Tim Ambrose Scores Go-Ahead Basket In University of Albany's Win Over Central Connecticut State - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Tim Ambrose scored 21 points and the go-ahead basket with eight seconds remaining in leading UAlbany to a 64-63 victory over Central Connecticut State on Saturday, Dec. 11 at SEFCU Arena. The non-conference series went down to the wire for the fourth straight season, including two overtime decisions.

Central Connecticut State (4-5) trailed by as much as 18 points in the final period, and was still behind 53-36 with 9:46 to play before starting its comeback. Robby Ptacek ignited a 14-1 outburst by canning a three-point from the right wing and making an 18-footer from the circle. Ken Horton, a 6-foot-6 junior who missed all of last season with an injury, brought his team within a basket with a tip-in of Shemik Thompson's miss in the lane.

Ptacek, who had 18 of his 26 points after the break, put his team ahead, 58-57 on a long-range shot from the right wing. Horton, who had 15 points and nine rebounds, connected a driving one-hander from the right side for a three-point lead.

After UAlbany's John Puk split a pair of free throws, Ambrose stole De'Angelo Speech's errant pass and hit a layup to draw his team even at 60 apiece. Following another Blue Devil turnover, Ambrose made a 12-foot jumper from left of the lane to regain the lead. Puk then drew a charging call on Ptacek that led to Ralph Watts making both ends of a one-and-one from the line with 4.6 seconds left. CCSU's Thompson canned a three-pointer at the end.

"They did a good job of cranking up the pressure," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team dropped a 70-68 overtime decision at Central Conn. State last year. "They went small and played (Robby) Ptacek at the small forward and that gave us some problems. But we found a way to win. This could have been demoralizing."

The Great Danes, who shot 51.7 percent from the field in the first half, had an early 11-9 lead, but then ripped off 10 unanswered. Ambrose, a 6-foot senior, made consecutive baskets, including a bank shot from the right off the dribble. Mike Black, who had 15 points, and Ambrose would add back-to-back three-pointers.

Still leading 23-14 after the Blue Devils' Horton made a turnaround bank, UAlbany (5-6) pushed the lead back to double figures. Logan Aronhalt converted a fastbreak layup, before Black connected on a drive from the top of the arc. Luke Devlin's three-pointer from the top of the arc provided his team with a 30-17 advantage and his team would take a 15-point cushion to the intermission.

"They denied the lanes and I had to make a play on my own," said Ambrose, who described the go-ahead basket and added five assists, five rebounds and four steals to his scoring total. "We fought back and I was lucky enough to get a key steal. That was a great one to get at home."

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Central Connecticut State have played four consecutive nail-biters ... the Great Danes have won two one-point decisions at SEFCU Arena and each team has won in overtime during that span ... UAlbany snapped an eight-game losing streak at home and last won in its facility on Jan. 13, 2010 ... Central Conn. State was coming off last Tuesday's thrilling 63-61 loss at highly-regarded Dayton ... Tim Ambrose scored 20-plus for the 18th time as a collegian and has reached twin figures in all 11 games this season ... freshman Luke Devlin grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds ... redshirt freshman John Puk tied career-highs in points (7) and blocked shots (4).

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Announces 2011 Lacrosse Schedule; Syracuse & Johns Hopkins Among Opponents

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Tuesday, Dec. 7 the school's men's lacrosse schedule for the 2011 season. The Great Danes will play five games against America East Conference opponents. The non-league schedule features three teams who made last year's NCAA Tournament and five consensus preseason top-20 opponents.

UAlbany begins its 12th season at the NCAA Division I level on Saturday, Feb. 26 against Drexel. The Dragons went 10-5 last year en route to advancing to the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals and are ranked among the top 20 in both preseason national polls.

The Great Danes meet defending CAA champion and NCAA participant Delaware in the home opener on Saturday, March 5 at John Fallon Field. The home schedule also features games with non-conference opponents Massachusetts, Ohio State, Marist and the first-ever meeting with Harvard on Saturday, April 2. America East-rivals Hartford (March 30) and UMBC (April 16) will also invade the Capital Region.

UAlbany also tangles with two of the most storied college lacrosse programs. The Great Danes make their annual visit to the Carrier Dome to take on Syracuse on Tuesday, March 15. The Orange, who are ranked No. 1 in the Inside Lacrosse media poll, made their 30th NCAA appearance last year after winning national titles in 2008 and 2009. Tewaaraton Award finalist Joel White is among the returnees. ESPNU will televise the Johns Hopkins-UAlbany clash on Friday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. The Blue Jays have reached the NCAA field a record-setting 39 consecutive times and have captured nine national championships.

In addition, the Great Danes have non-conference road dates versus Bucknell, a Patriot League program ranked No. 20 in the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll, and against Capital Region-rival Siena. The Saints and UAlbany will square off for the 33rd time, including ninth at the Division I level.

Scott Marr is in his 11th season as head coach. Marr, who has an 85-69 career record, has led the program to four America East championships and four NCAA appearances. The Great Danes, who advanced to the conference tournament championship game last year, return six of their top eight scorers, including preseason All-America Brian Caufield. Goalkeeper John Carroll had a .514 save percentage in 16 starting assignments.

2011 University at Albany Men's Lacrosse Schedule

February - 26 (Sat.), at Drexel, 1:00.

March - 5 (Sat.), Delaware, 3:00; 8 (Tue.), Massachusetts, 3:00; 12 (Sat.), Ohio State, 12:00; 15 (Tue), at Syracuse, 7:00; 22 (Tue), Marist, 7:00; 26 (Sat.), at Bucknell, 1:00; 30 (Wed.), Hartford*, 3:30.

April - 2 (Sat.), Harvard, 1:00; 8 (Fri.), at Johns Hopkins, 7:30; 10 (Sun.), at Vermont*, 3:00; 16 (Sat.), UMBC*, 7:00; 23 (Sat.), at Stony Brook*, 7:00; Apr. 26 (Tue.), at Siena, 5:00; Apr. 30 (Sat.), at Binghamton*, 7:00.

May - 4 (Wed.), at America East Conference Tournament+; 7 (Sat.), at America East Conference Tournament+.

*America East Conference Opponent +Player at Highest Seed's Home Facility
All Times Eastern

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany's 2011 Women's Lacrosse Schedule Features Penn State, Oregon & Boston College

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Thursday, Dec. 9 the school's women's lacrosse schedule for the 2011 campaign. The Great Danes, who won last year's America East Conference regular-season title for the first time, will play six conference opponents. UAlbany also meets Penn State and Oregon for the first time as part of the non-league slate.

UAlbany begins its 12th season at the NCAA Division I level on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at home against crosstown-rival Siena. The Capital Region programs will square off for the 14th time. The Great Danes travel to Penn State four days later. The Nittany Lions won 10 games and reached the American Lacrosse Conference Tournament 's semifinal round last year.

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion and NCAA Tournament participant Marist invades UAlbany's John Fallon Field on Wednesday, March 9. Oregon, a program that has 10-plus wins in four of the last five seasons as a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, comes to campus on Sunday, March 27 at 12 noon. Hofstra, a Colonial Athletic Association semifinalist with a 12-6 record last year, and Niagara are also on the home schedule.

Massachusetts, who captured its second straight Atlantic 10 Conference crown before dropping an NCAA play-in game against Stanford, tops the list of remaining road opponents. UAlbany faces Atlantic Coast Conference member Boston College for the first time since 2001, plus visits Colgate and Canisius.

America East Conference play starts at Stony Brook on Saturday, April 2. The Great Danes have home conference dates with Vermont (April 6), New Hampshire (April 9) and UMBC (April 30). UAlbany tangles with six-time defending America East winner Boston University at Nickerson Field on April 16.

John Battaglino, who is in his first season as head coach, has several key players back from a squad that posted a school-record 13-3 mark and was ranked in the national top-20 for the first time. Nikki Branchini, the America East Player of the Year, earned third-team IWLCA All-America recognition. Mel Rorie (30 goals, 4 assists) was a member of the all-conference first team. Taylor Frink, the team's leading scorer with 30 goals and 25 assists, and defender Jenn Primeau were members of the all-league second team.

2011 University at Albany Women's Lacrosse Schedule

February - 22 (Tue.), Siena, 3:00; 26 (Sat.), at Penn State, 1:00.

March - 5 (Sat.), Hofstra, 12:00; 9 (Wed.), Marist, 3:00; 11 (Fri.), Niagara, 12:00; 19 (Sat.), at Massachusetts, 3:00; 23 (Wed.), at Colgate, 5:00; 27 (Sun.), Oregon, 12:00; 30 (Wed.), at Boston College, 4:00.

April - 2 (Sat.), at Stony Brook*, 4:00; 6 (Wed.), Vermont*, 3:00; 9 (Sat.), New Hampshire*, 1:00; 16 (Sat.), at Boston U.*, 1:00; 21 (Thu.), at Canisius, 4:00; 23 (Sat.), at Binghamton*, 1:00; 30 (Sat.), UMBC*, 1:00.

May - 5 (Thu.), at America East Conference Tournament+; 7 (Sat.), at America East Conference Tournament +

*America East Conference Opponent +Player at Highest Seed's Home Facility All Times Eastern

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany's Defensive Tackle Trevor Anderson Will Participate in Saturday's FCS Senior Scout Bowl

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany's Trevor Anderson has been invited and accepted an invitation to participate in the 2010 FCS Senior Scout Bowl. Anderson, a 6-foot-2, 295-pound defensive tackle, will compete with more than 80 of the Football Championship Subdivision's best players at Middletown (N.Y.) High School's Faller Field on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 2:00 p.m. The North-South all-star game will be televised by Fox College Sports Television.

A native of Warnerville, N.Y., Anderson was chosen to the All-Northeast Conference first team for the second consecutive year. He accounted for 45 tackles, 2.0 sacks and three pass break-ups. Anderson had six tackles and set-up the game-clinching touchdown when his sack led to a fumble return in a season-ending victory over Monmouth. The Great Danes finished with a 6-5 overall mark and produced a school-record fifth consecutive winning campaign. Anderson also led a defense that registered two shutouts, including a 3-0 win over Maine in the season opener. His blocked punt led directly to a first-quarter touchdown in a 23-20 triumph at Yale.

Anderson, a four-year letterwinner, finished his college career with 146 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 20.5 hits for a loss. He made 35 or more tackles in three consecutive seasons. Anderson played on two UAlbany teams that won NEC titles and the 2008 Gridiron Classic championship squad.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany's Tim Ambrose Named America East Conference Basketball Player of the Week

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Tim Ambrose has been chosen America East Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball, as announced on Monday, Dec. 6 by the conference office. Ambrose, a 6-foot senior, won the weekly award for the second time in his career.

A native of Brentwood, N.Y., Ambrose scored 27 points, two off his career-high, in last Saturday's 88-82 overtime win against Siena. Ambrose, who made 9-of-18 from the field and 8-of-10 from the line, added seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. He netted 20-plus points for the 17th time as a collegian and has scored in twin figures in all nine games this season.

Ambrose scored the first basket of the extra period and gave his team an 86-82 lead on a pair of free throws with 18.3 seconds remaining. UAlbany ended a five-game series losing streak and produced its first win in the Capital Region rivalry since 2004. Ambrose is fifth in the America East in scoring (16.9 ppg), plus is fourth in assists (3.8 pg) and fifth in steals (1.7 pg).

Paw Prints: UAlbany (4-5) has a three-game win streak for the first time since January 2009 ... UAlbany and Siena met for the 50th time ... the two teams have played five overtime games, including three since the series was renewed in 2001 ... UAlbany posted its first OT win against Siena since Feb. 25, 1967 ... Tim Ambrose moved into 16th place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,204 career points ... Logan Aronhalt added 24 points against Siena, his fourth 20-plus game of the season ... Aronhalt and Ambrose are the 19th UAlbany tandem to score 20-plus in the same contest at the Division I level ... Blake Metcalf, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, added a career-best 11 points off the bench ... UAlbany travels to Yale on Monday, Dec. 6 for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off (WOFX-980 AM).

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany vs Siena Highlights - 12/4/10

University of Albany Wins 88-82 Overtime Affair in Capital Region Basketball Rivalry Against Siena - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Mike Black scored the go-ahead basket in overtime in leading UAlbany to an 88-82 victory over Siena on Saturday, Dec. 4 before 10,753 fans at the Times Union Center. The Great Danes ended a five-game skid in the Capital Region series and won for the first time since 2004.

Siena (2-5) rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half to force the extra period. UAlbany's Tim Ambrose, who had 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds, gave his team a 58-46 lead with a three-point field goal from right of the key. The Saints regrouped with 16 of the game's next 19 points to go in front. Trenity Brudine and OD Anosike each had three-point plays in that run when they were fouled in transition. Ryan Rossiter's reverse layup gave his team a 62-61 lead.

UAlbany (4-5) regained the lead on Logan Aronhalt's 10-foot jumper. The Great Danes pushed out to a 69-64 advantage on consecutive baskets by Blake Metcalf. The 6-foot-9 sophomore hit a slam dunk and then scored on off a backcut, both passes from Ambrose. The Saints responded with eight unanswered and went ahead on Davis Martens' follow shot off the glass and Burdine's basket after collecting a loose ball. UAlbany's Logan Aronhalt later drew his team even at 72 apiece by making one of two foul shots. Martens blocked John Puk's second-chance effort in the lane and Siena's Rossiter missed a three-pointer with 1.6 seconds left to end regulation.

In a game that featured 18 lead changes, including seven in overtime, Burdine made two free throws to give the Saints an 80-79 margin with 1:28 to play. However, Black drilled a right baseline jumper and followed with a steal and a conventional three-point play when he was fouled by Clarence Jackson. Rossiter, who had 28 points and 13 rebounds, sliced the deficit to 83-82 as he made a three-point play off a drive from the foul line. The Great Danes stayed ahead by sinking five of six free throws over the final 29 seconds.

"That was a gutsy effort," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team suffered a 29-point loss in last year's meeting. "Siena is a good team and we were able to weather the storm. This is a young team who made some plays in a tough environment. Tim Ambrose is really playing well and hasn't forced action. I am proud of him."

The Great Danes led 23-20 in the first half, before building a double-figure lead with a 10-1 run. Metcalf, who had a career-high 11 points off the bench, scored on the right baseline and Puk hit a left-handed hook in the lane. Ambrose added two free throws and a jumper, before Metcalf put back the 6-foot senior's miss in the lane after a steal. UAlbany led 33-21 and eventually settled for an eight-point halftime cushion.

"This is a good moment for the team and the campus," said Ambrose, who made 9-of-18 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the line. "We finally did it. I hate losing, that's just in my blood. Both teams played their hearts out. They came back and we had to come back after them."

Aronhalt finished with 24 points, his fourth 20-plus game of the season, while Black added 16, including 12 in the final half. Siena's Burdine and Jackson scored 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Siena met for the 50th time in a series that dates back to Jan. 5, 1940 ... the two teams have played five overtime games in the series, including three since the series was renewed in 2001 ... UAlbany posted its first overtime win against Siena since Feb. 25, 1967 ... the Saints won in OT in both 2005 and 2006 ... Ryan Rossiter became the 36th Siena player to score 1,000 points and his 28-point performance is the highest total by a Saint in the Division I era of the series ... the Great Danes' 88 points were the most be either program since the series was renewed ... Tim Ambrose moved past Brent Wilson (basketball operations director) into 16th place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,204 career points ... Ambrose scored 20-plus in a game for the 17th time as a collegian ... more than 10,000 attended the annual battle for the fifth consecutive year.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Rallies for 63-59 Victory Over Crosstown-Rival Siena; First Series Win Since 2006 - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Julie Forster had 14 points and 11 rebounds and scored the go-ahead basket, as UAlbany rallied for a 63-59 victory over Siena on Saturday at the Times Union Center. The Great Danes won for the second time in eight meetings since both programs have competed at the Division I level.

Siena (1-4) took a 47-44 lead with Cristina Centeno drilled a three-point field goal from the left wing. The Saints later pushed out to a 55-48 advantage when Serena Moore made a turnaround on the left baseline and hit a driving one-hander that beat the shot clock. Moore finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

UAlbany (6-1) clawed its way back into the fray as Felicia Johnson and Callaway made consecutive 3-pointers. The Great Danes went ahead, 59-58, on Callaway's three-pointer from the right corner that bounced on the rim and went though the net. Moore tied the contest by splitting a pair of threw throws. Forster put her club in front with an offensive rebound basket. After Siena's Missy Ramsey missed in the lane as she knifed between two defenders, Ebone Henry sealed the comeback by making two foul shots with 3.2 seconds remaining.

Siena took a 31-28 lead to the locker room in a first half that produced several runs by both teams. The Saints opened with the first eight points, as Cathy Cockrum, who had 14 points, made a turnaround bank shot and a foul-line jumper. UAlbany closed the gap to 14-12 when Callaway sank two free throws.

The Saints, who shot 52.2 percent from the field in the period, went on an 11-2 spurt by making three long-range jumpers in that outburst. Allison Mullings and Ramsey canned back-to-back three-pointers at the start. The Great Danes, who trailed by as much as 11 in the half, reeled off eight straight points to get within 27-26. Johnson made a 3-pointer from left of the key and another three-point play when she was fouled on a driving layup. Forster's follow shot after a steal completed the run.

"We ran and executed plays," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team out-rebounded the Saints, 39-34, including a 17-8 advantage in offensive boards. "Our gameplan was to play harder, and those offensive rebounds are playing harder. We made the hustle plays, that's what we have to do every game. This team has the do-not-quit attitude in them."

Johnson and Henry each had 16 points for the Great Danes, who last won in the Capital Region series in 2006 and lost in overtime one year ago. Callaway added 13 points.

"This win reflects on the character of this team," said Johnson, who led the Great Danes to the win coming off the team's first loss of the season on Dec. 1. "This team is not going to quit. We are going to keep fighting and we are not going to lose."



Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany's Brian Caufield on 2011 Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Yearbook Preseason All-America Squad

Baltimore, Md. - University at Albany's Brian Caufield has been chosen to the 2011 Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Yearbook Preseason All-America Team. Caufield, a senior midfielder and attackman, was an honorable mention All-America selection.

Caufield was UAlbany's second-leading scorer last year with 10 goals and 22 assists despite missing the final five games of the season with a broken jaw. He has 61 goals and 70 assists for 131 career points and ranks fifth on the program's career assists list.

A native of Bay Shore, N.Y., Caufield earned honorable mention USILA All-America honors as a sophomore in 2009. He has twice been voted to the All-America East Conference first team.

Paw Prints: In addition to Brian Caufield, UAlbany returns another first-team all-conference player from injury ... Joe Resetarits, who missed the last 11 games of the season with a broken foot, is back after scoring 34 goals a freshman ... the Great Danes reached the 2010 America East tournament championship game for the eighth time in the last nine years despite a 5-11 campaign ... goalkeeper John Carroll (.514 save percentage) and midfielder Kyle Crotty, who are among six returning starters, were on the conference's all-championship team ... Matt Mackenzie and Dwayne Stewart were members of the America East all-rookie squad.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Basketball Programs Renew Region Rivalry with Siena on Saturday at Times Union Center

Albany, N.Y. - UAlbany's men's and women's basketball teams renew their Capital Region rivalry with Siena in a doubleheader at the Times Union Center on Saturday, Dec. 4. The women game begins at 5:00 p.m. (WCDB-90.9 FM). The men meet the defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champions in the second contest at approximately 7:05 p.m. (WOFX-980 AM). The second half of the doubleheader will also be televised to parts of Upstate New York on Time Warner Cable Sports.

Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who is in her first season as head coach, has the Great Danes off to a 5-1 start, including five straight wins to begin the season. Ebone Henry leads the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game, plus is averaging 8.8 rebounds. Julie Forster, a 6-foot sophomore, is among the nation's top rebounders (11.3 pg) and is scoring at an 11.2 clip. Felicia Johnson adds 11.2 points per game. Siena (1-3) is led by Serena Moore, who averages 18.8 points and 9.0 rebounds. Head coach Gina Castelli is in her 21st season at the helm and has 311 career victories.

In the men's game, UAlbany (3-5) won two of three games last weekend at the Legends Classic's Detroit Subregional. The Great Danes defeated Niagara, 75-65, and Bowling Green, 56-55, in subregional play. Logan Aronhalt is second among the America East Conference scoring leaders at 19.5 points per game. Tim Ambrose (15.6 ppg) has moved to 17th on the school's career scoring list with 1,776 points. Mike Black, a sophomore who earned a spot on last year's America East all-rookie squad, returned to the floor last week after missing four games with an ankle injury. He is scoring at a 12.3 clip.

The Saints, who own a 2-4 record, have won three consecutive MAAC championships and advanced to three straight NCAA Tournaments. Mitch Buonaguro has take over the head coaching duties after Fran McCaffery was hired by Iowa. Buonaguro, a five-year Siena assistant, was previously the head coach at Fairfield (1985-91). Ryan Rossiter, a 6-foot-9 senior, earned first-team all-conference honors last year. He is averaging 20.2 points and leads the nation in rebounding (14.5 pg). Clarence Jackson (6'4") contributes 17.7 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds. A shooter with unlimited range, Jackson was named to the All-MAAC third team.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Siena are meeting for the 50th time in the men's series ... the two programs first played on Jan. 5, 1940 ... the Saints leads, 31-18, in the previous 49 matchups ... the schools renewed the rivalry, following a 24-year hiatus, in 2001 ... the series has averaged 11,335 fans per game over the last nine years ... Logan Aronhalt and Luke Devlin were chosen America East player and rookie of the week, respectively, on Nov. 29 ... UAlbany won both weekly awards for the first time since Feb. 16, 2003 ... UAlbany and Siena are squaring off for the 14th time in the women's series ... the Saints have won 10 of the previous 13 contests, including last year's 65-61 overtime decision.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Announces 2011 Softball Schedule; Will Play in Florida & California Tournaments

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Thursday, Dec. 2 the school's schedule for the 2011 softball season. The Great Danes will play in four tournaments, including trips to Florida and California, to begin non-conference play. UAlbany has made three NCAA appearances and recorded eight 30-win campaigns as a Division I program.

UAlbany starts its season at the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament in Fort Myers on Feb. 25-27. The tournament field includes Iowa, Eastern Michigan, Southern Illinois, Saint Francis, Pa. and Florida Gulf Coast. The Great Danes travel two weeks later to Santa Clara's three-day tournament on March 11-13. UAlbany opens with the host school and San Jose State before battling NCAA participant UC Davis. The Great Danes finish up with a pair of games against Boise State on the final day.

The Great Danes will make their second consecutive appearance in George Mason's Cherry Blossom Classic on March 18-20. UAlbany takes on Ivy League champion and NCAA Tournament team Cornell and the host program on the first day. Monmouth and Howard are also in the field. UAlbany wraps up in-season tournament play at Delaware State on March 26-27. Colgate and Morgan State are also entered.

UAlbany's home opener is slated for Thursday, March 31 against crosstown-rival Siena, a doubleheader that begins at 2:30 p.m. Dartmouth, Colgate, Manhattan and Cornell will also compete in non-league twinbills at Albany Field in the month of April. America East Conference play starts on April 2-3 with a three-game series at home against Hartford. Conference members UMBC and Stony Brook will also travel to the Capital Region. The America East Conference Tournament will be hosted by the regular-season champion on May 12-14.

Head coach Chris Cannata is in her 17th season at the helm. A four-time America East coach of the year, Cannata is the winningest coach in program history with 469 career victories. Gina Mason, a senior first baseman, and Jessica Bergin, a senior outfielder, were each named to last year's all-conference first team. Mason batted .342 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. Bergin recorded a .294 batting average with 18 stolen bases. Sophomore Allie Weiser, a pitcher, and Kylie Apostolina, a third baseman and designated player, were named to the America East all-rookie team.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Great Danes Picked To Win America East Men's & Women's Indoor Track & Field Titles

MEN

Cambridge, Mass. - (courtesy of America East Conference) The University at Albany men's indoor track & field team was unanimously selected by the America East coaches as the preseason favorite to capture its sixth straight indoor track and field title in 2011. The Great Danes have won the America East championship five straight years.

The Albany men garnered all eight possible first-place votes from opposing coaches, earning 64 points in the poll. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Binghamton University was second, receiving the remaining first-place vote and 53 points overall. Boston University grabbed third in the poll with 49 points. UMBC earned fourth place with 41 points, University of New Hampshire took fifth with 39 points and University of Maine came in sixth with 32 points. Stony Brook University (18 points), University of Vermont (17) and University of Hartford (11) rounded out the nine-team poll.

The Great Danes are poised to make a run at their sixth-straight America East title as they return eight All-America East selections from last year's squad. Sophomore Jonathan Santana, the Most Outstanding Rookie at the 2010 America East Championship, finished fourth in the 200-meter dash and third in the 400-meter dash as a freshman. Also back for Albany is three of the four members of the first-place distance medley team. Seniors John Moore, Tyler Fogarty and junior Paul Lagno all return after last year's triumph. Anchoring the field team for the Great Danes is senior Wilfredo de Jesus Elias, who won the weight throw with a distance of 19.01 meters, more than a full meter ahead of second place.

Binghamton, last year's America East runner-up, is picked to finish second again in 2010-11. The Bearcats are led by senior sprinter Cazal Arnett, the two-time Most Outstanding Track Performer of the championship meet. At the 2010 Indoor Championship, Arnett swept the 200- and 400-meter sprints, posting times of 21.54 and 47.39, respectively. The senior also anchored the first-place 4x400 relay team. Senior Erik van Ingen paces the distance team for the Bearcats, returning to defend his title in the one-mile run.

Boston U. looks to improve this season after finishing fifth at last season's indoor championship. To do that, the Terriers will look to the experience of graduate student Eric Ashe and a trio of middle distance runners. Ashe placed second in the 3,000-meter run at last year's championship while seniors Ken Haltom and Craig MacPherson and junior Balint Horvath return from the Terriers' champion 4x800 relay team.

UMBC, which took third at last year's indoor championship, brings back junior middle-distance runner Joshua Hewitson and senior heptathlete Keith Onto. Hewitson placed third in the 500-meter dash, posting a time of 1:03.77 while Onto finished second overall in the heptathlon with 5,192 points, just 24 points behind graduated teammate Dominic Devaud.

New Hampshire, which finished fourth last year, will look to its field athletes for leadership in 2010-11. Pacing that group is senior thrower Brice Paey. Paey, the Most Outstanding Field Performer of the 2010 indoor championship meet, placed first in the shot put at the 2010 Indoor Championship, breaking his own America East record in the event with a throw of 58'.5". Another thrower, senior Paul DeTurk, placed at last year's championship, finishing third in the weight throw.

Maine finished sixth at the 2010 America East Indoor Championship meet. The Black Bears will be led by junior distance runner Riley Masters. Masters, the two-time defending champion in the 3,000-meter run, paced the field in the event last year with a time of 8:14.66, which is less than three seconds off the conference record. Senior pole vaulter James Berry, who came in second in his event in 2010, leads the Black Bear field team.

Stony Brook, last year's seventh-place finisher at the indoor championship, returns a pair of middle-distance runners in seniors Alex Felce and Shamell Forbes. Both were part of 4x800 relay and 4,000-meter distance medley teams that scored points for Stony Brook at the 2010 indoor championship.

Vermont finished eighth at the America East Championship in 2010. The Catamounts will look to their distance runners in 2010-11, led by sophomore Andrew Stillman, who scored in three events at last year's championship meet.

Hartford, which finished ninth in 2010, will look to improve on that finish in 2011. To do that, the Hawks will need a big performance from junior Anderson Emerole, the only Hartford returner to score in an individual event at the 2010 indoor championship.

The 2010-11 indoor track and field season begins December 3, when Stony Brook competes in the Fordham Season Opener in the the Bronx, N.Y. Five other America East teams begin this weekend, with Binghamton, Hartford, UMBC, New Hampshire and Vermont participating in meets on December 4. Maine will open its season December 10 at New Hampshire. Boston U. begins its schedule at home on December 18. Albany does not start its season until January 7.

The 2011 America East Championship meet will take place February 18-19 at Boston University's Track and Tennis Center.

********

America East Conference Preseason Men's Indoor Track & Field Poll
1. Albany (8), 64; 2. Binghamton (1), 53; 3. Boston University 49; 4. UMBC 41; 5. New Hampshire 39;
6. Maine 32; 7. Stony Brook 18, 8. Vermont 17, 9. Hartford 11.



WOMEN

Cambridge, Mass. -- (courtesy of America East Conference) The nine America East women's indoor track & field coaches selected the University at Albany women as the favorites to win the conference in 2010-11. The Great Danes will look to defend their America East indoor title for the first time in program history.

Albany received six first-place votes and 62 points overall to lead the poll. The Great Danes finished just three points ahead of Boston University, which grabbed the remaining three first-place votes and 59 points. The University of Maine took third in the poll with 48 points, followed by University of New Hampshire in fourth with 42 points. The next four spots were closely contested with UMBC taking fifth place (28 points), just ahead of Binghamton University (27), Stony Brook University (26) and University of Vermont (24). University of Hartford (8) completed the nine-team poll. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Albany will rely on its six returning all-conference selections as it chases its second straight crown. Four all-league field athletes lead the way, including senior Celine Cauderlier, who paces that group as the defending champion in the pole vault. Cauderlier won the event at last season's championship with a vault of 11'6.5". Also back for Albany is Kadine Johnson, who finished second in the weight throw with a throw of 56'8.75" at the indoor championship. In the track events, the Danes will look to Christen Griffin), who finished second in the 55-meter hurdles at the conference meet, and Sheena Simpkins, who finished second in the 500-meter run.

Boston U., which won four straight championships from 2006-09, is selected to finish second for the second straight season. However, the Terriers enter the season with 11 returnees who appear on the 2009-10 All-Conference team. A pair of sophomores, Allison Barwise and Nikko Brady, stand out among that group. As a freshman, Barwise earned the championship meet Coaches' Award, given annually to the athlete who accumulates the most points at the meet, after placing first in the pentathlon. Her classmate Brady earned Most Outstanding Rookie honors to go along with wins in the 55-meter hurdles, the long jump and the 4x400-meter relay. The Terriers also return event champions Sarah Mosser, who won the 1,000-meter run, and Whitney Ford, who finished first in the triple jump.

Maine is selected to improve on its fourth-place finish at the 2010 America East Championship meet. The Black Bears are paced by junior Corey Conner, the defending champion in the one-mile run. Maine also brings back the defending high jump champion junior Jesse Labreck. Labreck cleared a height of 5'8" to win the event. The Black Bear sprinters are led by sophomore Cearha Miller, who took second place in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.43 as a freshman. Junior Shaniqua Burgess also scored for Maine in the 200-meter dash, finishing fourth.

New Hampshire, which finished third at the 2010 America East Championship meet, brings back the defending 800-meter champion in senior Allison Letourneau, who paced the field in the event with a time of 2:11.87. The Wildcats will also look to get points from senior distance runner Erica Jesseman, who finished second in the 5,000-meter run at the conference meet, and Kelly Thomas and Kaitlyn Dugan, who finished second and third, respectively, in the pentathlon.

UMBC, last season's fifth-place team, returns both of its event winners from last year's squad. Senior Sara Parkinson will pace the Retriever runners while sophomore Amanda Deller leads the field performers. Parkinson finished first in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 16:47.69. She also came in third in the 3,000-meter run. Deller won the shot put, recording a distance of 45'1.5" and came in third in the weight throw.

Binghamton returns a pair of all-conference performers from a team that finished seventh at the 2010 America East Championship meet. Sophomores Jessica Hennig and Jenna Marrione will lead a young Bearcat squad that includes 21 freshmen and sophomores. Hennig won the 400-meter dash as a freshman, posting a time of 55.77 while Marrione finished second in the pole vault.

Stony Brook, which finished eighth at the 2010 America East Championship meet, returns three of the four members of its 4,000-meter distance medley relay team. Juniors Justine Noel and Mary O'Connor along with senior Holly Van Dalen are back from the group that posted the third-fastest time in the distance medley in meet history.

Vermont earned a sixth-place finish at the 2010 America East Championship. However, the Catamounts return just one all-conference performer, sophomore runner Julie McGilpin. McGilpin took second place in the 800-meter run at last year's meet. Vermont will also look for help from a middle distance team that includes junior Marisa Guerette and sophomore Morgan Powers, both of whom scored points for the Catamounts at the 2010 conference meet.

Hartford, which finished ninth at the 2010 conference meet, is anchored in 2010-11 by a pair of field performers. Sophomore Brittney Lawson finished fourth in the weight throw as a freshman. Junior Nicolle Adams took sixth in the pentathlon. The pair combined to score eight of the Hawks 21 points at the indoor championship.

The 2010-11 indoor track and field season begins December 3, when Stony Brook competes in the Fordham Season Opener in the the Bronx, N.Y. Five other America East teams begin this weekend, with Binghamton, Hartford, UMBC, New Hampshire and Vermont participating in meets on December 4. Maine will open its season December 10 at New Hampshire. Boston U. begins its schedule at home on December 18. Albany does not start its season until January 7.

The 2011 America East Championship meet will take place February 18-19 at Boston University's Track and Tennis Center.

********

America East Conference Preseason Women's Indoor Track & Field Poll
1. Albany (6), 62; 2. Boston University (3), 59; 3. Maine 48; 4. New Hampshire 42; 5. UMBC 28;
6. Binghamton 27; 7. Stony Brook 26, 8. Vermont 24, 9. Hartford 8

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Coach John Battaglino Announces Women's Lacrosse's Signing Class for 2011-12

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany head women's lacrosse coach John Battaglino announced on Tuesday, Nov. 30 that seven student-athletes have signed national letters of intent for the 2011-12 academic year.

"I am proud to announce an outstanding incoming class that is comprised of extremely athletic two-way players who possess great skill, foot speed, work ethic and competitiveness," said Battaglino, who was promoted to head coach from associate coach last August. "They will complement each other and their future teammates with explosiveness, athletic IQ and strength of character. Our current players have been terrific in their ability to incorporate new concepts and style of play over the past year and I expect the current group to continue that trend. We will be fun to watch."

Lexi Brannigan was selected honorable mention U.S. Lacrosse All-American as a junior when she established Colonie Central High School's single-season scoring record with 97 points on 67 goals and 31 assists. She was named first-team All-Area by the Albany Times Union and Troy Record. Brannigan, who also competes in soccer and track & field, was named to the U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-America squad.

Midfielder Julia Sirianni was a member of the Troy Record All-Area first team and a second-team selection by the Albany Times Union. She led Saratoga Springs High to the Section II semifinals by scoring 54 goals and 12 assists. Sirianni was the leading scorer and a first-team All-Suburban Council performer on the soccer team.

An Under Armour Upstate New York All-Star, Rachel Bowles had 49 goals and 12 assists from her midfield position as a junior. She earned second-team All-Central New York by the Syracuse Post Standard and first-team All-CNYCL National League honors. Bowles, who received second-team all-league recognition as a sophomore, was an all-conference standout on the Cicero-North Syracuse High soccer team.

Maureen Keggins totaled 47 goals and 23 assists as an All-Frontier League midfielder and attacker. She led Watertown High to the Section III, Class B championship. The Cyclones finished with a 16-4 record and were ranked No. 12 in the final state poll. Keggins was chosen to the U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-America team.

Nichole Eamer, who like Keggins is a native of Watertown, N.Y., had 42 goals and 24 assists. A two-time All-Frontier League midfielder, Eamer has been a member of the General Brown High lacrosse team since eighth grade.

Cassie Bouton led Kingston High to its fourth consecutive Section IX, Class A title. She was named to the Middletown Times-Herald Record second team after accounting for 35 goals, 25 assists, 42 ground balls and 22 draw controls. Bouton was a forward for the school's field hockey team, a program that also won its fourth straight sectional crown. Erin Monna, a defender at Webster Thomas High, led the Western team to a silver medal at the 2010 Empire State Games. She led the Titans' high school program to a 12-6 record as a sophomore.

In 2010, UAlbany won its first America East Conference regular-season title, posted a school-record 13-3 mark, and was ranked in the national top-20 for the first time.

2011 University at Albany Women's Lacrosse Commitments
Name, Pos., Hometown (High School)
Lexi Brannigan, Mid., Albany, N.Y. (Colonie Central)
Cassie Bouton, Att., Kingston, N.Y. (Kingston)
Rachel Bowles, M/D, Cicero, N.Y. (Cicero-North Syracuse)
Nichole Eamer, Mid., Watertown, N.Y. (General Brown)
Maureen Keggins, M/A, Watertown, N.Y. (Watertown)
Erin Monna, Def., Webster, N.Y. (Webster Thomas)
Julia Sirianni, Mid., Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Saratoga Springs)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Volleyball Set to Play #3 Stanford in First Round of NCAA Tournament

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany will travel to Stanford, Calif. To take on the third-ranked Cardinal in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament on Dec. 3, as announced on Sunday afternoon. The Great Danes also faced Stanford in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Top-seeded UAlbany (22-8) beat third-seeded UMBC in straight games, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-20 in the America East Conference Championship on Nov. 20. The Great Danes ran their win streak to seven contests and claimed their fifth America East title in seven years. UAlbany is led by senior Teresa Coppiellie, who was named the 2010 America East Conference Volleyball Player of the Year. Coppiellie averages 3.44 kills per set along with 3.322 digs per set. Laurie Gonzalez claimed her third straight defensive specialist of the year honor, after leading the conference and being ranked among the national leaders, averaging 5.20 digs per set. Gonzalez recently broke UAlbany's single-season digs record after recording 572 as a junior. Junior Casey Wright, who averages 1.07 blocks and 3.28 kills per set, was also named to the all-conference first team to round out the UAlbany award recipients.

Stanford (22-8) won the Pacific 10 Championship title for the fifth straight season with a three-set win over Arizona State on Nov. 26. The Cardinal, who have made an appearance in all 30 Division I volleyball championships, is led by senior outside hitter Alix Klineman. Klineman is averaging 5.49 kills, which is the second-best average in the nation, and 2.68 digs per set. The setting duties for the Cardinal have been split between Cassidy Lichtman (8.21 aps) and Karissa Cook (6.26 aps), who have led the team to the top assists average in the country at 14.41 per set. As a team, Stanford leads the nation with a .320 hitting percentage.

The winner of the UAlbany-Stanford match-up will advance to face either Cal State-Fullerton (26-5) or #14 Colorado State (25-4) in the second round of regional play. UAlbany played Colorado State earlier this season at the Campus USA Credit Union Invite hosted by Florida, and fell to the Rams, 3-0. Colorado State claimed its eighth Mountain West Conference regular season title this season.

-agate-

2010 NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship

First Round Regional, at Stanford, Calif.

#3 Stanford (24-3) vs. UAlbany (22-8)

#14 Colorado State (25-4) vs. Cal State-Fullerton (26-5)


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Logan Aronhalt & Luke Devlin Receive America East Weekly Basketball Awards - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Logan Aronhalt has been chosen America East Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball, as announced on Monday, Nov. 29 by the conference office. Freshman Luke Devlin was named the conference's rookie of the week.

Aronhalt, a 6-foot-3 guard from Zanesville, Ohio, averaged 22.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals in four games last week. He was named to the Legends Classic's Detroit Subregional all-tournament team after UAlbany won two of three games. Aronhalt scored 23 of his career-high 30 points in the second half in last Saturday's 75-65 win over Niagara. He became the first Great Dane to score 30-plus since Jason Siggers had 34 against Vermont on Jan. 13, 2007. He also netted 18 points in Sunday's 56-55 triumph over Bowling Green and helped his team rally from an eight-point deficit with 7:43 remaining. The sophomore also had 18 points in a double-overtime loss to Detroit, a team picked to finish behind Butler in the Horizon League's preseason poll.

Aronhalt extended his double-figure scoring streak to 11 straight games, dating back to last year. He is second among America East's leading scorers with a 19.5 average.

Devlin, a 6-foot-8 forward from Sydney, Australia, contributed 6.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in four games last week. He recorded his first career double-double by scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds against Detroit. After being sidelined in the first half against Niagara when he took an elbow to the face, Devlin came back the next day to total eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in the one-point decision against Bowling Green. A starter in all eight games this season, Devlin is scoring at a 5.9 clip while collecting a team-best 6.0 rebounds.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (3-5) has won back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 16 & 20, 2009 ... the Great Danes defeated a Mid-American Conference opponent for the first time in the Bowling Green win ... UAlbany is 13-8 all-time in one-point decisions ... Tim Ambrose, a 6-foot senior, played a solid three games in the Legends Classic Subregional and averaged 15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists ... Ambrose climbed to No. 17 on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,176 points ... Ambrose has scored in twin figures in all eight games this season and 58 times as a collegian ... UAlbany's 33 three-point field goal attempts vs. Bowling Green was one from the program record ... the Great Danes shot 34 three-pointers at Delaware State on Jan. 19, 2000 ... Mike Black, who returned to the floor last Friday in his first appearance since Nov. 12 due to an ankle injury, averaged 13.0 points in subregional play ... Black netted 15 of his career-high 19 points in the first half against Niagara.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Men's Basketball Holds Off Bowling Green, 56-55, at Legends Classic's Detroit Subregional - UAlbany Sports 2010

Detroit, Mich. - Blake Metcalf made what proved to be the game-winning basket, as UAlbany held off Bowling Green, 56-55, on the third day of the Legends Classic Detroit Subregional on Sunday, Nov. 28 at University of Detroit-Mercy's Calihan Hall.

Bowling Green (1-6) led 40-38 in the second half, but then ran off a 10 consecutive points. Cameron Black, a 6-foot-10 freshman who totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds, was fouled as he scored in the lane and Scott Thomas drilled a three-point field goal from the right wing to end that outburst.

UAlbany (3-5) rallied to draw even at 49 apiece, as Logan Aronhalt made two of his four 3-pointers in that span. Mike Black, a sophomore guard who had nine points, found a cutting Luke Devlin in the lane for the tying basket. Aronhalt netted 12 of his 18 points after the break.

The Falcons went back ahead when a driving Thomas found Black in the lane for a basket. The Great Danes, who were coming off Saturday's 75-65 win over Niagara, responded when Aronhalt made a three-pointer from the right wing and Black sank two free throws for a 54-51 advantage. Metcalf's short jumper with 1:35 left kept his team three ahead.

Bowling Green's Black later closed the gap to 56-55 by converting in the paint. UAlbany's Aronhalt missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity, but Dee Brown, a career 40 percent three-point shooter, misfired on a long-range attempt from the top of the arc with three seconds remaining.

"We just gutted it out and found a way to win," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team won two of three games during subregional play. "We had little energy and shot poorly against their zone. But credit our players with their effort."

The opening half produced a game of runs with both teams playing primarily zone defense. Bowling Green reversed a 13-9 deficit with a string of seven straight points. Jordan Crawford converted off a steal before Mike Dabney made a free throw to put their team ahead.

UAlbany regrouped with 11 unanswered for a 24-16 lead. Tim Ambrose, who had 13 points, and Aronhalt canned consecutive three-pointers as their squad went back in front. Metcalf connected with an offensive rebound and Aronhalt made another long-range shot to end that stretch. The Falcons came back with a run of nine straight, Thomas hit a 3-pointer before feeding A'uston Calhoun for a fastbreak layup. UAlbany took a 26-23 lead to the intermission.

The Falcons, who are members of the Mid-American Conference, held UAlbany to 33.8-percent shooting, including 8-of-33 from three-point territory. Thomas finished with 13 points, while Brown had 12.

"It was a sluggish game," said Metcalf, a 6-foot-9 sophomore who had eight points and seven rebounds off the bench. "They had an active zone; something we had not seen. We just weren't hitting our shots. But we got stops when we needed and our defense was there when it counted."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Logan Aronhalt's Career-High 30 Points Leads University of Albany Men's Basketball to Win at Legends Classic Subregional - UAlbany Sports 2010

Detroit, Mich. - Sophomore guard Logan Aronhalt had 23 of his career-high 30 points in the second half, as UAlbany posted a 75-65 victory over Niagara on the second day of the Legends Classic's Detroit Subregional on Saturday, Nov. 27 at the University of Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall.

UAlbany (2-5) led 45-43 in the final period, but then pulled away with 18 of the game's next 23 points. Aronhalt struck for 17 consecutive points in that decisive run, including five consecutive three-point field goals. He buried one from the right wing on a kick-out pass from Blake Metcalf to push the lead to double figures. Aronhalt, who made 11-of-16 from the field and 6-of-9 from the three-point line, later canned a jumper in transition and Mike Black sank one of two free throws for a 63-49 margin with 8:26 to play.

The Great Danes, who were coming off a double-overtime loss to Detroit the previous night, maintained a double-digit lead until Niagara (2-3) threatened in the final minutes. Anthony Nelson, a preseason All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference guard, connected off his steal to close the gap to 69-62. But UAlbany's Tim Ambrose tallied five of his 14 points in the stretch to keep his team safely ahead.

"We had a lot of people step up," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose freshman forward Luke Devlin was sidelined in the first half when he took an elbow to the head. "We started to get into the flow (in the second half). Niagara made their run and we got a little rattled, but we responded. I am learning about this team every day."

The Purple Eagles snapped an 11-11 deadlock in the first half when freshman Malcolm Lemmons nailed a three-pointer and Kashief Edwards, a 6-foot-6 junior who had 19 points and eight rebounds, hit a layup after his steal. Niagara later moved out to a 27-21 advantage when Scooter Gillette (9 points, 5 rebounds) was fouled as he scored in the lane for a three-point play.

The Great Danes were still trailing 29-25, before ripping off eight straight points. Ambrose, a 6-foot senior, canned a 3-pointer from beyond the NBA three-point arc and Aronhalt followed with a long-range jumper from the left corner. Mike Black, who had 15 of his career-best 19 points in the opening half, completed the spurt by connecting on a transition drive through traffic. UAlbany settled for a 36-33 halftime margin.

"We had better communication (on defense) and recognized their sets better in the second half," offered Aronhalt, whose team held Niagara to 35.2-percent shooting, including 4-of-28 from beyond the arc. "When I saw the 2-3 zone, my eyes lit up. Everyone did a good job of looking for me. That's the best that I've shot the ball since I've been in college."

Nelson, a 6-foot-1 senior, finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Lemmons scored 15 for the Purple Eagles, who defeated Bowling Green, 65-61, in Friday's subregional play. UAlbany's John Puk, a redshirt freshman center, grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds.

Paw Prints: UAlbany defeated Niagara for just the second time in 11 meetings ... the Purple Eagles won the last matchup, a 74-66 decision on Nov. 21, 2000 ... the Great Danes shot a season-best 53.8 percent from the field ... Niagara is the second of three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents on the schedule ... Logan Aronhalt is the first UAlbany to player to score 30 since Jason Siggers netted 34 at Vermont on Jan. 13, 2007 ... Mike Black's career-high 19 bettered his 18-point efforts against Boston University and Binghamton last year as a freshman ... Tim Ambrose climbed to No. 17 on the program's career scoring chart with 1,163 points ... Ambrose moved past Antione Johnson (1999-2003), who had 1,157 as a collegian ... Johnson is native of nearby Southfield-Lathrup (Mich.) High School ... Detroit recorded its second win in Legends Classic subregional action in Saturday's 71-62 triumph against Bowling Green.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Callaway Leads University of Albany Women's Basketball to 62-43 Win & Best Start In Division I History - UAlbany Sports 2010

Staten Island, N.Y. - Cassandra Callaway scored a game-high 20 points to lead UAlbany to a 62-43 win over Wagner in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at the Spiro Sports Center. With the win, the Great Danes improve to 5-0 on the season, and continue the program's best start in Division I history. The last time the UAlbany team went 5-0 to start the season was in 1986-87.

In the first half, UAlbany used back-to-back Wagner turnovers, including a steal by Ebone Henry which led to a conventional three-point play by Callaway, to build up a 13-8 lead with 12:36 on the clock. On the next Wagner possession, Callaway recorded a steal and converted a fast-break layup, scoring two of her team-high 10 first-half points, to continue the Great Danes' run. Wagner's Kelly Clark ended the UAlbany rally at 10:42, but Henry hit a 3-pointer from the right side of the arc to put UAlbany up, 20-10, and force the Seahawks to use a timeout.

The Great Danes continued to build their advantage, getting two 3-pointers from Melia Basavand sandwiched around a driving layup by Felicia Johnson, who finished with 14 total points, in the waning minutes of the half. UAlbany held Wagner without a basket from the field for the final four minutes of the half, allowing just two free throws by Stephanie McBride with 43 seconds left to play, setting the score at 33-18 at the break.

Wagner came out of the locker room firing, getting consecutive baskets from Clark and a jumper and 3-pointer from Marie Archambault to pull within 40-27 with 11:46 to play. However, UAlbany continued to roll through the start of the second half, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Henry and Callaway along with a pair of jumpers by Johnson to stay ahead. The Great Danes built up a 20-point lead, 50-30, on a basket by Henry, who was one rebound short of a double-double, scoring 12 points, with 8:20 left to play.

The Seahawks then embarked on a 10-3 run, getting consecutive treys from Archambault to pull within 53-40 with 2:20 left to play. Callaway sparked the UAlbany offense from there, scoring the next seven points to put the Great Danes ahead, 59-43. Adrienne Jones converted a fast-break layup and the ensuing free throw in the final second to set the final score.

"We played great team defense," said head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team forced the Seahawks into 17 turnovers, including eight steals. "We talked before the game, that in order to win, we needed to play good defense. Everyone stepped up. This is a good scoring team, and we held them to 43 points. Cassandra played with a lot of poise, she played great defense on their point guard and hit open shots."

UAlbany shot 40.0-percent from the floor, while holding Wagner (2-2) to 28.3-percent shooting from the field.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Places Three on All-NEC Football Team; Dillon Romain Named Top Offensive Rookie - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Trevor Anderson, Mike Kelly and Eddie Delaney, a trio of defensive linemen, have been selected to the 2010 All-Northeast Conference Football Team, as announced on Friday, Nov. 26 by the conference office. Dillon Romain was chosen NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year, the first UAlbany player to be voted the award since the Great Danes joined the league in 1999.

Anderson, a defensive tackle from Warnersville, N.Y., makes his second straight appearance on the All-NEC first team. He is the fourth UAlbany defensive lineman to be named to the first team in consecutive seasons. The 6-foot-2, 295-pound senior totaled 45 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one blocked kick. Anderson, who had five or more tackles against 11 opponents during his career, piled up 146 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss as a collegian, In four seasons, Anderson's UAlbany teams combined for 30 wins, two NEC championships and one Gridiron Classic title.

Kelly, a senior defensive end from West Long Branch, N.J., is a member of the All-NEC squad for the first time. A second-team selection, Kelly totaled 49 tackles, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions, plus led the Great Danes with 8.0 tackles for a loss. He was a key figure in the final month of the season, as UAlbany finished with three consecutive wins. His 54-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1:30 remaining at Sacred Heart sealed the outcome in a 35-23 victory, ,plus he was named NEC defensive player of the week for his performance in a season-ending victory against Monmouth. Kelly, at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, finished his career with 137 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 18.5 hits for a loss.

Delaney, a 6-foot-6, 245-pound junior, earned all-conference recognition for the second time as a defensive end. He also received second-team honors in 2008. A native of Holtsville, N.Y., he recorded 30 or more tackles for the year in a row with 41, including 4.5 for losses. Delaney, who has 111 career tackles, has been a consistent performer despite being born without a left hand and wearing an insulin pump to control diabetes.

Romain, a freshman tailback from Vernon, N.J., was the conference's top offensive rookie after rushing for 547 yards and six touchdowns and averaging 86.7 all-purpose yards per game. He is 32nd among the FCS national leaders with a 25.1 kickoff return average. Romain was tabbed NEC rookie of the week on four occasions, including three times in the month of November. He established the program's freshman single-game rushing record with 193 yards against Wagner and averaged more than 120 yards on the ground in his team's three-game win streak to end the season. His 954 all-purpose yards is the highest total by a freshman in the school's Division I FCS history.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (6-5, NEC 4-4) established a program record with its fifth consecutive winning season ... the previous mark of four straight winning campaigns was established from 1996-99 ... the Great Danes, who will return 14 starters for the 2011 season, tied for fourth in the NEC standings ... Robert Morris shared the NEC championship with Central Connecticut State, but captured the conference's first automatic NCAA FCS playoff berth by winning the head-to-head matchup ... Robert Morris meets North Dakota State in the NCAA's opening round on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 7:00 p.m. ... Robert Morris' Joe Walton was named NEC Coach of the Year ...

UAlbany's Bob Ford is the career active leader among Division I FCS coaches with 247 victories ... DT Trevor Anderson joined Andre Coleman (2005, 2006), Michael Dungey (2006, 2007) and Tom Pandolf (2007, 2008) as the lone UAlbany defensive linemen to earn first-team All-NEC recognition twice ... TB Dillon Romain accounted for 100-plus all-purpose running yards four times, including 159 vs. Monmouth in last Saturday's final game.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Julie Forster Leads Basketball to 65-48 Win & Best Start Since 1986-87 - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Sophomore forward Julie Forster scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in leading UAlbany to its fourth straight win in a 65-48 victory over St. Peter's on Tuesday, Nov. 23 in the first game of a doubleheader at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes have started a season with four victories for the first time since 1986-87.

After St. Peter's Khadijah Young made a three-point field goal from the right wing to close the gap to 36-30 in the second half, UAlbany (4-0) exploded with 16 of the game's next 18 points. Forster, who recorded her third double-double of the season, had nine in that run, including a left-baseline jumper and a 17-footer that extended the lead to twin figures. Ebone Henry later converted a fastbreak layup, before Forster scored a pair of baskets. She converted in transition off a feed from Felicia Johnson that gave her club a 52-32 margin.

"Felicia did a great job," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. "She is like a coach out on the floor and she is such a great leader."

St. Peter's (0-4) was held to 34.1-percent shooting, including 6-of-24 in the final period, and was never able to get back into the contest. Jynae Judson, a 5-foot-10 junior, was the lone Peahen in double digits with 10 points and nine rebounds. UAlbany's Henry finished with 15, while Johnson had 12.

The Great Danes leaped to a 9-2 lead at the start, as Henry drilled a three-pointer from the left corner and Forster hit a short bank shot in the lane. UAlbany increased that advantage to double figures when Cassandra Callaway, who netted 10, sank a three-point field goal from the top of the arc. Callaway made another 3-pointer as her team pushed out to a 22-8 lead.

The Peahens closed within five on three occasions before the intermission. Charlene Riddick made two free throws and scored on an offensive rebound to cut the deficit to 25-20. UAlbany was still ahead by five in the final minutes of the period when Johnson nailed a long-range jumper from the right corner. The Great Danes settled for a 35-27 lead at the break.

"I am very excited for our players," stated Abrahamson-Henderson, who will lead the Great Danes against Wagner on Saturday. "They believe in us as coaches and they have worked very hard to get these wins."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany DE Mike Kelly & TB Dillon Romain Earn NEC Weekly Football Awards After Monmouth Win - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Mike Kelly has been named the Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Nov. 22. Dillon Romain earned his third consecutive NEC rookie of the week award. He has been honored four times this season.

Kelly, a senior defensive end from West Long Branch, N.J., totaled nine tackles, including 1.5 hits for a loss, one interception, one pass break-up and a 1/2 sack in last Saturday's season-ending 28-19 victory over Monmouth. He led a defense that forced four turnovers, including two that led directly to touchdowns. Kelly picked off quarterback Kyle Frazier in the third quarter and returned it 38 yards to stamp out a scoring threat in the third quarter. He is fifth on the team in tackles with 49 this season, plus has 2.0 sacks and two interceptions Kelly finished his college career with 137 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Romain, a freshman tailback from Vernon, N.J., accounted for 159 all-purpose yards and rushed for 71 yards on 18 carries against Monmouth. His 48-yard kickoff return in the second quarter led to UAlbany's second touchdown and a 14-3 lead. Romain, who also had a 37-yard kick runback, is 32nd nationally among the FCS leaders with a 25.1 kickoff return average. Romain toppled the 100-mark in all-purpose yards for the third game in a row and fourth time this year. He is second on the team in rushing yards (547) and all-purpose running yards (954).

Paw Prints: UAlbany (6-5, NEC 4-4) ended the season with three consecutive victories ... the Great Danes set a program record with their fifth consecutive winning campaign, breaking a mark of four straight that was established from 1996-99 ...

UAlbany has never had a losing record in Northeast Conference play since joining the league in 1999 ... Bob Ford moved into fourth place among NCAA FCS Division I's all-time winningest coaches with his 247th career victory ... Ford, who has a 247-174-1 career record, trails Grambling's Eddie Robinson (408), Eastern Kentucky's Roy Kidd (314) and Delaware's Tubby Raymond (300) on the all-time list ... UAlbany returns 14 starters, including seven on both offense and defense, and all specialists for the 2011 season.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Basketball Coach Will Brown Announces Three Student-Athletes Have Signed for 2011-12

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany men's basketball coach Will Brown announced on Monday, Nov. 22 that three student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play for the Great Danes in the 2011-12 academic year. Chris Page, a 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard from Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield H.S.), Sam Rowley, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward from Sydney, Australia (Knox Grammar School), and Gerardo Suero, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, each made his commitment.

Page averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals as a junior when he was named All-Metro West, All-Hendricks County and All-Mid State Conference. The Quakers won their second consecutive county championship. He also scored at a 17.2 clip as a sophomore, plus was chosen second-team All-Metro West and all-conference. Current UAlbany player Blake Metcalf attended the same high school.

"Chris has a very good offensive skill set, and is a good shooter who uses his ability to shoot the 'three' to set up the rest of his game." Brown explained. "He has a good mid-range game and does a nice job of getting to the rim."

Rowley is the second Australian to commit to the UAlbany program in as many years. He led Knox to its first Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS) championship in 14 years by totaling 21.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists. Rowley was selected to the New South Wales All-Schools Team last year, and was a member of the 2008 Australia under-17 squad that competed at the FIBA Oceania Youth Championships. He also represented Australia in the under-19 Four Nations Tournament against United States, China and Slovakia.

"He is player with a tremendous amount of international experience," Brown said. "He is a physically imposing player who plays with great strength and force. He can score with either hand in the low post and shoots the ball well from mid-range."

A native of the Dominican Republic, Suero played at Our Savior New American School, a scholastic program that has produced UAlbany's Jamar Wilson and Tim Ambrose. He contributed 33.1 points and 9.7 points as a senior. He was named offensive MVP at the National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) National Championships. In 2009-10, Suero averaged 21.4 points and 11.7 rebounds on the junior college level for Technical Career Institutes. Suero, who was named first-team All-Region XV, was a member of the Dominican Republic Under-21 National Team. His father, Gerardo, was a 1980 Olympic Games quarterfinalist in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes in Moscow, Russia.

"Gerardo is dynamic offensive talent with his ability to break down the defense and make plays for himself and his teammates" Brown stated. "He has great size for a perimeter player and is a big-time rebounder. He also has international experience and will have an opportunity to make the Dominican Republic Senior National Team."

University at Albany Men's Basketball Signings
Name, Pos., Cl., Ht., Wt., Hometown (High School / Previous School)
Chris Page, G, Fr., 6-5, 185, Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield)
Sam Rowley, F, Fr., 6-6, 240, Sydney, Australia (Knox Grammar School)
Gerardo Suero, G, Jr., 6-4, 205, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Our Savior New American School / Technical Career Institutes)

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Univerisity of Albany Women's Volleyball Sweeps UMBC In America East Conference Championship Match - On To NCAAs

Albany, N.Y. - It was only fitting that Teresa Coppiellie scored the winning point that gave UAlbany a 3-0 win over UMBC in the America East Conference Volleyball Championship final. The victory gave the Great Danes a berth in the upcoming NCAA Championship as UAlbany's 43rd conference championship and 17th NCAA Tournament team.

In fact, Coppiellie scored the Great Danes' final three points Saturday at University Gym and then collected the tournament's Most Outstanding Player honor and joined teammates Laurie Gonzalez and Casey Wright on the all-championship team.

Top-seeded UAlbany beat third-seeded UMBC in straight games, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-20 and raised its record to 22-7. The Great Danes ran their win streak to seven contests and claimed their fifth America East title in seven years. UAlbany will now advance to be one of 64 teams in the NCAA Championship.

"This is the goal we have every year," said head coach MJ Engstrom. "We were successful in attacking their line, and Teresa just played phenomenally well. Laurie had 25 digs in three games and that's unbelievable."

Coppiellie had a team-high 12 kills on the night to go along with 19 digs. Gonzalez, it seemed, spent half her time on the floor as she made diving digs time after time. Traci Vandegrift had 10 kills and Dunja Prgomet had seven, including two to finish off UMBC in the second set.

In the first set, UAlbany started fast with a five-point run to go up 6-4. The Great Danes led the rest of the way and UMBC made too many mistakes to challenge. However, the Great Danes needed a rally to take the second game. They trailed 15-12 before scoring five straight to take a 17-15 lead. The Retrievers climbed back to knot the game at 20-20 but UAlbany closed by getting five of the last six points.

UAlbany continued its strong play and never trailed in the last game. The Great Danes held their biggest lead at 22-13 when Wright scored on a kill that was the result of a great dig by Gonzalez and a nice set from Abbey Wexel, who had 34 assists on the night.

Coppiellie took over from there, scoring her team's last three points. The game-winner was a slam to the left-hand corner, and naturally it came with an assist from Wexel.

"Losing last year was hard, and we didn't want to go through that again," said the senior Coppiellie "We didn't take winning for granted. There were so many emotions going through me in that last game. It was just fun to be out there."

UAlbany, who will play a tune-up match on Friday, Nov. 26 at Virginia Commonwealth, will find out its NCAA opponent during the selection show on Sunday, Nov. 28. The show will air live on ESPNews at 3 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Athletics

Sophomopre Logan Aronhalt Nets Career-High 27 in University of Albany Basketball's First Win of the Season - UAlbany Sports 2010

Hackensack, N.J. - Sophomore guard Logan Aronhalt had a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds, as UAlbany picked up its first win of the season in a 72-46 non-conference victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Nov. 20 at Stratis Arena in Rothman Center.

Fairleigh Dickinson (0-2) trailed by as much as 12 in the opening half, but cut the deficit to 38-34 early in the final period. Kamil Svrdlik, a 6-foot-8 junior who had eight points and seven rebounds, put back a blocked shot and Mathias Sellund made a 17-foot jumper.

UAlbany (1-3) responded with 18 of the game's next 20 points. Blake Metcalf, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, sandwiched a jump hook and an offensive rebound basket around Aronhalt's short turnaround in the lane that pushed the margin back to double digits. Metcalf finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

The Great Danes, who held FDU to 29.1-percent shooting by primarily using a zone defense, completed the decisive stretch when Jacob Iati drilled a three-point shot from right of key and Jake Lindfors tipped in a missed layup for a commanding 56-36 advantage.

"Our team defense was how we won," UAlbany coach Will Brown said. "We are getting better and more comfortable playing the zone and contesting jump shots. When they made their run, we settled down, got the ball inside, and attacked the basket."

In the first half, UAlbany erased an early 11-6 deficit with a string of 11 straight points. Mike Scott, a senior who transferrred from Eastern Utah and originally attended TCU, got his team off to a good start and finished with 23 points. Metcalf drew his team when he scored off an offensive rebound of a missed three-pointer. Aronhalt, who made 9-of-16 from the field and 6-fo-7 from the line, canned back-to-back long range jumpers to put his team in front, the second from the left corner in transition.

Briahn Smith scored on the inside after a rebound to get the Knights within 25-24. But the Great Danes responded with a 13-2 outburst. Ambrose, who had 11 of his 13 points in the opening period, drilled consecutive 3-pointers from the left wing. Stilling leading 31-26, Luke Devlin hit a jump hook and Ambrose canned a three-pointer from the right side to finish off a fastbreak. Aronhalt completed the run with two free throws.

"They have a really good point guard," said Aronhalt, who extended his double-figure scoring streak to seven games. "We picked it up on defense and played together. We did a great job of moving the ball to find the open man and my teammates placed me in good shooting situations."

Iati, who was making his second consecutive start for injured guard Mike Black, totaled 10 points, three assists and five rebounds. The Great Danes built their halftime lead by shooting 57.7 percent in the period.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Fairleigh Dickinson met for the first time since March 6, 1959 ... FDU posted a 56-53 triumph in the NAIA District 31 Tournament in Montclair, N.J. ... the Great Danes improved to 27-39 all-time against Northeast Conference teams ... UAlbany will also meet NEC members Central Connecticut State, Wagner and Mount St. Mary's in the month of December ... the Great Danes ended a seven-game skid, dating back to last season, and last won at UMBC on Feb. 13, 2010 ... Tim Ambrose climbed to No. 21 on the career scoring list with 1,113 points.



Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Trevor Anderson & Seniors Lead FCS Football to Season-Ending 28-19 Win Against Monmouth - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Jon Morgan scored on a 21-yard fumble return late in the fourth quarter and UAlbany held on for its third straight win in a 28-19 Northeast Conference victory over Monmouth at University Field.

Monmouth (3-8, NEC 3-5) trailed 21-13 in the fourth quarter before putting together an 8-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Quarterback Kyle Frazier threw a 33-yard completion to flanker Fritz Pollard and a 22-yard pass to tight end Mike McLafferty to set up the touchdown. L.J. Caprio, out of a wildcat formation, reached paydirt from two yards out over the left side. Frazier overthrew McLafferty in the back left corner of the end zone in a two-point conversion pass attempt.

UAlbany (6-5, NEC 4-4) recovered the onside kick, but went three-and-out and punted. On third-and-10 from the Monmouth 28, Frazier was sacked from behind by defensive tackle Trevor Anderson and Morgan picked up the fumble and raced to end zone with 1:30 to play. Cornerback Ross Bertrand sealed the outcome by picking off Frazier at his own 37 in the final minute.

"It's surreal feeling to make a play and help win a game," said Anderson, who had six tackles and 1.5 sacks and was one of 13 seniors participating in his final college game. "It's a great way to go out and make a play for everyone else. To win three games at the end shows the spirit and character of this team. We had a lot of reasons not to quit."

The Great Danes, who registered a school-record fifth consecutive winning campaign, jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the second quarter. Sophomore tailback Andrew Smith went 44 yards with a faked punt to the Monmouth one-yard line and then scored on the next offensive play. After Eric Spillane kicked a 25-yard field goal, UAlbany's Dillon Romain returned the kickoff 48 yards into Monmouth territory. Ben Miseikis, a redshirt freshman, darted over right guard on a 10-yard touchdown run.

"We had a great first half on special teams with a faked punt, a quick kick and some kickoff returns," explained UAlbany's Bob Ford, who moved into fourth among the all-time winningest Division I FCS coaches with his 247th career victory. "The wind played havoc and just knocked the ball down. I was proud of the way the seniors played in the fourth quarter."

The Hawks, who trailed 14-6 at halftime, closed the gap at the start of the second half. A heavy wind knocked down Jarrod Goodarz's kickoff and teammate Jose Gumbs was able to grab the football out of the air before Romain could haul it in. Frazier, who completed 20 of 40 passes for 219 yards, finished off a short five-play drive with a 4-yard TD run around right end.

A series of events produced UAlbany's third touchdown. The Hawks stopped Romain on fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line. However, Monmouth had a mix-up in the backfield on its first play and defensive tackle Zach Gallo stripped Frazier and outside linebacker Chris Blais recovered the fumble. Quarterback Buddy Leathley scored on a one-yard sneak with 8:01 left in the period.
UAlbany's Smith and Romain rushed for 79 and 71 yards, respectively. UAlbany's defense forced four turnovers and limited the visitors to 102 net yards on the ground.

"The seniors have always been a part of winning," offered senior defensive end Mike Kelly, who had nine tackles and thwarted a third-quarter Monmouth drive with a 38-yard interception return. "The defense held on the two-point pass and we were able to come up with a couple of turnovers (in the fourth quarter). Walking off the field for the last time is not easy."

Paw Prints: UAlbany finished in a tie for fourth place in the Northeast Conference standings ... Robert Morris and Central Connecticut State shared the championship, but the RMU Colonials earned the automatic NCAA FCS playoff berth by winning the head-to-head matchup ... the Great Danes have posted five straight winning season for the first time, breaking the mark of four in a row set from 1996-99 ... ILB Jon Morgan was also the last UAlbany player to score on a fumble return when he went 56 yards to the end zone against Duquesne on Oct. 10, 2009 ... S Jake Ciccarello made a career-high 10 tackles ... TB Dillon Romain accounted for 159 all-purpose yards, the fourth time he has toppled the 100-mark this season ... WR Ryan Kirchner finished with 50 receptions, the fifth-best single-season total ... DT Trevor Anderson (146), CB Ross Bertrand (143) and DE Mike Kelly (137) each completed his career with 135-plus tackles ... Bob Ford moved past Dayton's Mike Kelly into fourth place among NCAA FCS Division I's winningest coaches.



Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Great Danes Capture ECAC University Division Women's Cross Country Championship - UAlbany Sports 2010

Bronx, N.Y. - University at Albany's Ada Lauterbach and Emily Finnegan finished third and fifth, respectively, in the ECAC University Division Championship on Saturday, Nov. 20 at Van Cortlandt Park in leading the Great Danes to the team title. UAlbany finished with 49 points to easily out-distance runner-up Monmouth, which had 99 points, over the 5,000-meter course.

Rounding out the scoring for UAlbany were Emily Fung in 11th place, Miranda McConnnell in 14th and Kathryn Fanning in 16th. The Great Danes improved upon their second-place showing from one year ago.
Lauterbach, who finished in a time of 18:21.6, was just 20 seconds off the winning pace set by Kimberly DeLoreto of Sacred Heart. More than 200 runners and 22 teams took part in the championship.

The UAlbany men also fared well in the ECAC Championship Division race, also at Van Cortlandt Park, with sophomore Paul Lagno leading the way for the Great Danes over the 8,000-meter layout. Lagno finished ninth overall as his squad placed eighth in the team standings. UAlbany's top five finishers combined for 201 points. Duke finished first with just 44 points.

Lagno's time of 25:18.3 was 26 seconds behind individual winner Christian Gonzalez of Rider. Craig Hunt, of Central Connecticut State was second.

Other place-winners for the Great Danes were Greg Kiley in 53rd place, Sean Halpin in 65th, Alex Leuchanka in 77th and Jimmy Carroll in 115th.

*********

2010 ECAC Women's Cross Country University Division Championship
(Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, N.Y.)

WOMEN - 1. UAlbany 49, 2. Monmouth 99, 3. Towson 104, 4. St. John's 161, 5. Marist 179, 6. Binghamton 209, 7. Sacred Heart 219, 8. Bucknell 281, 9. Pittsburgh 288, 10. Fordham 307.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Kimberly DeLoreto (Sacred Heart), 18:01.6; 2. Kiersten Anderson (Marist), 18:10.3; Ada Lauterbach (UAlbany), 18:21.6; 4. Allison Letourneau (New Hampshire), 18:24.7; 5. Emily Finnegan (UAlbany), 18:26.1.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 3. Ada Lauterbach, 18:21.6; 5 Emily Finnegan, 18:26.1; 11. Emily Fung, 18:39.1; 14. Miranda McConnell, 18:45.9; 16. Kathryn Fanning,18:52.1.

2010 ECAC Men's Cross Country Championship Division

(Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, N.Y.)
MEN - 1. Duke 44, 2. Duquesne 141, 3. Harvard 147, 4. Central Connecticut State 147, 5. Marist 162, 6. George Mason 189, 7. Columbia 190, 8. UAlbany 201, 9. William & Mary 209, 10. Syracuse 239.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Christian Gonzalez (Rider), 24:52.7; 2. Craig Hunt (Central Connecticut State), 25:02.1; 3. Mike Moverman (Duke), 25:03.5; 4. Ry Sanderson (Central Connecticut State), 25:08.9; 5. Mark Bucklaw (Duquesne), 25:09.3.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 9. Paul Lagno, 25:18.3; 53. Greg Kiley, 26:08.2; 65. Sean Halpin, 26:18.4; 77. Alex Leuchanka, 26:27.7; 115. Jimmy Carroll, 27:18.5.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information