UAlbany Football Seeks NEC Championship Saturday Vs. Central Connecticut

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Heading into the last game of the 2012 regular season tied for first-place in the Northeast Conference standings, the University at Albany football team will no doubt leave it all on the line as they play at University Field one last time and compete for an NEC championship. Kickoff versus Central Connecticut State will be at 1:00 p.m. with a pregame ceremony honoring the Great Danes' 21 seniors.


CATCH THE ACTION

Cheer from the Stands: Don't miss out on the purple and gold spirit. Click here for ticket information. (Promotions: Pop Warner, Military Appreciation Day, Wounded Warriors).

Listen: The game can be heard in the Capital Region on FOX Sports 980AM or anywhere online here. To listen on your mobile device, download the iHeartRadio app and search for FOX Sports 980. Rodger Wyland and Zach Bye will have the call.

Watch at Home: Saturday's action will be video streamed live on Dane Zone.

Tweet: Follow @UAlbanySports on Twitter for live updates, photos and highlights.

Live Stats: Live stats can be found here. A full recap and box score will be available at the conclusion of the game at UAlbanySports.com.

Game Notes: An in-depth look at the weekend's matchup.



THE CHAMPIONSHIP SCENARIOS

The Great Danes (6-1) have one NEC game left on the schedule, facing Central Connecticut State (2-4). First-place Wagner (6-1) also has one game left against Duquesne. Here are UAlbany's championship scenarios...

• If UAlbany wins and Wagner loses, the Great Danes will capture their sixth NEC title and make their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

• If UAlbany wins and Wagner wins, the Great Danes will share the NEC title with Wagner, but Wagner will earn the postseason berth after winning the head-to-head battle on Nov. 3rd (30-0).

• If UAlbany loses and Wagner loses, the Great Danes will share the NEC title with Wagner, but the Seahawks will earn the postseason bid.

• If UAlbany loses and Wagner wins, Wagner will be the NEC champion.



THE UALBANY-CENTRAL CONNECTICUT SERIES

UAlbany leads the all-time series, 11-5, dating back to 1995. Seven games have been decided by five points or less with UAlbany owning a 3-4 record in those contests. The Great Danes' 11 victories have been by an average margin of 17.5 points, while the five losses have only been by an average of 3.6 points. Last season, UAlbany had its best offensive game of the season, as quarterback Dan Di Lella threw for a school record five touchdowns to five different receivers, leading the Danes to a 63-35 win at CCSU. The last time these teams met at University Field, the Blue Devils edged UAlbany, 30-27, in overtime. CCSU scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a touchdown with successful two-point conversion with 36 seconds left in regulation to tie the ballgame. In overtime, the Great Danes fumbled and Central Connecticut won the contest with a 32-yard field goal.



UALBANY QUICK HITS

• UAlbany (8-2, 6-1) is tied with Wagner (7-3, 6-1) in the NEC standings.

• The Great Danes were ranked as high as No. 18 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the Sports Network Top-25 before falling out of both polls after losing to Wagner.

• In their 14th and last season in the NEC, the Great Danes own a 77-24 cumulative record in league play.

• Moving to a brand new stadium next season, UAlbany plays its last game on University Field Saturday. The Danes own a 134-67-1 mark on their home gridiron.

• The Great Danes have reached the 8-win plateau for the fifth time in the FCS era. A win against CCSU will tie the program record for wins in a season, and also mark the first time UAlbany has won nine games in a Division I regular season.

• UAlbany was chosen to repeat as Northeast Conference Champions.

• Six Great Danes were placed on the All-NEC Preseason Team.

• Last season, the Great Danes received their first NCAA FCS Playoff berth and advanced to the NCAAs for the first time since 1977.

• UAlbany finished 2011 ranked 23rd in the FCS Coaches Poll and was just off the TSN's Top-25, receiving votes.

• Senior Ryan Kirchner is UAlbany's all-time leading receiver with 168 career catches.

• Tailback Drew Smith is tied for first in program history with 42 career touchdowns scored.

• UAlbany has won or shared five Northeast Conference championships (2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 & 2011).

• UAlbany kicked off its 40th season of varsity football vs. Colgate on Sept 1. The 40-23 win, improved the Great Danes' record to 5-9 in season-openers in the Division I FCS era.

• The Great Danes have registered seven consecutive winning seasons for the first time in the program's history (2006-11).

• Bob Ford is fourth among the FCS all-time leaders in career victories and is first among active NCAA Division I FCS coaches with 263 career victories.

• Ford is in his 40th varsity season as head coach at UAlbany with a 254-159 record.

• The National Football League's New York Giants have made the UAlbany campus its summer training camp home since 1996.



SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES

2012 Record: 8-2, 6-1 NEC (T-1st)

2011 Record: 8-4, 7-1 NEC (T-1st)

NEC Preseason Poll: 1st

Head Coach: Bob Ford (40th season at UAlbany/44th overall) (254-159-0 / 263-180-1 / 77-24 NEC)



THE COACH: Bob Ford is in his 40th season at the helm, coming off his fifth Northeast Conference title in 2011 and fourth NEC Coach of the Year Award. He ranks first among all active NCAA Division I FCS coaches with 263 career victories and is also fourth among the FCS all-time leaders in career victories.



LAST TIME OUT: In a game divided, UAlbany overcame the hosting Duquesne University Dukes, 38-31, last Saturday afternoon at Rooney Field. The Great Danes came out with a vengeance in the opening half, taking a 35-7 lead at the break, but the Dukes came storming back, scoring the first 17 points of the second stanza. By halftime, the Great Danes had five touchdowns to their name, credited to five different players. UAlbany finished the game with 439 yards of total offense and 24 first downs. Drew Smith led the Great Danes' running game with 143 yards on 25 carries, and totaled 164 all-purpose yards, including two catches. Omar Osbourne also crossed the goal line and rushed 80 yards, while finishing with 102 all-purpose yards. Likewise, Kevin Chillis was credited a touchdown, accumulating 64 rushing yards in the win. Will Fiachhi completed 14-of-22 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Cole King was his top receiver with three catches, including one for a score, and 54 receiving yards. Defensively, Chris Wilk led the squad with seven unassisted tackles and a sack, while Jon Morgan dropped five, snagged an interception, and blocked a punt. Senior Dean Mercuris also had a solid game with five tackles, a sack, a pass break up, and two quarterback hurries.



THE SEASON SO FAR: The Great Danes enter Week 12 with an 8-2 record and 6-1 NEC mark.

Week 1: UAlbany overcame Colgate handily, 40-23, as Drew Smith (174) and Omar Osbourne (113) both rushed for over 100 yards, and the Ocieka Bakou blocked two punts that resulted in a safety and a touchdown.

Week 2: After opening the season at home for the first time since 2005, UAlbany hit the road for three consecutive away games, traveling over 400 miles for each of them. First, the Great Danes overcame Robert Morris, 35-10, capturing their first Northeast Conference victory of the season. Sophomore quarterback Will Fiacchi had a breakout game along with wide receiver Cole King. Fiacchi finished 17-for-21, throwing 208 yards, rushing 35, and tallied four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) in the win. All three passing touchdowns were to King who totaled 124 receiving yards on five catches.

Week 3: The Great Danes headed west again to Youngstown, Ohio, taking on the No. 5 Penguins. Despite a hard fought battle, the hosts held off UAlbany, 31-24, handing the Great Danes their only loss of the season. The Great Danes were neck-and-neck with Youngstown State until the Guins opened up a two-score lead with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. UAlbany held an early 7-0 lead over Youngstown in a game that was tied on three separate occasions, but a YSU field goal with 2:15 left in the third quarter gave the Penguins the lead for good. Fiacchi and King both had spectacular games again, as Fiacchi accumulated 228 passing yards (23-35-0), and King hauled in a touchdown and seven catches for 115 receiving yards.

Week 4: On the road for the third consecutive weekend, UAlbany overcame No. 23 Maine, 30-20, marking the Great Danes' first victory over a ranked opponent since Sept. 19, 2009 when they also beat Maine (ranked 20th), 20-16. Kicker Sean Kenny made a name for himself, tying the program record with three made field goals in the contest, representing the first nine points of the game. Senior tailback Drew Smith led the offense with 114 rushing yards on 18 carries, 144 all-purpose yards, and two touchdowns, while Kevin Chillis rushed twice for 88 yards total and accumulated 158 all-purpose yards.

Week 5: The Great Danes had a dominating performance against NEC foe Monmouth, overcoming the Hawks, 55-24, at University Field. After trailing 7-0 to start the game, a fake punt reverse resulting in Kevin Chillis' 77-yard TD dash turned the tides and UAlbany never looked back. Combining for 263 rushing yards, senior Drew Smith piloted the ground game with 109 rushing yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns in the victory. Chillis added two touchdowns and 196 all-purpose yards. Three Great Dane players (Smith, Chillis, Beauvais) single-handedly out-rushed the Monmouth team as a whole, as the Hawks managed just 53 rushing yards against the UAlbany defense. Quarterback Will Fiacchi completed 16-of-30 attempts for 248 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Ryan Kirchner was the go-to man of the afternoon, hauling in five passes for 121 yards and a score. Senior Jon Morgan led the team with seven tackles, including six solo, while also breaking up two passes. Chris Wilk brought down five, as Dean Mercuris, Jake Dwyer, and Tramaine Wilson recorded interceptions and ran for over 10 yards each.

Week 6: UAlbany captured a 31-14 win at Bryant University on Oct. 6th. Trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Great Danes rallied to score the final 21 points of the contest. Senior wide receiver Ryan Kirchner became the all-time receptions leader at UAlbany, breaking Tim Bush's record of 147 as he recorded seven receptions for 103 yards in the win. Fellow senior Drew Smith finished the day with 104 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Smith currently ranks first in the nation with 12 touchdowns this fall. Sophomore Will Fiacchi continued to impress in his first year as starting quarterback, as he totaled a career-high 262 passing yards, completing 23-of-34 pass attempts to keep the Great Danes perfect in league play. UAlbany's defense was outstanding as they held Bryant to the lowest single-game rushing output (27 yards) in a NEC contest thus far this season. The Bulldogs' 11 first downs also marked a NEC season low. Defensively, Jon Morgan and Kyle Jordan led the squad with five tackles apiece, while Tim Kologrivov added three, including two for a loss. Justinian Mason had the key play of the game; picking off a pass and running the interception back 75 yards for a touchdown.

Week 7: In front of 6,852 fans, marking the third-largest home crowd in program history and largest since 1978, UAlbany overcame the visiting Saint Francis Red Flash on Homecoming, 36-13. The Great Danes battled back from a 10-0 deficit to outscore the Red Flash, 36-3, the rest of the way. For the third straight game, Drew Smith blasted his way into the end zone three different times, bringing his then nation-leading total up to 15 touchdowns this season. Ryan Kirchner made four catches for 58 receiving yard and also returned three punts for 46 yards. Sophomore Cole King matched his career-high of seven receptions, recording an even 100 yards on the afternoon. Sophomore Jake Meek had a break-out game, rushing 48 yards from the quarterback position and tallied two touchdowns, including a 38-yard scoring scamper. Sophomore quarterback Will Fiacchi had another sound game in the pocket, completing 21-of-31 attempts for 255 passing yards. Defensively, senior Chris Wilk led the squad with eight tackles, including five solo, as the defense shut out Saint Francis in the second half.

Week 8: BYE

Week 9: UAlbany recovered from a slow start to take a 23-20 victory over the hosting Sacred Heart Pioneers on Oct. 29th. With 1:13 remaining in the game, Omar Osbourne rushed 40 yards into the end zone for the winning touchdown on a draw play. The duo of senior wide receiver Ryan Kirchner and sophomore quarterback Will Fiacchi led the UAlbany offense, connecting for two touchdowns in the victory. Kirchner made six catches for 86 yards, while Fiacchi completed 14-of-32 passes for 195 yards. Senior tailback Drew Smith led the Great Danes' ground game with 103 rushing yards on 27 carries, finishing with 116 all-purpose yards. In addition Kevin Chillis also broke the 100 all-purpose yard mark, totaling 106 after four receptions, two rushes, and two kickoff returns. Defensively, senior Dave Plungas had an incredible game with 16 tackles, marking a team season-high for the Great Danes, and personal career-high, while classmate Jon Morgan had two game-changing interceptions and five tackles. In addition, Leon Saddler brought down nine.

Week 10: After silencing Wagner, 24-0, in Staten Island last season, the Seahawks turned the tables and shut out the Great Danes, 30-0. Wagner came off a chaotic week of no power, cold showers, and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in their Staten Island campus community to overcome the then No. 18/20 ranked Danes in a key NEC contest at University Field. The loss marked UAlbany's first in the league this year and just the second time the Great Danes have fallen to Wagner in their 16-game all-time series. Coming into the game averaging a conference-best 34.25 points per game, the Great Danes struggled against the Seahawks, managing just 188 yards of offense, compared to Wagner's 413 offensive yards. Playing without the second-leading scorer in the nation, senior tailback Drew Smith, for a game due to a violation of team rules, sophomore Omar Osbourne took on the starting role and led the Great Danes with 51 rushing yards on 12 carries. Will Fiacchi threw for 103 yards, completing 18-of-33 passes, including six each to Jameel Gay and Ryan Kirchner. Defensively, senior Dave Plungas recorded double-digit tackles for the second straight game, bringing down a team-high 11, including 10 solo.



PROGRAM HISTORY: UAlbany football started at the club level in 1970, before moving to Division III and varsity status three years later. The Great Danes competed at the Division II level from 1995-98, and won two Eastern Football Conference titles in that period. Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) play arrived in 1999 with membership in the Northeast Conference. UAlbany has won five NEC titles.



SCOUTING THE BLUE DEVILS

2012 Record: 2-7, 2-4 NEC (8th)

2011 Record: 4-7, 3-5 NEC (T-6th)

NEC Preseason Poll: 4th

Head Coach: Jeff McInerney (7th season at CCSU) (44-32 / Same)



THE COACH: Jeff McInerney is in his seventh season as Central Connecticut State's head coach. He has led the Blue Devils to a pair of Northeast Conference titles and his 44 wins are the second-highest total in school history. In 2009, McInerney was named the NEC Coach of the Year, as the Blue Devils won the first outright NEC title in school history and advanced to their first-ever Division I postseason game. McInerney has seen plenty of success in his coaching career, three times being a part of a staff that won a National Championship (1984 and 1987 at Troy State; 1990 at Georgia Southern).



THE SEASON SO FAR: The Blue Devils started the season facing some of the top FCS teams in the country, including Stony Brook (49-17, L), Lehigh (35-14, L), and New Hampshire (43-10, L); all three of those teams are currently ranked in the top-15. To start the NEC schedule, CCSU tripped to Wagner (31-13) and Sacred Heart (34-21) before winning their first game of the year against Duquesne (38-31) in front of their Homecoming crowd on Oct. 13. From there, CCSU fell to Robert Morris (37-31) on the road, but rebounded to edge Saint Francis (Pa.), 32-30 on their home field. As a result of Hurricane Sandy, the Blue Devils' contest at Monmouth was cancelled. Central Connecticut will come into their last game of the season off a 28-25 loss to Bryant. The Bulldogs trailed 17-14 at the half, but came back to score 14 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Blue Devils made a mad scramble with a touchdown and two-point conversion with 52 seconds remaining in the game to cut the deficit to three, but Bryant secured the onside kick and took a knee.



LAST GAME AT UNIVERSITY FIELD

University Field has been the home of the Great Danes since Bob Ford started a club football team in 1970. In 43 seasons, UAlbany owns a 134-67-1 record on the gridiron. With the move to the CAA, the Great Danes will move to Bob Ford Field, a brand new 8,000 seat stadium, next season. Saturday's game vs. CCSU will mark the football program's last on University Field.



DREW AT DUQUESNE

Senior Drew Smith led the Great Danes' running game with 143 yards on 25 carries, and totaled 164 all-purpose yards, including two catches. In addition, Smith scored his 42nd career touchdown, tying UAlbany's program record, while also moving into second-place all-time with 3,131 career rushing yards. Smith also ranks first in the NEC and fifth in the nation for scoring (10.67). Back in the lineup after a game suspension, Smith quickly made a statement, putting UAlbany on the board with a one-yard rush, capping a 14-play, 76-yard drive, at the 7:44 mark in the first quarter. Smith averaged 5.7 yards per carry, including a long of 22-yards.



BIG JON

Senior inside linebacker Jon Morgan recorded five tackles, snagged an interception, and blocked a punt in UAlbany's win at Duquesne. He also helped the Danes' defense hold the Dukes to just 68 rushing yards. Morgan's blocked punt was one of the key plays of the game, leading to an extra seven points before the half. With 59 seconds remaining in the first half, UAlbany's defensive pressure forced the Dukes to punt and Morgan got a hand on it, giving the Great Danes the ball on their own 41. UAlbany capitalized. With six seconds on the clock, Will Fiacchi found Cole King in the back of the end zone, 23 yards out, sending the Danes into the break leading 35-7. With 260 career tackles, Morgan is one tackle away from moving into eighth place all-time at UAlbany.



LAYTON VS. THE DUKES

Paul Layton punted six times in UAlbany's win at Duquesne, totaling 267 yards, and averaged 44.5 yards per punt. His longest was 54 yards, and he pinned the Dukes within the 20 twice, including one at the five-yard line. Layton is averaging a program-best 40.9 yards per punt in his career (156 punts, 6,384 yards).



OFFENSIVE TURNAROUND

After totaling just 188 yards of total offense last week against Wagner, the Great Danes made up for that in just one quarter versus Duquesne. In the second quarter alone, UAlbany totaled 217 yards of offense. By halftime, the Great Danes had five touchdowns to their name, credited to five different players. UAlbany finished the game with 439 yards of total offense and 24 first downs.



RECORD WINS

UAlbany has now hit the eight-win mark in five seasons at the FCS level. The Great Danes set the program's single-season FCS record with nine wins in 2008. UAlbany looks to tie that record with a win over Central Connecticut. It would also mark the first time UAlbany has won nine games in a Division I regular season .



FIACCHI'S FANTASTIC SEASON

First-year starting quarterback Will Fiacchi has surpassed all expectations this season, as he has completed more passes than any other quarterback in program history in a single regular season. Completing 175-of-292 passes with just four interceptions, Fiacchi ranks second all-time behind Dan Di Lella who set the record last year with 196 completions (327 attempts). However, Di Lella had an extra game in the NCAA Tournament to set that record. In the regular season, Di Lella had 172 pass completion, a sum Fiacchi has already bested. Yardage wise, Fiacchi has passed for 1,914 yards, ranking him fifth for a single season, and ninth for a career.



MILESTONE WATCH

Drew Smith - With 42 career touchdowns (37 rushing, 5 receiving), Smith needs to score one more touchdown to own UAlbany's all-time career record, currently held by Gary Jones (2002-03).



- Rushing for 37 touchdowns in his career, Smith is three rushing touchdowns away from tying UAlbany's all-time leader Gary Jones (2002-03) with 40.



- Drew Smith has totaled 3,131 career rushing yards, ranking him second all-time at UAlbany. David McCarty holds the record with 4,287 career-rushing yards.



Will Fiacchi - Redshirt sophomore quarterback Will Fiacchi has completed 175 (292 attempts) passes this season, ranking second all-time behind Dan Di Lella's 196 (327 attempts). With one game in the regular season left, Fiacchi is 22 completed passes away from breaking the record. He has shown it is doable, completing 21 or more in a single game three times this fall.



Jon Morgan - With 260 career tackles, Morgan is one away from moving into eighth place all-time and 11 away from tying his linebacker coach, Don Mion (1973-74), with 271.



Dave Plungas - With 241 career tackles, Plungas is 12 tackles away from joining teammate Jon Morgan in UAlbany's career top-10.



LAPORTA NAMED COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT

Eric LaPorta has been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District Football Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. LaPorta is now eligible for the Academic All-America ballot. A native of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., LaPorta maintains a 3.59 GPA in criminal justice and history, and has been UAlbany's starting center for the past two seasons. This fall, LaPorta's play has helped UAlbany to the league's top-ranked scoring offense (31.20), and has limited opponent sacks to just 1.80 per game. The junior has played a key role in leading the Great Danes to Top-25 rankings in both the FCS Coaches Poll and The Sports Network Top-25 for multiple weeks. In addition, LaPorta started every game in the Great Danes' 2011 Northeast Conference Championship run and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

SENIOR DAY

UAlbany's 21 seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony Saturday, as they will be playing in the last home game of their careers. The senior class includes...

Ocieka Bakou (55, DL), Anthony Bazzoffi (79, OL), Matt Berwager (82, TE), Paul Booker (32, TE), Chris Bouchard (18, ILB), Mike Brown (29, S), John Cunningham (73, DL), Matt Goss (84, TE), Joe Hoback (75, OL), Nick Hutcherson (2, WR), Sean Kenny (13, K), Ryan Kirchner (8, WR), Dean Mercuris (35, DL), Jordan Migliore (77, OL), Ben Miseikis (1, TB), Jon Morgan (11, ILB), Nate Papso (88, WR), Dave Plungas (45, ILB), Leon Saddler (21, CB), Drew Smith (10, TB), Chris Wilk (22, ILB).

UP NEXT

If everything falls into place, meaning the Great Danes win and Wagner loses, UAlbany will find out who they play in the NCAA Tournament during the NCAA selection show that airs Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

UAlbany Volleyball Set to Host 2012 America East Conference Tournament

ALBANY, N.Y.-- University at Albany has earned the top seed and will host the 2012 America East Volleyball Championship for the fifth-straight year - and eighth time in the last nine years - on Friday and Saturday at University Gymnasium. Also in the championship field are #2 Binghamton, #3 UMBC, and #4 New Hampshire. UAlbany earned the top seed with a sweep of Providence on Friday evening, capturing their fifth-straight America East regular-season title and eighth in the last nine years. The Great Danes have also won the last two America East tournament titles and six of the last eight. UAlbany closed out the regular season with a 13-14 record overall, going 10-2 in conference play. UAlbany will be matched up with No. 4 seed New Hampshire (15-13, 7-5 AE) at 7 p.m. on Friday night in the second semifinal. The Great Danes and the Wildcats took their final match of the regular season to five sets last Sunday. New Hampshire has qualified for the tournament in back-to-back years and is looking to secure its first America East crown since winning consecutive titles in 2002 and 2003. Binghamton (11-17, 8-4 AE), who has won the only two titles UAlbany has not in the last eight seasons, earned the No. 2 seed in the America East Championship with a win over Stony Brook on the final day of regular-season play, after tying with UMBC in the standings. Binghamton won the tiebreak between the two teams, as although they split the season series, the Bearcats won more sets (4) than UMBC (3) in head-to-head matchups. UMBC (15-14, 8-4 AE) clinched a playoff spot with a four-set win over Stony Brook on Friday. The Retrievers were idle on Sunday, just awaiting the results of the other matches to find out their seed. UMBC has now qualified for three-straight America East Championships and four of the last five. Binghamton and UMBC will play the first semifinal game at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16. The winners of the two semifinal matches will compete in the final on Sat., Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. The title game will be streamed for free at AmericaEast.com. 2012 America East Volleyball Championship Friday, Nov. 16 - Semifinals #4 New Hampshire at #1 Albany, 7:00 p.m. #3 UMBC vs. #2 Binghamton, 4:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 - Final Semifinal Winners, 7:00 p.m.

UAlbany Men's Basketball Stun's Pac-12 Washington 63-62 - UAlbany Sports 2012

SEATTLE, Wash. - Senior guard Mike Black, with ice in his veins, hit the last-second layup to defeat Washington, 63-62, Tuesday, Nov. 13 at Alaska Airlines Arena. This is UAlbany's second BCS win in school history; the first was against Utah in 2006. "I've been here 12 years, we won at Utah I think the year before they had gone to the Elite 8. I think it was the first year (Rick) Majerus wasn't coaching, so that and outside of going to the NCAA tournament in '06 and '07," said Coach Brown. "This is obviously the biggest single game we have ever won, that is for sure. We have only been Division I for 12 years." This win marks Great Danes head coach Will Brown's 150th victory at the program. Black and Jacob Iati paced UAlbany with 22 and 20 points, respectively. "Mike Black is the best player in our league in my opinion. Definitely the best point guard," said Coach Brown on the play of the UAlbany guards. "He's had plenty of games like this before. Jacob Iati is just a gutsy kid. He might be as good as any shooter in the country." Washington had three players, Abdul Gaddy, Aziz N'Diaye, and C.J Wilcox, all score in double figures today. N'Diyae had the games only double-double, recording 13 points and 11 rebounds. UAlbany (2-1) opened up the second half with a four-point lead, 33-29, with 19:25 left. Black hit the open lane and made the layup. Washington (1-1) came back with its own 16-5 run to grab a seven-point lead, 45-38, with 13:24 remaining. Huskies' Desmond Simmons scored all six of his points during the run with a Jernard Jarreau alley-oop dunk to cap it. After a fast-break dunk by Sam Rowley to cut the deficit to five, Washington's Gaddy Abdul hit a three for an eight-point lead, 48-40, marking the largest lead of the game. The Great Danes came back with a vengeance, going on a 14-5 run to grab a one-point lead, 54-53, with 5:08 remaining in the game. Black paced UAlbany with nine of his game-high 22 points during the run. Both teams traded baskets for the next four minutes until Washington grabbed a two-point lead, 60-58, with 1:03 left in the game. Simmons forced a turnover, allowing Andrew Andrews to get fouled and hit both free throws. Iati, who hit six three-pointers in the game, drove to the basket and dished it out to redshirt-freshman Peter Hooley in the corner to knock down the triple for the one-point lead, 61-60, with 35 seconds remaining. Following the Hooley three, Gaddy followed up with an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and made the layup. The layup gave the Huskies a one-point lead, 62-61, with 18 seconds left. Then with just 7.6 seconds in the game and down by one, Black took the ball in his own hands. Black slashed down the left side past two defenders and hit the game-winning layup with 3.2 seconds. Abdul threw up the last shot, but it hit the back of the iron for the Great Danes to get the victory. A very defensive first half with both teams combined 30 points through 15 minutes of the half. There would be six scoring ties until UAlbany grabbed a one-point, 24-23, with 3:10 left in the half. The Great Danes would extend their lead to five, 28-23, as both Black and Rowley went a combined 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. UAlbany finished out the half with a last-second layup by Black to give the Danes a four-point lead and a foreshadow to finish to the finish of the game.

#4 Ohio State Defeats UAlbany Mens Basketball, 82-60, On Sunday

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Junior guard Aaron Craft led the Buckeyes with 20 points to defeat UAlbany, 82-60, on Sunday, Nov. 11 at the Value City Arena. The Great Danes look ahead to the Washington Huskies on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at Alaska Airlines Arena. Great Danes senior guard Mike Black led his squad with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Jacob Iati scored in double figures with 13 points, shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Craft paced No. 4 Ohio State with 20 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the three point line. Deshaun Thomas, Lenzelle Smith Jr., and LaQuinton Ross all scored in double figures with 19, 18, and 10 points, respectively. UAlbany out shot Ohio State from the free throw line 73.3 percent (22-30) to 46.2 percent (6-13). The Great Danes tied the Buckeyes on the boards with 32 apiece. The Great Danes came out aggressive, keeping up with the No. 4 Buckeyes. Both teams would battle back and forth through the first six minutes of play, with Ohio State holding a slight 10-8 lead with 14:02 remaining. Black tallied five of the team's first eight points. Ohio State extended its lead to six, 14-8, with 12:20 left. Craft and Ross each tallied buckets to push the Buckeye lead. However, UAlbany came back by going on a 15-8 run with 4:46 left in the half to give the Great Danes a 23-22 lead. Black paced the Great Danes with eight points and forward Sam Rowley capped the run with a layup. Buckeye's Thomas took the game into his own hands for the final four minutes of the half, scoring 13 of his 16 first half points. Ohio State went into the half with a 14-point lead, 39-25. Ohio State took its 14-point first half lead and extended it to 27, 67-40, with 7:24 left in the second half. Craft hit three of his five triples during the Buckeye run. UAlbany used a 20-8 run to cut the deficit to 15, 75-60, with 1:52 remaining in the half. Two offensive rebounds by Luke Devlin helped Peter Hooley hit a three to cut the deficit. But Ohio State held off the UAlbany run to begin the season 1-0.

UAlbany FCS Football Uses Huge First Half To Down Duquesne, 38-31

PITTSBURGH - In a game divided, the University at Albany football team overcame the hosting Duquesne University Dukes, 38-31, Saturday afternoon at Rooney Field in a key Northeast Conference contest. The Great Danes came out with vengeance in the opening half, taking a 35-7 lead at the break, but the Dukes came storming back, scoring the first 17 points of the second stanza. In the end, UAlbany held on to improve to 8-2 overall and 6-1 in conference. They now will play for at least a share of the NEC title next weekend against Central Connecticut State. After totaling just 188 yards of total offense last week against Wagner, the Great Danes made up for that in just one quarter versus the Dukes. In the second quarter alone, UAlbany totaled 217 yards of offense. By halftime, the Great Danes had five touchdowns to their name, credited to five different players. UAlbany finished the game with 439 yards of total offense and 24 first downs. Senior Drew Smith led the Great Danes' running game with 143 yards on 25 carries, and totaled 164 all-purpose yards, including two catches. In addition, Smith scored his 42nd career touchdown, tying UAlbany's program record. Omar Osbourne also crossed the goal line and rushed 80 yards, while finishing with 102 all-purpose yards. Likewise, Kevin Chillis was credited a touchdown, showing spectacular agility, accumulating 64 rushing yards in the win. Sophomore quarterback Will Fiachhi completed 14-of-22 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Classmate Cole King was his top receiver with three catches, including one for a score, and 54 receiving yards. Defensively, Chris Wilk led the squad with seven unassisted tackles and a sack, while Jon Morgan dropped five, snagged an interception, and blocked a punt. Senior Dean Mercuris also had a solid game with five tackles, a sack, a pass break up, and two quarterback hurries. To start the contest, the Great Danes' defense forced a quick three-and-out. Back in the lineup, Smith quickly made a statement, putting UAlbany on the board with a one-yard rush, capping a 14-play, 76-yard drive, at the 7:44 mark in the first quarter. Osbourne's three-yard run across the goal line with 14:03 to go in the second quarter gave the Great Danes a 14-0 head start, after UAlbany's seven-play, 64-yard drive. However, playing in his last home game of his career, senior running back Larry McCoy put the Dukes on the board with 11:17 left in the half. McCoy rushed two yards, capping a 77-yard drive. With 9:27 left in the half, Paul Layton's 49-yard punt pinned the Dukes at their own five-yard line, later proving to be a huge play in the game. The Great Danes defense followed with a quick three-and-out, forcing Duquesne to punt out of the end zone, and the ball landed out of bounds just 24-yards away. With fantastic field position, Chillis took advantage on what could have been a broken play. On a wild pitch, Chillis scrambled away from the defense, reversed, and then turned up field 34 yards and into the end zone for a 21-7 advantage with 7:30 left in the half. "It's hard to tackle Chillis in a phone booth," said Bob Ford in the heat of the game action. With 1:47 left in the second quarter, Fiacchi faked a handoff to Osbourne and ran 10 yards untouched for a touchdown. The 10-play, 4:38 minute drive gave the Great Danes a 21-point lead, 28-7. Defensive pressure, including Joe Fasano's sack for a loss of six yards, forced the Dukes to punt with 59 seconds remaining. Morgan got a hand on it, giving the Danes the ball on their own 41. UAlbany capitalized. With six seconds on the clock, Fiacchi found King in the back of the end zone, 23 yards out, sending the Danes into the break ahead 35-7. However, while the first half belonged to UAlbany, the second half was primarily Duquesne's. The Dukes scored 17 unanswered points, kicked off by Rich Piekarski's blocked punt. One play later Gianni Carter caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Sean Patterson with 7:05 remaining in the third quarter. Duquesne struck again with Charley Leventry's 26-yard field goal with 12:54 left in the fourth quarter. After recovering their onside kick, the Dukes cut the deficit to 11, 35-24. Patterson capped an eight-play drive with a four-yard rush. The Great Danes broke their scoring drought with Sean Kenny's 30-yard field goal with 2:12 remaining in the contest. With the clock ticking down, the Dukes continued to threaten, driving 75-yards with seven plays including a 51-yard Hail Mary pass to McCoy on a third-and-five play that put Duqusene on the 19 yard line. Sean Brady capped the drive with a grab in the end zone with 11 seconds remaining, putting the Dukes within seven, 38-31. However, the onside kick was not successful in the second attempt, and the Great Danes were able to run out the waning seconds with a knee. UAlbany closes out the regular season next Saturday at home against Central Connecticut State. A win will secure at least a share of the NEC title with Wagner. With first-place Wagner playing Duquesne, a loss for the Seahawks and win for the Danes will send UAlbany to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. Senior Day kickoff will be at 1:00 p.m. at University Field.

UAlbany Volleyball Sweeps Providence to Claim Regular-Season America East Title

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Senior Dunja Prgomet and sophomore Sara Pope each recorded 13 kills apiece to lead UAlbany to a 3-0 sweep of Providence in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday afternoon at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes sealed up the America East Regular Season Title with the win, posting set scores of 25-12, 25-15, and 25-13. Prgomet, who has seen limited action this season because of an injury, was showing no signs of that on Friday, as she recorded five kills on .625 hitting in the first set alone. Senior setter Gabby Whitworth handed out nine assists in the set, quarterbacking the Great Danes to a .448 hitting percentage as a team. Tatum Jungsten and Pope each recorded solo blocks in the set. Pope led UAlbany in set two, recording a team-best five kills. The trio of Prgomet, Traci Vandegrift, and Sofia Furlong all tallied three kills apiece, while Furlong hitting a set-best .700. Vandegrift was also strong defensively for the Great Danes, finishing with five digs to tie for the team lead in the set with Viktoriia Stroilo. Pope and Prgomet recorded six and five kills, respectively, in the third and final set. Prgomet, who finished with a double-double of 13 digs in the match, added seven of those digs in the third, while Stroilo came up with eight of her team-best 17. As a team, the Great Danes served up seven aces, with three coming from Lindsey McCloskey. Whitworth finished with 35 assists, eight digs and two kills, while Vandegrift totaled 10 digs and seven kills. UAlbany outblocked Providence (1-29, AE 0-11) by an 8-0 margin, getting two solo blocks each from Jungsten and Vandegrift. UAlbany (12-14, AE 9-2) will close out the regular season on Sunday at New Hampshire. The Great Danes will await the finalization of the standings to see who will be joining them at University Gymnasium next weeked for the America East Conference Tournament.

UAlbany Field Hockey Will Face #3 Penn State in NCAA Tournament; Jumps to #17 in National Poll

ALBANY, N.Y. -- After bringing home their third America East Conference Field Hockey Championship title, the UAlbany Great Danes jumped from 21st to 17th on the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll, released on Tuesday. As a result of earning the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, the Great Danes will travel to #3 Penn State in the first round of competition. UAlbany (13-7) will take on the Nittany Lions on Saturday, with a time to be announced. Also in the State College bracket are #5 Syracuse, who whill take on #16 Massachusetts. Penn State, winners of the 2012 Big Ten title, stand at 17-3 overall. The Nittany Lions are currently on a seven-game win streak. "Penn State is traditionally very good," said UAlbany head coach Phil Sykes, who has led the Great Danes to three America East titles in the last five years. "We like how we're playing right now, and we are peaking at the right time." The Great Danes, who have been ranked since the first week of the 2010 season, entered the league tournament as the second seed, and defeated top-ranked New Hampshire, 3-1, on their home turf to bring home the championship title. Junior Daphne Voormolen tied a tournament record with four goals and eight total points over the weekend tournament, en route to being named the Most Outstanding Player of the championship. Voormolen's goal in the championship game, assisted by Amy Nicklin, proved to be the gamewinner. Classmate Corinne McConville was also named to the All-Tournament Team, along with seniors Nina Walters and Jessica Longstreth.

#18/20 UAlbany FCS Football Welcomes Wagner For Big NEC Weekend

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Saturday's home game versus the Wagner College Seahawks may turn out to be the University at Albany football team's most important of the season. With three regular season games left, the Great Danes (7-1, 5-0 NEC) are a half-game ahead of the Seahawks (5-3, 5-1 NEC) in the Northeast Conference standings. A win would guarantee that UAlbany will finish with at least the same or better conference record than everyone in the league, including the second-place Seahawks, as well as Duquesne (5-3, 3-2 NEC) and Monmouth (4-4, 3-2 NEC), who currently share third. UAlbany still has a road trip to Duquesne and a home game against Central Connecticut State, but the path to UAlbany's sixth NEC championship starts this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at University Field.

UAlbany Field Hockey Brings Home Three Major America East Conference Awards

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Kristi Troch earned her third straight America East Conference Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Daphne Voormolen was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and Laura Page earned Co-Rookie of the Year honors, as announced by the America East office on Wednesday afternoon. The Great Danes had six total members on the league's all-conference teams, and four student-athletes also earned All-Academic Team honors.

Voormolen, who has 10 goals and three assists, ranks fourth among league leaders in goals, and is sixth in total points with 23, tied with her Co-Player of the Year, Annabelle Hamilton of Maine. Voormolen, a second-team all-conference selection last year, has nine scores in her last 11 games and is UAlbany’s first Offensive Player of the Year since current assistant coach Michelle Simpson, who earned the title in 2006. A business administration and public health major, Voormolen was also named to the All-Academic Team with a 3.53 grade point average.

Troch split Goalkeeper of the Year honors with Boston U.'s Jess Maroney, after leading the league in goals-against average and save percentage, respectively. Troch, who earned the honor for the third straight year, is the first America East field hockey player to win a major award in three straight seasons. She recorded a league-best 1.17 GAA, which also ranks ninth nationally, and five shutouts. Troch was also named to the All-Academic Team, posting a 3.62 GPA in human biology.

Page and Maine's Cassidy Svetek ranked among league leaders in goals and assists, to earn Co-Rookie of the Year honors. Page is second among league leaders with 14 assists and ranks ninth nationally with 0.76 assists per game. She has a goal and six assists in her last four games. She becomes the Great Danes’ second Rookie of the Year in the last three seasons.

Also representing UAlbany on the all-conference first team along with Voormolen and Troch are graduate student Jessica Longstreth and junior Corrine McConville. Both were unanimous selections by the America East coaches after leading UAlbany in scoring. Longstreth and McConville rank third and fourth, respectively, in the league with 28 and 26 total points. Longstreth, who won back-to-back player of the week honors this season, leads the conference with 14 assists, while McConville is fourth among goal scorers with 10.

Senior defender Taylor Luke earns her fourth all-conference award as UAlbany's lone member of the All-Conference Second Team. Luke, who has established herself as one of the best defenders in program history, was also named to the All-Academic Team with a 3.60 GPA in human biology.

Freshman Fiori van Rijswijk also joined Page on the All-Rookie Team after starting 11 of 14 games and scoring one goal. Senior Brianna Schwoyer, another key member of the UAlbany defense, also earned All-Academic Honors, finishing with a 3.97 GPA as a human biology major.

UAlbany Field Hockey Concludes 2012 Regular Season Ranked #21 in the Nation

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany field hockey team concludes the regular season as one of the top teams in the nation, as announced by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association on Tuesday afternoon. The Great Danes have been ranked since the first week of the 2010 season, and come in at #21 on the poll this week.

UAlbany (11-7) sealed up the second seed in the upcoming America East Conference Championship Tournament with a 1-0 win over Vermont in the America East field hockey regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon. Daphne Voormolen scored her ninth goal of the season, as UAlbany outshot Vermont, 31-6, and held a 14-2 advantage in penalty corners. Senior goalkeeper Kristi Troch made four saves in the cage for the Great Danes

The Great Danes will travel to New Hampshire for the America East tournament, and will take on third-seeded Maine on Friday at 5 p.m.

No. 18/20 UAlbany Football Continues To Climb National Ranks

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Improving to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the Northeast Conference over the weekend with a win over Sacred Heart, the University at Albany football team jumped four slots in The Sports Network Top-25 to No. 20 and two spots in the FCS Coaches Poll to No. 18, representing the highest the Great Danes have ever been ranked in both polls in Division I history.

Last week, UAlbany appeared in the pair of Top-25 lists for the second time in program history and first time since 2006. However, this week marks the first time the Great Danes have stayed in both polls for consecutive weeks.

A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the Top 25 for The Sports Network, while the FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the Southern Conference.

No. 18/20 UAlbany looks to keep its five-game win-streak afloat when the Great Danes play host to Wagner College this Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

UAlbany's Ethan Clary Places Fourth Individually at America East Cross Country Championship

DURHAM, N.H. -- Ethan Clary finished fourth individually for UAlbany to lead the Great Danes to a fourth place team finish for the 8.2 kilometer course. Clary covered the course in 25:44.64 to lead UAlbany.

Senior Aliaksandr Leuchanka and sophomore Chris Buchanan placed 10th and 11th, respectively. Leuchanka recorded a time of 25:58.66, while Buchanan was just behind in 25:59.15. Freshman James Sommer was the next UAlbany finisher, coming in 36th overall in 26:46.63. Senior Ryan Florkiewicz wasn't too far behind, placing 41st with a time of 26:59.47.

Senior Craig Weiss placed 49th in a time of 27:14.24. Brandon Camenzuli and Raymond Farinella finished in 55th and 56th, respecitvely. Camenzuli posted a time of 27:28.69, while Farinella crossed the line in 27:40.27. Sophomore John DeLallo rounded out the UAlbany harriers, finishing 65th in 27:57.93.

UAlbany's Brittney Lane Finishes Second at America East Cross Country Championship

DURHAM, N.H. -- Junior Brittany Lane finished second overall at the Ameica East Conference Cross Country Championship today at the University of New Hamphire. Lane recorded a time of 16:44 over the 5,000-meter course, leading the Great Danes to a fourth-place team finish.

Lane's time was the fastest time ever run by a UAlbany student-athlete, and her 2nd place finish is the highest ever by a Great Dane harrier at the conference championship meet. She is the first UAlbany female to run under 17 minutes in a 5k race. As a team, the Great Danes had a five-runner average of 17:47, which is the best ever in UAlbany history.

Senior Miranda McConnell was the second UAlbany finisher, placing 13th overall in 17:23.86. Kathryn Fanning finished in a time of 17:44.94, coming across the line in 23rd. Nicole Gillette came in 35th overall, covering the 5k course in 18:24.16. Melissa Del Rosario and Brianna Service were the next two UAlbany harriers, placing 44th and 49th, respectively.

Brianne Bellon (57th, 19:01.69), Clarie Pettit (61st, 19:08.85), and Amanda Eisenson (75th, 20:12.59) also represented the Great Danes in the league championship race.

UAlbany's Bergeron and C. DeVerna Named To America East All-Conference Team

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - University at Albany women's soccer seniors Shayla Bergeron and Chelsea DeVerna were named to the America East Conference First Team, which were voted on by the conference coaches. This is Bergeron's second time named to an all-conference squad (previously on the second team in 2011). DeVerna is the first Great Dane to have been named to the all-conference team all four years at UAlbany.

Bergeron, a Hudson, N.H. native, had her best season to date as a Great Dane. During her senior campaign, she tallied 11 goals and six assists for a total of 28 points. Her goals and points total were second best in the conference, while her assist totals were tied-for second. The senior forward tallied the program's first two hat tricks, one against UMBC and one against UNC-Asheville. She was named America East Player of the Week twice earlier this season.

DeVerna, a Setauket, N.Y. native, also had her best season of her career at UAlbany. As a senior, she tallied a total of seven goals, one of which was a game-winner against Binghamton on October 4. This is the senior midfielder's fourth time being selected to an all-conference time and was named the America East's Rookie of the Year in 2009.

UAlbany Baseball Coach Jon Mueller To Be Inducted Into Capital District Hall Of Fame

ALBANY, N.Y. -- University at Albany head coach of baseball Jon Mueller has been selected for induction into the Capital District Baseball Hall of Fame. Mueller, along with 24 other distinguished players, coaches and umpires, will make up the organization's second class of inductees. The induction ceremony is set for October 28th at the Hilton Hotel in Troy, N.Y.

Mueller, who enters his 13th season as UAlbany's head coach this year, was already inducted into the Capital District's Basketball Hall of Fame, as well as the Stillwater High School Hall of Fame in the fall of 2008.

The Stillwater, N.Y. native has had proven success as both a player and coach throughout his career. Mueller ranks first among UAlbany's career leaders with 279 coaching victories, and was named the America East Coach of the Year in 2004. Mueller has produced dozens of all-conference standouts and has had six players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft under his direction.

Mueller played professionally in the minor leagues from 1994-2000 in the Northeast and Northern Leagues with the Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs, Adirondack Lumberjacks and Marshall (Minn.) Mallards. A 6-foot-5, 245-pound infielder and designated hitter, Mueller accrued a career .286 batting average with 74 home runs and 318 RBI in seven professional seasons. He led the Northeastern League in homers in 1996 and 1997 with 18 and 20, respectively. In 1999, he helped his team go 20-8 down the stretch to qualify for Northern League playoffs and earned Most Valuable Player honors in the league's championship series. Mueller was also a member of the Albany-Colonie squad that won the 1997 Northeast League Championship and was selected MVP of the 2000 Northern League All-Star Game.

A constant influence in the Capital Region, Mueller also coached at the College of Saint Rose in 1993-94 and was a teacher with Mechanicville City Schools, Saratoga BOCES and the Duanesburg School District. He earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Eckerd College (Fla.) in 1992 and has a master's degree in secondary education from Saint Rose. Mueller and his wife, Patricia, reside in the Capital Region with their daughter, Marley, and son, Jaxon.

Longstreth Scores Twice to Lead #23 UAlbany Field Hockey to 6-1 win over Yale

NEW HAVEN, CONN. - Jessica Longstreth, the reigning America East Conference Player of the Week, scored two goals and added two assists to lead No. 23 UAlbany to a 6-1 win over Yale in non-conference field hockey action on Sunday afternoon.

UAlbany scored four goals on penalty corners, with the first coming just after five minutes into the game, as Kelly Bonner took assists from Laura Page and Longstreth. Eleven minutes later, Longstreth scored her first goal of the game, on an unassisted shot in front of the cage. Nina Walters gave the Great Danes a 3-0 advantage in the 19th minute, on another penalty corner. Corrine McConnville converted her fifth penalty stroke of the season to give UAlbany a four-goal lead at the half.

Yale (4-10) scored to start the second half with a goal from Jessie Accurso at 48:36. Less than a minute later, Daphne Voormolen scored on a corner with assists from Page and Longstreth. The Great Danes finished up the scoring at 66:13 as Longstreth connected on her second goal of the game with a helper from Voormolen.

UAlbany outshot the Bulldogs, 35-3, and held a 16-2 advantage in penalty corners. UAlbany's Kristi Troch played all 70 minutes and made one save. Starter Emily Cain played 58:43 for Yale, making 15 saves. She was relieved by Heather Schlesier, who stopped two shots.

Courtesy: UA Sports

UAlbany Checks in at 23rd on Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll This Week

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany field hockey team remains ranked 23rd in the nation, as announced by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association on Tuesday afternoon. The Great Danes have been ranked since the first week of the 2010 season, and stay at #23 for the second straight week.

UAlbany (8-7) went 2-0 last week, defeating Fairfield, 3-1, in league play before putting a 9-0 defeat of Lehigh into the record books on Sunday. Senior Jessica Longstreth was named the America East Conference Player of the Week for her efforts, as she scored two goals and handed out one assist in the two games.

The Great Danes play back-to-back games this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. UAlbany will play conference rival Maine on Saturday at home before visiting Yale in non-league play on Sunday.

Courtesy: UA Sports

any FCS Football Tied For 22nd In FCS Coaches Poll

ALBANY, N.Y. – For the second straight week, the University at Albany football team is nationally ranked, moving from 24th to 22nd in the FCS Coaches Poll, sharing the slot with Delaware.


The Great Danes moved up two spots after overcoming conference foe Saint Francis, 36-13, in front of UAlbany’s Homecoming crowd Saturday. The Danes’ league-leading offense has been especially potent this fall with an arsenal of weapons to use, including the nation’s top scorer, Drew Smith. The tailback has recorded 15 touchdowns (14 rushing) this season, rushing for three in each of the last three games.

In the program’s FCS era, the No. 22 rank marks UAlbany’s highest position in the Coaches Poll and the first time the Great Danes have been in the Top-25 for consecutive weeks.

UAlbany enters its bye week with a 6-1 overall record and 4-0 mark in the Northeast Conference.

Courtesy: UAlbany

UAlbany FCS Football Rallies To Romp Red Flash, 36-13, On Homecoming

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports

ALBANY, N.Y. - In front of 6,852 fans, marking the third-largest home crowd in program history and largest since 1978, the No. 24 University at Albany football team boosted the energy of the already spirited Homecoming crowd Saturday afternoon with a 36-13 win over the visiting Saint Francis Red Flash.


For the third straight game, senior tailback Drew Smith blasted his way into the end zone three different times, bringing his nation-leading total up to 15 touchdowns this season. Smith carried the ball 19 times in the victory for 75 rushing yards. He also caught three passes, finishing with 51 receiving yards and 126 all-purpose yards.

In addition to Smith, receivers Ryan Kirchner and Cole King also broke the 100 all-purpose yard mark. Kirchner finished with 104 yards, making four catches for 58 receiving yard and also returned three punts for 46 yards. Sophomore Cole King matched his career-high of seven receptions, recording an even 100 yards on the afternoon.

Sophomore Jake Meek had a break-out game, rushing 48 yards from the quarterback position and tallied two touchdowns, including a 38-yard scoring scamper.

Sophomore quarterback Will Fiacchi had another sound game in the pocket, completing 21-of-31 attempts for 255 passing yards.

Defensively, senior Chris Wilk led the squad with eight tackles, including five solo. Justinian Mason and Jon Morgan were also stellar in limiting the league's leading rushing game to 159 yards on the ground with six tackles apiece.

Despite all the purple and gold spirit surrounding University Field, the visitors made the first strike on their first drive of the afternoon. Saint Francis used a steady 10-play, 33-yard drive down the field to set up Josh Thiel's 38-yard field goal at the 10:30 mark in the opening quarter.

After forcing the Great Danes to punt, the Red Flash made it 10-0 heading into the second quarter, as Keion Wade capped a seven-play, 91-yard drive with a 53-yard dash through the defense.

However, the Great Danes battled back on their first drive of the second stanza. Although Kevin Chillis' impressive 57-yard scamper through the secondary was called back due to penalty, the Great Danes still crossed the goal line in the drive on Smith's first touchdown of the game. With 10:01 to go in the first half Smith rushed three yards through the Red Flash's defensive line to put UAlbany within four, 10-6, after a missed extra point.

The Red Flash, however, made the next move, increasing their advantage to seven, 13-6, on Thiel's 44-yard field goal with 4:57 remaining in the half. That would be Saint Francis' last lead of the day.

"All it takes is one good drive and we're back in it," said Smith on the comeback. "There's no other option but to go out and fight. It's not like you can crumble."

With 2:15 to go before the break, Smith finished off the Great Danes' eight-play, 65-yard drive with another three-yard rush into the end zone, tying the ballgame, 13-13.

Forcing the visitors to punt with a minute remaining, UAlbany put itself into field goal position as the clock wound down. From 27-yards out, Sean Kenny booted it through the uprights as time expired, giving the Danes a 16-13 lead at the half.

From there, UAlbany never looked back, scoring 20 unanswered points the rest of the way. For the second consecutive game, the Great Dane defense did not allow the opponent a single score in the second half.

With 8:12 to go in the third quarter, Meek rushed seven yards into the end zone for his first career touchdown, giving UAlbany a 22-13 lead after the blocked extra point.

A Red Flash fumble forced and recovered by senior Ocieka Bakou put the ball back into the hands of the hosts, and the Danes capitalized with Smith rushing 10 yards for his third touchdown of the game.

Leading 29-13, the Great Danes looked to put the game away at the start of the fourth quarter. However, a fumble on the two yard line, as Meek tried to push through for his second score of the game, briefly shifted momentum to Saint Francis.

However, the miscue would turn out to be non-concerning, as UAlbany's consistent defense held off the Red Flash and Meek redeemed himself with a 38-yard scramble down the field and into the end zone for the final points of the day.

The Great Danes enter their bye week alone atop the Northeast Conference standings with a 6-1 overall mark and perfect 4-0 record in the league. UAlbany will resume play on Oct. 27th when they travel to take on Sacred Heart at 1:00 p.m.

UAlbany Remains Lone Undefeated Team in America East Play With 3-1 Win Over New Hampshire

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Sara Pope set a new career-high with 24 kills, while Traci Vandegrift finished with a double-double of 14 kills and 19 digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-1 win over New Hampshire (12-9, AE 4-1) in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at University Gymnasium. With the win, the Great Danes improve to 8-11 overall, and are the only undefeated team left in league play with a 5-0 record.


UAlbany fell to New Hampshire, 25-16, in the first set, but then posted scores of 25-20, 25-22, and 25-20 to earn the four-set victory.

The Wildcats used six kills apiece from Victoria Forrest and Morgan Thatcher to seal up the first set win. Jansan Falcusan handed out 14 assists, pacing New Hampshire to a .351 hitting percentage as a team. Gabby Whitworth recorded three kills on .750 hitting for the Great Danes, but UAlbany hit just .179 as a team, as New Hampshire got four total team blocks.

The Great Danes responded in the second set, as Pope came out swinging hard. The sophomore hit .636 in the set to lead UAlbany with seven kills, while Vandegrift recorded four kills and came up with six digs. Thatcher led New Hampshire with five kills, while Sam Henke and Jessie Schnepp recorded 11 and eight digs, respectively.

UAlbany came out firing once again in the third, as Pope finished eight of the Great Danes' 14 kills in the set. UAlbany got back on the blocks as well, getting four total, led by three assists each by Vandegrift and Alberte Bjornsson. Forrest led New Hampshire with five kills, but the Wildcats had just one total block, giving the Great Danes control at the net.

The duo of Pope and Vandegrift kept rolling for UAlbany in the final set, as the two each recorded six kills. Pope showed why she was named the America East Player of the Week, as she hit .556 in the set, thanks in part to strong setting by Whitworth, who handed out 17 assists. New Hampshire tried to find a rotation that would pull them back into the match, using several different players, including Abigail Brinkman, who led the Wildcats with three kills. However, strong defensive play by the Great Danes held out, and UAlbany sealed up the victory.

Pope finished with a .467 hitting percentage in the match to lead all players. Whitworth, the reigning Setter of the Week in the conference, handed out 47 assists and also recorded 14 kills and nine digs. Viktoriia Stroilo recorded 29 digs, while Kathleen Horvath also played well in the back row, coming up with 12 digs.

UAlbany will return to action on Sunday, visiting Providence in America East Conference action, starting at 2 p.m.

UAlbany FCS Football's Coach Ford To Be Inducted Into Springfield College Hall Of Fame Saturday

Springfield, Mass. -- Six new deserving members will be inducted into the Springfield College Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 13, with none more worthy than current University at Albany head coach of football Bob Ford. After the Great Danes’ game against Saint Francis (Pa.), Coach Ford will travel to his alma mater and join William K. "Bill" Anttila '42, Paul M. Daly '82, Robert "Rob" Lasorsa '82, Lindsay Moore '03, and Angel (Schofield) Ayers '93, in becoming Springfield’s 41st inducted class.


“Humbled and elated were the emotions that followed the phone call indicating that I had been named as an inductee to the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame,” said Ford. “Having a bachelors and a doctorate degree from Springfield and having served two separate stints on its faculty, I have a deep felt appreciation for the institution’s message and what it tries to instill in young people.”

Ford served as a starting quarterback in 1959 at Springfield College, where he earned his undergraduate degree in physical education. That same year, SC’s athletic department bestowed upon Ford “The Greatest Desire to Improve Award.” Ford would twice return to Springfield College as an assistant coach – in 1964 as the secondary coach, and in 1969 as its defensive coordinator. He later earned his doctorate from Springfield in physical education in 1970.

At one time, Ford was the youngest head football coach in the nation, when the 26-year-old took over the reins at St. Lawrence University in 1965. In his first season, he guided the Saints to an Independent Collegiate Athletic Conference (ICAC) title. He arrived in the Capital Region five years later to start the first gridiron squad at the University since 1924.

Ford, who has been UAlbany’s only head coach since the program was reinstated after a 46-year absence, was appointed on April 27, 1970. Since then, he has compiled a 40-year varsity record of 251-157 as the Great Dane mentor, while his 260 career victories rank first among active NCAA Division I college football head coaches.

Ford, 75, is a four-time Northeast Conference Coach of the Year and was a 1986 inductee into the Wachusett Regional High School Hall of Fame.

Currently with a 5-1 overall record and 3-0 mark in the NEC, Ford will lead the Great Danes in battle against Saint Francis prior to celebrating his induction Saturday. Kickoff at University Field is at 1:00 p.m.

Great Dane Field Hockey Comes in at 23rd on National Poll This Week

Courtesy: UA Sports

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany field hockey team remains among the top-25 Division I programs in the nation, as announced by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association on Tuesday afternoon. The Great Danes, who have been ranked since the first week of the 2010 season, dropped one spot to 23rd this week.


UAlbany (7-7) went 1-1 last week, falling to New Hampshire, who moved up to #20 in the rankings in America East Conference action. The Great Danes then posted a 2-0 win over non-conference opponent Columbia on Sunday.

The Great Danes will visit league foe Fairfield on Friday at 3 p.m., before welcoming Patriot League opponent Lehigh to Alumni Turf Field on Sunday at 2 p.m.

UAlbany Football Ranked 24th In FCS Coaches Poll

ALBANY, N.Y. -- With a 5-1 record and 3-0 mark in Northeast Conference play this fall, the University at Albany football team cracked into the Top-25 in the FCS Coaches Poll Monday, ranking 24th in the nation, after receiving votes through the first five weeks of the season.


Undefeated in conference play and on a three-game win-streak, the Great Danes are off to their best start since 2001 and have been completely dominant in their victories. Averaging a league-best 35.8 points per game, UAlbany's five wins have been by no less than a 10-point margin and by as high as 31 points, while the only loss was by a touchdown to a top-10 ranked Youngstown State team.

Besides finishing 2011 ranked 23rd in the Coaches Poll, the last time the Great Danes were ranked in the regular season was 2006 when UAlbany overcame No. 11 Delaware and No. 23 Central Connecticut State in weeks three and four, respectively. Heading into Week 5 of '06, UAlbany earned a No. 23 rank in both the Coaches and The Sports Network Top-25 polls.

The Great Danes, led by Head Coach Bob Ford in his 40th varsity season, are back in action Saturday, hosting Saint Francis (Pa.) for Homecoming. Kickoff at University Field is at 1:00 p.m. The game will be aired live on Time Warner in the Capital Region.


Week Six Poll - October 8, 2012

Team (No. 1 Votes) 2012 Record Points Previous Ranking

1. North Dakota State (26) 5-0 650 1

2. Montana State 6-0 622 2

3. Old Dominion 5-0 594 4

4. Wofford 5-0 558 5

5. James Madison 4-1 526 6

6. Eastern Washington 4-1 524 7

7. Georgia Southern 4-1 484 8

8. Sam Houston State 3-2 449 9

9. Youngstown State 4-1 441 3

10. Lehigh 6-0 424 10

11. Stony Brook 5-1 374 13

12. Appalachian State 4-2 340 14

13. New Hampshire 4-2 304 17

14. Cal Poly 5-0 284 19

15. McNeese State 4-1 251 18

16. Illinois State 5-1 236 11

17. Central Arkansas 4-2 201 20

18. Northern Arizona 4-1 195 21

19. Towson 2-3 193 12

20. Tennessee State 6-0 170 24

21. Harvard 4-0 144 23

22. Delaware 4-2 114 15

23. Eastern Kentucky 4-2 86 16

24. Albany 5-1 73 NR

25. Alabama A&M 6-0 40 NR

Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota State (29), Samford (28), Northern Iowa (26), The Citadel (22), Montana (19), Jacksonville State (16), Indiana State (10), Maine (9), UT Martin (6), Bethune-Cookman (2), Sacramento State (2).

#22 UAlbany Field Hockey Defeats Columbia, 2-0, in Non-Conference Action

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Corrine McConville converted her third penalty stroke attempt of the season to lead #22 UAlbany to a 2-0 win over Columbia in non-conference field hockey action on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Turf Field. The Great Danes improve to 6-7 on the season, while Columbia falls to 7-4.

UAlbany scored early to set the tone in the game, converting a penalty corner attempt at 6:10 of the first half. Jessica Longstreth passed the ball out to Laura Page, who set up the shot for Daphne Voormolen, straight into the back of the cage. The Great Danes held onto the one-goal lead for the remainder of the half, with goalkeeper Kristi Troch stopping both of Columbia's shots on goal. McConville coverted a penalty stroke opportunity, to go 3-of-3 on the season, in the 50th minute to give the Great Danes their 2-0 score.

UAlbany outshot Columbia, 6-4, and held a 5-1 advantage in penalty corners. Troch made three saves in the game - her second shutout of the season, while the Lions' Kimberly Pianucci recorded three saves in a complete-game performance.

The Great Danes will return to action on Friday, visiting America East Conference opponent Fairfield at 3 p.m.

UAlbany FCS Football's Kirchner Breaks Receptions Record In 31-14 Win At Bryant

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - For the past two seasons, Bryant seemed to be the University at Albany's kryptonite, but that all changed Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium, as the Great Danes won the dogfight, 31-14. After a suspect first half, UAlbany rebounded to score the final 24 points of the contest in front of a national television audience and improved its record to 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in Northeast Conference play.

Recording seven receptions for 103 yards in the win, senior wide receiver Ryan Kirchner became the all-time receptions leader at UAlbany, breaking Tim Bush's record of 147. Still with five games remaining in the regular season, Kirchner has 149 career catches.

“Tim’s a good friend of mine. To be up there with him is an absolute honor,” said Kirchner. “I’m proud of it, but we still have some business to take care of. We’ve got to get another ring here.”

In addition, fellow senior Drew Smith continued to prove himself as one of the best players in Great Danes history as he logged 100-plus all-purpose yards for the 23rd time in his career. Smith finished the day with a 104 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Sophomore Will Fiacchi continued to impress in his first year as starting quarterback, as he totaled a career-high 262 passing yards, completing 23-of-34 pass attempts to keep the Great Danes perfect in league play.

Defensively, Jon Morgan and Kyle Jordan led the squad with five tackles apiece, while Tim Kologrivov added three, including two for a loss. Justinian Mason had the key play of the game; picking off a pass and running the interception back 75 yards for a touchdown.

Defense was the name of the game in the first quarter, as neither team could get into an offensive flow. The score stood, 0-0, heading into the second stanza. In the new quarter, the Great Danes struck first when Smith capped an eight-play, 37-yard drive with a three-yard rush up the middle and across the goal line with 6:59 remaining in the half.

However, the Bulldogs (0-6, 0-4 NEC) turned the tides on their next possession, marching 62 yards down the gridiron. Mike Westerhouse connected with Jordan Harris for a 12-yard touchdown pass at the 3:14 mark.

Just 11 seconds later the Bulldogs broke the 7-7 stalemate, as Robert Rutland intercepted Fiacchi's pass - the first play of UAlbany's drive - and Bryant used some trickery to go up by seven. Wide receiver Jordan Harris received a lateral and tossed an 18-yard pass to a wide-open Robert Ingebretsen on the right side of the end zone.

Trailing 14-7 at the half, things still looked gloomy out of the break, as the Great Danes were forced to punt, fumbled the ball, and missed a field goal, in the first five minutes of the half.

But, the first-place Great Danes did not roll over. UAlbany used a steady nine-play, 64-yard drive, capped by Smith's 1-yard blast across the goal line to tie the ballgame, 14-14.

UAlbany played spoilers on the Bulldogs next drive, as Bryant's Westerhouse tried to throw the ball away as he was being sacked, and Mason snagged the pigskin. He scampered 75-yards down the sideline to give UAlbany the lead for good, 21-14, with 1:19 remaining in the third quarter.

Not only did the Mason's play put the lead into the Great Danes' hands, it also silenced the Bulldogs' crowd of 1,219, limiting the home field advantage.

In the fourth quarter, Smith continued to power through the defense at will. He made the score 28-14 on his third touchdown of the game, rushing two yards into the end zone, finishing a seven-play, 62-yard drive.

With 4:02 left in the contest, kicker Sean Kenny made the last statement with a 35-yard field goal in tough wind conditions. Kenny had missed his three prior attempts, but finished the day on a high note.

The Great Danes are back in action next Saturday when they welcome Saint Francis (Pa.) to University Field for Homecoming Weekend. The NEC game will kickoff at 1:00 p.m.

Former UAlbany Men's Lacrosse Star Joe Resetarits Chosen Sixth Overall in NLL Draft

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Former UAlbany men's lacrosse standout Joe Resetarits was chosen sixth overall at the 2012 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft by the Calgary Roughnecks, at the Toronto Westin Harbour Castle on Monday night.
It is not Resetarits' first run in professional lacrosse, as he helped lead the Brampton Excelsiors of the Major Series Lacrosse League (MSL) to the Mann Cup in 2011. During the 2012 MSL season, Resetarits was tied with the team lead in scoring with 28 points (18g,10a) over 12 games. He has also proved himself in the post-season, tallying 15 goals and eight assists over the 2011 Mann Cup championship run.

After leading the Great Danes to the America East Championship game as a senior, Resetarits was named a USILA Division I Honorable Mention All-American. Resetarits led UAlbany and the America East in scoring in 2012, tallying 47 goals and 19 assists for 66 total points. Resetarits scored a goal in every game in his career, running his streak to 50 consecutive games, ending with a tally in the America East Championship game this season.

Resetarits was named the America East Conference Player of the Year last spring, and wrapped up his career with 27 hat tricks, which led all active players in 2012. Resetarits, who finished his career with 170 total points, was drafted by the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse, and joined the team for its home opener on May 18

#23 UAlbany Field Hockey Defeats #25 Louisville, 3-1

Courtesy: UAlbany Athletics

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Jessica Longstreth scored the gamewinner, and also added an assist to lead #23 UAlbany to a 3-1 victory over #25 Louisville in non-conference field hockey action on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Turf Field. The Great Danes improve to 5-6 on the season.

The two teams played a scoreless first half before UAlbany got on the board just two minutes into the second half. Brianna Schwoyer crossed the ball in front of the cage where Kelly Bonner got tipped the ball behind Louisville goalkeeper Erin Conrad. The Great Danes doubled their score in the 55th minute, as Longstreth picked up a rebound off Corinne McConville's initial shot on a penalty corner and connected for a goal.

UAlbany took a 3-0 lead at 60:25 when Voormolen hit a hard shot from the left top of the circle on a penalty corner. Longstreth passed the ball directly to Voormolen, who connected for the score. Louisville tried to rally, getting on the board a minute later on a goal from Amber Thomas, with an assist to Alyssa Voelmle. The Great Dane defense held on, despite several late penalty corners for the Cardinals, defeating the 25th ranked team in the country for the second week in a row.

The Great Danes continued to control the stats sheet, outshooting Louisville, 22-7, and holding a 13-5 advantage in penalty corners. UAlbany goalkeeper Kristi Troch made two saves in a complete-game effort, while Conrad stopped 11 shots for Louisville (7-5).

UAlbany FCS Football Hammers Monmouth Hawks, 55-24, In Program's 250th Win

ALBANY, N.Y. - The University at Albany football team proved once again its readiness to play at the next level Saturday afternoon at University Field, as the Great Danes earned a commanding, 55-24, victory over the visiting Monmouth University Hawks. With the varsity program's 250th win, UAlbany improved to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Northeast Conference. Monmouth dropped to 3-2 and was handed its first league loss of the fall (2-1).

"I think we played, at times, absolutely lights out. As good as we could play," said Head Coach Bob Ford.

Combining for 263 rushing yards, senior Drew Smith piloted the ground game with 109 rushing yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns in the victory. Kevin Chillis averaged 28.7 yards per carry, as he totaled 86 yards and a touchdown on three carries. Likewise, Presley Beauvais handled the ball three times, contributing a 67-yard touchdown run. All three Great Dane players single-handedly out-rushed the Monmouth team as a whole, as the Hawks managed just 53 rushing yards against the UAlbany defense.

Quarterback Will Fiacchi recorded his third 200-plus yard passing game this season, as he completed 16-of-30 attempts for 248 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Ryan Kirchner was the go-to man of the afternoon, hauling in five passes for 121 yards and a score. With 142 receptions, he is now just five catches away from tying the program career receptions record. Chillis was also key in the passing game, with twocatches and a touchdown for a 52receiving yards. The junior from Buffalo, N.Y. totaled a career-high 196 all-purpose yards in the victory.

As a whole, the UAlbany offense was outstanding, going 11-for-18 on third-down conversions and 1-for-1 on fourth-downs. "That's phenomenal," Coach Ford commented. "Against that defense, that's phenomenal. I give Ryan McCarthy and our offensive staff and Mike Simpson and our defensive staff a lot of credit. I think we're well prepared going into ball games and it shows."

Defensively, the Great Danes stepped up to the challenge of facing the NEC's top offensive team on paper. Not only did the UAlbany defense hold the Hawks to 53 yards on the ground, they disrupted the passing game with three interceptions. Senior Jon Morgan led the team with seven tackles, including six solo, while also breaking up two passes. Chris Wilk brought down five, as Dean Mercuris, Jake Dwyer, and Tramaine Wilson recorded picks and ran for over 10 yards each.

On their first drive of the afternoon, the bus ride up from Jersey seemed to have no effect, as the Hawks took a quick 7-0 lead, following a 12-play, 82-yard drive down the gridiron. However, that would be the last lead for Monmouth the rest of the way.

What looked like a quick three-and-out turned out to be the turning point of the game. With fourth-and-10 on the 23-yard line, Coach Ford called for a fake punt, resulting in Chillis running for 77 yards into the end zone.

“I thought we could (convert)," said Ford when questioned on the spectacular and surprising play call. "And because I’m 75-years-old and I can call anything I want to call.”

With the game tied, 7-7, after Sean Kenny's kick, the Danes' defense forced the Hawks to punt. On the very first play of the drive, Fiacchi passed to Kirchner down the left sideline, and the Rumson, N.J. native legged out an 81-yard touchdown to give UAlbany the lead for good.

With 1:27 to go in the first quarter, Smith gave the Great Danes a 21-7 advantage, following a 61-yard rushing touchdown past the Hawk's secondary.

The pace slowed slightly in the second quarter, as both squads traded field goals, starting with Kenny's 18-yarder at the 8:47 mark. On their next drive, Monmouth's kicker, Eric Spillane, responded with one of his own from 38 yards out, making the score 24-10.

Out of the halftime break, UAlbany struck first, with Smith's four-yard rush across the goal line with 11:08 on the clock. After Wilson's interception put the ball back into the hands of the host team, the Great Danes widened the gap with Kenny's 49-yard field goal. Not only was it a career-best for the reigning NEC Special Teams Player of the Week, but it also tied for the second-longest made field goal all-time at UAlbany.

Despite trailing by 24 points mid-way through the third quarter, the Hawks did not go silently. Monmouth quarterback Kyle Frazier completed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Neal Sterling and on the kickoff following the score, the Hawks forced and recovered the Great Danes' fumble, putting the ball right back into their hands. The Hawks capitalized and made it a 10-point game, 34-24, heading into the fourth quarter.

However, mirroring the first period, UAlbany put 21 points up on the board in the final stanza, while the defense shut out the visitors. It only took one play for the Great Danes to end the drought, as Fiacchi connected a 44-yard pass to Chillis who accelerated out of the Hawks' reach.

Defensive end Dean Mercuris quickly gave the Danes possession once again, snagging the ball off the line and ran 17 yards before being brought down at midfield. Smith entered the end zone for the third time, capping the 11-play, 53-yard drive with a seven yard explosive run up the middle, doubling up the Hawks, 48-24, with 7:20 on the clock.

With just under a minute and a half to go in the game, Beauvais, a redshirt freshman, recorded his first career touchdown, breaking away with a 67-yard scamper to give UAlbany their last points of the day.