was a basketball player, maybe you think he was a DJ or something like that, but not a basketball player, and I'm going to miss him," said Brown, adding, "He's just persevered, I wish that he had a healthy career, because he still scored over a thousand points, was the Rookie of the Year, two championship rings, but I just think that he could have done so much more because he was a tireless worker. Unfortunately for half of his career he wasn't allowed to work on his game because he was injured."

Uncanny parallels can be found between Iati's career at, and the atypical Clint Eastwood character from a long list of gritty Westerns (Pale Rider, High Plains Drifter, and Unforgiven all come to mind). Sure, on the surface the comparison seems preposterous: at a very generously lifted 5'9" Iati bears no physical resemblance to the imposing characters played by Eastwood, nor does Iati have any of the gruff, rough around the edges persona of Eastwood. But if you look at them within their respective elements (Iati as a basketball player, Eastwood's typical gritty hero), and the comparisons are almost endless, as the America East has never seen a quicker draw, or a bigger and more fearless shooter than Iati. Like Eastwood, Iati does little talking, as you will never see him get in an opponent's face, or get more animated than the occasional fist pump. He lets his actions speak for him. And like Eastwood, despite a career full of heroics, a battered and bruised Iati walked off into the sunset with slightly less than a storybook ending.

Jon Iati grew up in York, Pennsylvania loving the game of basketball, and from an early age he was a gym rat. By the time he reached high school, Jon Iati could flat out shoot the basketball. In his four year career at York Catholic, Iati re-wrote the school record book, graduating as the Irish's all-time leading scorer with 2,216 points (a record since broken by his brother Jacob), was a three-time All-Star, led York to its first tournament birth since 1999 and a District 3 title, was an AP Class AA first-team all-state selection, was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd," and set a school single-game record in erupting for 56 points in the best game this reporter ever saw a high-school player have. And yet, despite all his accolades, Jon Iati was anything but a hot commodity coming out of high school, as many coaches could not see past Iati's shortcomings.

But Iati caught the eye of Brown, whom had taken over the University of Albany two years earlier, and whose program was still in its infancy. "A lot of people couldn't see past the fact that Jon was very undersized: He was a 5'7" scoring guard who hadn't really played the point, he was small, needed to get in the weight room, he wasn't much of a defender, and there were all kinds of questions about whether he could even set foot on the floor against Division I players," said Brown. "But Jon was a gym rat, and I love gym rats, I loved his mentality. He was so fearless out on the court, and the kid just wanted to play, he had this drive. At the time we were desperate to fill roster spots, and I felt he was the kind of kid that could help me build the program."

For Iati, the chance to simply play Division I basketball was a dream come true, and he jumped at Brown's scholarship offer. Before Iati stepped foot on campus his work ethic was apparent to his new head coach. "I told Jon coming in that he was going to have to work on his ball-handling skills, because being able to play the point would really help his chances of playing, and he would have to really dedicate himself to a strength and conditioning plan to get physically stronger in order to compete," Brown recalls. "Jon dove into it head first, I really felt bad for Mr. Iati (Jon's father) though, because he was Jon's workout partner before he arrived here, and I think Jon might have taken a few years off of his life running him into the ground. During his time at Albany, Jon's sheer will to succeed, and work ethic are second to none."

Iati almost bit off more than could chew as neither he nor his coach, however, could have foreseen just how much he would play during freshman campaign, as the Danes entered the season with a bare-bones roster made up of Iati, Levi Levine, Jamar Wilson, and some fringe Division I players and walk-ons. Albany's roster shortcomings were further magnified early in the season as they lost Wilson, the team's star, for the season due to injury. Without Wilson, and with a roster so thin that the Danes actually finished one game with only four players on the court, Iati was thrust into the role of point guard and go-to scorer.

During the 2003-2004 season as a true freshman Iati averaged 14 points per game, numbers more impressive when you consider that because of the lack of Division I talent on Albany, teams often doubled down on both Iati and Levine without having to fear being burned by anyone else on the floor. Even more amazing, however, was the fact that Iati led the nation in minutes played, averaging over forty a game (thanks to some overtime games).

"Jon Iati five years ago as a true freshman played 40.9 minutes a game, he used to ask me to come out and I used to chuckle at him, I said you see this bench, we got seven guys in uniform, I said you're playing my man, you wanted an opportunity to play at the division I level and I'm giving it to you," joked Brown. Iati was rewarded with the America East Rookie of the Year award, but he would never reproduce his numbers from his first season.

Iati got off to a solid start during his sophomore year, averaging 11 points per game while shooting an astounding 47 percent from downtown. Iati was never bigger than against cross-town rival Siena, as in front of a packed house at the Pepsi Arena, Iati poured in 20 points to lead Albany to the biggest win of his young career. Brown was beginning to bring in top-flight talent, and the Danes were on the verge of turning the corner and becoming a team to be reckoned with in the America East, and the sky seemed to be the limit for both Albany and Iati.

However, soon after Iati tore his labrum and missed the rest of the season following surgery. When Iati returned the following season, the Danes had a completely new look, as two years of talented transfers and solid recruiting classes put Albany at the top of the conference. But the drastic increase in talent pushed Iati to the bench, uncharted waters for him as prior to his injuries he was the focal point of the Danes offense. Upon his return he played limited minutes, serving as instant offense off of the bench when the Danes needed some long range firepower.

Most players in Iati's situation would have sulked; many would have developed a chip on their shoulder. It's not easy to go from being the man with the ball in your hands to riding the pine and watching much of the game from the sidelines. But Jon Iati isn't like most people, and while every competitor like Iati wants to be out on the floor, he is also becoming a dying breed in the era of "me first" athletes: a player who puts his team's needs above his own, and who wanted to do everything within his power to help his team win.

"I never expected to be playing like I was as a freshman" said Iati, "I was brought in here to be a complementary player, so while it was terrific to play that much, and I grew a lot as a player my first year, I never expected it to last. And I mean, we won five games, sure an ideal situation would be to be starting and being a top scorer on an NCAA team, but that wasn't a reality. I'll gladly trade in my numbers and playing time to help us win, winning is much more rewarding to me than individual accolades."

Iati's quick transition to his new role also won his coach over even more, as Brown reflected, "Jon Iati has done everything that I have asked of him and more from day 1. He took less playing time without making a peep so that we could become better as a team. That's not an easy thing to do, or to expect of a young man, Levi Levine struggled with that same transition greatly here. It's a credit to Jon, and to the kind of kid that he is that he was able to put the team first. That's something that lots of players preach, but very few actually do."

But Iati could still play, as he continued to fire away fearlessly from downtown, and he had several memorable moments during the Danes' magical two year run from 2005-2007 in which they made their first ever NCAA Tournament appearances, in back-to-back seasons no less. Early in the 2005-2006 season, Iati erupted for 23 points to lead all scorers against 16th-ranked UCLA, almost carrying the Danes to victory. The following year, he come off the bench to put Albany up for good against Utah, a memory that his coach will hand onto for a long time.

"Against Utah Jon comes in and with under three minutes to go and the game tied, he launches one from I swear 28 feet out, and he is back-peddling down the court before the ball swishes through. I could have killed him for taking that shot, but I sure loved him after it went in." Iati also nailed seven three pointers and scored 25 points versus Utah Valley State.

But for Iati, as magical as his career has been, it has also been marred greatly by injuries, as he had battled through two shoulder surgeries and a broken toe prior to his senior year, and then had to endure a bombshell. After experiencing severe back problems, he was told by a doctor that his back was inoperable and that he would never be able to play again. A second doctor told him that surgery was a possibility, but that he would still have to give up playing. It wasn't until he found a third doctor, back home in Pennsylvania, that he was given a glimmer of hope that he could play out his career. There were times when Iati thought about the possibility of never being able to play again, but he put them out of his mind and launched himself head on into his rehab, like he has done with everything else.

"When I first got the news of how bad my back was, and when the first doctor told me that my career was over, yeah I got down. I love basketball. But after a day or two I decided that I had to give it everything that I had, that I'd come too far and sacrificed to much to just walk away," reflected Iati.

Iati's senior season was, like the rest of his career, filled with ups and downs, as for much of the season Iati could not practice with the team because of his back. He hit another roadblock when he broke a toe in his foot. That may seem like a minor injury, but to a shooter, who relies entirely on balance and footwork, it's devastating. "When I broke my toe, it really made it hard to not only run, but really hard to shoot, because I couldn't push off for my shot anymore. It messed up my footwork, and my whole approach, and for a lot of the season I had to shoot in a different way than I had my whole life because of it," reflected Iati.

But Iati got healthy at the right time, looking like his old self in a 20-point eruption versus Maine, and helping the Danes right their ship and earn the No. 3 seed for the America East Tournament. Iati's career didn't end the way he would have hoped, as the Danes fell in overtime to Boston University 68-64 in the first round, but it wasn't due to any fault of Iati's, as in his final game he left it all on the line. In what has been the trademark of his career, Iati hit some daggers, pouring in 16 points and going 4-6 from downtown.

To the end Iati showed why he was the conference's resident gunslinger, drilling a pair of threes on quick catch and shoot plays, and another off of an inbounds. But none of his threes were bigger than the one he hit with under ten seconds play in regulation, as with the Danes trailing by three, Iati broke free of his defender and launched a high-arching 25-footer over 6'9" Scott Brittain. The minute Iati released the ball, both he and everyone else in the arena knew it was going in. However, the moment that most stood out from his final game came on a lose ball, as Iati launched himself into the seats after sprinting the length of the court. Iati couldn't quite come up with the ball, but the sheer determination and lack of regard for bodily harm summed up his career for the Danes, and resulted in a standing ovation from the crowd.

Iati and the Danes came up short in their quest for a third NCAA birth, but Iati left every last ounce he had out on the court, and no one could ask anything more from a player in their final game. "It's not the storybook ending, you want to end your career at the NCAA tournament, you don't really want to end it in the first round of the conference tournament," said Iati, "You knew potentially it was going to be your last game so you wanted to give it everything you got."

The imperfect ending to Iati's career was much in the same vain as Eastwood's characters from Unforgiven and Pale Rider, as Iati rode, or perhaps limped, off into the sunset having put the good of his cause (his team) above himself, and having come up short, but he has no regrets on his time at Albany. He refuses to dwell on his injuries and the "could halves." "I have no regrets, I mean I've had an amazing career here. I scored over 1,000 points, made two NCAA appearances, scored 23 points at UCLA, won the Rookie of the Year, and got to be a part of something really special here helping to build Albany's program."

While Iati's dream was to play professionally after he graduated, injuries have curtailed his plans. "Up until my back surgery, despite everything else, it was still a goal of mine to play after college. But I don't think I'll have anything left now, I guess that will always be a dream," said Iati.

Iati has a tremendous head on his shoulders, and truly lived up to the billing of student-athlete. He earned his B.S. in sociology with a minor in education in four years, and has used his fifth year of eligibility to work towards a Masters in Albany's liberal studies graduate program, something he will finish during the fall semester next year. "I'm no brain," said Iati in self-deprecating fashion, "so I have no regrets, regardless of the injuries, or anything else, Basketball got me to college and I've used it to not only graduate, but to earn a Masters degree, something I never thought I would do."

And while Jon won't be pursuing his dream of playing professionally, he has a new dream on the horizon: to become a coach. "If I could get into coaching, so that I could be around basketball for the rest of my life, I couldn't ask for anything more than that," reflected Iati, who will spend the fall working closely with Brown in his office, getting a first-hand look on what it takes to become a coach.

"I think Jon will need to work on becoming more of a vocal leader to become a coach, but as far as basketball know-how Jon has everything you need, and I think if it's something he wants to do, I have no doubt that he will achieve that goal," reflected Brown.

Courtesy: Sam Perkins

And from myself and many others out there, thanks Jon and to all of your teammates for bringing us so much excitement and success to UAlbany Basketball.

University of Albany Men's Lacrosse Reaches America East Championship Game with 12-9 Semifinal Victory over Stony Brook University

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Baltimore, Md. -- Corey Small had five goals and one assist in leading UAlbany to a 12-9 victory over Stony Brook in the semifinal round of the America East Conference Men’s Lacrosse Tournament on Thursday, May 1 at UMBC Stadium. The Great Danes, who reached the championship for the seventh consecutive year, will play in Saturday’s final at 7:30 p.m.

UAlbany (8-7) used a run of four consecutive goals to break a 6-6 deadlock in the third quarter. Stony Brook’s Jordan McBride, the conference rookie of the year, tied the contest with just 12 seconds elapsed in the second half by scoring from left of the crease with a two-man advantage. Small, a junior attacker who was making his first appearance since April 12 after suffering an injury, put his team ahead by ripping a shot from the left side into the top right corner with 10:02 left in the period.

The Great Danes, who earned the championship’s No. 2 seed after defeating Stony Brook in the regular-season finale five days ago, then got back-to-backs goal from Joe Pompo. The left-handed freshman converted Small’s behind-the-back pass. He later cut to the top of crease to connect off a feed from Brian Caufield. The play originated after reserve goalkeeper Dan McKeon made a save on the previous SBU possession. Jordan Levine increased the lead to 10-6 when he worked around the cage and found the net on an inside roll from right of the crease.

The Great Danes, who have pushed over the .500 mark for the first time season after starting the schedule with five straight losses, carried that four-goal margin to the final minutes. But the Seawolves closed the gap to 11-9 with a pair of scores 14 seconds apart. Owen Adams nailed a 15-yard blast after his squad caused a turnover with a double-team in the defensive end. Bo Tripodi then one-timed a pass from Rhys Duch after the Seawolves won the subsequent face-off. UAlbany’s John Alpizar sealed the outcome by hitting an empty net with 1:05 to play.

“I have been itching to get back,” said Small, whose six points was one off his career-best total. “The doctors cleared me two days ago. I definitely was winded early, but then things felt normal. We are just playing for our seniors. We don’t want their season to end.”

Stony Brook (7-7) trailed 3-2 early in the second quarter, but then reeled off three unanswered. Michal Trojanowski worked around the around the cage to score at point-blank range from right of the crease. Ryan Hughes put his team in front with a jump-shot from the right point, before Bobby Trenkle dodged a defender to convert Trojanowski’s crossing pass with 10:15 remaining in the period.

The Great Danes countered with three straight goals. Small finished off Caufield’s pass after starting goalkeeper Brett Queener cleared the ball from the defensive end. Mark Cometti drew his team even at five apiece with a low underhanded shot from the left side. The junior midfielder then spun to his right shoulder from the middle of the zone to give his team a 6-5 halftime lead with 1:29 left before the break.

“We never gave them the lead early in the third quarter when we had that unreleaseable penalty,” explained UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose program will play for a possible fifth NCAA berth in the championship final. “We grabbed the momentum by keeping them off the scoreboard, expect for the man-down goal, and that gave us a lift. It was good to have Corey (Small) back in the lineup. He is a great finisher and adds a shooter to our attack.”

UAlbany’s Caufield had one goal and six assists, tying the second-highest total in the program’s Division I era, while Queener made 13 saves. The Seawolves’ Trenkle had two goals and one assist. Rob Camposa turned aside 11 shots.


***********

America East Conference Tournament – Semifinal Round

UAlbany 12, Stony Brook 9

Stony Brook – Scoring: Bobby Trenkle 2-1, Ryan Hughes 2-0, Michal Trojanowski 1-1, Adam Rand 1-0, Jordan McBride 1-0, Bo Tripodi 1-0, Owen Adams 1-0, Rhys Duch 0-2; Goalkeeper(s): Rob Camposa (60:00, 11 saves, 12 GA).

UAlbany – Scoring: Corey Small 5-1, Joe Pompo 2-0, Mark Cometti 2-0, Brian Caufield 1-6, John Alpizar 1-1, Jordan Levine 1-0, Tyler Endres 0-1, Steve Ammann 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Brett Queener (55:56, 13 saves, 9 GA), Dan McKeon (4:04, 2 saves, 0 GA).

Univeristy of Albany To Host 2009 Men's Basketball Championship

Courtesy: America East Communications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — University at Albany will play host to the 2009 America East Men’s Basketball Championship at the 4,538-seat SEFCU Arena on campus in Albany, N.Y. The decision was reached in a vote by the conference’s athletics directors.

The nine-team tournament in 2009 begins with a first-round game on Friday, March 6. Quarterfinal and semifinal games follow on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8, respectively. The championship game will be played Saturday, March 14 at the home court of the higher remaining seed and will be televised by ESPN2.

“We are very proud that our colleagues have chosen the University at Albany to host this championship,” said Lee McElroy, Albany Vice President & Director of Athletics. “The America East basketball championship has been extremely successful and we hope to continue the tradition. We look forward to the challenge of working with the conference membership in presenting a prestigious college basketball event to the university community and Capital Region.”

“We are very excited about going to Albany for the 2009 Men’s Basketball Championship,” said America East Commissioner Patrick Nero. “The experience and dedication of Albany’s staff, combined with the passion for basketball in the Capital Region, will make for a promising championship. All of our teams return young, talented players from last year and this can only add excitement to the 2009 tournament.”

SEFCU Arena opened in the spring of 1992 as an $11 million state-of-the-art facility. The playing surface on the arena’s three basketball courts and the surrounding .11 mile track were completely renovated in December of 2004. SEFCU Arena, formerly the Recreation & Convocation Center, played host to the 2006 America Men’s Basketball Championship title game.

The America East Championship has utilized the present format of a single site for the first rounds, with the championship game played at the higher remaining seed since 1996. Binghamton University’s Event Center was the site of the championship in 2006 and 2008. Boston University hosted at Agganis Arena in 2007 and at Walter Brown Arena in 2003 and 2004, while the Terriers were a co-host in 2002 at Matthews Arena. The championship was played at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Del. from 1996 to 2001.

America East will consist of nine teams for the 2008-09 season: Albany, Binghamton University, Boston University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont.

Game times and ticket information for the America East Men’s Basketball Championship will be announced at a later date.

For more information on the 2009 America East Men’s Basketball Championship, please visit AmericaEast.com.

UAlbany Field Hockey Signs Four Student-Athletes for 2008 Season

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – The University at Albany has signed four student-athletes for the 2008 field hockey season, as announced by head coach Phil Sykes on Thursday afternoon. Erin Crosson, Christine Patrick, Megan Springmeyer and Ashley Carr have all signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Great Danes next fall.

Crosson was a four-year letterwinner and team captain at Shrewsbury High School in Shrewsbury, Mass. She was a two-time Mid-Wachusett A League and Worcester Telegram & Gazette All-Star. A three-year starter, Crosson led the Colonials to three league championships in four seasons, including a district championship and state final appearance as a senior. She was also a member of the Cape Ann Coalition, participating at the USFHA National Hockey Festival in 2006 and 2007 and competing in two Bay State Games. Crosson, a MIAA Outstanding Sportsmanship Award recipient, has been a high honor roll member for four years, and ranks in the top 22 percent of her graduating class. She has also participated in ice hockey, softball and indoor track.

“Erin is a very calm player who makes good decisions on the ball,” said Sykes. “Her speed and decision-making will add to our strong midfield.”

Patrick, a native of Reading, Pa., was named to the Berks All-County Team in 2007 as a senior for Reading Catholic. She was a three-time All-Division IV team member and was team MVP after recording 20 goals and four assists as a senior. With the High Styx club team, Patrick attended five USFHA National Hockey Indoor and Outdoor Festivals, and participated in four Keystone State Games. She competed at the National Futures Championships from 2004-2007, and was a member of the U-19 team that finished first in Scranton, Pa. last fall. Patrick, who was also an all-division softball player at Reading Catholic, has been a high honor roll student for her entire high school career.

“We are very excited to have Christina coming on board for next year,” offered Sykes. Her attacking skills, speed and goal-scoring ability will add to our already experienced offense.”

Springmeyer was a four-year letterwinner at Warren Hills High School in Washington, N.J. Springmeyer, who holds her school’s records for goals (55), points (126) and game-winning goals (22), was a two-time high school All-American by the NFHCA for the Mid-Atlantic Region. She was a two-time Newark Star-Ledger All-West Jersey first-team selection and earned second-team all-state honors as a senior. Springmeyer was a New Jersey Field Hockey Coaches Association first-team selection in 2006 and 2007, and was also an all-area first team choice by the Easton Express-Times during those seasons. A captain and team MVP, Springmeyer was a three-time Skyland Conference Delaware Division first-team pick. She was named the 2006 Warren Reporter Player of the Year. A five-year member of the Edge Field Hockey Club and was a two-time National AAU Junior Olympics participant, Springmeyer was also a Futures Elite selection in 2007 and participated in the Futures program from 2004-07.

“Megan is quick and feisty and very determined,” said Sykes. “She has very good finishing skills and is very much a team player.”

Carr, a native of Hilderstone, England, was a member of the 2006 North of England Regional U-21 team that earned a national championship. She also played for the Doncaster Ladies Hockey Club of the English National Premier League and was a member of the Sutton Coldfield Ladies Hockey Club that competed in the English National Indoor Premier League and the National Division One Outdoor League. Carr was the captain of the Newcastle-Under-Lyme School and led her squads to three National Schools championships.

“Ashley is a very seasoned central defender,” said Sykes. “She will add a great deal of experience to our defensive line and her distributing skills will benefit us greatly.”

UAlbany finished the 2007 season at 15-5 overall after falling to conference champion Boston University in the America East Championship on Nov. 4. The Great Danes finished No. 19 in the final NFHCA national rankings.

“We are very excited about our incoming class,” Sykes offered. “They will add to the team in many ways. We will have some dynamic goal scorers, solid defending and our overall team speed will be largely enhanced.”

-agate-

2008 University at Albany Field Hockey Signings

Name, Pos., Hometown (High School)

Erin Crosson, M, Shrewsbury, Mass. (Shrewsbury)

Christine Patrick, F, Reading, Pa. (Reading Catholic)

Megan Springmeyer, F, Washington, N.J. (Warren Hills)

Ashley Carr, D, Hilderstone, England (Newcastle-Under-Lyme)

UAlbany Tennis Earns America East Coaching Staff of the Year Honors

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – The University at Albany women’s tennis program, led by second-year head coach Elissa Kinard, earned the America East Conference Coaching Staff of the Year award, as announced by the conference office on Thursday afternoon.

Kinard led the Great Danes to a program-record 18 wins this season. Kinard is assisted by former UAlbany student-athlete Kim Westcott, in her first season coaching the Great Danes. UAlbany won six straight matches during the season, led by junior Charlotte Tatler, who finished with a 24-5 record at No. 4 singles. The Great Danes wrapped up the 2008 season with a 4-0 sweep of Hartford in the America East Conference Tournament.

University of Albany Men's Lacrosse Shoots For Another America East Conference Championship

BALTIMORE - The 2008 America East Men's Lacrosse Championship begins on Thursday, May 1 with a pair of semifinal contests at UMBC Stadium.

The tournament gets underway at 4 p.m. when second-seeded Albany takes on third-seeded Stony Brook. Top-seeded UMBC hosts fourth-seeded Binghamton in the other semifinal at 7:30 p.m.

The winners will meet in the conference title game on Saturday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. The championship tilt will be video streamed by Pack Network and be available in the America East Zone at AmericaEast.com free of charge. Watch Live

The league champion will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, which begins with quarterfinal acton on Saturday, May 10.


The Great Danes (7-7, 4-1 America East) are in search of their second consecutive league title and fifth in six years overall. Albany, which has reached the championship game each of its six years in the conference, has won seven of its last nine games heading into the championship.


2008 America East Men's Lacrosse Championship
Semifinals - Thursday, May 1

Game 1: No. 3 Stony Brook vs No. 2 Albany, 4 p.m.
Game 2: No. 4 Binghamton at No. 1 UMBC, 7:30 p.m.


Final - Saturday, May 3
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs Winner Game 2, 7:30 p.m.

Stony Brook University To Cut Over 380 Course Offerings - University President To Be Ousted Due To Academic Failures - SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook professors' petition targets University President Kenny.

A group of professors at Stony Brook University say they've lost confidence in President Shirley Strum Kenny's leadership, citing a lack of classroom space and a scuttled plan to cut hundreds of courses as proof the school has strayed from its academic mission.

An online petition accusing Kenny of "egregious mismanagement" had been signed by 93 professors from the College of Arts and Sciences by last night. Several non-tenured faculty signed anonymously.

"Our students are not getting the undergraduate education they deserve," said Herman Lebovics, a history professor at the college for 40 years and part of the group --"Concerned Faculty of Stony Brook" -- that started the petition. "We're not performing our mission because of the misplaced priorities of our president."

He said faculty were especially troubled by a plan proposed earlier this month to cut 388 course offerings for the fall semester to close a budget gap. Eventually, just a few course offerings were eliminated. "That was just one step too many. Even though those classes have been reinstated, it triggered this uniform outcry," said Dianna Padilla, an ecology professor at the school for a decade.

Administration officials say they needed to prepare for a worst-case budget scenario.
University spokeswoman Lauren Sheprow said the petition "has not been presented and she [Kenny] has not been contacted by the College of Arts and Sciences, so there's really nothing to say." Lebovics said the group expects to submit the petition to Kenny within a few weeks.

Experts in college governance say such petitions are unusual and signal deep faculty dissatisfaction. "It's a very drastic and dramatic action," said Robert Kreiser, a senior program officer with the American Association of University Professors.

Professors who signed the petition say classroom space and other resources have not kept up with exploding enrollment, even as Stony Brook has pursued expansion efforts such as the acquisition of Southampton College and plans to build or buy a law school. Full-time undergraduate enrollment at Stony Brook rose to 14,340 students in 2007, compared to 10,513 in 1997.

"I think we're getting away from our core product," said Jonathan Hirst, 26, a senior business major and executive vice president of the Undergraduate Student Government. ".... I think they need to focus more on what's happening right now."

Stony Brook officials admit space has been a problem...

Over the past year, though, Kenny also has faced the first serious criticism of her tenure, following the deaths of three children at the Stony Brook University Medical Center.

BY KARLA S.

Apparently, Stony Brook is not well liked by students and alumni.
http://stonybrooksucks.com/