UAlbany Begins Spring Football Practice on Monday; Intrasquad Game Slated for April 24

Albany, N.Y. - Spring practice for the University at Albany football program begins on Monday, April 5. The first workout is scheduled from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on the Mara-Tisch Practice Field, adjacent to the SEFCU Arena parking area. The Great Danes, who are allowed 15 practices, are slated to play an intrasquad spring game on Saturday, April 24.

2010 SPRING PREVIEW

UAlbany was once again among the Northeast Conference leaders after finishing second in the league standings one year ago. The Great Danes, who have won four NEC titles since 2002, also defeated a national top-20 program for the first time in three years.

Head coach Bob Ford, the active Division I FCS leader with 241 career victories, has 45 letterwinners back from last year's 7-4 squad. Ford expects a highly competitve spring with several questions to be answered.

"On defense, we need to identify depth at inside and outside linebacker and cornerback," says Ford, who is faced with replacing 17 seniors. "The development of our quarterbacks, who are starting tailback will be and the role of our offensive guards and tight ends are also areas to be addressed." Ford continues, "Leadership is an important factor. Who are the leaders on this team and who will step forward."

OFFENSE: The Great Danes return four of five starters on the offensive line for a unit that averaged 26.6 points and 341.3 total yards. Andy Sparano (5-11, 270) shared the team's top offensive lineman award in his first year as a starter. Sparano can play at center and guard. Vince Gonzales (6-4, 275) started all 11 games at left tackle in earning the program's most improved award. Sophomores Keith Peifer (6-4, 280) and Kyle O'Keefe (6-3, 285) were regulars at right tackle and left guard, respectively. Andrew Stevens (6-4, 280) also has starting experience, while Matt Faughnan (6-3, 275) and Chaz Mitchell (6-3, 250) have taken snaps in the heat of the action.

The Great Danes lost their top passer, an all-conference receiver and the school's career rushing leader. However, quarterback Andrew Smith represents the future after having been used as a triple-threat weapon during his redshirt freshman season. Smith rushed for 379 yards and five touchdowns, threw a scoring pass and caught a pair of TDs. Dan Di Lella (6-5, 225) has some game experience.

In the receiving corps, Jason Poore (6-6, 210) is the top returnee with 26 receptions for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Kirchner, a sure-handed sophomore, and John Lullen increased their production with 16 and 14 receptions, respectively. Tight end Paul Booker (6-4, 230) is a rising star who must expand his role. He caught two TD passes last year. UAlbany will have new faces in its rushing attack. Fullbacks Ben Carl and Justin Petersen did not have one single carry last season. Tailbacks Tramaine Wilson, a redshirt freshman, and true freshman Dillon Romain are in the same boat. Romain, a prep school star in the fall of 2009, will be available for spring practice after entering school in January.

DEFENSE: The Great Danes were tough against the run and allowed just over 19 points per game. "We have a solid line with decent safeties and a good cornerback," Ford states. "I am concerned about our depth."

Trevor Anderson (6-2, 285) may elevate his play to another level after earning first-team All-NEC honors. Anderson, who has more than 100 career tackles, was second the team in sacks (3.0). Zach Gallo (6-0, 245) had 38 tackles as a defensive tackle. Mike Kelly (6-2, 235), Eddie Delaney (6-6, 240) and Marc Wargo (6-2, 235) are all talented defensive ends. Kelly had 26 tackles in a season interrupted by a leg injury. He had 5.5 sacks the previous year. Delaney, who plays with one hand, made 33 tackles, including six for losses, after receiving second-team all-league recognition in 2008. Wargo had 13 tackles and 3.0 sacks as a sophomore.

All four starting linebackers, including two first-team selections, graduated. Chris Wilk (6-2, 230) and Dave Plungas (6-2, 230) earned quality time at the inside positions. Wilk had 14 tackles and one interceptions, while Plungas made 17 stops. Hofstra transfer Said Gaida, who has 32 career appearances, and Chris Van Zelfden will also see the field. The Great Danes will have several veteran outside linebackers vying for starting roles. Jon Morgan (6-2, 210) had 33 tackles and two fumble recoveries in his first year as a collegian. Chris Blais, who missed all of last season with a pair of hand injuries, saw his first time on the outside in the 2008 campaign and made 31 tackles.

Ross Bertrand, who has 105 career tackles, will start for the third consecutive season at cornerback. Duane Harper (13 tackles) made the transition from tailback last year. Jake Ciccarello, the star of last year's Maine victory, and Justin Hassan appear to have the edge at the safety positions. Ciccarello totaled 30 tackles, two interceptions and three blocked kicks.

KICKING GAME: A talented group of kickers include Herb Glass, a second-team All-NEC pick. He led the team in scoring with 61 points and made 12 of 18 field goals. Bobby Woods averaged 36.2 yards per punt. Redshirt freshman Paul Layton will challenge.

PAW PRINTS: The Great Danes return nine starters from last year's 7-4 squad ... UAlbany finished second in the Northeast Conference standings ... the Northeast Conference champion receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Championship for the first time in 2010 ... UAlbany's Bob Ford is first among active NCAA Division I FCS coaches with 241 career victories ... Ford, the architect of the UAlbany program, has a 232-147 career record in 37 varsity seasons as head coach.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Rogers Eclipses Two ECAC Marks to Lead Track & Field Teams at Texas Relays - UAlbany Sports 2010

Austin, Texas - Freshman sprinter Alli Rogers qualified for the ECAC Championship by winning her heat in the women's 100-meter dash and running the first leg for the 4x100-meter relay to lead the UAlbany outdoor track and field teams at the 83rd Annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on Friday, April 2 at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Competing in fields which were full of All-Americans from last year's NCAA Championships, both the men's and women's 4x100-meter relay teams ran IC4A and ECAC qualifying times to start the day. The women's group consisting of Rogers, Christen Griffin, Sheena Simpkins and Sherez Mohamed was clocked in at 47.78 seconds, while Jake Rachiele, Jonathan Santana, Taylor Chaney and Jeffery Barnes combined for a time of 41.67 in the men's race.

In individual events, the Great Danes were led by Rogers and Valete Graham. Rogers ran a wind-aided time of 12.02 in the 100 to meet the ECAC standard by .08 seconds. It was also the fastest time by an America East Conference student-athlete this season. Graham placed 10th in his section of the long jump by leaping 22-feet, 8.50-inches.

Select members of UAlbany's men's and women's outdoor track and field teams will continue competing at the Texas Relays through tomorrow afternoon.


UAlbany Men's Results
100-Meter Dash (University East Prelims): 46. Tristan Akong 11.02, 50. Earnest Waters 11.06. 110-Meter High Hurdles (University Prelims): 42. Garrett Askew 15.07, 48. Freddie Wills 15.25. Long Jump (University/College Section B): 10. Valete Graham 22-8.50. 4x100-Meter Relay (Clyde Littlefield University Prelims): 19. Jake Rachiele, Jonathan Santana, Taylor Chaney, Jeffery Barnes 41.67 (IC4A). 4x400-Meter Relay (University Prelims): 22. Jeffery Barnes, Peter Rowell, Ebube Abara, Jonathan Santana 3:18.56.

UAlbany Women's Results
100-Meter Dash (University/College Prelims): 33. Alli Rogers 12.02 (ECAC). 100-Meter High Hurdles (University/College Prelims): 47. Christen Griffin 14.89. 4x100-Meter Relay (University/College Prelims): 26. Alli Rogers, Christen Griffin, Sheena Simpkins, Sherez Mohamed 47.78 (ECAC). 4x400-Meter Relay (University/College Prelims): 37. Octavia Clarkson, Tenica Roberts, Sherez Mohamed, Fey Adaramola 3:59.35.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Wilfredo de Jesus Elias Posts One of Region's Top Marks in Hammer Throw at Duke Invite - UAlbany Sports 2010

Durham, N.C. - Junior thrower Wilfredo de Jesus Elias posted an IC4A qualifying mark in the hammer throw for the second time this spring to lead the UAlbany outdoor track and field teams at the Duke Invitational on Friday, April 2 at Wallace Wade Stadium.

de Jesus Elias, the reigning America East Conference champion as well as the school's record holder in the hammer throw, recorded a mark of 192-feet, 5-inches to place third overall and second among the collegians. Will Anger placed 10th in the event with a mark of 169-3, which was just shy of the IC4A standard by three feet. Erik Andersen had a personal-best toss of 154-4 in the javelin throw.

The women's team was led by a pair of javelin throwers who registered top-10 marks. Rebecca Power placed ninth in the event with a toss that sailed 118-1, while Ashley Lewis was 10th thanks to her heave which traveled 115-7. Power also finished 12th in the pole vault, clearing 10-11.75. The mark was a personal best for the sophomore and ranks second on the program's top-10 list behind current teammate Celine Cauderlier, who posted a mark of 11-9.75 at the France National Championships last summer. Rounding out the list of top performers was Brittany Eveleth, who set a personal record in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles by navigating the track in 1:04.74.

Select members of UAlbany's men's and women's outdoor track and field teams will wrap up competing at the Duke Invitational tomorrow morning and afternoon.


UAlbany Men's Results

200-Meter Dash (Developmental): 10. Alex Petit-Frere 22.55, 25. Germain Smith 23.35. 400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles: 41. Mohamed Kanu 59.40. 1,500-Meter Run (Seeded): 42. Ian Ellis 4:02.99. Hammer Throw: 3. Wilfredo de Jesus Elias 192-5 (IC4A), 10. Will Anger 169-3. Javelin Throw: 17. Erik Andersen 154-4.

UAlbany Women's Results

400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles: 13. Brittany Eveleth 1:04.74, 31. Pat McNish 1:08.94, 37. Kendra Adams 1:09.29. 1,500-Meter Run (Seeded): 44. Maureen Nweke 4:55.38. 3,000-Meter Run: 12. Miranda McConnell 10:54.46. Triple Jump: 13. Tiffany Sprenkels 37-3.25. Pole Vault: 12. Rebecca Power 10-11.75. Javelin Throw: 9. Rebecca Power 118-1, 10. Ashley Lewis 115-7.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Gina Mason Belts Home Runs in Both Games of Softball's Doubleheader Sweep at Bryant - UAlbany Sports 2010

Smithfield, R.I. - Gina Mason hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning of the first game and blasted another home run in the final frame of the nightcap in leading UAlbany to a doubleheader sweep of Bryant in non-conference softball action on Thursday, April 1 at the Bryant Softball Complex. The Great Danes won the first game, 2-1, before taking the second by an 8-0 score in five innings due to the eight-run rule.

After rallying late to win the opener, UAlbany wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the first inning of the nightcap. Kristine Bill hit a one-out single to left and was driven home two batters later on a double to center by Mason. The Great Danes padded their lead by scoring three more times after the first two outs were recorded in the third. Kat Smith hit an RBI single to the shortstop, and Kylie Apostolina, the team's only freshman starting in the game, drove in two more on a single to left.

The Great Danes added an insurance run in the top of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead. Bailey Van Deest hit a leadoff single to center to begin the inning. Jessica Bergin, who entered the game as a pinch runner, stole second and came home two plays later on a double to the gap in right center by Andrianna Walraven.

Bryant (3-21), which ended the day on an eight-game skid, had its best chance to score in the bottom of the fourth. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with only one out, but Marissa Powell got out of the jam by striking out Lindsay Martin and forcing Lauren McCart to fly out to Bergin in right.

The Great Danes put the game away by scoring three times in the top of the fifth. Michelle Connors drilled a leadoff double to left field, and Mason followed up with her second two-run homer of the afternoon on the next play. Liz Noto, who entered the game as a pinch hitter, doubled to right center to cap the scoring.

UAlbany's Powell hurled her first complete-game shutout of the season and eighth of her career to improve her record to 2-5. She had two strikeouts while issuing just one walk and allowing five hits. Bryant's Brittany Hart suffered the loss and fell to 2-4 this spring. She surrendered nine hits and six runs while striking out six in four innings pitched. Kelly Cocco gave up two runs and three hits in one inning of relief.

Leah McIntosh started game one in top form for the Great Danes by fanning four of the first six batters she faced. However, it was the Bulldogs that got on the board first in the fourth after both teams left the bases loaded an inning earlier. Ali Chouinard and Kate Murray each singled with one out before advancing an extra base on an illegal pitch. A groundout to short by Martin allowed Chouinard to score the game's first run.

UAlbany took the lead for good when Mason belted a two-run homer to left center in the top of the sixth. Walraven, who singled to left to start the inning, also scored on the play. McIntosh did not allow any hits the rest of the way, which allowed the Great Danes to hold on for the win.

UAlbany's McIntosh was credited with the victory and went the distance to improve her overall ledger to 4-2 this season. She matched her season high of 11 strikeouts while only yielding one run and four hits. She struck out the side on two occasions and only allowed one of the four hits to reach the outfield. Bryant's Jennifer Jacob fell to 1-5 after giving up seven hits, two runs and issuing one walk.

UAlbany (10-9), which has won eight of its last nine games, resumes America East Conference action this weekend on the road against Hartford. The teams are slated to play a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 3 at 1 p.m. and a single game on Sunday, Apr. 4 at 12 p.m.

Paw Prints: Leah McIntosh, UAlbany's record holder with 667 strikeouts, entered the week among the national leaders with a career strikeout ratio of 9.7 ... In addition to being tied for 25th on the all-time list at the NCAA Division I level, her mark was ranked sixth in the nation among active players and fifth among current seniors.

UAlbany 000 002 0 2 7 1
Bryant 000 100 0 1 4 1
UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith.
Bryant: Jennifer Jacob and Ashley Coon.

UAlbany 103 13 8 12 0
Bryant 000 00 0 5 0
(Game was called after five innings due to eight-run rule)
UAlbany: Marissa Powell and Kat Smith, Lindsey Stout (4).
Bryant: Brittany Hart, Kelly Cocco (5) and Ashley Coon.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Moore Leads UAlbany Men's 4x800-Meter Relay Team to Fifth-Place Finish at Texas Relays

Austin, Texas - John Moore ran a split time of 1:50.7 on the second leg for the men's 4x800-meter relay which placed fifth behind four nationally-ranked schools to lead the UAlbany outdoor track and field teams at the 83rd Annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on Thursday, April 1 at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

With strong winds gusting up to 25 miles per hour and producing slower times for all of the competitors, UAlbany's 4x800-meter relay team consisting of Aaron Lozier, Moore, Nick Santos and Tyler Fogarty was still able to easily meet the IC4A standard of 7:43.00 by hitting the tape in 7:33.10. The group, which was made up of four student-athletes from Capital Region high schools, only finished behind LSU, which posted a winning time of 7:30.25, Baylor, Arkansas and Texas A&M.

The Great Danes also had four members of the men's and women's programs competing in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles. Alan Nimblette came within a second of his best time ever in the event for the men's team, finishing in 55.88 seconds, while Rebecca Kelly fell just .17 shy of her personal-best mark by navigating the track in 1:03.00. Both Great Danes placed second in their heat.

Select members of UAlbany's men's and women's outdoor track and field teams will continue competing at the Texas Relays tomorrow morning, while other members of the Great Dane programs will participate in the Duke Invitational at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.

Paw Prints: The Texas Relays are currently the second-largest track and field meet in the country behind the Penn Relays ... The competition attracts as many as 50,000 spectators and 5,000 athletes each year ... UAlbany will compete in three men's and two women's relay events at the prestigious meet tomorrow ... The Great Dane men's program also has individuals entered in the 100-meter dash, 110-meter high hurdles and long jump.

UAlbany Men's Results
400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles (University Prelims): 41. Alan Nimblette 55.88, 51. Peter Rowell 57.03. 4x800-Meter Relay (University): 5. Aaron Lozier, John Moore, Nick Santos, Tyler Fogarty 7:33.10 (IC4A).

UAlbany Women's Results
400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles (University/College Prelims): 16. Rebecca Kelly 1:03.00, 52. Octavia Clarkson 1:13.18.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany's Gherman Wins @ Tennis First Singles

Orlando, Fla. - Laura Bouet defeated Laine Mackey, 6-0, 5-7, 6-0, at No. 2 singles, while also teaming up with Suzan Lisenby for a win at second doubles to lead Missouri-Kansas City to a 5-2 win over UAlbany in Orlando on Thursday afternoon.

UAlbany's Livia Gherman was victorious at No. 1 singles, falling 4-6 in the first set before rallying for scores of 6-4 and 14-12 in the next two, defeating Eva Dalvai. Freshman Sarah Iannone also won her match at No. 6 singles with straight set scores of 6-3, 6-3 over Holly Davis. The Kangaroos earned four singles points with Bouet's three-set win over Mackey, followed by wins at third, fourth and fifth singles. Chelsea Horner posted a 6-4, 6-3 win over Susan Ma while Lisenby defeated Caitlin Crowley, 6-1, 6-2. Jillian Yakominich sealed up the singles points for UMKC with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Aubrey Brooks at No. 5 singles.

In doubles action, UAlbany claimed a win at the top position, as Gherman and Mackey defeated Dalvai and Horner, 8-4. However, the Kangaroos took the doubles point with wins in the other two matches. Bouet and Lisenby combined for an 8-5 win over Ma and Crowley, while Iannone and Brooks played strongly before falling to Yakominich and Jessica Ball at No. 3.

UAlbany will wrap up its spring break trip on Saturday with a match against Florida Atlantic.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Brian Caufield's Fourth-Quarter Goal Completes Men's Lacrosse's Comeback in A-East Opener - UAlbany Sports 2010

West Hartford, Conn. - Brian Caufield scored the game-winning goal with four minutes and 45 seconds remaining, as UAlbany rallied in the fourth quarter for an 11-10 victory over Hartford in the America East Conference opener for both teams on Wednesday, March 31 at Al-Marzook Field.

Hartford (2-6, AE 0-1) built an 8-4 lead early in the third quarter when Ryan Compitello found the net in transition off a feed from defenseman Ben Knapton following a turnover. UAlbany (2-6, AE 1-0) got back into the contest by scoring three unanswered in a five-plus minute stretch. Dave Brock ignited that run with two of his career-high four goals, including the first on a cut to the front of the crease. Caufield then found Nate Sullivan in the middle of the zone for an extra-man goal with 5:19 left in the period.

The Hawks responded 22 seconds later when Michael Cudmore moved around a defender and scored from the top of the crease with an underhanded shot. UAlbany answered with three consecutive goals. Brock rifled a shot from the right off a crossing pass from Matt Johnson with 14 seconds remaining in the quarter. Luke Cometti and Brock put their ahead in a 38-second span of the final period. Cometti nailed a bounce shot from the left to draw his team even at nine apiece. Brock picked his way toward the goal from the left and connected on a tough angle in a man-advantage situation.

After Hartford's Tim Fallon won the following face-off, attackman Justin Bearse set up Compitello for a 10-10 tie. UAlbany's man-down defense would later kill off a one-minute penalty which led to Caufield's game-winner. The junior attackman edged his way toward the crease where Luke Cometti found him with a pass from behind the net. The Great Danes were able to run off the final two minutes against Hartford's double-team defense.

"This gives us some confidence because they are a good team," said Brock about an opponent who suffered its fourth one-goal loss of the season. "The defense began to shut them down and our offense started to run the things we have been working on for the last six months. John (Carroll) made some big saves and the offense returned the favor."

In the first quarter, Hartford broke a 2-2 tie on back-to-back goals by Martin Bowes and Jared Franze. Bowes, a sophomore midfielder, spun off a defender and sent a bounce shot from the left into the cage. Franze worked around a short-stick midfielder to nail a jump shot with 1:41 left in the stanza.

UAlbany's Caufield, who accounted for three goals and two assists, twice cut the deficit to one, including 5-4 in the second period when he scored from just outside the crease on an inside roll from the left. The Hawks pulled away with a pair of goals one minute and two seconds apart. Aidan Genik sent a blast from the left side inside the far post. Rory Nuna macher moved around a midfielder from behind the cage in connecting from the right.

"We had to dig down and this showed our guys they have it inside them," offered UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose team halted a six-game road losing streak that went back to last April. "Our team defense was good in the second half and we didn't give them much room to breathe. The Cometti's midfield line controlled tempo and Dave (Brock) took some initiative and willed in a couple goals."

Goalkeeper John Carroll finished with 10 saves, while Luke Cometti had one goal and assisted on two others. Hartford's Carter Bender and Compitello each had two goals and one assist.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Begins America East Conference Play With 18-5 Win Against Vermont - UAlbany Sports 2010

Burlington, Vt. - Kayla Best scored a season-high five goals in leading UAlbany to seventh consecutive win in an 18-5 triumph over Vermont in the Great Danes' America East Conference opener on Wednesday, March 31 at Moulton Winder Field.

UAlbany (7-1, AE 1-0) leaped to a 4-0 advantage as Amanda Pollock and Best tallied 36 seconds apart. Olivia Jarem had two of her career-high four goals to finish off that outburst. Vermont (2-6, AE 0-1) sliced the lead in half when Alison Haigh and Allison Pfohl each converted free-position opportunities.

Still leading 7-4 later in the first stanza, Pollock connected on a free-position shot with 1:32 remaining and Best scored unassisted with 10 seconds left before the break. Pollock, a sophomore who is in her first season with the program after transferring from Connecticut, had her top effort as a collegian with four goals and two assists.

The Great Danes, who are off to their best start as a Division I program, ripped off six unanswered to begin the final half. Pollock ignited that run with a pair of goals, the second off Christine Grueniger's feed. Jarem, a senior midfielder, also scored twice in that stretch. Best gave her team a commanding 15-4 lead with 16:32 to play.

Best, a senior who also had one assist, finished with the second-best scoring total of her career and extended her goal scoring to 54 consecutive games, second among the nation's longest streaks. Grueniger accounted for two goals and three assists, as her team won its conference opener for the second year in a row.

Vermont's Megan MacDonald had one goal and one assist. The Great Danes have won 10 of 11 meetings in the series, but this was a rare one-sided contest as eight of the previous matchups have been decided by two goals or less.

Paw Prints: UAlbany is now 4-5 in America East Conference openers ... the Vermont series had previously produced five one-goal games and two overtime decisions ... Christine Grueniger became the 12th player in the program's history to reach the 100-point mark ... Grueniger has 79 goals and 22 assists for 101 career points ... Kayla Best upped her career total to 177 points (146 goals, 31 assists) and needs 16 more to break the school's all-time scoring record ... freshman Jess Antelmi tallied her first goal as a collegian in the final minute of play.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Goalkeeper John Carroll Named America East Conference Lacrosse Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's John Carroll has been named America East Conference Player of the Week in men's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 29 by the conference office.

Carroll, a sophomore goalkeeper from Nesconset, N.Y., made six of his 14 saves in the fourth quarter in his team's 7-6 upset of nationally-ranked Bucknell on March 27. The Bison were No. 19 in the USILA poll and ranked No. 18 by Nike/Inside Lacrosse. Carroll stopped two shots by attackman Charlie Streep in the final moments, including a tip of his attempt at the goal with two seconds remaining, to preserve UAlbany's first win of the season.

Carroll, who has a .515 save percentage, leads America East in saves at 12.57 per game. He has stopped double-figure shots is six of seven starting assignments this season.

Paw Prints: UAlbany begins America East Conference play on Wednesday, March 31 at Hartford (3:30 p.m.) ... the Great Danes ended an eight-game skid against national top-20 teams in the Bucknell win ... UAlbany last defeated a top-20 club on March 10, 2009, a 12-9 decision against No. 13 Massachusetts ... Brian Caufield, who is on the 2010 Tewaaraton Award Watch List, is ninth among the NCAA Division I assists leaders (2.29 pg) ... defenseman Brendan Gleason is eighth in caused turnovers at 2.17 per game ... UAlbany meets second-ranked Syracuse in the Carrier Dome on Saturday, April 3 at 4:00 p.m. (Time Warner Cable, TW3).


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women Lacrosse's Ashley Ross Chosen America East Conference Defensive Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Ashley Ross has been chosen America East Conference Defensive Player of the Week in women's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 29 by the conference office. Ross earned the weekly award for the second time this season.

A senior goalkeeper from Lancaster, Pa., Ross made a career-high 12 saves in Sunday's 11-10 victory over Denver. She stopped three free-position shots and came up with a caused turnover and a ground ball with 6:04 remaining as her team clung to a one-goal lead. The Great Danes have won six in a row. In addition, she totaled five of her eight saves on free-position attempts in a 12-7 win against Colgate on March 23, plus added a career-high six ground balls.

Ross has accounted for double-figure saves three times this season in her first year as a starting lacrosse goalie. She is among the America East leaders in save percentage (.550), goals against average (7.17) and saves per game (8.57).

Paw Prints: UAlbany is off to its best start as a Division I program with a 6-1 record ... the Great Danes start America East Conference play on Wednesday, March 31 at Vermont (3:00 p.m.) ... junior midfielder Nikki Branchini is sixth among the NCAA leaders in both ground balls (3.5 pg) and draw controls (4.5 pg) ... Taylor Frink is the conference's top scorer at 4.14 points per game ... Frink, a junior attacker, has 20 goals and nine assists ... Kayla Best, a senior midfielder, netted three or more goals for the 26th time in her career and extended her goal-scoring streak to 53 consecutive games against Denver ... Best is fourth on the school's career scoring list with 171 points (141 goals, 30 assists) ... UAlbany is second nationally in scoring offense at 15.71 goals per game.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Kayla Best Scores Go-Ahead Goal in Women's Lacrosse's 11-10 Win Over Denver in Maryland - UAlbany Sports 2010

Owings Mills, Md. - Senior midfielder Kayla Best scored three times, including the go-ahead goal in the second half, as UAlbany edged Denver, 11-10, in a neutral-site, non-conference matchup on Sunday, March 28 at Garrison Forest School just outside of Baltimore. The Great Danes have put together a six-game win streak.

In the first-ever meeting between the programs, Denver (7-4) erased a 6-5 deficit early in the second half on consecutive goals by Lexi Sanders, the second-leading scorer in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The senior midfielder put her team ahead after freshman midfielder Alex Befus caused a turnover near midfield.

UAlbany (6-1) tied the contest on Christine Grueniger's third goal of the game, before the Pioneers regained the lead with 17:24 to play. Kara Secora, who totaled three goals and three assists, took a pass from Sanders following a turnover for an 8-7 advantage.

The Great Danes responded by scoring three consecutive times. Nikki Branchini made the game even for the fourth time at eight apiece when she dodged a defender from the left side. Best put her team ahead for good with two goals in a one-minute-and-46-second span. She connected on a drive from the left by hitting the top far corner and then sent a free-position shot low into the net with 9:51 remaining.

The Pioneers, who were coming off an eight-goal win over George Mason on Friday, closed the gap to 10-9 when junior midfielder Tulley Stapp fired a free-position attempt into the left corner. But UAlbany's Mel Rorie answered less than one minute later by eluding two defenders and placing a low shot into the cage. Stapp added her third goal with 1:21 to play after Secora collected a ground ball and fed her with a right-to-left pass. The Great Danes were able to maintain possession the rest of the way.

"We made big stops of defense, got key groundballs, and made shots when we needed them," offered Best, whose teammate Ashley Ross had a career-high 12 saves in goal. "The huge stop she (Ross) had with the ball behind the net kept us positive late in the game."

In the first half, UAlbany raced to a 5-1 lead in the opening 13 minutes. Melanie Sosnowski picked up a ground ball and scored for a 3-0 advantage after teammate Taylor Frink hit the post with a shot. Grueniger and Best later converted free-position attempts two minutes and 27 seconds apart.

Denver rallied behind the play of Secora, a sophomore attack who now has 20 goals on the season. She set up Stapp to ignite a run of four unanswered. The Pioneers drew even at five apiece just before halftime. Lauren Ciccomascolo connected on a free-position opportunity, before Secora followed eight seconds later after Sanders won the subsequent draw.

"The goal was to start strong and set the tone early," said UAlbany coach Lindsey Hart, whose team will take its longest winning streak as a Division I program into Wednesday's America East Conference opener at Vermont. "We did, then leveled off, and had to regroup at halftime. Denver is a tough team that has played several close games. We just made some really good plays at really good times."

Paw Prints: UAlbany is off to its best start as a Division I program with a 6-1 record ... Kayla Best has scored at least one goal in 53 consecutive games ... Christine Grueniger netted three or more goals for the 13th time in her career ... Ashley Ross has made double-figure saves three times this season ... UAlbany played a neutral-site, regular-season game for the first time since April 3, 2004 ... the Great Danes will host California, another Mountain Pacific Sports Federation program, on April 16.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Upsets #19 Bucknell at Fallon Field to Record First Men's Lacrosse Win of Season - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Rocky Bonitatibus and Kyle Brunk each scored in the fourth quarter as UAlbany held off nationally-ranked Bucknell, 7-6, to post its first win of the season on Saturday, March 27 at John Fallon Field. The Bison are No. 19 in the USILA coaches' poll and No. 18 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media rankings.

UAlbany snapped a 5-5 tie in the final period on a pair of goals one minute and seven seconds apart. Bonitatibus, a sophomore midfielder, sent a high shot into the net from the left side after taking Brian Caufield's pass from the point with 6:43 remaining. The go-ahead goal came just three seconds after the visitors had killed off a 30-second penalty for pushing.

After the Great Danes won the subsequent face-off, freshman Matt Mackenzie tried to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper, but Mike Danylyshyn picked off the errant throw. The junior attackman went right to the cage with the turnover, but goalkeeper John Carroll made the stop. UAlbany advanced up the field and Brunk delivered a sidearm blast from the right side that went inside the far post for a 7-5 advantage.

Bucknell (4-4) sliced the margin in half just 53 seconds later when Charlie Streep shook off defenseman Mike Banks and placed a low shot into the net from the left. The Bison, who made their second consecutive appearance in the Patriot League championship game last year, had three scoring opportunities in the final minute. Carroll made one of his 14 saves on a Streep blast from left of the crease. After Ryan Klipstein's attempt sailed wide, Carroll got a piece of another Streep shot with two seconds to play.

"We were finally in a situation where we had a lead and were able to hang on," said Carroll, who made double-figure saves for the sixth time this season. "Our defense did a good job of making them take more outside shots. (Mark) Kelly and (Brendan) Gleason were forcing bad decisions by pressing out on them. I credit our effort."

UAlbany reversed a 2-1 deficit in the second quarter when Dave Brock tallied from left of the crease in a man-down situation and defensive midfielder Mike Finnegan scored his first goal as a collegian off a feed from Mark Cometti following a successful clear. The Bison regrouped to take a 4-3 lead to the intermission. Billy Eisenreich connected on a 10-yard shot from the right side after gathering in a Streep pass over a defender. All-America attackman Austin Winter then hit the net from right of the crease off Eisenreich's left-to-right crossing pass with 2:42 left in the quarter.

The Great Danes scored twice in the third period. Brock, who had three goals and one assist, came out of a pile with a loose ball and drove on the cage to draw his team even at four apiece. The senior then set up midfielder Luke Cometti in the middle of the zone with a pass from the left side for a 5-4 lead. Bucknell got the equalizer early in the final stanza as Klipstein pushed his way in from the right and scored between a defender and short-stick midfielder.

"Our close defense dominated their attack, the best duo we have seen all year, and John (Carroll) had an outstanding day," explained UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose club had dropped eight in a row dating back to last season. "The defense was all over the ground balls and checking hard. That was big moment when John made that save after the face-off and then we went down and scored. We had a solid, positive week and now we have a win heading into league play."

Bucknell's Klipstein finished with two goals, while Eisenreich scored once and had two assists. Caufield handed out two assists for the Great Danes, who travel to Hartford for their America East Conference opener on Wednesday. UAlbany recorded its first national top-20 win since last March's triumph over Massachusetts.

Paw Prints: UAlbany ended an eight-game losing skid that dated back to last April 25th ... the Great Danes defeated a national top-20 opponent for the first time since March 10, 2009, a 12-9 win over No. 13 Massachusetts ... Dave Brock equaled a career-high with four points (3 goals, 1 assist) ... the senior had the same scoring total in the opener at Denver ... UAlbany is 28-24 all-time in Division I games decided by two goals or less ... Rocky Bonitatibus scored his first goal of the season and fourth of his career.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Bergin's Walk-Off Home Run Lifts University of Albany Softball Over Binghamton in 10-Inning Marathon - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Jessica Bergin blasted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to propel the UAlbany softball team to a 6-5 win over Binghamton in the America East Conference softball opener for both schools on Saturday, March 27 at Albany Field. The two teams started the second game of their scheduled doubleheader before it was suspended due to darkness with the Bearcats ahead by a 4-2 score through four frames.

Binghamton (10-6, AE 0-1) used the long ball to jump out to a 4-0 advantage through the first three innings. Deannie Plemon hit her first of two solo home runs in the top of the first inning to put the Bearcats ahead by one in the early going. A Stephanie Valencia two-bagger to left center with one on and two outs doubled the lead in the second. Plemon lined another homer that barely graced over the fence in left with one down in the third, and Stephanie DeLuca went yard two batters later.

UAlbany (7-8, AE 1-0), which has won five straight games after dropping eight of its first 10, cut the lead in half by plating two runs in the bottom of the fifth after the first two outs were recorded. Michelle Connors (Shenendehowa) doubled to the gap in right center, and Gina Mason followed with a two-run homer to left field.

The Great Danes added three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-5 advantage. Kristine Bill drew a leadoff walk before Katie Wambold hit a bunt single that stopped directly between the Bearcat pitcher and catcher. Bailey Van Deest, who came in as a pinch hitter, fouled off several close pitches and worked up a full count before earning a free pass to first to load the bases with nobody out. Bergin then hit a grounder to short, but the throw home to gun down Bill was dropped by the catcher. The botched play also allowed Wambold to come home and tie the game at four.

Rhoda Martsteller, the league's reigning rookie of the week who relieved Kristen Emerling to start the frame, was able to get a force-out at home on a grounder hit to third by Nicole Kothe before fanning Connors. Mason was hit by a pitch with the bases still loaded, allowing Bergin to score the go-ahead run. Marsteller got out of the frame by inducing an infield popup to third.

Despite giving up a four-run lead, the Bearcats were able to eventually force extra innings by taking advantage of a Great Dane error in the outfield. Briana Andrews was able to reach second on a routine fly to left to start the seventh. Shannon McLeese sacrificed Shannon Kane, who entered the game as a pinch runner, over to third, and Plemon singled to left to plate the tying run.

Marissa Powell, who entered the game in the fourth, did not allow the Bearcats to get a hit in the three extra innings. After Kayla Cilley fouled out to the first baseman to start the bottom of the 10th, Bergin gave the Great Danes the walk-off victory by belting a home run to dead center.

UAlbany's Leah McIntosh got the nod to start and pitched the first three innings. She surrendered four runs and four hits, issued three walks and fanned three batters. Powell earned the victory and improved to 1-5 on the season by hurling the final seven innings. She gave up one run, which was unearned, and four hits while striking out four and issuing just one walk.

Binghamton's Emerling was credited with the loss and dropped to 4-1. The sophomore, who pitched the first five frames and reentered the game in the seventh, went 8.1 innings in total and gave up seven hits and three runs. She also issued four walks and registered three strikeouts. Marsteller, who pitched the sixth inning and faced one batter in the seventh, surrendered one hit on a bunt single and three runs, including two which were unearned. She walked four and struck out one.

The two teams will continue their suspended game of the scheduled doubleheader tomorrow at noon and play the final contest of the weekend series following its completion.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Softball Sweeps Doubleheader From Siena Again - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Leah McIntosh hurled a complete-game shutout in the opener and Kristine Bill drove in two runs in the nightcap in leading UAlbany to a doubleheader sweep of Siena in non-conference softball action on Wednesday, March 24 at Albany Field. The Great Danes won the first game, 4-0, and captured the nightcap by a 4-2 decision to extend their winning streak to 13 straight games against their crosstown rival.

In game two, Siena (2-14) tallied a run in the top of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Sara Gallacchi doubled down the left field line and came home two batters later when Lauren Weingart hit a two-bagger to right.

UAlbany answered with three runs in the bottom of the first, scoring all the runs with two outs. Amanda Filippazzo walked the bases loaded after retiring the first two batters, and Bill followed up with a two-run single to put the Great Danes ahead. A passed ball on the next play allowed Kat Smith to score what would be the eventual game-winning run.

The hosts, which were held to just three hits in the nightcap, added another run to go ahead by three in the fifth. Nicole Kothe walked to open the frame and was sacrificed over to second by Michelle Connors. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Kothe came home for UAlbany's fourth run on a sacrifice fly to center by Gina Mason.

Siena made an attempt to rally in the top of the seventh. Vaughn walked to start the inning and advanced to second two batters later on a single to left field by Jessica Mushel. Ferro followed with a single to plate Vaughn with only one out. Gallacchi then reached on a fielder's choice, but Connors was able to get the lead runner at third for the inning's second out. Shannon Jones, who was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week on Monday, had a chance to extend the inning as the winning run at the plate. The freshman drilled a shot that appeared to be headed to the gap in the left center, but shortstop Andrianna Walraven leaped and made a game-saving catch, snagging the ball which was hit well over her head, to end the contest.

UAlbany's Allie Weiser went the distance and improved to 3-2 on the year. She struck out eight batters, issued only one walk and surrendered two runs and seven hits. Siena's Filippazzo dropped to 1-9 in the losing effort. She recorded two strikeouts and allowed three hits and four runs, including three earned. The sophomore also issued six walks.

The opener started as a pitcher's duel between McIntosh and Filippazzo, as the first 10 outs between the teams were recorded by strikeouts and the first hit wasn't posted until the bottom of the third inning. UAlbany got on the scoreboard first by plating one run in the fourth on a double to left by Smith.

McIntosh had a no-hitter going through 4-2/3 innings, but a single down the left field line by Nastasha Powlowsky gave the Saints some life. Alexis Gonzalez singled to keep the inning going, but McIntosh fanned Lindsey McCeever to end the frame.

UAlbany scored two more times to take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Bailey Van Deest reached on an infield error to start the frame, and a long single to dead center allowed Diane MacDowell, who entered the game as a pinch runner, to score. Hitting with two runners in scoring position and one out later in the inning, Connors grounded out to the pitcher, allowing Walraven to score from third. However, Filipazzo escaped any further trouble by striking out the next batter.

The Great Danes added one more run for insurance in the sixth. Smith hit a leadoff double to center, and was pushed over to third when Kylie Apostolina grounded out to short on the next play. Another error by the third baseman allowed the catcher to score one play later. Siena got the leadoff batter on in the top of the seventh courtesy of a single by Weingart, but McIntosh was able to earn her second straight shutout against the Saints by striking out Courtney Mahan and forcing Emily Snow to line into a double play.

UAlbany's McIntosh improved her record to 3-1 this season and dropped her earned run average to 0.88 by fanning 11 Saints hitters. She also did not issue a walk for the second straight game. Filippazzo dropped to 1-8 at the time despite registering seven strikeouts. She surrendered four hits and four runs while walking three.

UAlbany (6-8), which has won four straight games after dropping eight of its first 10, opens up America East Conference play this weekend at home against Binghamton. The two squads are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 27 beginning at 1 p.m. The series finale will start at 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 28.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Announces Football Schedule; 2010 NEC Champion Receives NCAA Playoff Berth - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Wednesday, March 24 the school's football schedule for the 2010 season. The Great Danes, who compete at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision level and finished second in the Northeast Conference standings last year, will play an 11-game slate. The non-league schedule features Stephen F. Austin, a program that reached the 2009 FCS quarterfinals, Maine and Yale.

The Great Danes are on the road to begin the season for the tenth time in their 12 years at the FCS Division I level when they travel to Maine on Thursday, Sept. 2. The Black Bears have made five NCAA playoff appearances and most recently qualified in 2008. Head coach Jack Cosgrove is in his 18th season. In 2009, he led the program to a 5-6 record and a second-place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association's North Division. The Black Bears have 16 starters returning, including linebacker Donte Dennis and defensive back Steven Barker, a pair of all-conference players. UAlbany is meeting a CAA opponent for the eighth consecutive season.

Stephen F. Austin, who shared the 2009 Southland Conference championship, will host the Great Danes on Sept. 11 in Nacogdoches, Texas. The Lumberjacks, who made their fifth NCAA FCS appearance and first since 1995, upended Eastern Washington in the first round before losing to Montana in the quarterfinals. J.C. Harper, the Southland Coach of the Year, guided his squad to the second-best improvement among FCS programs with a 10-3 record. Quarterback Jeremy Moses, the conference co-player of the year, passed for 4,124 yards and 40 touchdowns. Jabara Williams is a second-team Sports Network All-America linebacker.

UAlbany will tangle with an Ivy League program for the first time since 2006 in the matchup with Yale on Oct. 2. The Bulldogs are coming off a 4-6 campaign under first-year head coach Tom Williams, who previously was an NFL assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Defensive back Adam Money earned first-team All-Ivy honors after accounting for three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. Quarterback Patrick Witt, a 6-foot-4 junior, threw for 1,449 yards and eight touchdowns.

Saint Francis, Pa. will be the opponent for Homecoming and Family Weekend on Oct. 9. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. Defending Northeast Conference champion Central Connecticut State comes to the Capital Region on Oct. 23 for a 4:00 p.m. start. UAlbany will play its final two games at University Field against NEC-rivals Wagner (Nov. 13) and Monmouth (Nov. 20). Both games are scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Bob Ford, who is first among active FCS coaches with 241 career victories and has led UAlbany to four NEC championships, begins his 38th varsity season. He has 45 letterwinners, including nine starters, returning from last year's 7-4 squad. The NEC champion will have an automatic berth in the NCAA FCS playoffs for the first time in 2010.

Paw Prints: The NCAA has expanded the Division I FCS championship bracket to 20 teams ... the NCAA FCS championship game will be played in Frisco, Texas on Jan. 7, 2011 ... the Northeast Conference has one of 10 automatic berths in the NCAA field ... UAlbany and Maine will tangle for the third time on the gridiron ... the Great Danes have previously played Cornell and Brown from the Ivy League ... UAlbany's spring football practice begins on Monday, April 5 and is tentatively scheduled through Wednesday, April 28.

2010 University at Albany Football Schedule

September
2 (Thu.), at Maine, TBA; 11 (Sat.), at Stephen F. Austin, 7:00; 25 (Sat.), at Duquesne*, 1:00.

October
2 (Sat.), at Yale, TBA; 9 (Sat.), Saint Francis, Pa.* (HC), 1:00; 16 (Sat.), at Robert Morris*, TBA; 23 (Sat.), Central Connecticut State*, 4:00; 30 (Sat.), at Bryant*, 1:00.

November
6 (Sat.), at Sacred Heart*, 1:00; 13 (Sat.), Wagner*, 1:00, 20 (Sat.), Monmouth*, 1:00.

*Northeast Conference Opponent
(HC) - Homecoming & Family Weekend
All Times Eastern


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Takes Fifth Straight in 12-7 Win Over Colgate; Frink Scores Three Goals - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Taylor Frink had three goals and two assists in leading UAlbany to its fifth consecutive win in a 12-7 non-conference victory over Colgate on Tuesday, March 23 at John Fallon Field.

UAlbany (5-1) led 4-3 midway through the first half, but then ripped off four unanswered to end the period. Olivia Jarem scored the first of her two goals in that stretch by cutting from the left and depositing Frink's pass from behind into the cage. Mel Rorie was fouled after a successful clear and the junior went low into the left side of the net with a free-position shot. Kayla Best and Jarem later scored one minute and five seconds apart by converting free-position opportunities.

Colgate (4-5) tried to climb back into the contest several times in the second half. Sophomore midfielder Meghan Lawler, who tallied three goals, scored from the top of the crease off a feed from Colleen Bubnack to close the gap to 11-6 with 11:45 remaining. But UAlbany's Christine Grueniger answered nearly two minutes later when she moved around a defender from the right side and rifled a shot high into the net. The Raiders again cut the deficit to five when Courtney Miller spun off her left shoulder. However, the Great Danes ended the threat when goalkeeper Ashley Ross saved Bubnack's free-position attempt with 2:29 remaining.

The Great Danes, who own their longest win streak at the Division I level, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the opening six minutes. Jodi Battaglia connected on Frink's crossing pass following Colgate's failed clear. Frink and Rorie completed that outburst with consecutive goals in a 30-second span. The Raiders, who have won back-to-back Patriot League championships, regrouped with three straight goals. Lawler blasted a free-position shot high into the net, before Kate Bergstrom made a cut into the middle zone and scored into the top left corner with 14:04 left before halftime.

"Colgate is mentally tough and they didn't let you get anything easy," said UAlbany coach Lindsey Hart, whose team is off to its best start as a Division I program. "We had way too many turnovers and were not as crisp or clean as we would like. I thought Ashley Ross and Nikki Branchini played well on defense. We did a good job of getting into the attackers' hands."

Miller, an all-conference midfielder, had two goals and two assists for the Raiders, who were coming off a last-minute win over league-rival Holy Cross three days ago. Goalkeeper Christina Roa totaled 14 saves, seven in each half. UAlbany's Best and Rorie each scored a pair of goals. Ross, a first-year starter as a senior, stopped eight shots and picked up six ground balls.

"We have been working hard on our defense since the Hofstra game (season opener) and have been communicating and getting ready for slides," offered senior defender Tricia Primomo, who collected a career-high five ground balls. "We have the confidence that we did not have our best game today and still won. We want to do better."

Paw Prints: UAlbany extended its win streak to five in a row, the longest in the program's Division I history ... the Great Danes won four straight in 2005 and 2007 ... Colgate had won seven of the previous nine meetings in the series, including last year's 11-10 overtime decision ... Taylor Frink is first among the America East Conference scoring leaders with 19 goals and nine assists ... Kayla Best improved her goal-scoring streak to 52 consecutive games ... All-America East midfielder Nikki Branchini had a career-high four caused turnovers and came up with four draw controls.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's John Moore Garners America East Men's Track Performer of the Week Laurels - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's John Moore was named the America East Conference Men's Track Performer of the Week, as announced by the league office on Tuesday, March 23. The middle distance runner is being honored for the first time this spring.

Competing in scorching conditions with the temperature reaching the low 90s and the heat index at 95 degrees, Moore qualified for the IC4A Championship in the 800-meter run at the Carolina Classic in Puerto Rico. His third-place time of 1:51.49 was the top mark by an America East 800m competitor this season. It also ranks 13th nationally and fifth in the East Region. Moore, a native of Fort Johnson, N.Y. who won the 800-meters at last year's conference championship, also anchored a 4x400m relay squad, entirely comprised of middle distance runners, to a seventh-place finish in 3:20.92.

The UAlbany men's and women's outdoor track and field teams, selected to repeat as America East champions in the preseason coaches polls, return to action to compete at the Texas Relays from March 31 through April 3 and the Duke Invitational on April 2-3.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany's Matt Mackenzie Named America East Conference Lacrosse Rookie of the Week

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany's Matt Mackenzie has been named America East Conference Rookie of the Week in men's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 22 by the conference office.
Mackenzie, a freshman midfielder from Stony Plain, Alberta, scored his first goal as a collegian, picked up a career-high nine ground balls and won 13 of 21 face-offs in Sunday's 11-9 loss to No. 12 Drexel. Mackenzie found the net on a give-and-go play with teammate Brian Caufield after winning a second-quarter draw. He has a .472 face-off percentage through six games.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (0-6) will meet its fourth national top-20 team this season on Saturday, March 27 at 1:00 p.m. ... the Great Danes host Bucknell, ranked No. 19 in the USILA coaches' poll and No. 18 in Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll, at John Fallon Field ... Brian Caufield recorded the second-highest point total of his career with two goals and six assists vs. Drexel ... the junior attacker moved past Don Casadonte '84 into seventh place on the school's career assists list (62) ... all-conference attackman Joe Resetarits will miss the remainder of the season with a broken foot ... Resetarits, who had successful surgery on March 19, was the team's leading scorer through the opening five games with 13 goals and three assists.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Brian Bullard Named America East Conference Baseball Rookie of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - UAlbany's Brian Bullard was named the America East Conference Baseball Rookie of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

Bullard led the Great Danes, batting .632 in five games played. Starting all five games at second base, the freshman recorded 12 hits and scored seven runs, while driving in nine more. He went 12-19 at the plate, including two doubles and two home runs, drawing one walk and striking out just once to finish with a .619 on base percentage and a 1.053 slugging percentage.

A native of West Nyack, N.Y., Bullard posted his best performance of the week came last Saturday at St. John's, as he recorded four hits, including a double and a grand slam, scoring twice and driving in five additional runs. He also tallied two hits, one being a double, scored two runs and recorded two RBI in the Great Danes' first win of the season against the Red Storm on Friday.

University of Albany Softball Records Two Wins Over Siena to Finish Third At Radford's Highlander Classic - UAlbany Sports 2010

Radford, Va. - Leah McIntosh hurled a complete-game shutout in the opener and Gina Mason went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in the consolation round to lead the UAlbany softball team to two wins over Siena at the Radford Highlander Classic on Sunday, March 21. The Great Danes defeated the Saints, 6-0, earlier in the day before posting an 11-3 five-inning victory over their crosstown rival to close out the weekend.

Siena (2-12) scored a run in the top of the first of the consolation game on a Shannon Jones base hit up the middle, but UAlbany quickly recovered and gained control by tallying the game's next seven runs. The Great Danes took the lead in the bottom of the first by scoring twice on a single by Kat Smith and a double by Kylie Apostolina.

UAlbany tallied one run in the second and another in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Jessica Bergin led off the second inning with a double to right field. After she was sacrificed over to third by Kristine Bill, the junior scored when Andrianna Walraven grounded out to short. Smith singled in Mason in the third to make it a 4-1 game.

The Great Danes continued to stay hot offensively and padded their lead with three more runs in the fourth. Bergin hit a leadoff triple and scored one play later on a fielding error by the shortstop. Walraven blasted a single to right which was far enough to plate Bill, who had stolen second after reaching on the error. Nicole Kothe then singled in Walraven after she stole third to close out the scoring.

Siena rallied with two runs in the fifth to close the gap to four, but UAlbany put the game away by scoring four more times in the bottom of the inning. The first two runs came across on a wild pitch and a hit batsman, while Mason's two-run single to left field ended the game with only one out due to the eight-run rule.

UAlbany's Allie Weiser got the win in the circle and improved to 2-2 this season. She allowed eight hits, three runs and recorded one strikeout and one walk over five frames. Siena's Amanda Filippazzo suffered the loss to drop to 1-7 overall. She gave up 10 hits, 11 runs, including seven earned, in 4.1 innings pitched.

In the first game of the day, UAlbany pushed across two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 advantage. With one out and Walraven on first, Kothe laid down a bunt which she beat out for a single. A wild throw by third baseman Lauren Weingert allowed the speedy Walraven to come all the way home for the game's first run. After Kothe took third on a wild pitch, Mason singled home the senior to double the lead.

The Great Danes, who were batting just .212 as a team through the first 10 games, tacked on four more runs in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead and break the game open. The squad loaded the bases before the first out was recorded, as Walraven doubled, Kothe singled and Mason was hit by a pitch. Walraven came home for the first run in the frame on a groundout to second by Smith. Kristen Borsella, who replaced Filippazzo in the circle to start the inning, continued to struggle with her control by hitting Michelle Connors with a pitch to load the bases again.

UAlbany continued to find different ways to manufacture runs, as Apostolina reached on another error by Weingert at third and Bergin hit a sacrifice fly. A base hit by Katie Wambold plated Connors for the inning's fourth and final run to give the Great Danes all the insurance they needed.

UAlbany's McIntosh threw her first shutout of the year to improve her record to 2-1 and lower her earned run average to 1.24 on the season. She recorded seven strikeouts, allowed six hits and did not issue a walk. Siena's Filippazzo took the loss and dropped to 1-6 at the time. She surrendered four hits, two walks, two runs, including one earned, and struck out four batters in four innings of work. The sophomore was relieved by Borsella, who gave up four hits, four runs, including two earned and one walk over the last two frames.

UAlbany (4-8) will return to action to face crosstown-rival Siena again in its home opener at Albany Field on Wednesday, March 24. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.

Paw Prints: Gina Mason was named to the all-tournament team after batting .600 with four RBIs ... She also stole two bases on as many attempts ... UAlbany extended its winning streak against Siena to 11 straight games with the victories.
-
Siena 000 000 0 0 6 3
UAlbany 002 040 x 6 8 1

Siena: Amanda Filippazzo, Kristen Borsella (5) and Natasha Powlowsky, Jen Duell (5).
UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith.

Siena 100 02 3 8 3
UAlbany 211 34 11 10 1
(game was called with one out in the fifth due to the eight-run rule)

Siena: Amanda Filippazzo and Alexis Gonzalez.
UAlbany: Allie Weiser and Kat Smith, Lindsey Stout (5).


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Off to Best Division I Start After Posting First-Ever Win Over Massachusetts - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Taylor Frink matched a career-high with four goals and Melanie Sosnowski scored three times in leading UAlbany to a 14-7 victory over Massachusetts on Saturday, March 20 at John Fallon Field. The Great Danes, who improved to 4-1 overall, are off to their best start as a Division I program.

The Great Danes raced to a 6-1 lead in the opening 20 minutes of play. Sosnowski placed a shot inside the right post after midfielder Nikki Branchini came up with the first draw and passed ahead. Frink gave her team a 2-0 advantage with 59 seconds elapsed as she moved around the cage, working right to left, and went low from the top of the crease.

After Massachusetts (3-6) sliced the lead in half, UAlbany scored four uanswered. Mel Rorie, a junior midfielder, found the net twice in that sequence, the first off a free-position attempt and the second by converting a drive with a tough-angle blast into the lower left corner. Olivia Jarem completed the run when she connected on a high shot from the left side.

The Minutewomen, who are the favorites to win this year's Atlantic 10 Conference title after capturing the championship last year, trailed 9-3 early in the final period, before producing back-to-back goals by Danielle Pelletier and Jackie Lyons. Pelletier fired a free-position shot inside the left post and Lyons, a first-team all-conference midfielder, came from behind the cage with 17:51 remaining.

UAlbany responded with consecutive goals from Frink and Kayla Best. Frink circled around the net to the right side to score with a low shot. Best, a senior midifielder who had two goals and two assists, drove from the point and snet a low, sidearm delivery from the right past goalkeeper Katie Florence for an 11-5 cushion with 9:28 to play.

Still leading 12-7, the Great Danes secured their first win in seven meetings with UMass by finding the cage twice in the last two minutes. Sosnowski, who also handed two assists, hit an empty net off a feed from Jodi Battaglia against a defensive double-team. Frink and Sosnowski teamed up on a fastbreak goal following a clearing pass with 44.8 seconds remaining.

"The defense played really well and kept making stops to give our attack opportunities," said UAlbany coach Linsdsey Hart, whose goalkeeper Ashley Ross made seven saves. "We responded well against a high-pressure team. We stuck to the game plan."

Florence finished with 12 saves for the Minutewomen, who return nine starters from last year's NCAA Tournament squad. Senior midfielder Merritt Cosgrove had one goal and one assist to lead the offense. UAlbany's Battaglia had one goal and assisted on another.

"UMass is a tough opponent, but we played good team defense and worked well together," explained Branchini, a midfielder who totaled six draw controls, three ground balls and caused a pair of turnovers. "We wanted to get to those 50-50 balls. When things got closer (in the second half), the defense did a good job of putting a stop to it."

Paw Prints: Taylor Frink is first among the America East Conference scoring leaders at 4.60 points per game ... Frink has 23 total points (16 goals, 7 assists) ... Kayla Best moved into fourth place on the program's career scoring chart with 166 points (136 goals, 30 assists) ... Best climbed ahead of Hall of Famer Debbie August '96 and has scored a goal in 51 consecutive games ... Melanie Sosnowski netted three-plus goals for the fifth time as a collegian.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Track & Field Teams Open Outdoor Season at Carolina Classic; Cummings Wins 1,500

Carolina, Puerto Rico - Laura Cummings won the women's 1,500-meter run and Wilfredo de Jesus Elias and John Moore each qualified for the IC4A Championship in an individual event to lead the UAlbany men's and women's outdoor track and field teams at the Carolina Spring Break Classic in Puerto Rico on March 19-20. The non-scoring meet, which featured institutions from Puerto Rico and the United States as well as Puerto Rico National Team members, was being held at the Basilio Rodriguez Track and Field Stadium.

Competing in scorching conditions with the temperature reaching the low 90s and the heat index at 95 degrees, Cummings posted a winning time of 4:33.23 in the 1,500 to challenge the ECAC Championship qualifying mark. She edged out Boston University's Sarah Mosser by .71 seconds for the title.

de Jesus Elias and Moore met IC4A standards by placing third in the hammer throw and 800, respectively. de Jesus Elias, a native of Puerto Rico, had a mark of 192-feet, 3-inches in his premier event. The throw on his home soil, which ranked as one of the nation's best this spring, was over 20 feet better than the mark needed to qualify for IC4As. Moore finished the 800 in 1:51.49, and was followed by Nick Santos' fourth-place time of 1:51.89.

UAlbany eclipsed the IC4A and ECAC standards in both 4x400-meter relay events as well as the women's 4x100-meter relay. Peter Rowell, Jonathan Santana, Alex Petit-Frere and Ebube Abara combined for a third-place mark of 3:17.38 in the men's race, while Tierra Chavis, Octavia Clarkson, Alli Rogers and Sheena Simpkins combined for a third-place time of 3:50.76 on the women's side.

Fey Adaramola anchored the 4x100-meter relay which qualified for the ECAC meet by finishing fourth in 46.93 seconds. The relay also included Rogers, Christen Griffin and Simpkins. Individually, the reigning America East Conference champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes fell just shy of qualifying for ECACs in both short sprinting events. She tied for fifth in the 100 by clocking in a time of 12.20 before finishing sixth in the 200 in 24.81.

Rebecca Kelly surpassed the meet record in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles by finishing fifth in a personal-best time of 1:02.83, which just missed the ECAC standard by .79 seconds. Clarkson placed second in the 400, navigating the track in a personal-best time of 57.55 to round out the top women's performers in the track events.

In addition to de Jesus Elias, UAlbany had two other individuals post a third-place finish in field events. Kadine Johnson recorded a mark of 129-3 in the discus throw, while Tiffany Sprenkels leaped 37-4 in the triple jump. Johnson also challenged her own school record in the hammer throw with a toss that sailed 160-11, which was good for sixth in the overall field.

The UAlbany men's and women's outdoor track and field teams, which were each selected to repeat as America East champions in the preseason coaches polls, will take the next week off before traveling to compete at the Texas Relays. The national meet that attracts many of the top-ranked schools in the country begins March 31 and runs through Apr. 3. The squads will also compete at the Duke Invitational on Apr. 2-3.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Volleyball's Laurie Gonzalez Selected to Play for U.S. Women's National A2 Team - UAlbany Sports 2010

Colorado Springs, Colo. - University at Albany's Laurie Gonzalez has been selected by USA Volleyball as one of 24 players for the U.S. Women's National A2 Program for 2010.

Gonzalez, who completed her second season with the Great Danes in the fall, repeated as the America East Conference Defensive Specialist of the Year, after leading UAlbany to its second straight regular-season title. Gonzalez, who was also a member of the National A2 Program in 2009, was an all-conference second team selection after leading the league and ranking 35th nationally in digs, averaging 4.95 per set. She was also among the league leaders in service aces. Gonzalez recorded double-digit digs in 22 of 24 matches played, including a career-high 31 against Colgate.

The 2010 U.S. Women's National A2 program is scheduled to train May 24-28 in Tempe, Ariz., before being split into two 12-player rosters to compete in the Open Division of the 2010 USA Open National Championships held in nearby Phoenix. The Open Division flight takes place May 29-June 1 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Additional information on the tournament can be found at www.usavolleyball.org/events/2245.

The 2010 U.S. Women's National A2 Team includes four setters, 10 outside/opposite hitters, six middles and four liberos. The 24 players come from 18 different collegiate programs. The players, all of whom have remaining collegiate eligibility for 2010, were selected as part of the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 19-21 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. A record total of 175 athletes competed in the Open Tryout.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Thornton and Troch Lead U.S. National Indoor Field Hockey Team to Tournament Title - UAlbany Sports 2010

Parker Ford, Pa. - University at Albany assistant field hockey coach Andy Thornton led the U.S. National Indoor Field Hockey team to the team championship at the 2010 National Indoor Tournament held at The Training Center on March 13-14. UAlbany freshman goalkeeper Kristi Troch is a member of the squad, which went 4-0 to claim the tournament title.

Also on the team is Corrine McConville, who signed a National Letter of Intent to play with the Great Danes in 2010. A midfielder, McConville will be the third player on the UAlbany squad from Lehighton High School, following Troch and forward Alysia Hough. McConville led Lehighton to a state championship in 2009, scoring 12 goals and 17 assists.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Tennis Defeats Holy Cross, 6-1, in Non-Conference Action Behind Play of Aubrey Brooks - UAlbany Sports 2010

Worcester, Mass. - Aubrey Brooks defeated Ivette Kanopka, 6-3, 6-1, in singles action and teamed up with Caitlin Crowley for a doubles victory to lead UAlbany to a 6-1 win over Holy Cross in non-conference tennis action on Friday afternoon.

Brooks posted a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles to help take five of the six the singles matches for the Great Danes. Livia Gherman came back for a 1-6, 6-0, 6-1 win over Kristen Meahl at the top singles spot, while Crowley defeated Hailee Lange, 6-3, 6-1, and No. 3 singles. Sarah Iannone posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over Kathryn Wilke at No. 5 singles, while Melissa Coughlin wrapped up UAlbany's singles victories with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Jen Daffron. Holy Cross earned its lone point with a singles win, as Emily Marr defeated UAlbany's Laine Mackey, 6-4, 6-0.

The Great Danes took two of three doubles matches to earn the point. Susan Ma and Gherman recorded an 8-3 win over Meahl and Caroly Chandley at the top doubles spot, while Brooks and Crowley defeated Marr and Emma Rednick, 8-3, at No. 2 doubles. The Crusaders took the third doubles match, as Wilke and Kanopka defeated Iannone and Coughlin, 8-4.

UAlbany will return to action on Saturday, taking on Sacred Heart at 1 p.m.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Men's Outdoor Track & Field Tabbed to Win Sixth Straight A-East Championship

Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany has been chosen to finish first in the America East Conference men's outdoor track and field preseason poll, as announced on Tuesday, March 16 by the conference office. Head coach Roberto Vives, who is in his 25th season, has led the men's program to five consecutive championships.

UAlbany received all eight possible first-place votes and accumulated the maximum 64 points in the men's preseason poll. New Hampshire was picked second with 54 points and earned the final first-place vote, while Binghamton was chosen third with 52 points.

UAlbany returns six America East men's individual champions and three who own school records. Valete Graham is the league's two-time reigning long jump champion. He holds the program standard of 24-feet, 9.50-inches and fell just one centimeter shy of automatically qualifying for the NCAA championships last spring. Fred Casimo placed second in the long jump behind Graham at last season's championship meet. Wilfredo de Jesus Elias and Freddie Wills were also America East winners. de Jesus Elias was victorious in the hammer throw with a school-record toss of 200-3, while Wills won the decathlon despite competing on a bad ankle.

The middle-distance runners are expected to pace the Great Dane men in the track events. John Moore and Tyler Fogarty have played significant roles since they were USA Junior All-Americans in the 800-meter run as freshmen. Moore also holds the school record of 3:45.88 in the 1,500. Nick Santos is another returning all-conference selection who joined Moore and Fogarty on the winning 4x800-meter relay at last year's IC4A championship, and freshman Sean Halpin has already qualified for USA Juniors in the 1,500m. Jeffery Barnes and Pat Weider have each won the 200-meter dash title at the conference championship, while freshman Jonathan Santana, who was named the conference indoor meet's top rookie performer, has high hopes in the sprints. Freshman Alex Leuchanka will pace the distance group, while Garrett Askew is the top hurdler.

In the women's preseason poll, the Great Danes received seven first-place votes and 63 points. Boston University was tabbed second, garnering two first-place votes and 57 points, while New Hampshire rounded out the top three.

Headlined by seniors Fey Adaramola and Laura Cummings, the UAlbany women's program brings back two America East champions and four school record holders. Adaramola, who won the 100m and 200m and anchored the second-place 4x400-meter relay at the America East competition in 2009, has established herself as the league's premier sprinter. She was the most outstanding track performer at the America East indoor meet. Cummings, who qualified for the ECAC indoor championship in five events, holds the school record in the 3,000m steeplechase (10:33.60) and will also be a threat to score in several middle-distance events. Sheena Simpkins, who challenged the program standard in the indoor 500m, and freshman Alli Rogers, an ECAC indoor 200m qualifier, add depth to the sprints. Ada Lauterbach, who competed in the steeplechase at ECACs last season, and Jenn Pierson will also look to score points in the distance events. Christen Griffen is top program's top hurdler.

UAlbany has depth in most women's field events. Kadine Johnson, who holds the school record of 162-5 in the hammer throw, is an all-conference performer who can also pile up points in the discus throw and shot put. Ashley Lewis and Catie Coxon are returning all-league discus throwers, while Lewis also holds the program standard of 136-6 in the javelin. Sandy Antenor and Tiffany Sprenkels as well as freshman Ashley Mahlmeister, who will also compete as a hurdler, have all met the ECAC mark in the triple jump. Mahlmeister is a USA Juniors qualifier in the event, while classmate Pat McNish will pace the squad in the long jump after being named all-conference during the indoor season. Celine Cauderlier, who holds the school's top indoor and outdoor pole vaulting marks, will be the favorite to win the event at the America East meet, which will be hosted by the University of New Hampshire on May 1-2.

America East Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
1. UAlbany (8) 64; 2. New Hampshire (1) 54; 3. Binghamton 52; 4. UMBC 42; 5. Boston U. 35; 6. Maine 31; 7. Vermont 21; 8. Stony Brook 17; 9. Hartford, 8.
America East Conference Women's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
1. UAlbany (7) 63; 2. Boston U. (2) 57; 3. New Hampshire 51; 4. Maine 42; 5. Binghamton 31; 6. Vermont 29; 7. UMBC 22; 8. Stony Brook 21; 9. Hartford 8.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Women's Outdoor Track & Field Picked to Win Second Consecutive A-East Title

Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany has been chosen to finish first in the America East Conference women's outdoor track and field preseason poll, as announced on Tuesday, March 16 by the conference office. Head coach Roberto Vives, who is in his 25th season, has led the women's program to three of the last four America East outdoor crowns.

The Great Danes received seven first-place votes and 63 points in the women's preseason poll. Boston University was tabbed second, garnering two first-place votes and 57 points, while New Hampshire rounded out the top three.

Headlined by seniors Fey Adaramola and Laura Cummings, the UAlbany women's program brings back two America East champions and four school record holders. Adaramola, who won the 100m and 200m and anchored the second-place 4x400-meter relay at the America East competition in 2009, has established herself as the league's premier sprinter. She was the most outstanding track performer at the America East indoor meet. Cummings, who qualified for the ECAC indoor championship in five events, holds the school record in the 3,000m steeplechase (10:33.60) and will also be a threat to score in several middle-distance events. Sheena Simpkins, who challenged the program standard in the indoor 500m, and freshman Alli Rogers, an ECAC indoor 200m qualifier, add depth to the sprints. Ada Lauterbach, who competed in the steeplechase at ECACs last season, and Jenn Pierson will also look to score points in the distance events. Christen Griffen is top program's top hurdler.

UAlbany has depth in most women's field events. Kadine Johnson, who holds the school record of 162-5 in the hammer throw, is an all-conference performer who can also pile up points in the discus throw and shot put. Ashley Lewis and Catie Coxon are returning all-league discus throwers, while Lewis also holds the program standard of 136-6 in the javelin. Sandy Antenor and Tiffany Sprenkels as well as freshman Ashley Mahlmeister, who will also compete as a hurdler, have all met the ECAC mark in the triple jump. Mahlmeister is a USA Juniors qualifier in the event, while classmate Pat McNish will pace the squad in the long jump after being named all-conference during the indoor season. Celine Cauderlier, who holds the school's top indoor and outdoor pole vaulting marks, will be the favorite to win the event at the America East meet, which will be hosted by the University of New Hampshire on May 1-2.

In the men's preseason poll, UAlbany received all eight possible first-place votes and accumulated the maximum 64 points in the men's preseason poll. New Hampshire was picked second with 54 points and earned the final first-place vote, while Binghamton was chosen third with 52 points.

UAlbany returns six America East men's individual champions and three who own school records. Valete Graham is the league's two-time reigning long jump champion. He holds the program standard of 24-feet, 9.50-inches and fell just one centimeter shy of automatically qualifying for the NCAA championships last spring. Fred Casimo placed second in the long jump behind Graham at last season's championship meet. Wilfredo de Jesus Elias and Freddie Wills were also America East winners. de Jesus Elias was victorious in the hammer throw with a school-record toss of 200-3, while Wills won the decathlon despite competing on a bad ankle.

The middle-distance runners are expected to pace the Great Dane men in the track events. John Moore and Tyler Fogarty have played significant roles since they were USA Junior All-Americans in the 800-meter run as freshmen. Moore also holds the school record of 3:45.88 in the 1,500. Nick Santos is another returning all-conference selection who joined Moore and Fogarty on the winning 4x800-meter relay at last year's IC4A championship, and freshman Sean Halpin has already qualified for USA Juniors in the 1,500m. Jeffery Barnes and Pat Weider have each won the 200-meter dash title at the conference championship, while freshman Jonathan Santana, who was named the conference indoor meet's top rookie performer, has high hopes in the sprints. Freshman Alex Leuchanka will pace the distance group, while Garrett Askew is the top hurdler.

America East Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
1. UAlbany (8) 64; 2. New Hampshire (1) 54; 3. Binghamton 52; 4. UMBC 42; 5. Boston U. 35; 6. Maine 31; 7. Vermont 21; 8. Stony Brook 17; 9. Hartford, 8.
America East Conference Women's Outdoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
1. UAlbany (7) 63; 2. Boston U. (2) 57; 3. New Hampshire 51; 4. Maine 42; 5. Binghamton 31; 6. Vermont 29; 7. UMBC 22; 8. Stony Brook 21; 9. Hartford 8.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Kayla Best & Ashley Ross Earn America East Conference Weekly Women's Lacrosse Awards - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Kayla Best has been selected America East Conference Player of the Week in women's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 15 by the conference office. Ashley Ross was chosen conference defensive player of the week.

Best, a senior midfielder from Guilderland, N.Y., received the league's player of the week award for the third time in her career. She scored four of her season-high five goals in the second half to lead her team to a 17-4 non-league victory against Canisius. With her team leading 5-3 at halftime, Best found the net four consecutive times to break the game open. Best also had three of her five goals in the first half and added three draw controls, as team her team posted an 18-2 triumph over Siena on March 12.

Best climbed into third on the school's all-time goals list with 134, plus is fifth in career points with 162. She extended her goal-scoring streak to 50 consecutive games, the nation's second-longest mark. Best is first among the America East leaders at 3.75 goals per game.

Ross, a senior from Lancaster, Pa., is in her first year as the lacrosse program's starting goalkeeper. She was a three-time All-America East netminder for the UAlbany field hockey team. Ross equaled a career-high with 11 saves against Canisius, and stopped five free-position shots. She also had four saves at Siena. Ross recorded a .714 save percentage last week. She is among the league leaders in save percentage (.569) and goals against average (6.52).

Paw Prints: The Great Danes have matched their best start as a Division I program ... UAlbany went 3-1 to begin the 2006 campaign ... Taylor Frink, a junior attack from Baldwinsville, N.Y., leads America East in scoring with 12 goals and seven assists ... Nikki Branchini, a junior midfielder from Guilderland, N.Y., is first in the conference and fourth nationally in ground balls (4.0 pg), plus leads the league in draw controls (3.33 pg) ... the Great Danes are first among the Division I leaders in scoring offense at 18.25 goals per game ... Kayla Best in 10th nationally at 3.75 goals per contest.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information