University of Albany Center For Technology In Government Scholars Recognized as Ranking Members of the Digital Government Community

Theresa Pardo, Anthony M. Cresswell, Sharon Dawes, and J. Ramon Gil Garcia were recently ranked in the top ten of scholars in the field of digital government, according to a recent article from Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Electronic Government. The area of digital government research is a relatively young field compared to other well established disciplines, yet the field has produced approximately 300 peer-reviewed articles per year since 2004. The paper’s author, Hans J. (Jochen) Scholl, associate professor, Information Science, University of Washington, notes that “for a young domain of study, this is a remarkably high output volume.”

The Center for Technology in Government (CTG), formed in 1993, has been a pioneer of digital government scholarship. Its mission, as one of UAlbany’s universitywide centers, is to examine important public problems at the intersection of policy, management; and technology; the essence of digital government research. In 1998, CTG organized a workshop funded by the National Science Foundation where 67 researchers and government practitioners convened to discuss ways to collaborate to produce innovative and effective information-based government services. The workshop report, Some Assembly Required: Designing a Digital Government for the 21st Century, was one of two reports funded by NSF that set the stage and established a multi-disciplinary agenda for the new domain of digital government research.

Scholl’s (2009) article entitled, Profiling the EG Research Community and Its Core, identifies eight CTG researchers and alumni as part of a 50-strong core of this international research community. Among the top 10 are Pardo (#2), Cresswell (#7), Dawes (#5), Gil-Garcia (#1), and Scholl (#3). Both Gil-Garcia and Scholl are former CTG graduate assistants. Gil-Garcia stayed on at CTG as a post-doctoral fellow from 2005-2007 and continues his affiliation as a research fellow from his current position as an assistant professor in the Division of Public Administration and the director of the Data Center for Applied Research in Social Sciences at Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE) in Mexico City. In addition, Luis Luna-Reyes (also a former CTG graduate assistant), Enrico Ferro (a 2005 visiting scholar to CTG from Italy), and CTG program associate Natalie Helbig are listed in the top 50.

In addition to leadership in publishing digital government research, CTG has been actively encouraging a global digital government research community through conference development, leadership in the Digital Government Society of North America, and several grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). These NSF grants have given CTG the opportunity to study the development of a digital government journal, to participate in research collaborations with European-funded projects in the United Kingdom and Italy, to join US research delegations to China, India, and Hungary, and most recently, to lead a multi-year effort (2005-2009) to develop a sustainable international community of digital government researchers through international working groups and an annual international institute for doctoral students.

Ten years after CTG’s ground breaking report, the Center has once again been funded by the National Science Foundation to convene a similar workshop of digital government researchers. The workshop will examine the impact of "rich-context" information technology research, explore strategies for securing the funds targeted at research of this type, and lay out an agenda for interdisciplinary “rich context” research in information technology in the public sector. The workshop is set to take place in the spring of 2010.

University of Albany Women's Basketball Holds Off Wagner to Remain Unbeaten at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Charity Iromuanya netted a season-high 17 points and Julie Forster registered her first career double-double on 11 points and 11 rebounds in leading UAlbany to a 63-56 win over Wagner in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday, Dec. 12 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes, who held off a late run after leading by as many as 23 in the second half, remain unbeaten at home and have outscored their opponents by an average margin of 17.7 points in those contests.

UAlbany (4-4), which led 34-23 at halftime after closing out the opening stanza on a 12-1 run, scored the first four points of the second half. After missing 14 consecutive shots, Kelly Clark netted the Seahawks' first field goal in almost eight minutes at the 17:11 mark and followed up with another score the next time down the floor to make it an 11-point game.

The Great Danes responded with a 10-2 run, which was sparked by Tabitha Makopondo's conventional three-point play, to go ahead by a 48-29 score with just over 13 minutes left in the contest. A fastbreak layup by Ebone Henry, who made her first career start, gave the hosts a 23-point cushion at 56-33 with under nine minutes to play.

Wagner (2-7), which suffered its fourth straight loss, initiated an effective fullcourt press to make a big run at the end. A fastbreak layup by Kanifa Hicks following a steal with 4:58 on the clock cut the lead to 16 points, forcing the Great Danes to call a timeout. Iromuanya made an open layup with 2:12 left to put the Great Danes ahead, 63-48, before the Seahawks made a furious attempt to rally. The visitors scored the last eight points of the game before time ran out on them.

"We came out strong and really focused, but we let them come back by playing sloppy in the end," said Iromuanya, the team's captain. "Overall, everybody was on the same page and we worked really hard."

The first half featured two quick lead changes and three ties. Andrea Reed, who has led the Northeast Conference in assists the past two seasons, hit a jumper to put Wagner ahead by a 6-4 score before the Great Danes went on a 12-2 run with four players scoring during the stretch to take the lead for good.

Wagner was able to tie the score at 22 when Veronick Fournier canned a three-pointer from the left corner, but the Great Danes came back by scoring 10 straight and 12 of the half's final 13 points while forcing the visitors to miss their last seven shots. Iromuanya added five points and an assist on a fastbreak layup by Henry to give the Great Danes an 11-point lead at the break.

"We had several players who were not 100 percent, and we were low on numbers," explained head coach Trina Patterson, whose team will now gear up to host an Army squad which played neck-and-neck with 16th-ranked Oklahoma until the final six minutes of the contest two days ago. "We did not keep our energy level up. You can't make excuses, but I am happy that we were able hang on (to get the win). We really improved our shooting from the perimeter."

In addition to her game-high 17 points, Iromuanya grabbed eight rebounds and recorded four steals to lead the way for UAlbany. Henry netted 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and three steals. Forster added two blocks to her double-double performance.

Wagner was paced by Reed, who led the team with 13 points, five assists and three steals. Ashley Olsen pulled down 14 boards, including 10 in the first half, and finished with six points. Kelly Clark contributed nine points and five rebounds off the bench.

"I am looking forward to our next game against (Army)," added Patterson, who will look to guide the Great Danes to their fourth straight win at home to open the season next Saturday. "They are a mentally tough team, but we will be ready for them."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Rosario's Three-Point Shooting Sends Men's Basketball to OT Loss at Central Conn. State

New Britain, Conn. - Vince Rosario had 17 points and made a key three-point field goal in overtime in leading Central Connecticut State to 70-68 victory over UAlbany on Saturday, Dec. 12 at Detrick Gymnasium.

Central Connecticut State (3-5) led 64-63 in the extra period, when Rosario nailed one of his five 3-pointers from the left wing. Shemik Thompson, who had 16 points, sank a pair of foul shots for a six-point margin and the home-opening win looked secure. But UAlbany's Tim Ambrose made a three-point play when he was fouled on a driving shot and a steal led to Scotty McRae's slam dunk. After CCSU's Joe Seymour made the second of two free throws with 4.6 seconds left, Ambrose misfired on a driving 14-footer as the horn sounded.

UAlbany (4-7) appeared to be in control with one minute to play in regulation. Ambrose, who had 16 points, knifed his way into the lane and then set up Will Harris for a layup on the left baseline that gave his club a 60-56 advantage. But in the previous two matchups the unexpected always happens in this series. Leading 60-58, Derrek Tartt found himself alone following a steal, but the freshman missed a two-handed dunk with 10.8 seconds remaining. Thompson made two free throws to draw his team even and Harris was not close on a three-point attempt as buzzer sounded to end regulation.

"They went small and pressured us defensively," UAlbany coach Will Brown said. "The breakaway dunk was not the deciding moment in the game; it was all the stuff that led to that point. We gave them new life in the overtime. We had plenty of opportunities and a pretty good look at the end."

The Great Danes built a 50-44 lead with 8:18 remaining on Mike Johnson's three-point play. The senior guard finished with 12 points before fouling out in overtime. Central Connecticut rallied to tie the contest at 56 apiece when Rosario drained a long-range jumper from the top of the arc.

"We are down right now, but we fought to the end," said UAlbany center Brett Gifford, who matched a career-high with 10 points and added eight rebounds and two blocks. "We told Derrek (Tartt) to keep his head in the game. Things happen during the course of any game."

In the first half, nothing was settled as the Great Danes took a 32-31 advantage to the intermission. Central Connecticut took a 15-7 lead in the early going when Rosario buried a three-point field from the top of the key. UAlbany regrouped with 10 unanswered. Gifford scored off a high-low exchange from Fran Urli to put his team ahead. The Blue Devils, who later trailed by as much as six, regained the lead, 29-28, on Thompson's offensive rebound. Tartt made a pair of free throws to put UAlbany back in front.

CCSU's Robby Ptacek had 12 points off the bench, while David Simmons added 11 points and 16 rebounds. Urli, a 6-foot-8 junior, scored a career-high 10 for the Great Danes, who edged the Blue Devils by one last year and won in overtime the previous season.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

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

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

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

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

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

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


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Announces Men's Lacrosse Schedule; NCAA Champion Syracuse Among Opponents - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Thursday, Dec. 10 the school's men's lacrosse schedule for the 2010 season. The Great Danes, who have captured four America East Conference championships in their history, will play five games against conference opponents. The non-league schedule features five teams who made last year's NCAA Tournament field, including defending national champion Syracuse.

UAlbany begins its 11th season at the NCAA Division I level on Saturday, Feb. 27 against Denver. The Pioneers are led by first-year head coach Bill Tierney, who guided Princeton to six national titles. The Great Danes meet Syracuse in the Carrier Dome on the first Saturday in April. In 2009, the Orange garnered their tenth NCAA championship in a thrilling 10-9 overtime victory against Cornell. UAlbany will be Johns Hopkins' homecoming opponent on Saturday, April 10 in a game that will televised on ESPNU at 2:00 p.m. The Blue Jays have won nine NCAA titles, including the 2007 crown.

The Great Danes will battle three other teams who made NCAA appearances last season. UAlbany travels to Massachusetts, the ECAC champion, and defending America East winner UMBC, on March 9 and April 17, respectively. Siena, the 2009 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titleist, will play at John Fallon Field on Tuesday, March 2.

UAlbany has three conference home games, including a pair of late season clashes with America East-rivals Stony Brook (April 24) and Binghamton (May 1). Each game will be televised on Time Warner Cable (TW3) in the Capital Region. In addition, the Great Danes host Patriot League regular-season champion Bucknell and Colonial Athletic Association opponent Drexel. UAlbany faces Ohio State for the first time and tangles with Delaware for the eighth consecutive year. The America East postseason tournament is slated for May 5 and 8, and each round will be hosted by the higher seed.

Scott Marr, a two-time America East coach of the year, has 27 letterwinners returning from last season's 7-7 squad. Brian Caufield earned honorable mention USILA All-America honors, the sixth player in the program's Division I history to be recognized. Caufield, a junior attackman, scored 45-plus points for the second straight season with 24 goals and 27 assists. Joe Resetarits was voted first-team all-conference as a freshman after accounting for 34 goals and nine assists. Senior defenseman Mark Kelly, who had 30 ground balls one year ago, was a member of the All-America East second team. Goalkeeper John Carroll posted a .496 save percentage as a freshman.

2010 University at Albany Men's Lacrosse Schedule

February - 27 (Sat.), at Denver, 3:00.

March - 2 (Tue.), Siena, 4:00; 6 (Sat.), at Delaware, 12:00; 9 (Tue.), at Massachusetts, 3:00; 12 (Fri.), Ohio State, 7:00; 21 (Sun.), Drexel, 1:00; 27 (Sat.), Bucknell, 1:00; 31 (Wed.), at Hartford*, 3:30.

April - 3 (Sat.), at Syracuse, 4:00; 10 (Sat.), at John Hopkins, 2:00 (ESPNU); 11 (Sun.), Vermont*, 3:00; 17 (Sat.), at UMBC*, 1:00, 24 (Sat.), Stony Brook*, 7:00 (TW3)

May - 1 (Sat.), Binghamton*, 7:00 (TW3); 5 (Wed.), at America East Conference Tournament+; 8 (Sat.), at America East Conference Tournament+.
*America East Conference Opponent +Played at Higher Seed's Home Facility All Times Eastern


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Men's Basketball Rebounds in 78-60 Victory Against Pennsylvania at the Historic Palestra - UAlbany Sports 2009

Philadelphia, Pa. - Tim Ambrose had 20 points and Will Harris added 19 in leading UAlbany to a 78-60 non-league road win against Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at The Palestra. The Great Danes ended a three-game skid.

Pennsylvania (0-6) trailed 39-32 at the halftime, but started the final period with baskets by Darren Smith and Rob Belcore. UAlbany (4-6) was still ahead, 47-42, but then erupted with a string of 10 consecutive points. Mike Johnson, who had 15 points and seven assists, canned a jumper in the lane and Billy Allen delivered a three-point field goal in transition. Brett Gifford scored on a follow shot in the lane and Ambrose made a free throw to end the run.

The Great Danes, who made a season-best 54.1 percent from the field, on 33-of-61 shooting, pushed their margin to 20 with 7:45 remaining. Jake Lindfors scored off a second-chance opportunity and made a driving layup, before Ambrose sank two foul shots for a 65-45 advantage. UAlbany led by as much as 23 in the stretch.

"This was a straight scout game where we had to execute the game plan," explained UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team posted its largest road win margin since Feb. 22, 2007. "Mike Johnson did a good job on (Zack) Rosen, who is the heart and soul of their team. We forced them to defend for long periods of time and kept them from making a run in the second half."

In the first half, UAlbany snapped an 8-8 tie when Johnson made a 3-pointer from the left wing and Fran Urli scored in transition. Penn closed the gap to 20-19 as Dan Monckton hit a slam dunk following a steal. The Great Danes sped away with seven unanswered. Johnson made a basket and Ambrose followed with a three-point play as he was fouled while making a 16-footer in the circle. UAlbany held that eight-point margin for much of the period by shooting 51.5 percent from the floor.

"We have a shot to be a good team if we are focused and execute," said Johnson, whose squad struggled in a 29-point loss three days ago. "We gained some confidence (with this win), but we need to keep playing defense and take care of the ball."

Jack Eggleston had 15 points for the Quakers, who were held to 42-percent shooting. Mike Howlett and Rosen had 10 apiece. UAlbany's Harris, who is averaging more than 20 points in his last five starts, made 8-of-14 from the field and added six rebounds.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Announces Women's Lacrosse Schedule for 2010 Campaign - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Monday, Dec. 7 the school's women's lacrosse schedule for the 2010 season. The Great Danes, who reached the America East Conference postseason tournament for the third consecutive season, will play three opponents who made last year's NCAA field. UAlbany has a six-game conference schedule.

UAlbany begins its 11th season at the NCAA Division I level on Saturday, Feb. 24 against Marist, a team that advanced to last year's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship final. The Great Danes host three programs who qualified for NCAA post-season play last season. Massachusetts, the Atlantic 10 Conference champion, invades John Fallon Field on March 20, while Patriot League titleist Colgate comes to town three days later. The Raiders fell to evenutal national champion Northwestern in the NCAA's first round. Boston University, the five-time defending America East winner, is the opponent for the home regular-season finale on Saturday, May 1.

In addition, the Great Danes have non-conference home dates with California, Niagara and Canisius. Cal-Berkeley, a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, lost to Stanford is last year's MPSF title game. UAlbany has non-league road dates with Hofstra, Siena and Patriot League runner-up Lehigh, plus a neutral site game with Denver in Owings Mills, Md. America East opponents Binghamton and Stony Brook will travel to the Capital Region. The America East Conference postseason tournament, slated for May 6 and 8, will be held at the highest seed's home facility.

Lindsey Hart, who led UAlbany to its first winning campaign since 2000 last year and a No. 2 seed in the conference postseason tournament, has 17 letterwinners returning from the 2009 squad. Kayla Best, a senior midfielder, and Nikki Branchini, a junior defender, were each named to the IWLCA/U.S. Lacrosse All-Northeast Region second team. Best, who has 147 career points, earned All-America East recognition for the third consecutive season. Branchini has twice been voted to the all-conference first team. Jodi Battaglia and Mel Rorie scored 37 goals apiece last season. Battaglia, a junior attack, was picked to the All-America East first team, while Rorie was chosen second-team all-league.

2010 University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Schedule

February - 24 (Wed.), at Marist, 3:30; 27 (Sat.), at Hofstra, 1:00.

March - 6 (Sat.), Niagara, 1:00; 12 (Fri.), at Siena, 3:00; 14 (Sun.), Canisius, 1:00; 20 (Sat.), Massachusetts, 2:00; 23 (Tue.), Colgate, 5:00; 28 (Sun.), vs. Denver (Owings Mills, Md.), 12:00; 31 (Wed.), at Vermont*, 3:00.

April - 3 (Sat.), Binghamton*, 1:00; 7 (Wed.), Stony Brook*, 4:00; 12 (Mon.), at Lehigh, 3:30; 16 (Fri.), California, 4:00; 18 (Sun.), at UMBC*, 1:00; 24 (Sat.), at New Hampshire*, 1:00.

May - 1 (Sat.), Boston U.*, 4:00; 6 (Thu.), at America East Conference Tournament+; 8 (Sat.), at America East Conference Tournament+.
*America East Conference Opponent +Played at No. 1 Seed's Home Facility All Times Eastern

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Men's Lacrosse Ranked #15 In LaxNews.com Writers Preseason Top 25 Poll

1. Syracuse (16-2)
2. Duke (15-4)
3. Virginia (15-3)
4. Carolina (12-6)
5. Hopkins (10-5)

6. Cornell (13-4)
7. Notre Dame (15-1)
8. Hofstra (11-4)
9. Navy (11-5)
10. Maryland (10-6)

11. Princeton (13-3)
12. Harvard (8-5)
13. Georgetown (7-7)
14. Loyola (9-5)
15. Albany (7-7)

16. Brown (12-3)
17. UMBC (12-4)
18. UMass (9-6)
19. Colgate (9-6)
20. Bucknell (9-7)

21. Ohio State (8-8)
22. Stony Brook (9-6)
23. Delaware (5-10)
24. Denver (7-8)
25. Drexel (7-8)

University of Albany's Brian Caufield on Preseason All-America Lacrosse Team; UAlbany Ranked #20 in IL Poll - UAlbany Sports 2009

Baltimore, Md. - University at Albany's Brian Caufield has been selected to the 2010 Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Yearbook Preseason All-America Lacrosse Team. Caufield, a junior attackman, was named to the third team.

Caufield earned honorable mention USILA All-America honors as a sophomore. He ranked seventh among the NCAA Division I leaders in scoring at 3.64 points per game and sixth in assists (1.93 pg). He totaled 45-plus points for the second year in a row with 24 goals and 27 assists.

A native of Bay Shore, N.Y., Caufield was chosen first-team All-America East Conference for the second consecutive season last year. He accounted for four or more points against seven opponents, including a season-high seven (3 goals, 4 assists) versus Massachusetts. He handed out a season-best five assists versus Syracuse and Stony Brook.

He became the sixth UAlbany player to earn Division I All-America status last year, joining Merrick Thomson, Frank Resetarits, Brett Queener, Jordan Levine and Luke Daquino.

Paw Prints: UAlbany is picked No. 20 in the Division I Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Yearbook preseason national poll ... the Great Danes return six starters from last year's 7-7 squad ... UAlbany placed two players on the Inside Lacrosse preseason All-America East Conference squad ... Brian Caufield and Joe Resetarits were each chosen ... Resetarits tallied 34 goals and nine assists as a freshman ... the attackman was voted first-team All-America East and to the conference all-rookie team last year ... Resetarits scored three or more points in 10 of 13 games played.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Women's Basketball Drops Non-Conference Contest to Canisius

Buffalo, N.Y. - Brittané Russell scored a team-high 10 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists to lead Canisius past UAlbany, 52-41, in a non-conference women's basketball game at the Koessler Athletic Center on Wednesday evening. Sparked by its bench, the Golden Griffins used a 15-2 run in the middle of the game and held off a furious rally by the Great Danes late in the contest to earn their fourth straight victory.

The opening six minutes was a seesaw battle, featuring four lead changes and a tie. After Felicia Johnson hit one of her three field goals in the first half to give UAlbany a 6-5 lead, a running jumper by Russell sparked an 8-0 run which gave the Golden Griffins some control and a 13-6 advantage at the midway point of the stanza.

UAlbany (3-3) hung around, as a jumper by Keyana Williams made it 20-13 with 3:41 to play. However, Canisius was able to score the half's final seven points to take a commanding 27-13 lead at the recess. Russell canned a trifecta from the left wing, and a pair of steals by Tasia Lee resulted in two more field goals for the hosts during the run.

Canisius (4-2), which advanced to the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) last season, got a three-point field goal from Micayla Drysdale on its first possession of the second half. Johnson made a short jumper to end the hot Golden Griffins' hot streak, but the lead ballooned to 20 when Melissa Gardner drove in for a fastbreak layup to put hosts up 35-15 with 17:38 on the clock.

"We were tentative at the very beginning of the game, and they went on a 15-2 run because we played out of character and commited careless turnovers," explained head coach Trina Patterson.

The Golden Griffins, which extended their streak of making a trey to an NCAA-record 460 consecutive games early in the first half, continued firing from long range to pad its lead which grew to as many as 24 on a three-point field goal by Lee. Drysdale and Brianna Lucas each made two trifectas from downtown in the opening minutes to spark the run.

Trailing 48-26, UAlbany rallied by scoring nine consecutive points, forcing the Golden Griffins to call a timeout with 4:04 to play. Iromuanya made two field goals, and Forster converted a conventional three-point play during the streak. Following the final media timeout, Kim Clements drained a 12-footer to make it an 11-point game at the 2:42 mark. Delaney Cohan's layup with 1:18 remaining trimmed the deficit to single digits for the first time of the stanza at 50-41, but that was the closest the visitors would come before time ran out.

"We showed a lot of heart at the end and made it a game," added Patterson. "Our goal was to first cut [the lead] down from 20 to 10, and we did that. However, we didn't have enough time to finish it off. We have to regroup and get ready for Siena [on Saturday]."

Johnson and Forster paced UAlbany with 10 points apiece. Forster also grabbed six rebounds, while Johnson added three assists. Williams contributed eight points and five rebounds.

In addition to Russell, Canisius was led by the play of its bench which accounted for 30 of the team's 52 points. Lucas and Ashley Durham had eight points apiece, while Lee added seven points and had four steals. Drysdale finished with six points, a game-high five assists and four picks while committing just one turnover.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Men's Indoor Track & Field Selected First, Women Second in A-East Preseason Polls

Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany men's indoor track and field team has been picked to finish first, while the women's squad was projected to place second in the America East Conference Preseason Coaches Polls, as announced by the league office on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

The men's team, which has won four straight and six of the past seven championships, was unanimously selected to defend its crown. The Great Danes received all eight possible first-place votes and accumulated the maximum 64 points. New Hampshire was picked second and earned the final first-place vote. The Boston University women, winners of four consecutive league titles, were picked to repeat as conference champions. The Terriers, who lost two All-Americans to graduation, earned 62 points and six first-place votes. UAlbany garnered two first-place votes and received 56 points, while New Hampshire had 52 points and the final first-place vote.

The UAlbany men, who also earned their first IC4A title last winter, return six student-athletes who won an individual event at last year's conference championship meet. Senior pole vaulter Luke Schoen has his eyes set on winning a national title after garnering All-America honors during the 2008-09 season. Classmate Nasim Siddeeq was named the America East Field Performer of the Meet and the USTFCCCA Northeast Region Field Athlete of the Year after winning the triple jump and finishing second in the long jump at last season's championship. Valete Graham, a senior who holds the program standard in the long jump, as well as Kyle Nadler and Fred Casimo will also be forces in the horizontal jumping events. Junior Wilfredo de Jesus Elias, the school's record holder in the weight throw, will look to defend his title this winter. Senior Freddie Wills, who did not compete indoors last year but won the decathlon at the America East outdoor meet, rounds out the list of top returners in the field events.

Senior sprinter Alie Beauvais and a group of middle distance runners headline the list of returners in the track events. Beauvais won the 500-meter dash at the America East championship last season and was also an IC4A qualifier in the 400. Seniors Jeffery Barnes and Pat Weider are returning all-conference performers in the short sprints. Juniors Tyler Fogarty, Aaron Lozier and John Moore will look to dominate the middle distance events. Lozier and Fogarty won the 800 and 1,000-meter events, respectively, last year, while Moore was an all-conference selection in the 1,000. Fogarty and Moore along with sophomore Nick Santos were members of the 4x800-meter relay which clocked in the second-fastest time in the country and clinched the program's first IC4A title.

The UAlbany women, who have won three America East outdoor titles, are aiming to win their first indoor championship after finishing in the runner-up position four times. Seniors Fey Adaramola and Laura Cummings are the team's top returners in the track events. Adaramola won the 200-meter dash, placed fourth in the 55 and anchored the winning 4x400-meter relay squad at last year's championship. Cummings, who ran the final leg for the second-place distance medley relay team at the 2009 meet, will challenge for the individual title in the mile. Led by junior transfer Sheena Simpkins, an All-Northeast Conference performer at Mount St. Mary's, the Great Danes have added lots of depth in the sprints to complement Adaramola.

Junior Celine Cauderlier, an all-conference pole vaulter last season, and a group of returning throwers and jumpers will make UAlbany a threat to accumulate points in every single field event at the America East meet. Junior Kadine Johnson and senior Candice Mann have each garnered all-conference recognition in the shot put, while senior Ashley Lewis has also scored in the event. Juniors Sandy Antenor and Tiffany Sprenkels are returning ECAC qualifiers in the horizontal jumps. Lauren Biscardi, an all-conference honoree in the high jump at Notre Dame, who is currently enrolled in graduate school, was a two-time high school national champion who should be the heavy favorite to win the event at the America East meet, which will be hosted by Boston U. on Feb. 19-20.

America East Conference Preseason Men's Indoor Track & Field Poll
1. UAlbany (8), 64; 2. New Hampshire (1), 52; 3. Binghamton, 49; 4. UMBC, 41; 5. Boston U., 39; 6. Maine, 29; 7. Vermont, 25; 8. Stony Brook, 17; 9. Hartford, 8. ( ) - first-place votes
America East Conference Preseason Women's Indoor Track & Field Poll
1. Boston U. (6), 62; 2. UAlbany (2), 56; 3. New Hampshire (1), 52; 4. Maine, 35; 5. Vermont, 31; 6. Binghamton, 30; 7. Stony Brook, 29; 8. UMBC, 20; 9. Hartford, 9. ( ) - first-place votes

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's McCarty & Richards Among 10 UAlbany Players on All-Northeast Conference Football Team - UAlbany Sports 2009

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's David McCarty and Kevin Richards lead a group of ten players who have been chosen to the 2009 All-Northeast Conference Football Team, as announced on Monday, Nov. 30 by the conference office. The Great Danes, who had six players on the first team, finished with a 7-4 record and placed second in the league standings.

McCarty, a senior tailback, and Richards, a senior center, each made his third appearance on the All-NEC squad. McCarty, a second-team selection who ran for nine touchdowns, was plagued by injuries throughout the season, but still ranked 26th nationally among the NCAA Division I FCS rushing leaders at 84.9 yards per game. He ended his career as the program's all-time leader in rushing yards (4,287), all-purpose running yards (4,976) and 100-yard rushing games (24). Richards moved up to the all-conference first team after being voted to the second team the last two seasons. Richards, who appeared in 40 career games, blocked for an offensive unit that was balanced in rushing (159.6 ypg) and passing (181.7 ypg).

Inside linebacker Justin Brancaccio, free safety Dave Casale and wide receiver Tim Bush each made his second consecutive appearance on the All-NEC first team. Brancaccio led the UAlbany in tackles with 94, including 38 unassisted, and spearheaded a defense that was 26th among the FCS national leaders in points allowed (19.4 ppg) and 27th in rushing defense (118.3 ypg). The senior is eighth on the school's career tackles chart with 261.

Bush became the first Great Dane to catch 60 or more passes in back-to-back seasons. He had 63 catches for 861 yards and three touchdowns. He shattered the program's career standard with 147 receptions and is third all-time with 1,880 receiving yards. Casale accounted for 77 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and six pass break-ups. He completed his collegiate career tied for sixth in interceptions (11) and 18th in tackles (224) among UAlbany's all-time leaders.

Dave Nicomini, a senior outside linebacker, earned first-team All-NEC recognition for the second time. He missed all of the 2008 season after suffering a major knee injury the previous spring. After receiving a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA due to medical hardship, Nicomini returned to his all-league form from two years ago with 73 tackles and six pass break-ups. He led the Great Danes in tackles for a loss (12.0) and sacks (4.0). Nicomini is 12th among the program's career tackles leaders with 242.

Senior tailback Justin Gannon is on the all-league second team for the second year in a row as a return specialist. He led the team in all-purpose yards at 100.9 per game and is 12th nationally in punt returns with a 12.8 average. Gannon was second on the team in rushing with 471 yards and scored five touchdowns. He is sixth in career all-purpose yards at the school with 2,859.

Trevor Anderson, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound junior, defensive end Tony Sparano and placekicker Herb Glass each receives all-conference honors for the first time. Anderson, a first-team defensive tackle, totaled 36 tackles with 5.5 hits for a loss, 3.0 sacks and two pass deflections. He has 101 tackles and 8.5 sacks entering his senior campaign. Sparano, a second-team selection, had 33 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and two fumble recoveries. Glass was named to the second team after leading UAlbany in scoring with 61 points. He made 12-of-18 field goals and 25-of-27 point-after attempts. His field goal total matched the third-best single-season mark in school history.

Paw Prints: UAlbany had 10 or more all-conference selections for the third straight season ... the Great Danes have had 10-plus all-league players in six of their 11 years as a Northeast Conference member ... TB David McCarty and C Kevin Richards are among a group of 12 Great Danes to have earned All-NEC honors three or more times in a career ... ILB Colin Disch, OT Geir Gudmundsen and FS Samson Brown, who coaches the tight ends as a member of Bob Ford's current staff, are the only four-time all-conference selections.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

2009 - 2010 UAlbany Athletics: Year In Review

UAlbany Volleyball - Sourbeer and Livergood Named to America East Volleyball All-Academic Team

UAlbany Men's Basketball - Rebounds in 78-60 Victory Against Pennsylvania at the Historic Palestra

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse - Ranked #15 In LaxNews.com Writers Preseason Top 25 Poll

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse - Brian Caufield on Preseason All-America Lacrosse Team;
UAlbany Ranked #20 in IL Poll

UAlbany Men's Indoor Track & Field - Selected First, Women Second in A-East Preseason Polls

UAlbany FCS Football - McCarty & Richards Among 10 UAlbany Players on All-Northeast Conference Football Team

UAlbany Women's Basketball - Comes Alive in Second Half to Defeat Cornell, 80-55, at SEFCU Arena

UAlbany Volleyball - Closes Out 2009 Season With 3-0 Win Over American at University Gym

UAlbany Field Hockey - Jess Lindsey and Sarah Deane Named to America East All-Academic Field Hockey Team

UAlbany FCS Football - QB Vinny Esposito Chosen Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week

UAlbany Men's Basketball - Blake Metcalf Named America East Conference Rookie of the Week

UAlbany Women's Basketball - Wins Home Opener, 70-49, Over St. Francis

UAlbany Men's Basketball - Will Harris Nets 22 in Basketball's 2K Sports Classic Win Against NEC Champion Robert Morris

UAlbany FCS Football - QB Vinny Esposito Accounts for Four TDs in Football's 41-28 NEC Victory Against Wagner

UAlbany Cross Country - Teams Post Highest Finishes Ever at IC4A and ECAC Championships

UAlbany Men's Basketball - Derrek Tartt Provides Spark in Basketball's 71-55 Victory on First Day of 2K Sports Classic

UAlbany Volleyball - Advances to America East Volleyball Championship Match With 3-0 Win Over UMBC in Semifinals

UAlbany Volleyball - Setter Brooke Stanley Sweeps Both the 2009 Player of the Year and Setter of the Year Awards

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse - Inside Lacrosse Laxies Presented by Lax World: Brett Queener Is IL’s Personality of the Year Winner

UAlbany Men's Basketball - Edges Defending Patriot League Champion American

UAlbany Volleyball - Completes Second Straight Undefeated Conference Season With Sweep of Hartford

UAlbany Field Hockey - Finishes Season 18th on Kookaburra/NFHCA Coaches' Poll

UAlbany Soccer - Bo Jelovac Earns America East Men's Soccer All-Academic Team Honors

UAlbany Volleyball - Remains Undefeated in America East Play, Sweeping Stony Brook,

UAlbany Field Hockey - Moves On To America East Championship Game With Win Over UNH

UAlbany Field Hockey - Clephane, Savage, Luke, Brown & Hoffman Named To All America East Team

UAlbany Field Hockey - Sykes Named America East Coach of the Year

UAlbany Field Hockey - Clephane Named America East Defensive Player of the Year

UAlbany FCS Football - Sparano, Simpson & Woods Chosen to ESPN The Magazine District I All-Academic Football Team

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Monroe & Coaches Named America East Coaching Staff of the Year

UAlbany Women's Soccer - C. DeVerna, M. DeVerna, Lee, Marks & Tirabassi Named To All America East Team

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Cate Crenson Garners America East Women's Soccer All-Academic Team Laurels

UAlbany Field Hockey - #18 F.H. Clinches Top Seed in A-East Tournament With 2-0 Win Over Boston University

UAlbany Field Hockey - Nicole Savage Chosen to Play in NFHCA Division I Senior All-Star Game

UAlbany Field Hockey - #18 UAlbany Dominates Siena, 4-0, in Non-Conference Field Hockey Action

UAlbany Volleyball - Sweeps Siena College Remaining Undefeated In All Time Series

UAlbany Field Hockey - Ranked #18 In Latest NFHCA Poll

UAlbany Volleyball - Teresa Coppiellie & Brooke Stanley Earn America East Conference Weekly Awards

UAlbany Volleyball - Sweeps New Hampshire at "Dig Pink" Event at University Gymnasium

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Earns First-Ever Appearance in America East Championship

UAlbany Field Hockey - icole Savage Named America East Player of the Week

UAlbany Volleyball - White & Stanley Take Home America East Weekly Honors

UAlbany Volleyball - Sweeps Binghamton, 3-0, in America East Rematch

UAlbany Field Hockey - #18 F.H. Clinches Top Seed in A-East Tournament With 2-0 Win Over Boston University

UAlbany FCS Football - Rolls Past Monmouth In NEC Matchup

UAlbany Volleyball - Confirms Top Dog Position With Win over Binghamton

UAlbany Field Hockey - Nicole Savage Chosen to Play in NFHCA Division I Senior All-Star Game

UAlbany Cross Country - Alex Leuchanka Named America East Men's Cross Country Performer of the Week

UAlbany FCS Football - Quarterback Vinny Esposito Named Northeast Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week

UAlbany Volleyball - Brooke Stanley Named America East Player and Setter of the Week

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Ashley Tirabassi Garners Second America East Women's Soccer Player of the Week Award

UAlbany Field Hockey - #18 UAlbany Dominates Siena, 4-0, in Non-Conference Field Hockey Action

UAlbany Volleyball - Controls UMBC for 3-0 Sweep in America East Volleyball Action

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Klepper & Tirabassi Score to Lead Women's Soccer to Win at A-East Leader Stony Brook

UAlbany FCS Football - Sets Conference Football Win Streak Record in 20-17 NEC Victory Against Bryant

UAlbany Field Hockey - #18 F Hockey Shuts Out Vermont In Conference Matchup

UAlbany Volleyball - Teresa Coppiellie Leads Team to 3-0 Win Over Stony Brook in A-East Action

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Tirabassi's Record-Breaking Goal Lifts Women's Soccer Over UMBC, 1-0, in A-East Play

UAlbany Volleyball - Sweeps Siena College Remaining Undefeated In All Time Series

UAlbany Field Hockey - Ranked #18 In Latest NFHCA Poll

UAlbany FCS Football - Justin Gannon Named Northeast Conference Co-Special Teams Player of the Week

UAlbany Volleyball - Stanley Earns 3rd America East Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week Award

UAlbany Tennis - Wins 11 of 12 Matches on Second Day of Marist Tournament

UAlbany FCS Football - Uses Big Plays to Record 55-10 Homecoming Victory Against NEC-Rival Duquesne

UAlbanyField Hockey - Christina Patrick Leads #19 UAlbany to 1-0 Win Over Maine in A-East Action

UAlbany Volleyball - Brooke Stanley Leads Women's Volleyball to a 3-0 Sweep of America East-Rival Hartford

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Chelsea DeVerna Leads Women's Soccer Past New Hampshire

UAlbany Tennis - Susan Ma Records Win Leading Tennis to 7-0 Dual-Match Decision Over Union College

UAlbany FCS Football - Dominates 2nd Half And Rallies To A 20-16 Victory Against #20 Maine

UAlbany Volleyball - Defeats Virginia, 3-0, at Marriot Cavalier Invitational

UAlbany Athletics - Will Enshrine Conklin, Herfurth, Atwell, Johnston & Koelmel Into Hall of Fame

UAlbany Cross Country - Ada Lauterbach Named America East Women's Cross Country Performer of the Week

UAlbany FCS Football - David McCarty Selected Northeast Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week

UAlbany Golf - Finishes Second at ECAC Division I Women's Championship

UAlbany Volleyball - Brooke Stanley Earns 2nd America East Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week Award This Season

UAlbany Field Hockey - Inge Baijens Named America East Conference Field Hockey Rookie of the Week

UAlbany Volleyball - Defeats UNH In Straight Sets In America East Conference Opener

UAlbany FCS Football - Extends Conference Winning Streak to 15 With 27-3 Win In NEC

UAlbany Field Hockey - Savage Records Hat Trick to Lead #20 Field Hockey Over Fairfield, 7-1

UAlbany Track and Field - Leuchanka and Lauterbach Lead Cross Country Teams to Top-Five Finishes at George Mason Invite

UAlbany Volleyball - Defeats Colgate, 3-1, in Non-Conference Match-Up

UAlbany Field Hockey - Nicole Savage Named America East Conference Field Hockey Player of the Week

UAlbany FCS Football - Dave Nicomini Chosen Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week

UAlbany Field Hockey - Defeats #19 Providence At Alumni Field

UAlbany FCS Football - Beats Off Sacred Heart, 22-9, in Northeast Conference Opener

UAlbany Volleyball - Sweeps Santa Clara, St. Francis, and Penn To Win HD Holiday Inn Tournament

UAlbany Volleyball - Beats Santa Clara 3-1 To Start Penn Tournament

UAlbany Field Hoceky - Defeats Colgate, 3-1, in Non-Conference Action

UAlbany FCS Football - Chris Simpson Chosen ECAC Division I FCS Defensive Player of the Week 9

UAlbany FCS Football - TB David McCarty & ILB Chris Simpson Earn Northeast Conference Weekly Football Awards

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Tirabassi Earns UAlbany's First-Ever A-East Player of the Week Honor

UAlbany Field Hockey - Tegan Brown Named America East Conference Rookie of the Week

UAlbany Field Hockey - Christina Patrick Leads Team To 1-0 Win Over Temple

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Chrissy Klepper's First Career Goal Sends Women's Soccer Past Colgate

UAlbany FCS Football - Dominates 2nd Half And Rallies To A 20-16 Victory Against #20 Maine

UAlbany Volleyball - Defeats Virginia, 3-0, at Marriot Cavalier Invitational

UAlbany FCS Football - San Diego Chargers' Andre Coleman Sees Significant Playing Time Versus Oakland Raiders On NFL Monday Night Football

UAlbany Field Hockey - Tegan Brown Records Hat Trick Leading To 6-0 Shutout

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse - Signs Equipment Deal With Maverik

UAlbany FCS Football - San Diego Chargers' Andre Coleman Sees Significant Playing Time Versus Oakland Raiders On NFL Monday Night Football

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Chelsea DeVerna Garners America East Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week Honors

UAlbany Tennis - Coughlin and Mackey Go Undefeated at Fairfield Tennis Doubles Festival

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse - Former Star Corey Small Chosen in National Lacrosse League Draft's First Round

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Chelsea DeVerna's Golden Goal Lifts Danes Over UMass, 1-0, in Double Overtime

UAlbany FCS Football - Rashad Barksdale Signs With Arizona Cardinals - Andre Coleman Signs With San Diego Chargers

UAlbany FCS Football - Andrew Smith Named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week

UAlbany Field Hockey - Freshman Tegan Brown Named America East FH Rookie of the Week

UAlbany Volleyball - Setter Brooke Stanley Earns America East Player of the Week Honors

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Breanna Maggio Named America East Conference Rookie of the Week

UAlbany Women's Volleyball - Brooke Stanley Named MVP of UAlbany Classic As Great Danes Post 3-0 Record

UAlbany FCS Football - Fall Just Short In Opener to Perennial Power Georgia Southern, 29-26, on Last-Minute Field Goal

UAlbany Field Hockey -Shuts Out Hofstra, Staying Undefeated To Start Season

UAlbany Volleyball - Sweeps Seton Hall In Straight Sets In 2nd Match Of UAlbany Classic

UAlbany Cross Country - Squads Sweep Individual and Team Titles at Monmouth Meet

UAlbany Volleyball - Sweeps Hofstra In Straight Sets In Game 1 Of UAlbany Classic

UAlbany Women's Soccer - Baratta and Tirabassi's Goals Lift Women's Soccer Over Iona in Home Opener

UAlbany Athletics - Bids Farewell To Former Synchronized Swimming Coach Pat Rogers

UAlbany Women's Lacrosse - Places Six Student-Athletes on IWLCA Women's Lacrosse All-Academic Squad

UAlbany Athletics - Joe Greene & Michelle Simpson Chosen 2008-09 Male & Female Athletes of the Year

UAlbany Athletics - UAlbany President Philip Gives Lee McElroy FCS Northeast Athletic Director Award at Welcome Event

UAlbany Field Hockey - Jess Lindsey Named America East Field Hockey Player of the Week

UAlbany Field Hockey - Completes Weekend Sweep With 2-0 Win Over Radford

New York Giants Wrap Up Training on University of Albany Campus By Shattering Attendance Record

UAlbany Lacrosse - Alums Thomson, Queener & Levine Help Toronto Nationals To 1st Major League Lacrosse Championship

UAlbany Lacrosse - Former All-American Merrick Thomson Named to All-Major League Lacrosse Team

UAlbany FCS Football - All-American McCarty Plans On Career In U.S. Marine Corps

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse - Alum Merrick Thomson Top Goal Scorer In Major League Lacrosse Regular Season

UAlbany Men's Basketball - Non-Conference Schedule Includes National Champion North Carolina And Syracuse

UAlbany FCS Football - SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher Visits NY Giants Training Camp On UAlbany Campus

UAlbany FCS Football - Alum Rashad Barksdale At Cornerback In New York Jets Training Camp

UAlbany FCS Football - Tailback David McCarty Added to 2009 Walter Payton Award Watch List

UAlbany Softball - Leah McIntosh Helps Lead Team Canada to Silver Medal at Canada Cup

UAlbany FCS Football - Tailback David McCarty Chosen to Preseason Sports Network FCS All-America Football Team

Women's Soccer Coach Mary-Frances Monroe Competing Professionally With Boston Breakers

Red Bull New York Soccer Inks Former University of Albany Keeper Bouna Coundoul
University of Albany Women's Soccer Coach Mary-Frances Monroe Competing Professionally With Boston Breakers

UAlbany Track - R.J. Sniffen Competes in 5,000-Meter Run at USA Junior Nationals

UAlbany - Lindsey Hart & Brittany Scott Lead Canada to Bronze Medal at 2009 FIL World Cup - UAlbany Sports 2009

University of Albany's Corey Small & Chris Schongar Picked in Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft

Florida Atlantic Pulls Away in Second Half to Hand Men's Basketball an 81-65 Loss at FAU Arena

Boca Raton, Fla. - Freshman Greg Gantt had a career-high 24 points and Florida Atlantic pulled away in the second half for an 81-65 victory over UAlbany on Monday, Nov. 30 at FAU Arena.

Florida Atlantic (3-3) led 52-50 midway through the final period, but then ripped off eight of the game's next 10 points. Gantt, who led his high school team to the Florida Class 5A championship last year, converted after collecting an offensive rebound and then drilled a three-point field goal from left of the key to ignite that run. Gantt, who made 9-of-15 from the field, including five 3-pointers, later nailed another long-range jumper from the left wing for a 62-52 margin.

UAlbany (3-5) closed the gap to six when Tim Ambrose hit a reverse layup and Will Harris finished off a fastbreak. But the Owls, who compete in the Sun Belt Conference and are led by former St. John's coach Mike Jarvis, ended the suspense with five unanswered. Demonte Simpson, who totaled six points and 10 rebounds, scored on the inside and Shavar Richardson made a 3-pointer from the left side.

The Owls, who connected on 7-of-9 from long distance in the second half, made 51.7 percent overall on 31-of-60 shooting. Brett Royster had 12 points, while Sanchez Hughley and Richardson added 10 apiece.

"That was our worst defensive effort of the season," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team dropped a four-point decision at Central Florida two days earlier. "Greg Gantt shot the ball extremely well. They were more physical and hurt us on the glass. We allowed the wrong guys to get open. Most of the three-pointers came after offensive rebounds and that demoralized us."

In the first half, UAlbany jumped out to a 12-4 lead, as senior guard Mike Johnson buried a pair of three-pointers in that opening stretch. Johnson finished with a career-high 17 points and five rebounds and three assists. The Great Danes, who led by as much as 10 in the early going, still had a 21-13 advantage when Scotty McRae hit a jump hook in the lane.

The Owls were still behind 30-25, but then made a run behind the Gantt's shooting. He canned consecutive 3-pointers, including one from left of the key that gave his team its first lead of the period. The game seesawed in the final minutes of the half. Ambrose tied the contest at 34 apiece, before Brett Royster's three-point play gave FAU a halftime lead.

UAlbany's Harris, a 6'5" senior, had 20 points despite not playing a good deal of the first half due to foul trouble. Harris has scored 20 or more points in three consecutive games. Ambrose was the third Great Dane in double figures with 19.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Comes Alive in Second Half to Defeat Cornell, 80-55, at SEFCU Arena - UAlbany Sports 2009

Albany, N.Y. - Ebone Henry contributed 14 points, five steals and four rebounds off the bench to lead the UAlbany women's basketball team to a convincing 80-55 victory over Cornell on Sunday, Nov. 29 at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes, who were trailing by 12 points midway through the opening frame, rallied to take a three-point lead at halftime before outscoring the Big Red by 22 in the second half.

UAlbany (3-2), which led by a 30-27 score at the break after erasing a double-digit deficit, made adjustments defensively and successfully worked a 1-3-1 trap in the second half. The move forced Cornell to commit 18 of its 28 turnovers in the final frame. Felicia Johnson converted a conventional three-point play to put the Great Danes ahead by double figures for the first time, 41-31, with 16:42 left in the game.

After UAlbany went ahead by 13 on two free throws by Tabitha Makopondo, the Big Red cut the lead down to nine on a good jumper by Fedorowicz with 12:21 on the clock. That was the closest the visitors would come the rest of the game.

"Our coach told us to keep taking our shots, and that they would fall eventually," said Henry, who led the Great Danes in scoring for the third straight game and had a career high for steals. "We kept shooting in the second half, and [the shots] fell. Defensively, we stopped [Allie Fedorowicz], and they weren't prepared for our pressure defense."

Henry scored five consecutive points to put UAlbany ahead by a 53-39 score. Melia Basavand came off the bench and accounted for 11 of the team's next 12 points by nailing three shots from behind the arc along with a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead by a margin of 65-48. The Great Danes' lead ballooned to 28 points when Kate Cronin converted a short jumper with 46 seconds left. Fedorowicz hit a three in the waning seconds to seal the final outcome.

"Our defense ignited us," said head coach Trina Patterson. "We lost to them by four last year and they had three seniors returning. They just couldn't get their shots off our 1-3-1 trap in the second half. We made some good adjustments [at halftime]."

UAlbany, which won for the third time in four games, scored four of the first six points before Cornell (3-3) went on a run to take a commanding 18-6 lead at the midway point of the first half. Fedorowicz, who netted a team-high 19 points in a 50-46 win over the Great Danes last season, canned three consecutive shots from downtown during the stretch.

The Great Danes emptied out their bench and started to chip away at the deficit. A three-point field goal by Henry from the left corner with 1:40 left in the opening half put the hosts up for good at 26-25. Trailing by a point with an opportunity to regain the lead at the recess, Lauren Benson had the ball stolen away from her at midcourt by Julie Forster in the final seconds. The freshman went all the way in for a fastbreak layup to give the Great Danes a three-point cushion at the break.

UAlbany's Makopondo and Basavand came alive in the second half and scored in double figures along with Henry. Makopondo had 13 points, including 11 in the second half, to go along with four rebounds. All of Basavand's 11 points came in the final stanza. Forster finished the game with seven points, eight rebounds and three steals, while Johnson added eight points and six assists.

Cornell was led by Fedorowicz, who finished with a game-high 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field and 6-for-9 shooting from behind the arc. Christine Vlasic contributed six points and a team-best eight rebounds off the bench, while Benson had six assists.

"It was a great team effort," added Patterson, whose team had seven players net at least seven points and will visit Canisius on Wednesday night. "We talk about having a team with no stars. Everybody made plays. We shot only 19 percent early, but there's always energy coming off the bench."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Men's Basketball Upended By Central Florida's Late Rally in 76-72 Decision at UCF Arena - UAlbany Sports 2009

Orlando, Fla. - Dave Diakite scored 21 points and made a key steal with 3.6 seconds remaining to lift Central Florida to a 76-72 victory over UAlbany on Saturday, Nov. 28 at UCF Arena.

UAlbany (3-4) took a 72-71 lead when freshman Blake Metcalf made a short jumper in the lane. Central Florida (5-1) answered when junior guard Taylor Young was fouled as he converted a left-hand drive from the top of the key. Young, who had 10 points, completed the three-point play with a free throw.

The Great Danes, who led throughout most of the second half, had several opportunities to regain the lead in the final minutes, including Tim Ambrose's missed three-point field goal and baseline jumper. With 4.6 seconds remaining, UAlbany guard Mike Johnson attempted to inbound the ball to a cutting Fran Urli in the lane. But Diakite broke up the pass and then sank two free throws to seal the outcome.

The Knights, who compete in Conference USA and own early-season wins over Auburn and Massachusetts, trailed by as much as six early in the second half. Ambrose, who netted 17 of his 25 points after the break, gave his club a 53-47 advantage as he hit a layup after Metcalf grabbed an offensive rebound. Central Florida regrouped with seven straight points and went ahead, 54-53, when A.J. Rompza drilled a three-point field goal from the right corner.

The lead changed hands several times from that moment to the end. Isaac Sosa, a sophomore sharp-shooter who had 13 points, made a layup in transition for a 62-61 margin. The Great Danes came back with consecutive baskets by Will Harris and Ambrose. Harris finished with 23 points on 11-of-18 shooting.

"They are a good team and they hurt us too many second-chance points," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team is beginning a string of eight consecutive road games. "We played a junk defense most of the game in an attempt to limit (Isaac) Sosa and (AJ) Rompza. They made one or two more plays than we did down the stretch."
In the first half, the two teams battle back and forth. The Knights took a 15-10 lead on Marcus Jordan's three-pointer from the left wing. UAlbany followed with eight unanswered. Redshirt freshman Jake Lindfors buried consecutive 3-pointers, including one from the top of the arc.

Diakite, who made 7-of-11 from the field and collected eight rebounds, later was fouled after scoring with an offensive rebound. His three-point play gave UCF a 31-26 advantage. The Great Danes would draw even at 33 apiece when Harris was fouled on a fastbreak layup. Harris, a 6'5' senior, made another basket and Fran Urli scored on the left baseline to the end the first half in a 37-37 deadlock.

"I thought they played good defense in the last minute," said Harris, who added five rebounds and three steals. "We shared the ball well offensively, but it came down to the final minute. We played competitively on the road against a good team and that's what I will take away from this experience."

Paw Prints: UAlbany's Tim Ambrose (25) and Will Harris (23) became the 17th UAlbany duo to score 20-plus points in the same game at the Division I level ... Ambrose and Harris also scored 20-plus apiece against UMBC on Jan. 25, 2009 ... the Great Danes were meeting a Conference USA opponent for the first time ... UAlbany is making its second trip to the state of Florida as a Division I program and meets Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton on Monday ... Central Florida's Marcus Jordan, the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, had six points and three rebounds off the bench.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

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

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

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

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

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

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Men's Basketball Heads to Florida's Sunshine State for Pair of Thanksgiving Holiday Games

Albany, N.Y. - UAlbany basketball heads to the Sunshine State for the Thanksgiving holidays. The Great Danes meet Central Florida in Orlando on Nov. 28 and Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton on Nov. 30. Fans can listen to both games on Fox Sports Radio, AM 980, with Rodger Wyland handling the broadcasts.

Central Florida is off to a 4-1 start following a 59-50 victory over Drake on Nov. 22. Head coach Kirk Speraw has led the program to four NCAA appearances and was the 2007 Conference USA Coach of the Year. Isaac Sosa, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, leads the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game. A native of Puerto Rico, Sosa played in the FIBA U19 World Championships. A.J. Tyler, a 6'9" junior who transferred from Clemson, contributes 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Florida Atlantic, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, is led by veteran coach Mike Jarvis, who has 371 victories at the collegiate level. Jarvis previously coached at St. John's, George Washington and Boston University. Raymond Taylor, at 5-foot-6, is one of the better freshman guards in the nation. He averages 18.3 points and 6.2 assists. Shavar Richardson, the Sun Belt's top freshman scorer one year ago, scores at a 14.0 clip.

UAlbany (3-3) won two of three games at last weekend's 2K Sports Classic Sub-Regional. Will Harris had 22 points and nine rebounds in a 71-66 victory over Robert Morris on Nov. 22. Harris was named to the regional all-tournament team. The Great Danes held the defending Northeast Conference champions to 34.3-percent shooting. Blake Metcalf, a 6'9" freshman, was the unsung hero in both tournament wins and was chosen America East Conference Rookie of the Week. Tim Ambrose, a 6-foot junior, is averaging 13.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and a team-leading 4.5 assists.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Women's Basketball Drops Non-Conference Contest to Hofstra, 62-49

Hempstead, N.Y. - Jess Fuller recorded 15 points and 15 rebounds and Shante Evans also added a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards off the bench to lead Hofstra to a 62-49 victory over UAlbany in non-conference women's basketball action on Wedensday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex.

Hofstra (3-0), which outrebounded its first two opponents by a margin of 21, used its size advantage inside from the opening tip to go ahead by a 4-0 score. Sparked by three-point field goals by Ebone Henry and Charity Iromuanya, the Great Danes responded by going on an 11-3 run to take a four-point lead at the 11:20 mark. The run was capped by Tabitha Makopondo, who put in a short jumper following an offensive rebound by Julie Forster.

The teams then started trading baskets, and the Pride regained the lead for the first time since the early minutes when Candice Bellocchio hit a jumper in transition. Trailing by four, the Great Danes rallied once again. Melia Basavand drilled a three-pointer from 30 feet away, and Henry added her second trifecta of the contest to knot the game at 21 before the final media timeout of the half. After Hofstra broke out to a seven-point lead, Iromunaya made two layups, including one as time expired, to close the gap to four points at the break.

Hofstra, which held a 53-36 advantage on the glass, scored six of the first eight points to start the second half and built up a double-digit lead for the first time at 42-32 when Bellocchio made a fastbreak layup at 15:43. The lead grew to 15 at 52-37 right after the midway point of the stanza when Marie Malone converted a short jumper in the paint.

UAlbany (2-2) was able to trim the deficit to single digits at the 6:21 mark when Forster completed a conventional three-point play. The freshman, who scored all nine of her points in the second half, made a running jumper through traffic followed by the ensuing free throw. However, that was the closest the visitors would come the rest of the way. A pair of free throws by Sam Brigham with 1:21 remaining sealed the final outcome.

UAlbany was led by Henry, who netted 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. She also nailed three shots from behind the arc. Forster filled up the scoresheet by contributing nine points, six rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Iromuanya added 11 points, while Makopondo pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.

In addition to Fuller and Evans, Hofstra was also paced by Bellocchio and Nicole Capurso. Bellocchio, who set the program's single-game record for assists earlier this year, had six helpers to go along with eight points. Capurso added nine points for the hosts.

The Pride outshot the Great Danes, 35.6 percent (21-59) to 30 percent (18-60) from the floor and 65.5 percent (19-29) to 50 percent (8-16) at the charity stripe. UAlbany outshot Hofstra from behind the arc, 35.7 percent (5-14) to 10 percent (1-10).

"Foul trouble and later the fatigue factor hurt us," said head coach Trina Patterson, whose team will host Cornell on Sunday afternoon. "Hofstra had too many interior weapons. We can work around one or two, but they had four or five big, strong


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Jess Lindsey and Sarah Deane Named to America East All-Academic Field Hockey Team - UAlbany Sports 2009

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Jess Lindsey and Sarah Deane were named to the 2009 America East Conference Field Hockey All-Academic Team, as announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon. It is the first all-academic team honor for both players.

Lindsey, a senior from Norristown, Pa., helped anchor a defense that allowed just 13 goals in 18 games this season. Lindsey is UAlbany's all-time career assists leader with 50 helpers and is tied for sixth in career points with 78. She has been a member of the NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad, the America East Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll and the UAlbany Athletics Honor Roll. She was an all-conference first team and all-rookie team honoree as a freshman. Lindsey has maintained a 3.43 cumulative grade point average while majoring in psychology.

Deane, a junior from Orefield, Pa., started all 18 games for the Great Danes this season in the defensive midfield, recording one goal. Deane is a two-time NFHCA Division I National Academic Team honoree, and is also a member of the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll and the UAlbany Athletic Director's Honor Roll. A psychology major, Deane holds a 3.86 cumulative GPA.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany ROTC Cadet Alex Saxby Wins Prestigious USAA Spirit Award Scholarship

UAlbany senior Alex Saxby, receipient of the USAA Spirit Award scholarship for ROTC cadets who best embody the concept of service to the community, the U.S. Army, and the nation.

University at Albany senior and ROTC member Alex Saxby won a United Services Automobile Association (USAA) Spirit Award scholarship, which acknowledges cadets who best embody the concept of service to the battalion, the community, the U.S. Army, and the nation.

"Cadet Saxby is by far one of our top cadets," said ROTC Major Michaela M. Phillips. "His leadership as Commander of Charlie Company, the cadet organization here at UAlbany, has generated motivation to improve levels of physical fitness, technical knowledge, and leadership. He gets results and is definitely deserving of the USAA Spirit Award."

Saxby, from Bloomfield, N.Y., is a senior majoring in political science. The Army ROTC Department will recognize his achievements at a joint awards ceremony at the end of the spring semester.

Contact(s): Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150

$6.8 Million National Institutes of Health Grant Bolsters UAlbany Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities

The University at Albany’s Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities (CEMHD) has received a $6.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance and continue research aimed at eliminating health disparities in smaller cities throughout New York. The new grant will bolster the Center's research to improve access to health screening and quality health care for underrepresented groups, such as African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. CEMHD projects also seek to promote healthy environments in small communities throughout the state, and provide information to New Yorkers about health maintenance.

The goals of the Center, founded in 2005, are to identify community needs, focus on barriers to health care and prevention programs, and develop specific projects with community groups to test programs that may reduce barriers and improve utilization of health-related services, and ultimately improve health.

"Increasing access to high-quality primary and preventive health care services for New Yorkers has been a focus of Governor David A. Paterson's historic health care reforms over the last two years," said Richard F. Daines, M.D., New York State Commissioner of Health. "This significant support from NIH for the University at Albany's Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities will further break down barriers to care for many vulnerable and underserved individuals in the State. Greater access to services in the State's small cities and a better understanding of health care disparities will result in reduced numbers of hospitalizations among minority populations and a healthier New York."

"The Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities fills an important need by developing effective community-based approaches for improving minority health in New York," said University at Albany President George M. Philip. "I congratulate Director Lawrence Schell and the esteemed research team of the Center for their tireless dedication to improving the health of communities throughout the State."

The projects include:


Identifying successful strategies for overcoming barriers to reproductive healthcare encountered by low-income African-American women in small-town settings;
A national analysis of racial, ethnic and economic disparities in health - over time and by place;
Examining the impact of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead (Pb) on the reproductive health of Akwesasne Mohawk women living near the St. Lawrence River.

From left, Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings, New York State Commissioner of Health Richard F. Daines, M.D., and UAlbany President George M. Philip were on hand to mark CEMHD's $6.8 million grant from NIH to reduce minority health disparities. (Photo Mark Schmidt)

Researchers at the University at Albany will seek solutions to encourage greater numbers of African American women in small cities like Hudson, N.Y., to use services for reproductive health, including screening for breast and cervical cancer. CEMHD researchers are partnering with Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood and other community organizations to develop outreach programs for education and improved access to services.

"We are very excited to work with the University at Albany and the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities," stated Patricia McGeown, President/CEO of Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood. "This project will enable us to work with longstanding and new community partners to ensure that reproductive health services are accessible to all local residents, particularly those who may face significant cultural, income or geographical barriers."

"African-American women suffer significant disparities in disease incidence and health outcomes in relation to reproductive health, and we will evaluate intervention strategies that are specifically designed and may be especially effective in small cities and towns," said Schell. This project is led by associate professor Annis Golden and professor Anita Pomerantz of UAlbany's Department of Communication, with additional support from School of Public Health assistant professor Jennifer Manganello.

A second project, involving UAlbany's Department of Economics, will examine the nature of health disparities affecting multiple racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., including non-Latino whites, Latinos, African Americans, Asians, American Indians and native Alaskans, This study will look at how race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status are related to health over a 14-year time period and across communities of varying population size (rural to urban). Using data from the entire nation, researchers will examine whether health differences among racial and ethnic groups in small cites and towns are similar to what is often found in major cities, and whether differences have increased or decreased over time. Distinguished Professor Kajal Lahiri is project director and principal investigator, joined by co-investigator Pinka Chatterji and consultant Zulkarnain Pulungan.

The third part of the research series will examine whether the reproductive health of women of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe on the St. Lawrence River has been adversely affected by toxins. The Akwesasne community is adjacent to one federal and two state Superfund sites affected by environmental toxins including PCBs and lead. The study will follow 180 women ages 21-35 through one menstrual cycle to investigate the effect of PCBs on their reproductive health, with the aim of improving health. Dr. David Carpenter, the director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the School of Public Health, is co-principal investigator and lab director on this project. He is joined by co-investigator Mia V. Gallo (College of Arts and Sciences), associate professor Glenn Deane (sociology), and professor Cheryl Frye (psychology).

“Akwesasne has long been impacted by PCBs from neighboring industries,” remarked Tribal Chief James Ransom. “Women of child-bearing age are a particularly vulnerable at-risk group. We hope this research leads to improved health in our community and we thank UAlbany for the opportunity to participate with them on this important project.”

The Center has worked to build an inventory of existing health resources available to regional communities in Albany and Amsterdam, N.Y., and has developed partnerships with groups to assist in the dissemination of information to at-risk groups. Additionally, CEMHD has helped develop a health disparities certificate program designed to respond to the need for current and future leaders in public health, social services, medicine, and the social sciences (public health, social work, psychology, economics, health communication, and anthropology) to be knowledgeable of the issues and strategies needed to eliminate health disparities. The goal of this graduate program is to train current students and professionals in the field to be leaders in addressing health disparities by building community capacity and sustainability. These key initiatives have been coordinated and developed by associate professor of epidemiology David Strogatz, associate professor of social welfare Robert L. Miller Jr., and community outreach director Wilma Alvarado-Little.

Contact(s): Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150

University of Albany School of Education Researchers Author 'Best Practices from High-Performing Middle Schools'

In Best Practices from High-Performing Middle Schools, UAlbany School of Education researhers detail how some middle schools consistently foster better academic performance, regardless of challenges.

Middle schools teach students at one of the most vulnerable times of their lives. Yet in every testing cycle, middle grade results tend to show less progress than either elementary or high school. Now, as educators and policymakers focus on reducing the high school dropout rate, some point to the middle grades as the place where problems start.

Do any middle schools "get it right?" Yes, say two researchers from the University at Albany’s School of Education. In Best Practices from High-Performing Middle Schools, visiting professor Kristen Wilcox and Janet Angelis, associate director of UAlbany's Albany Institute for Research in Education (AIRE), share what they have learned about how some middle schools consistently foster better academic performance, no matter what challenges their students bring to school.

Having compared schools whose students consistently do well on annual high-stakes tests of English and math to those whose students get average results, the authors identify five key elements of best practice that distinguish higher-performing middle schools:

Trust and respect. They hold everyone to the same expectation of respect for others, whether they are inside the school or in the school’s community. This climate of respect establishes an atmosphere conducive to learning and teaching. It provides the backbone for a successful school.

Teamwork. People work together. Teachers meet regularly to discuss student progress, to coordinate lessons, and to plan curriculum. Furthermore, teachers feel safe to share problems and work together to solve them. They invite parents and community members to join key committees that make important decisions about the school.

Evidence. Teachers and administrators study results before making program decisions. They do research to see how a new program works before trying it out. Teachers look at how their own students are performing, compare results with other teachers, make adjustments and check again. And they do this all along, not just at the end of the year; this way they can catch and address problems before they get out of hand.

Social and emotional well-being. Since social and emotional issues can get in the way of learning, educators find ways to help every student feel that he or she belongs in the school. They make sure that every student has at least one adult to turn to; they also offer a wide variety of activities, clubs, and sports and provide guidance and other social services for students who need them.
Shared mission. Finally, higher-performing schools have a clear mission and have set goals that everyone agrees with and works toward. School board members, teachers, and administrators share a vision of student success, and everything they do is to help achieve that vision. In effective schools the vision includes always trying to do better.

According to the authors, effective middle schools demonstrate all five of these attributes, not just one or a few. Together they provide the supports needed to help adolescents perform well during the middle-school years, and Best Practices from High-Performing Middle Schools is replete with examples of how the successful schools have done it.


Contact(s): Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150

University of Albany School of Education Researchers Reveal Reasons Why Some Schools Excel at Science Instruction

UAlbany researchers found that schools demonstrating essential elements of instruction produce students who do well in science.

Researchers at the University at Albany’s School of Education and the Just for the Kids-NY project have found that middle schools demonstrating five essential elements of instruction produce students who consistently do well in science.

The five elements identified in the UAlbany study are:

• All students are given a fair chance to experience how enjoyable and relevant science can be through open enrollment in higher level classes and/or heterogeneous grouping.
• Continual curriculum review and communication among all science educators across all grade levels ensure students learn the fundamentals.
• Teachers and administrators focus on what needs to be learned by using a variety of data to assess student progress.
• Teachers seek ways to collaborate across the curriculum so that students build scientific literacy and fluency.
• Districts hire teachers who not only fit their culture and have scientific knowledge but also want to teach students at the middle level.

Students who experience these elements outperform their peers on New York State Science Assessments and are not only prepared to take higher-level science in high school but are interested in doing so.

To conduct the study, Visiting Assistant Professor Kristen Campbell Wilcox and Distinguished Professor Arthur Applebee selected two groups of schools that are similar in all aspects other than their results on the New York State Intermediate-Level (Grade 8) Science Assessment. In 40 percent of the schools, student poverty levels exceed the state average as measured by free and reduced-price lunch rates. Per pupil expenditures in each school cluster near the state average, and no schools have competitive admissions policies. However, in one group of schools, students consistently scored at or near the mean on the science exam during the years 2006, 2007, and 2008; in the other group, students consistently scored at least one standard deviation higher on the same exam over the same years. Teams of researchers made two-day visits to schools in both groups, interviewing teachers and administrators and observing science classrooms. They then compared the data collected across all sites to identify the elements that marked the difference between the two groups overall. Each element was present in at least half the higher performers and absent in at least half the average performers.

In addition, according to administrators in the higher-performing schools, their students are not only prepared to take higher-level science in high school but also sign up to do so. According to economists, these dual goals -- students both interested in science and prepared to continue their study -- are key to a technologically sophisticated future society.

Both the report and a summary can be ordered or downloaded.

This study is the fourth in which the researchers identified differences between higher- and average-performing schools. Previous studies examined elementary, middle, and high schools generally. Reports of findings and related materials are available at Know Your Schools New York.


Contact(s): Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150