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University of Albany Men's Basketball & Jacob Iati's Career Night Sinks Navy, 71-61, On Friday - UAlbany Sports 2012

Annapolis, Md.- Senior guard Jacob Iati goes off for a career high 26 points to lead UAlbany over Navy, 71-61, on Friday, Dec. 28 at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Md. The 10th non-conference win for the Great Danes is the most wins before conference play in the Division I era. "I knew he would play well because he is from York, Pa. and anytime we play in the state of Maryland, it seems like half of York Pa. shows up in support for the Iatis," said head coach Will Brown on Iati's career night. The Great Danes were paced by Iati's 26 points on 6-of-11 shooting from behind the arc. Junior forward Luke Devlin, who has had a rough start to the season, found his rhythm tonight with 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor and Sam Rowley complimented with seven points and seven rebounds. With the score tied 11 all, UAlbany got its offense going with a 12-0 run that was sparked by three three-pointers, two by Iati and one Hooley. The Great Danes led 23-11 with 7:00 minutes remaining in the half. Navy put UAlbany in foul trouble and hit three of four free throws cut the deficit to six, 25-19, with 3:05 left in the first. Then a Chris Page three pointer followed by a Iati three and two made free throws along with a Luke Devlin jumper, put UAlbany back up to a double-digit lead of 11, 35-24, with 41 seconds left. Page, on the defensive side, swatted a shot then stole pass to hold the Midshipmen to 24 at their final possession. The Great Danes opened up the second half on a 14-7 run to extend their lead to the largest of the game (19), 50-31, with 15:04 remaining. Rowley capped the run with a three-point play. However, Navy did not let up, going on a 10-1 run to cut the deficit to six, 51-45, with 7:29 left in the game. The Midshipmen's Brandon Venturini hit two threes during the run to cut the deficit to the closest that Navy came during the remainder of the contest. UAlbany put its foot on the gas to put Navy away by going on a 20-8 run in a seven minute stretch, 71-53. Devlin sparked the run, scoring 11 of his 13 total points. The Great Danes shot 41.7 percent (10-24) from behind the arc and out rebounded Navy, 33-29. "We did a great job defensively in the first half but got in foul trouble as a team early and gave 18 free-throw attempts that kept Navy in the game. Then in the second we got a little lazy and they made shots, but we weathered the storm and finished strong to win the game," mentioned Coach Brown about the Great Danes 10th win of the season. The Great Danes head back to Albany for its final non-conference game before America East play against Brown on Monday, Dec. 31. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Henry and Richards combine for 35 points as UAlbany Defeats Canisius in Beach Classic Win

LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- California native Ebone Henry continued her strong homecoming as the University at Albany women's basketball team triumphed over Canisius in the third place game of the Long Beach Classic, 67-47. Coming off a career-high 29 points the night before, the senior guard led all scorers with 20 points. The Great Danes finished the tournament 1-1 and defeated the Griffs for the second time this season. After a 6-6 start, UAlbany went on a 14-3 run, holding Canisius scoreless for nearly five minutes. Three straight buckets by freshman Shreesha Richards gave the Great Danes an early double-digit lead, 20-9, with 9:58 remaining in the first half. The Great Danes continued to add to their lead. With 4:13 to go in the first, UAlbany extended their advantage to 17, 30-13. As Canisius attempted to chip away with a five-point run of their own, back-to-back three's by Henry and guard Margarita Rosario put the margin back to 16, 38-22, at half. UAlbany controlled both the boards and ball through 20 minutes. They outrebounded the Griffs 23-14 and had nine steals to Canisius' 0. Henry continued on her scoring spree, ending the first half with a game-high 13 points. Another early run by the Great Danes built their lead into the second half. UAlbany went on a 12-2 run, blowing the game open, 53-31 with 14:04 to go. Richards continued to add to her point total with six points over the span. Richards and Henry led UAlbany to the final buzzer as they rolled over Canisius down the stretch, winning 67-47. The two combined for 35 points. Richards scored 15 points with a career-high seven steals. The Great Danes dominated nearly every statistical category. These included steals: 14-3, turnovers: 19-12, and rebounds: 46-36. They shot 76.5 percent (13-17) from the free throw line and 39.1 percent from the field (25-64). "This was a great tournament for Ebone, coming home to California," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who has guided the Great Danes to their best-ever Division I start. "She played hard. I thought Ebone, Shereesha [Richards] and Julie [Forster] took over this game. Overall, we leave Long Beach feeling strong." Tonight concluded the Great Danes non-conference schedule for 2012-13. They will enjoy the holiday break before getting back to action Jan. 2 against America East opponent UMBC. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. at RAC Arena.

University of Albany's Men's Basketball's Mike Black Nominated For 2012-13 Bob Cousy Award

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.- Senior guard Mike Black has been nominated by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a 2013 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award nominee on Thursday, Dec. 20. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in men's college basketball. Over 80 candidates have been nominated for the 2013 Bob Cousy Award. Black has had successful career through his first three seasons at the University at Albany. He has been honored as a member of the America East Conference All-Rookie Team in 2009-10, All-Conference Third Team in 2010-11, and an All-Conference Second Team in 2011-12. This season, the Chicago Ill. native was picked as a 2012-13 Preseason All-Conference nominee by the America East and has proven as a worthy candidate through the first 11 games. The senior captain guard is averaging his highest point total (17.5 points per game) to begin the season and has helped lead the Great Danes to their best 11-game start (9-2) since entering Division I. Currently, Black is among the best in scoring nationally with a ranking of 76th. This watch list of candidates will be narrowed down to a final 20 around January 1st, final 10 near February 1st, and final five by approximately March 1st. A premier Selection Committee has been appointed by the Hall of Fame to review the final five candidates in contention for the nation's top collegiate point guard award. These Hall of Fame committees are made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Sports Information Directors and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2013 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the Hall of Fame's Class Announcement on Championship Monday in Atlanta as part of NCAA Final Four weekend. Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award have included Jameer Nelson (St. Joseph's), Raymond Felton (North Carolina), Dee Brown (Illinois), Acie Law (Texas A & M), DJ Augustin (Texas), Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland), Kemba Walker (Connecticut) and last year's recipient Kendall Marshall (North Carolina). For more information on the 2013 Bob Cousy, log onto www.CousyAward.com.

University of Albany Football Announces Inaugural CAA Season Schedule -- Season Tickets On Sale Now

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany football program has announced its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) schedule for 2013. After wrapping up a 14-year tenure in the Northeast Conference with six championships, including a share of the title in 2012, the Great Danes will play their first season in the CAA next fall. Along with the Great Danes, Stony Brook will also be an addition to CAA Football for next season, joining current members Delaware, James Madison, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond, Towson, Villanova, and William & Mary. The CAA has proven to be one of the strongest and well respected conferences at the FCS level, as nine of the 11 teams competing in 2013 were ranked in the nation's top-25 last fall. In addition, CAA Football has produced two national championship teams, four national championship game appearances, eight semifinal appearances and more than 30 postseason wins since 2007. In the past, UAlbany has had success over CAA members, having tallied a 7-5 all-time record. The Great Danes have previously faced Delaware (1-1), Maine (4-2), Towson (2-1) and New Hampshire (0-1). UAlbany will also have an opportunity to expand on its rivalry with Stony Brook, having played the Seawolves 15 times in the past, accruing a record of 10-5 all-time. UAlbany will clash with eight of the conferences' 11 teams next fall, kicking off the league slate Saturday, Sept. 14th against Rhode Island. The home-opener will also mark the program's first game at Bob Ford Field, a brand new 8,500 seat stadium. The Danes will travel to James Madison on Oct. 5th and Delaware on Oct. 12th, before returning home Oct. 19th to host Towson. UAlbany will then hit the road to battle Richmond, the reigning CAA co-champions, on Nov. 2nd. The following two weekends, the Great Danes will have the home field advantage, welcoming Maine Nov. 9th and 2012 NCAA Tournament participant New Hampshire Nov. 16th to the Capital Region. UAlbany will close the 2013 regular season Nov. 23rd at rival Stony Brook, who has made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the last two seasons. Football season tickets for 2013 are on sale now! Season tickets are available in three price options, beginning with the premium Gold Club seating. Gold Club is offered to UAlbany Athletic Department donors of $1,000 or more. Those seats are located on the lower level of the stadium between the 30-yard lines and can be purchased for $140 per season ticket plus a deposit on the donation. The second option is the lower level reserved seating, located from the 10- to the 30-yard lines and can be purchased for $100 per season ticket. Lastly, upper level reserved seats are available for $75 per season ticket. Individual game tickets will go on sale August 1, 2013. Ticket prices for individual games will start at $15. Student tickets will remain free to all enrolled UAlbany students, with seating in both the lower and upper levels. Student tickets will be available at the start of the Fall 2013 semester. For more information or to order season tickets, call the UAlbany Athletics Box Office at (518) 442-DANE. UALBANY FOOTBALL 2013 CAA SCHEDULE Sept. 14 Home vs. Rhode Island Oct. 5 Away at James Madison Oct. 12 Away at Delaware Oct. 19 Home vs. Towson Nov. 2 Away at Richmond Nov. 9 Home vs. Maine Nov. 16 Home vs. New Hampshire Nov. 23 Away at Stony Brook UAlbany’s non-conference schedule will be announced at a later date.

University of Albany's Sean Kenny has been selected to compete in the 17th Annual All American Bowl

ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany senior kicker Sean Kenny has been selected to compete in the 17th Annual All American Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 22nd at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The All American Bowl was founded in 1996 to give college seniors and semi-pro free agents the opportunity to compete against the best at their level in an all-star game setting. The participants in the All American Bowls have been nominated for their outstanding performances throughout the season, their accomplished career, and for a chance to be noticed. This fall, Kenny appeared in all 11 of UAlbany’s contests en route to a share of the Northeast Conference title, while leading the NEC with 79 points on the season. Kenny made 11-of-17 field goals, including a perfect 3-for-3 night at No. 23 Maine (9/22), tying a program record for field goals in a game. The performance earned him the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week honor. The Ghent, N.Y. native also made the second-longest field goal in program history, doing so against Monmouth (9/29) with his career-long 49-yarder. Kenny was successful in 46-of-49 point-after kicks and set a single-game record, making 9-of-9 PAT’s versus Central Connecticut State (11/17). On kickoffs, the senior averaged 60.2 yards per kickoff with two touchbacks on the season.

UAlbany Women’s Basketball Defeats Delaware State, 79-57; Extends Win Streak to Six

DOVER, DEL. - With four players in double-digit scoring figures, led by Shereesha Richards with 16 points, UAlbany extended its win streak to six games, defeating Delaware State, 79-57, in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday evening at Memorial Hall. The Great Danes improve to 8-2 on the season, while the Hornets fall to 2-6. Delaware State scored the first six points of the game before UAlbany broke onto the scoreboard with a 3-pointer from Ebone Henry from the left side of the arc. The Great Danes tied the game at 17:20 as Julie Forster dished the ball to Keyana Williams under the hoop. However, the Hornets built up a 14-7 advantage with 14:39 to play on three consecutive baskets. UAlbany ended the second 6-0 run with a layup by Forster at 14:12. The teams exchanged baskets, before Megan Craig and Richards sparked the Great Danes with back-to-back buckets. UAlbany's Sarah Royals then tied the game at 20-20 with a 3-pointer from the right side. The Great Danes took their first lead of the game on the next possession, getting a trey from Lindsey Lowrie at 10:45. Lowrie nailed her second long-range shot of the night at 7:10 to push the UAlbany lead to 30-24, before Craig got a put-back to fall to put the Great Danes ahead by eight. UAlbany continued to roll through the half, using the usual stifling defense to induce several Delaware State fouls and turnovers. The Great Danes used five good free throws to end the half - two from Forster and three from Margarita Rosario - to hold a 40-32 advantage at the break. The Great Danes scored the first points of the second half to hold their biggest lead of the game, and followed a single free throw by DSU's Tierra Hawkins with a 3-pointer by Lowrie to extend the advantage to 45-33 after less than a minute of action. Lowrie then recorded a steal and passed ahead to Henry, who converted the layup to spur the Hornets to take an early timeout. UAlbany outscored the Hornets, 24-5, to start the second half before Kianna D'Oliveira nailed two free throws and then hit a layup to pull Delaware State back within 68-41. The Great Danes did not slow down, however, and built up a 75-54 lead before the final media timeout of the game. Richards then scored the final points of the game, and recorded a steal in the waning seconds to seal up the win. "The first half was sluggish," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team has won its last six games by an average of 24.7 points. "In the second half, we adjusted, changed our press, and got into the flow of what we needed to do offensively. Shereesha [Richards] had another great game - she is a great spark off the bench." Delaware State got 10 points from Jade Washington, while Tierra Hawkins and Uchechi Ahaiwe added nine apiece. The Hornets shot 45.5 percent (20-44) from the field, while committing 28 turnovers. After Richards, who also recorded a team-high eight rebounds the Great Danes got 15 points from Lowrie, all from beyond the 3-point line. Megan Craig finished with 13 points and seven boards, while Ebone Henry netted 10 points. UAlbany shot 47.5 percent (28-59) from the floor, and hit eight 3-pointers, while also recording 13 steals.

University of Albany Men's Basketball Jumps Three Spots To 22nd In Mid-Major Poll

ALBANY, N.Y. - Going 2-0 this past week and stringing along five straight wins up to this point, the University at Albany men's basketball team jumped up three spots in the Top-25 College Insider Mid-Major poll to No. 22. This is the highest ranking in-season the Great Danes have received since entering Division I in 1999-2000.

Leading the Great Danes are the senior guard duo of Mike Black and Jacob Iati. The tandem have combined for 33.2 points per game, which is the highest scoring combo in the America East Conference. Iati's success has come from behind the arc, tallying 34 three-pointers in 10 games which is 5th best in the nation. Black has a team-best 17.4 points per game and shooting 47.0 percent (55-117).

As a team, UAlbany has been one of the nation's best shooting teams. Through 10 games this season, the Great Danes are shooting 45.8 percent from the floor (85th in the nation), 73.4 percent from the free-throw line (62nd in the nation) and 40.0 percent from behind the arc (21st in the nation).

UAlbany's five-game winning streak are its best streak since the 2008-09 season. The Great Danes will shoot for their best streak of eight-straight games against non-conference foes South Carolina State (Wed. Dec.,8), Quinnipiac (Fri. Dec. 21), and Navy (Fri. Dec. 28).

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse Announces 2013 Schedule

ALBANY, N.Y. -- University at Albany head coach Scott Marr released the men's lacrosse schedule for the 2013 season on Tuesday afternoon. The Great Danes, who are pursuing their fifth America East Conference Championship, will play a 15-game schedule, including five home games and five America East contests. UAlbany will prep for the upcoming season with two scrimmages against Colgate (Feb. 2) and Cornell (Feb. 9), before kicking off the regular season. "Once again we have challenged our players with a tremendous schedule," said Marr, who is entering his 13th season at the helm of the UAlbany program. "We are looking forward to competing against some of the most storied programs in the game as well as competing against a very balanced conference." UAlbany, which advanced to the America East Championship game last season, will start 2013 with two road games, kicking off the schedule with the annual matchup against Syracuse (Feb. 16) at the Carrier Dome. The Great Danes will then visit Drexel (Feb. 23), before coming home for back-to-back games at John Fallon Field. Yale will visit the Capital Region on March 2, while UAlbany will host Massachusetts on March 5. The Great Danes, who play six teams who made an NCAA Tournament appearance last season, will head back on the road to Canisius (March 9) and Bryant (March 16) before hosting Patriot League opponent Bucknell (March 23). UAlbany will wrap up the month of March on the road, playing Harvard (March 26) in Cambridge, and starting conference play at Binghamton (March 30). The Great Danes will play their annual matchup with powerhouse Johns Hopkins (April 5) in Baltimore, televised on ESPNU. UAlbany will then face three straight America East foes, hosting Hartford (April 7), and UMBC (April 20), while also visiting Vermont on April 13. At the home finale on April 20, the Great Danes will honor the 2013 seniors, as well as the 10-year anniversary of the first America East Championship team. The 2003 squad was the first UAlbany team to make an NCAA appearance at the Division I level. The crosstown rivalry with Siena continues in Loudonville on April 23, before the team visits Stony Brook to close out the regular season on April 27. The America East Men's Lacrosse Championship will be hosted by Stony Brook at LaValle Stadium in 2013. The Semifinals will take place on Thursday, May 2, while the Championship will be on Sunday, May 5. Selections for the 2013 NCAA Tournament will follow on Sunday, May 5 with first round competition in the tournament opening on Saturday, May 11. 2013 University at Albany Men's Lacrosse Schedule February: 2 (Sat.) Colgate (Scrimmage), 1 pm 9 (Sat.) @ Cornell (Scrimmage), 1 pm 16 (Sat.) @ Syracuse, 2 pm 23 (Sat.) @ Drexel, 1 pm March: 2 (Sat.) Yale, 12 pm 5 (Tues.) Massachusetts, 3 pm 9 (Sat.) @ Canisius,1 pm 16 (Sat.) @ Bryant, 1 pm 23 (Sat.) Bucknell, 1 pm 26 (Tues.) @ Harvard, 7 pm 30 (Sat.) @ Binghamton*, 3 pm April: 5 (Fri.) @ Johns Hopkins, 7 pm (ESPNU) 7 (Sun.) Hartford*, 2 pm 13 (Sat.) @ Vermont*, 1 pm 20 (Sat.) UMBC*, 1 pm 23 (Tues.) @ Siena, 4 pm 27 (Sat.) @ Stony Brook*, 7 pm May: 2 (Thurs.) America East Semifinals, TBA 5 (Sun.) America East Championship, TBA *America East Conference opponent

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany baseball program, led by head coach Jon Mueller in his 13th year at the helm, has announced a 54-game slate for the 2013 season. The Great Danes will play 13 games against teams that made NCAA Tournament appearances a year ago, including SEC powerhouse South Carolina, who won the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 2010 and 2011, and finished 2012 as the nation’s runner-up. “This schedule will prepare our team for the very challenging America East Conference,” said Coach Mueller. “It is our hope and primary goal to challenge our team early and establish roles before we enter our conference slate.” UAlbany will play its first 18 games on the road, kicking off the season February 15-17th in Cary, N.C. at Wright State’s USA Baseball Complex Classic. The Great Danes will play single games against Canisius, last year’s MAAC runner-up, Mid-American Conference’s Toledo, Wright State of the Horizon League, and 2012 CAA runner-up Delaware. From there, UAlbany will meet the Gamecocks for the first time in program history in a three-game series at Carolina Stadium (Feb. 22-24). Moving from one premier venue to another, the Great Danes will face UNC Greensboro, playing three games versus the Southern Conference’s Spartans (March 1-3). A trip to Hofstra (March 6) for a single contest and then to NYIT (March 9-10) for a pair of doubleheaders will mark the Danes’ final exams before opening America East Conference play at Hartford on March 16th. The league-opening series against the Hawks will represent the first three clashes in a 30-game league schedule. The six America East schools will play a six-game series against each other in a pair of three-game home-and-home series. The Great Danes open their 19-game home schedule at Varsity Field March 19th versus Marist. UAlbany will also go to the Red Foxes’ home diamond on April 9th. Sandwiched between two conference series at UMBC (March 23-24) and vs. Maine (March 30-31), UAlbany will travel to Ithaca, N.Y. for a doubleheader against the reigning Ivy League champions and 2012 NCAA Tournament competitors, Cornell, on March 26th. Also out of conference, the Danes will host the winningest baseball program in NCAA history in the Atlantic 10’s Fordham, on April 2nd, before welcoming Stony Brook, the reigning America East champions and 2012 World Series participants, to Varsity Field (April 6-7). UAlbany will also travel to face the Seawolves May 11-12th. Midweek through the month of April, UAlbany will make a trip to St. Johns on the 16th. The Red Storm won the Big East Tournament and regular season titles a year ago and made an NCAA Super Regional appearance. The following week, the Danes will go to Manhattan, the reigning MAAC champions, on the 24th, as well as host Central Connecticut State of the NEC on April 30th. UAlbany wraps its home-and-home series with Hofstra on May 9th, and closes the regular season at home versus league-foe Binghamton, May 17-18th. The top four teams in the conference will advance to the America East Championship, held May 22-25th at the home field of the highest seed. The conference postseason champion will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA regionals.

University of Albany Men's Basketball Ranked 25th In Mid-Major Poll - UAlbany Sports 2012

ALBANY, N.Y. - For the second time in program history, UAlbany men's basketball cracked the College Insider Top-25 Mid-Major poll on Monday, Dec. 3. The Great Danes are currently ranked 25th with 61 votes in the poll. To view the mid-major poll in its entirety click here. The last time UAlbany was placed in the mid-major top-25 was on Nov. 8, 2006, following its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. UAlbany is off to its best start in Division I with a 6-2 record through the first eight games. The Great Danes started off with a win over the A-10's Duquesne in the season opener 69-66. Then UAlbany rattled off its best non-conference win ever over the Pac-12's Washington in Seattle, 63-62. The Great Danes are on a three-game winning streak, having recently defeated their crosstown rivals, Siena, in the Albany Cup by a decisive 13 points, 69-56. Senior guards Mike Black and Jacob Iati have been the focal point on the offensive end, averaging 16.9 and 14.8 points per game, respectively.

University of Albany Women's Lacrosse's Ariana Parker Named A 2013 Preseason All-American

ALBANY, N.Y. - Continuing to release sections of the 2013 Face-Off Yearbook, Inside Lacrosse released the Preseason All-Americans for 2013. The University at Albany women's lacrosse junior midfielder Ariana Parker was named to the 2013 Preseason Third Team. Parker had a more balanced performance offensively in her sophomore season (39 goals; 15 assists) than her freshman season (44 goals; 3 assists). In 12 of the 18 total games last season, the Port Ewen, N.Y. native tallied multi-point performances. The junior midfielder was honored as a 2012 America East Conference First Team selection and a 2012 IWLCA All-Northeast Region Second Team member. Two other America East Conference members were honored on the list, Boston U.'s senior attacker Danielle Etrasco (Second Team) and Stony Brook's senior attacker Claire Petersen (Third Team).

University of Albany Men’s Basketball Easily Defeats Cross-City Rival Siena Taking Home Albany Cup - UAlbany Sports 2012

Albany, N.Y. - In a battle for the Albany Cup, senior guards Mike Black and Jacob Iati paced UAlbany with 13 points a piece to defeat Siena, 69-56, on Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Times Union Center. UAlbany's 6-2 record through the first eight games is the best start to a season since entering Division 1. "I thought we were the tougher team tonight," UAlbany head coach Will Brown said. "Last year (in a 64-60 loss to Siena) we got punked in the second half, and we weren't going to let the happen again." The Great Danes two senior guards, Black and Iati, each scored a team-high13 points with three and two rebounds, respectively. Junior center John Puk tallied nine points and eight rebounds, shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. UAlbany was able to hold senior center O.D Anosike under double-digit points and rebounds for the first time all season, with eight points and seven rebounds. Rob Poole led Siena with a game-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor. A true back-and-forth battle in the first half between both teams in the first half. Siena and UAlbany traded leads eight different times through 14 minutes. The Great Danes then took hold of the lead with an 8-2 run to end the half and grab a six-point lead, 30-24. UAlbany did not take its foot of the gas in the second half, never giving the lead back to Siena the entire second half. The Saints' Poole brought the game within three points, 35-32, with 16:26 remaining in the game. However, the Great Danes took control of the final 16 minutes of play. UAlbany extended the lead to as much as 13 for the final 48 seconds and finished with a 69-56 score. UAlbany out rebounded Siena, 33-26. The Great Danes were almost automatic from the free-throw line, shooting 21-24 at the charity stripe. Big men Blake Metcalf and Puk shot a perfect 9-of-9 from the line. The Great Danes look to extend their three-game winning streak at home against St. Francis (N.Y.) on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at SEFCU Arena. Tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.

UAlbany Women's Basketball Wins Third Straight Albany Cup with 65-48 Win Over Siena

ALBANY, N.Y. - Lindsey Lowrie and Megan Craig each scored 12 points to lead UAlbany to a 65-48 win over Siena in the 2012 Albany Cup game on Saturday evening at the Times Union Center. The Great Danes, who have now won three straight games in the crosstown-rivalry game, improve to 5-2 on the season, while Siena falls to 2-5. UAlbany scored the game's first six points, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Lindsey Lowrie and Ebone Henry. The Great Danes extended their lead to 12-6 on a lay-in by Megan Craig at 13:51, with an assist from Henry. UAlbany continued to build an advantage, scoring the next four points to hold a 10-point, 16-6, lead, with just over 11 minutes to play in the first half. The Great Danes continued to use a strong defensive pressure, getting their fifth steal of the game and turning it into two points at the other end, holding a 22-8 advantage with 7:22 to play. Siena attempted to rally late in the half, getting baskets from Tehresa Coles and Kate Zarotney, to pull within 29-12, with just under four minutes to play. The Saints scored four straight points to further cut the UAlbany advantage to 29-16, but UAlbany would not fold as time wound down. With under a minute to play, Lowrie nailed her third 3-pointer of the game, while freshman Erin Coughlin also hit a long-range basket to set the halftime score at 35-19. Siena came out of halftime aggressive, cutting the lead to 39-24 on back-to-back baskets by Clara Anglada and Ciara Stewart. Anglada nailed her second straight 3-pointer at 15:21, but UAlbany's Margarita Rosario responded with a trey of her own to end the Saints rally at 14:58. Craig then scored consecutive buckets for the Great Danes, pushing the UAlbany lead to 46-29 with just over 12 minutes to play. With 9:33 on the clock, Henry was unable to connect on an and-one opportunity, but UAlbany got the rebound and Julie Forster laid the ball in to keep the Great Danes on top. UAlbany continued to build its lead from there, pushing the advantage to 27 points, 59-32, with just over five minutes to play on a layup by Shereesha Richards. A 3-pointer by Coles with 1:17 to play brought Siena back to within 19, 65-44, but Taylor McVey netted UAlbany's final points of the game at the minute marker. Coles scored the final points of the game, all from the free throw line, to set the final 65-48 score. Coles finished with a game-high 13 points, going 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Lily Grenci also went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, adding in eight points and five rebounds. Siena shot just 23.7 percent (14-59) from the floor, but managed 88.2 percent (15-of-17) from the free throw line. Lowrie, who went 4-of-7 from the floor, all from beyond the 3-point line, also grabbed six rebounds and handed out two assists. Craig also grabbed six boards and recorded three blocks, in just 19 minutes of action. Forster added 10 points for the Great Danes, while Henry totaled eight points, five boards, five assists, and two blocks to fill up the stat sheet. UAlbany shot a season-high 60.0 percent (27-45) from the floor in the game, and outrebounded the Saints, 39-28.

UAlbany's SEFCU Arena Chosen to Host the 2014 America East Conference Men's & Women's Basketball Championship

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Already set to host the 2013 America East Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championship, University at Albany’s SEFCU Arena has been chosen as the site for the 2014 tournament. The conference’s Athletic Directors voted to keep the championship in Albany for 2014 on Wednesday. “Based on early ticket sales, the response from sponsors and potential media partners, as well as the growing excitement for the 2013 championship, it was an easy decision yesterday for our membership to commit to returning to Albany for our 2014 championship,” said America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen. The 2014 America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be held during the first full week of March in 2014 at SEFCU Arena, Albany’s 4,538-seat on-campus facility. Early round action for both the men and women will be held at the combined tournament, while the title games will again both be held the following weekend at the site of the highest remaining seeds. “We are ecstatic that the University at Albany will be hosting this championship in both 2013 and 2014,” said Albany Vice President & Director of Athletics Lee McElroy. “The excitement that is building on our campus, in the Capital Region and in other markets across America East’s footprint for the 2013 championship motivated the membership to act on this now and we are thrilled they have. It will allow us to build on what we expect to be a first-class tournament for America East, its schools, student-athletes and fans, as well as the Capital Region, and make it even better for 2014.” Nearly $15,000 worth of all-session packages for the 2013 championship has already been sold. In addition, America East and Albany jointly announced that SEFCU will serve at the presenting sponsor for the 2013 championship. “The basketball championship is our signature event every year and committing to the same venue for consecutive years now opens endless possibilities to enhance the tournament experience for everyone involved,” continued Huchthausen. “The University at Albany and the Capital District have embraced this event with open arms and we look forward to outstanding tournaments each of the next two years.” This year’s tournament, which will be presented by SEFCU, will begin on Friday, March 8 with women’s quarterfinal action. The men’s quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday, March 9 and both the men’s and women’s semifinal tilts will take place Sunday, March 10. The highest seeds remaining in both the men’s and women’s tournament will host the championship games with the men’s title game on Saturday, March 16 and the women’s final tentatively set for that same day. While 2013 will be the first time SEFCU Arena hosts the conference’s combined championship, the building is no stranger towards hosting America East Championships. The building, which, opened in the spring of 1992 as an $11 million state-of-the-art facility, hosted the 2009 Men’s Basketball Championship and drew nearly 15,000 fans, the second-most since 2002. SEFCU Arena, formerly the Recreation & Convocation Center, also hosted the 2006 men’s championship game, as well as the 2012 women’s championship game, which drew more fans than any league title contest since 2006. All-session packages for the 2013 America East Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championship presented by SEFCU are already on sale and can be obtained online or by calling the University at Albany ticket office at 518-442-DANE (3263). Fans can also visit Championship Central for more tournament information. About the America East Conference Now in its fourth decade of operation, the America East Conference has evolved into one of the most comprehensive NCAA Division I conferences in the country with a commitment to broad-based, competitive athletics programs, complementing the academic integrity and missions of the member institutions. Progressive in its approach to its more than 3,400 student-athletes, America East recognizes champions in each of its 20 sports. America East also conducts the nation’s most comprehensive academic recognition program for student-athletes and collaborates on several community service initiatives throughout its geographic footprint each year. With members spanning from the Mid-Atlantic to Northeast regions of the United States, America East strives to develop champions in academics, athletics and leadership at its nine member institutions: University at Albany, Binghamton University, Boston University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, UMBC, University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont.

UAlbany's Megan Craig Scores a Career-High 27 Points to Lead Women's Basketball to a 62-49 Win Over Dartmouth - UAlbany Sports 2012

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information ALBANY, N.Y. -- Center Megan Craig scored a career-high 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting to lead UAlbany to a 62-49 win over Dartmouth in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes improved to 3-2 on the season, while the Big Green fell to 1-2. Dartmouth started the game with an 11-2 run over the first five minutes of play, but the Great Danes kicked it into high gear, outscoring the Big Green, 21-2, over the next ten minutes. UAlbany scored 13 straight points before Dartmouth ended the rally, before the Great Danes scored the next nine points of the game. Faziah Steen hit a jumper for the Big Green to attempt to get Dartmouth back on track, and nailed two free throws at 3:41 to cut the lead to seven, 25-18. However, Ebone Henry and Sarah Royals scored on back-to-back layups to put UAlbany back on top by 12 with under a minute to go. Abbey Schmitt connected on two free throws to cut the lead back to 10, 30-20, before halftime. UAlbany came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, building up a 40-21 lead behind eight straight points from Craig, along with a layup by Julie Forster, with 14:35 to play. Steen played the roll of rally-ender again for Dartmouth, hitting two free throws, but Craig responded immediately after at the other end of the court, to keep UAlbany ahead. Dartmouth succeeded in cutting the lead to 12, 45-33, with nine minutes on the clock, as Kamala Thompson recorded a steal and a layup. UAlbany would not fold, as Lindsey Lowrie nailed a 3-pointer with 7:28 to play, but the Big Green cut the lead back to 10 on a jumper by Thompson with 4:22 on the clock. The Great Danes continued to pressure, and Erin Coughlin scored UAlbany's final five points on two free throws and a 3-pointer. Nicola Zimmer scored the last basket of the game to set the final 13-point deficit. Steen scored a team-high 15 points for Dartmouth, while Thompson added 10 points for the Big Green. UAlbany held Dartmouth to 31.3-percent (15-48) shooting from the floor, forcing the Big Green into 26 turnovers. Besides her career-high point total, Craig added nine rebounds, one assist, and one block, while Forster recorded eight points, seven boards, and a career-high seven steals. Henry also contributed with nine points, four assists, four steals, and two blocks in 32 minutes of action. UAlbany shot 43.6-percent (24-55) from the floor, finishing with 13 steals, despite being out-rebounded by Dartmouth, 40-35. UAlbany will return to action on Wednesday, hosting NJIT in non-conference action at SEFCU Arena at 7 p.m.

UAlbany FCS Football Earns Nine All-NEC Honors - UAlbany Sports 2012

SOMERSET, N.J. – After winning a share of the Northeast Conference title last weekend and boasting the best record the program has ever seen at the Division I FCS level, the University at Albany football team had nine players awarded all-conference honors, announced by the league office Wednesday evening. The Great Danes had six named to the first team -- Drew Smith, Kadeem Williams, Ocieka Bakou, Jon Morgan, Leon Saddler, and Paul Layton – and three to the second team in Ryan Kirchner, Anthony Bazzoffi, and Dean Mercuris. Senior tailback Drew Smith capped a historic career with three rushing touchdowns in Week 12, making him the all-time leader for touchdowns scored (45) and co-leader for all-time rushing touchdowns (40). In four active seasons, Smith accrued 3,196 career rushing yards and 4,721 all-purpose yards, both good for second all-time. This season, the Schenectady, N.Y. native eclipsed the 1,000 rushing yards mark for the second time in his career and the 10th time in program history, rushing for 1,001 yards and 18 touchdowns, while totaling 1,280 all-purpose yards. Smith also led the NEC and ranked fourth at the FCS level for scoring (11.40). The honor marks his second all-conference selection in as many years. Likewise, senior Ryan Kirchner earned second-team honors for the second year in a row. Kirchner is UAlbany’s all-time receptions leader hauling in 172 career catches. This season, Kirchner led the squad with 50 receptions for 578 yards, while scoring three touchdowns. He was also the Great Danes’ top punt returner, totaling 100 yards on special teams. Offensive linemen junior Kadeem Williams earned his second consecutive first-team all-NEC award, while senior Anthony Bazzoffi was named to the second team. The duo helped UAlbany to the league’s top-ranked scoring offense (34.1), and limited opponent sacks to just 1.45 per game. Bazzoffi capped his career with his first career touchdown in the season finale, rushing across the goal line from the one-yard line. Earning first-team honors for the second straight season, senior inside linebacker Jon Morgan led UAlbany with 72 tackles, three interceptions, and two blocked kicks this fall. The Copiague, N.Y. native finished his career ranked eighth all-time at UAlbany with 265 career tackles. Senior defensive tackle Ocieka Bakou totaled 28 tackles this fall, while also making a number of big turnover plays, putting himself on the conference’s first team. Bakou forced and recovered two fumbles, blocked two punts (both against Colgate), and returned a fumbled for a touchdown in the Great Danes’ title win over Central Connecticut State. In his career, Bakou accrued 95 tackles and 7.5 sacks. Fellow defensive lineman senior Dean Mercuris also earned conference honors. Mercuris ranked fourth on the squad with 49 tackles this season, as well as two sacks, an interception, six pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. Earning his second all-NEC honor in his career, senior cornerback Leon Saddler tallied 36 tackles, a team-high 10 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery this fall. Saddler totaled 125 tackles in his career with the Great Danes, as well as two interceptions. Junior Paul Layton averaged 40.4 yards per punt this fall, including a program record 82-yarder against Wagner. Through three seasons, Layton currently owns a program-best average of 41.0 yards per punt in his career (159 punts, 6,519 yards). In the 14 seasons UAlbany competed in the Northeast Conference, the Great Danes earned 137 first or second team all-conference honors. An end to an era, UAlbany will compete in the Colonial Athletic Association next year. UAlbany’s nine honorees this fall marked the most all-NEC selections of any team, with Wagner and Duquesne each claiming eight. The recipients of all honors were determined by a vote of the conference’s nine head coaches.

UAlbany Field Hockey's Jessica Longstreth Named NFHCA Division I Second Team All-American - UAlbany Sports 2012

ALBANY, N.Y. -- UAlbany senior Jessica Longstreth was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I All-America Second Team, as announced by the organization. Longstreth, a native of Richboro, Pa,) led the conference in assists this season with 17 and was fifth in the country in assists per game (.81). A graduate student, Longstreth was named America East Player of the Week in back to back weeks this season, as she helped Albany capture its third title in five years. The midfielder was a unanimous First-Team All-Conference selection.

Men's Basketball Makes It Rain At South Carolina State - UAlbany Sports 2012

ORANGEBURG, S.C. - The saying goes, "When it rains, it pours", and that is exactly what happened as the University at Albany shot 15-of-29 from three-point range to beat South Carolina State, 83-55, on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center. The 15 made threes by the Great Danes broke the Division I record of 14, which was done twice before and most recently against Detroit on Nov. 26, 2010. Senior guard Mike Black paced his squad with a season-high 23 points and six assists, shooting 9-of-11 from the field. Guards Jacob Iati and Jayson Guerrier each scored in double digits with 14 and 18, respectively. Black, Iati, and Guerrier shot a combined 56.5 percent (13-for-23) from behind the arc. South Carolina State (3-2) had four players score in double figures. Shaquille Mitchell led the Bulldogs with 13 points and three rebounds. Khalif Toombs, Adama Adams, and Darryl Palmer tallied 12, 12, and 10 points in the game. UAlbany (4-2) opened up the first half with a bang, which came at the hot hand of Guerrier. The senior guard made the game's first four shots to put the Great Danes up 11-0 with 15:16 remaining in the first half. The Great Danes then hit six three's and put-back dunk by junior guard Gary Johnson to extend its lead to 21, 39-18, with 5:39 left in the half. Both teams would trade baskets for the final five minutes and UAlbany held on to a 20-point lead going into the half, 45-25. The Great Danes began the second half on a 15-6 run to hold a 29-point lead, 60-31, with 15:24 left in the game. Black and Iati combined for three triples and sophomore forward Sam Rowley made two consecutive layups to cap the run. South Carolina State responded with its own run of 18-9 to cut the deficit to 20, 69-49, with 5:46 remaining. Mitchell scored eight of his team's game-high 13 points during the stretch. However, UAlbany held off the Bulldogs for the final 5:45 to grab its fourth win of the season. The Great Danes outshot the Bulldogs from the floor, 53.4 percent to 43.9 percent and out rebounded them 37-26 on the boards. The Great Danes prepare for their next contest against Wagner on Monday, Nov. 26 at SEFCU Arena.

Lowrie Scores 17 Points to Lead UAlbany Women's Basketball to 68-54 Win Over Western Michigan - UAlbany Sports 2012

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Lindsey Lowrie scored a game-high 17 points, on 5-of-9 shooting from behind the 3-point line to lead UAlbany to a 68-54 win over Western Michigan in non-conference women's basketball action on Sunday afternoon at University Arena. Great Danes had a slow start to the game, getting down 10-4, with five fouls called in the first 6 minutes of play. UAlbany cut the score back to 14-13 on two free throws by Tammy Phillip, but the Broncos continued to roll, getting two 3-pointers from Julia Henderson to open the game up and take a 20-13 lead with 11:18 to play in the first half. The Great Danes battled back behind Megan Craig, who scored five of the next seven points, pulling the score back to 22-20 with 8:57 on the clock. UAlbany continued to fight through the end of the first half, as both Shereesha Richards and Sarah Royals went 2-for-2 from the free throw line to end the half, sending the teams to the locker rooms tied, 27-27. UAlbany came out of the halftime break firing, taking a seven-point lead, 40-33, on a trey by Lindsey Lowrie with just under 16 minutes to play. Two good free throws from Ebone Henry gave the Great Danes their first double-digit lead of the game, 44-33, with 14:33 on the clock. Western Michigan (1-2) attempted to rally, but UAlbany kept ahead by double-digits, getting a 3-pointer by Lowrie to keep a 54-44 lead with just over eight minutes to play. The Broncos tried to rally, getting a layup by A.J. Johnson to cut the Western Michigan deficit to eight, 56-48, but Lowrie nailed consecutive baskets - including one from long range - to put the Great Danes back ahead by 13, 48-61, with 4:21 on the clock. Royals helped UAlbany extend its lead to 15 with two free throws, while Phillip and Lowrie combined for five straight points to give the Great Danes their biggest lead of the game, 68-52 with 36 ticks to go. Western Michigan got a couple of baskets late to set the final score, but the UAlbany defense held on for the 14-point victory. "This win was a total team effort," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who has guided the Great Danes to a 2-1 record in the early season. "We got in foul trouble early and had players like [Shereesha] Richards and [Keyana] Williams step up. I was proud of how well we came together for a strong second half." Craig added 13 points for UAlbany, for her second-straight double-digit point total. Julie Forster finished with nine points and seven boards, while Ebone Henry added four points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. UAlbany (2-1) will return to action on Wednesday, visiting Michigan State in non-conference action.

Champs! UAlbany FCS Football Wins Sixth NEC Title With, 63-34, Victory Over Central Connecticut - UAlbany Sports 2012

ALBANY, N.Y. – In an afternoon of lasts – the last game of University Field’s 43 seasons, the last played in the Northeast Conference, the last at home for the squad’s 21 seniors, and the last of the 2012 regular season – the University at Albany football team made it memorable with a 63-34 win over Central Connecticut State. The victory earned the Great Danes their sixth NEC title in their 14 years in the league, sharing the championship with Wagner who overcame Duquesne, 23-17, earlier in the day. In a pregame ceremony, the team’s seniors were honored one-by-one in front of a crowd of 1,876. In the last five years, the class as a whole amassed a 39-18 overall record, 31-8 mark in the NEC, three NEC titles, while leading the squad to the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1977 – done in 2011 – and to the program’s highest rank in the national polls earlier this season. A member of that impressive class, senior tailback Drew Smith, capped a historic career with three rushing touchdowns, making him the all-time leader for touchdowns scored (45) and co-leader for all-time rushing touchdowns (40). In four active seasons, Smith accrued 3,196 career rushing yards and 4,721 all-purpose yards, both good for second all-time. Against CCSU, Smith finished the day with 65 rushing yards on 18 carries with 110 all-purpose yards. “You only hope to have a career that I’ve had,” said Smith. “I’m proud of it. No regrets. I’m just blessed.” Senior kicker Sean Kenny tied the program’s single-game record with nine successful point-after kicks. He also kicked off 10 times, totaling 588 yards. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Will Fiacchi completed 13-of-17 passes with one interception and one touchdown, totaling 242 passing yards. With a well-balanced offensive output, senior Ryan Kirchner led the team with four receptions for 45 yards, bringing his program record total to 172 career catches. Smith hauled in three, also for 45 yards, while Cole King grabbed two for 63 yards. Omar Osbourne scored two touchdowns for the Danes, catching a 58-yard pass for the score, while also rushing for one as well. Junior Kevin Chillis led the squad with 118 all-purpose yards, including a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown – the program’s first since 2006. While UAlbany’s offense had a spectacular game, the defense shone as well, forcing five fumbles, recovering four, including two recovered for touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Cory Connell had the first, giving the Great Danes a 42-0 head start on his 40-yard run. Senior Ocieka Bakou had the second, a 45-yard jaunt, capping the Danes at 63 points in the third quarter. Classmates Dean Mercuris and Chris Wilk led the squad with six tackles apiece. Mercuris also recovered one of the loose balls and made five solo tackles, including one for a loss. UAlbany put up 42 unanswered points in the first half, a Division I FCS era record for the program. With 9:13 left in the first, Smith rushed one yard into the end zone to get the scoring going. It was done one play after junior Andrew Smith sacked CCSU quarterback Andrew Clements and forced a fumble that was recovered by redshirt freshman Zach Troutman on UA’s one-yard line. "We played great, executed great," said Drew Smith. "There were no doubts about it from kickoff." Osbourne followed with a 16-yard run, capping an eight-play, 86-yard drive with 4:12 remaining in the opening quarter to give the Great Danes a 14-0 lead. With everything still flowing in UAlbany’s favor, Smith crossed the goal line again with a four-yard rush with 12:58 to go in the half. On the Great Danes’ next possession, Fiacchi connected with Osbourne for a 58-yard passing touchdown, a one-play, 12 second possession, at the 6:00 minute mark in the second. Forcing the Blue Devils to punt away at the end of their next drive, the Great Danes capitalized once again, as Smith rushed for his third touchdown of the day with a three-yard run at the 2:53 mark. UAlbany stretched the lead to 42-0 after Jake Dwyer hacked the ball loose from Clements at CCSU’s 40. From there, Connell picked it up and ran it to the end zone with 2:05 remaining. The Blue Devils broke their scoring drought with four seconds on the clock before halftime, as Clements rushed one yard, capping an eight-play, 63-yard drive. UAlbany led 42-7 at the half. Not letting up, Chillis started the second stanza in style for the Danes, slicing through the special teams unit 79-yards for a touchdown. CCSU’s Clements had another one-yard rush across the goal line to cut the deficit to 35 points, 49-14, with 8:06 on the clock in the third. However, the Great Danes followed with the two most exciting touchdowns of the game. With second-and-goal Fiacchi connected a 21-yard pass to Smith. With a clear path into the end zone, instead of running for it, Smith ran out of bounds purposely at the one, so senior offensive lineman Anthony Bazzoffi could have a chance for his first career touchdown. On third-and-goal, Bazzoffi powered through into the end zone and the sideline erupted. “It’s a great feeling,” said Bazzoffi. “I never thought this day would come.” Just 18 seconds later, a fumble by Clements was picked up by Bakou. The senior ran 45-yards for his first career touchdown, as well, with 1:08 left in the third quarter, giving UAlbany a 49-point lead, 63-14. From there, the Blue Devils scored the final points of the afternoon, as Deven Baker caught a 57-yard touchdown pass to start the fourth quarter. With 8:16 remaining, Chuck Watson intercepted Jake Meek’s pass and ran it back 70 yards, cutting the margin to 36, 63-27. With 2:36 on the clock, Deven Baker capped the game’s high-scoring affair with a 15-yard reception, after an eight-play, 92-yard drive. With the sound of the final whistle, UAlbany wrapped up its final clash on University Field – the home of the Great Danes since Bob Ford started a club football team in 1970. With the transition to the Colonial Athletic Association, the Great Danes will move to Bob Ford Field, a brand new 8,000 seat stadium, next year. The Great Danes close the 2012 regular season and possibly the 40th year of varsity football at UAlbany with a 7-1 conference record and 9-2 overall mark, signifying a record number of regular season wins in the Division I FCS era. While Wagner won the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Great Danes will be on the bubble for an at-large bid. The selection show airs at 1:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU.