SPORTS TALK

 Women's Soccer Coach Hired
    University at Albany Interim Director of Athletics Gail Cummings-Danson announced today the hiring of Joanna Tomasino as head women’s soccer coach.  Tomasino, the eighth coach in the program’s history, will move into a position that was recently elevated to full-time status. 
    Tomasino was previously the head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for three years.  She led that NCAA Division II program to a 9-8-1 record in 1999, including a 6-3-1 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.  Four IUP players were named to the all-conference team, while one earned All-Northeast Region recognition from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). 
    From 1992-97, Tomasino was an assistant soccer coach at SUNY Brockport.  The Golden Eagles posted 53 victories during five seasons with the program, and captured the 1995 New York State championship with a school-record 16-4-2 record.Tomasino, 29, has also been an assistant with the Pennsylvania West Olympic Development Program for both the girls’ under-14 and under-19 squads, and coached the Pittsford Mustangs club team in the Monroe County Premier League. 
    A native of Pittsford, N.Y., Tomasino received her B.A. in English with a minor in psychology from the University of Rochester. She captained the Yellow Jackets to the 1991 NCAA Division III national championship final.  A four-year starter, Tomasino earned NSCAA All-Northeast Region honors and was a two-time all-conference selection.
    Tomasino has played on the professional level the past four years with the United Soccer Leagues’ Rochester Ravens, who compete in the W-1 Division.
    Albany’s 19-sport intercollegiate athletics program for men and women has upgraded to the NCAA Division I level in 1999-2000.  Women’s soccer has been sponsored as a varsity sport since 1979.

Men’s Basketball All-Stars
    Todd Cetnar and Matthew Haggarty have been selected to the Division I All-Independent Team in men’s basketball as announced on Monday, March 6, by the association’s office.  Cetnar was named to the first team, while Haggarty earned second-team recognition. Cetnar, a 6-foot senior guard from Amsterdam, N.Y., led the Great Danes in scoring (16.1 ppg), assists (4.2 pg), steals (2.1 pg) and free throw percentage (.820).  He scored in double figures on 22 occasions, including eight games with 20-plus points. He finished his career ranked ninth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,345 points, and was fifth in assists (367), second in steals (188) and third in three-point field goals (215). 
    Haggarty, a 6-foot-3 senior from Wayland, Mass., averaged 13.7 points and 3.1 rebounds, and was among the top-10 NCAA Division I leaders in 3-point field goals made (3.36 pg). He established UAlbany’s single-season record for 3-pointers made (94), and also broke the career mark with 256.
    Haggarty, who shot 43 percent from 3-point range this year, scored in twin figures 21 times, including a season-best 23 points against both Rutgers and Delaware State.  He is 16th on Albany’s career scoring chart with 1,096 points, and set the school standard for games played (110) in his final contest at Colgate on February 29.  Albany finished with an 11-17 record in its first Division I season. 

Women’s Basketball All-Stars
    Megan Buchanan and Liz Tucker have been selected to the 1999-2000 All-Independent Team as announced on Thursday, March 2, by the association’s office.  Buchanan secured first-team honors and received the second-highest vote total, while Tucker earned a spot on the second team.  Both athletes led Albany to a 12-15 record in its inaugural season at the NCAA Division I level.
    Buchanan, a 5-foot-11 senior forward from Arkport, N.Y., finished the season averaging 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals.  With 1,093 career points, she sits third on the school’s all-time list.  She became Albany’s all-time three-point leader (124) in Albany’s 64-63 victory at Bucknell on February 23.  As her team’s leading scorer, Buchanan scored in double figures in 22 of 27 games.
    Tucker, a 5-foot-10 junior guard from Plaistow, N.H., averaged 12.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals.  She led the team in rebounds (199), assists (102) and steals (63). After three seasons, Tucker is fourth on the school’s all-time free throws list (215), eighth in both assists (261) and rebounds (529) and ninth in scoring (837).  She was named Independent Player of the Week twice this season.

Track
    Ronald Edmundson eclipsed his own school record in the triple jump to finish eighth at the 79th annual Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) indoor track and field championships on Sunday, March 5, at Harvard University’s Gordon Track & Tennis Facility.  Edmundson, who went 49-feet, 4.50-inches, set the school's standard for the third time this season.  He previously jumped 48-09 at the USAT&F New England championships on February 18. Luis Soto was third in the long jump on Saturday with a school-record leap of 23-11.75.

Softball
    Sarah Maida was selected as the Independent Pitcher of the Week in women’s softball (February 28 - March 5).  Maida, a sophomore from Newburgh, N.Y., threw two shutouts in her first starts for the Great Danes. She fired a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over Dowling, and posted a season-high nine strikeouts.  Maida also recorded a three-hit shutout in another 1-0 victory against Findlay.  Albany played a 13-game Florida schedule to open the season during spring break.

Men’s Basketball
    Todd Cetnar scored 21 points, and Will Brand added a season-high 20 to lead Albany to an 86-70 non-conference victory over Colgate on Tuesday, Feb. 29, at Cotterell Court.  The Great Danes finished their inaugural NCAA Division I campaign with an 11-17 record.
    Colgate (12-15) scored seven consecutive points to go ahead 17-13, but Albany regrouped with 11 straight markers to take the lead for good. Matthew Haggarty, who scored 12 points, buried two three-point shots in that stretch.  Freshman Steve Albany netted a career-high 16 points, all in the first half, and helped stake his club to a 43-32 halftime advantage.
    The Red Raiders, closed within 54-45 with 11:54 remaining on a pair of free throws by Pat Campolieta, who totaled 11 points and seven rebounds.  The Great Danes, who shot 55 percent from the field, including 12-of-23 from three-point range, pushed the lead back to double digits on back-to-back baskets by Brand and Dave Schloss. 
    “We played exceptionally,” said Albany coach Scott Hicks, who saw the Albany program reach the 11-win mark for the 45th consecutive season.  “Steve Albany gave us a big lift, and we shot the lights out in the first half.  This team has a lot to be proud of.  We played a lot of games on the road, and the kids stuck together throughout the season.”
    Pat Diamond led Colgate with 18 points, while Jordan Harris had 11 points and nine rebounds.  Joe Vukovic had 10 points and tied a career-best with 10 rebounds for the Great Danes, who avenged a 79-69 loss to Colgate back on November 20.

Women’s Basketball
    Megan Buchanan scored 18 points, and Liz Tucker added 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead Albany past Navy, 56-50, in the Great Danes’ season finale on Monday, Feb. 28, at the Recreation and Convocation Center.
    Albany has won seven of its last eight contests to finish 12-15 in the program’s inaugural NCAA Division I campaign.
    Tucker sank two free throws to hand the Great Danes a 41-31 lead early in the second half.  Navy (5-22) regrouped with 10 of the game’s next 11 points.  Hilary Goodrich, who led all scorers with 21, buried a three-pointer and hit a driving layup to close the gap to 42-41.
    Albany still led 48-46 with 2:07 remaining, when Buchanan scored in the lane on an in-bounds play.  Tucker sealed the verdict with 38 seconds left by converting a driving bank shot from left of the lane for a 54-49 advantage.
    “This team has matured over the last month,” Albany coach Mari Warner said.  “They discovered what their capabilities are, and I am quite proud of winning 12 games in our first Division I year.  We had a great group of seniors.”
    The Midshipmen, who have won just once on the road this season, jumped out to early six-point lead.  Albany used a 12-3 run to go in front for good en route to a 34-28 halftime cushion.  Buchanan, a 5-foot-11 senior making her final home appearance, netted 16 first-half points, including 4-of-6 from three-point range.
    Along with Buchanan, Melissa Schoonover (4 points, 6 blocks), Marlana Wheelwright, Lauren O’Brien and Ann Aldrich were honored in a pre-game ceremony on Senior Night.