 | ||
|
|
| Great Danes Gear | Give to Athletics | Tickets | Recreation | Schedules | University Homepage | | |
|
|
Sports News Archive - May, 2006
MARC PALLOZZI & JOE GREENE ADVANCE TO NCAA TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS Albany, N.Y. -- Marc Pallozzi and Joe Greene have been selected to compete at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as announced on Tuesday, May 30 by the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee. The national championships will take place at California State University, Sacramento's A.G. Spanos Sports Complex on June 7-10. Pallozzi and Greene, who were both at-large selections, become the third and fourth UAlbany athletes to compete at an NCAA Division I outdoor championship. Pallozzi, a junior from Waterford, N.Y., broke his own UAlbany javelin record en route to a sixth-place finish at last weekend's NCAA East Regional. He shattered his previous mark with a throw of 228-feet, 2-inches, the16th-best mark in the nation this season. The top five regional finishers in each event automatically qualified for NCAA Championships, while six others earned at-large bids. Greene, a freshman from Geneva, N.Y., finished seventh overall in the 400-meter hurdles. His preliminaries' time of 50.83 seconds, which eclipsed a 16-year-old record by two-time NCAA Division III champion Wilfredo Rodriguez, placed him in the running for an at-large bid. That time ranks 22nd in the nation this year. "This is a tremendous accomplishment for both Marc and Joe and truly caps the sensational year that we have enjoyed," said UAlbany head coach Roberto Vives, whose men's and women's outdoor teams captured America East Conference championships. "They both represent the excellence that our program produces and will represent us well." Pallozzi, a track walk-on and punter on the school's football team, is just the second field athlete to compete for UAlbany at NCAAs. Brandon Howlett competed in the discus in 2004, finishing 21st overall. The junior will take on three 2005 All-Americans, including Eric Brown of Arkansas, the nation's top-ranked thrower. Greene, who will also take on three 2005 All-Americans, becomes the first UAlbany male track athlete to qualify the NCAA outdoor meet. Teresa Covert competed in the women's 100-meter hurdles in 2003 and 2004. Pallozzi competes in the qualifying round of the javelin on Thursday, June 7 at 1:15. Greene takes on the 400m hurdles field in the first round of the event at 4:30 that afternoon.
TWO UALBANY TRACK ATHLETES POST TOP-SEVEN FINISHES AT NCAA EAST REGIONALS Greensboro, N.C. -- Marc Pallozzi broke his own UAlbany javelin record en route to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA East Regional Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held Saturday, May 27 at North Carolina A&T's Irwin Belk Track at Aggie Stadium. Freshman Joe Greene finished seventh overall in the 400-meter hurdles. An NCAA Committee will consider both athletes for an at-large berth at the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif. on June 7-10. The fields will be announced Tuesday, May 30. Pallozzi hurled the javelin a personal-best 228-feet, 2-inches on his first of six attempts. The junior, who finished just seven inches out of fifth place, recorded his best finish at an NCAA Regional after turning in an eighth-place showing in 2005. Pallozzi, a track walk-on and punter on the school's football team, bested his previous UAlbany standard by nearly 11 feet. Greene, who qualified for the 400-meter hurdles final in a school-record 50.83 seconds in the event preliminaries, finished seventh overall. He raced to a time of 51.48 in the final, finishing less than one second back of fifth place. Greene also ran a 45.9 split as the second leg of the 4x400-meter relay to help establish a UAlbany record of 3:09.80. Jerry Wilson, Stephen Evans and Junior Burnett teamed with Greene on the relay, which turned in a ninth-place showing. Ray Gilman, who won the America East triple jump championship, leaped 47-feet, 6.25-inches in finishing 21st in the competition. Burnett crossed the 200-meter dash line in 21.91 seconds during the event preliminaries, which was not enough to advance to the finals. In women's action, Alyssa Lotmore covered the 5,000-meter run in 17:34.63 to finish 26th overall. Ritshell Verdier finished 21st in the discus. The freshman hurled the discus 138-feet, 8-inches.
JOE GREENE QUALIFIES FOR 400-METER HURDLES FINAL AT NCAA TRACK & FIELD REGIONALS Greensboro, N.C. -- Joe Greene shattered a 16-year old school record in qualifying for the 400-meter hurdles final at the NCAA East Regional Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held on Friday, May 26 at North Carolina A&T's Irwin Belk Track at Aggie Stadium. Greene finished second in his heat and recorded the fifth-best time overall to gain a place in the eight-person final. The top five finishers in each event automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships. Greene turned in a time of 50.83 seconds to finish less than one second behind overall leader and two-time All-American Jason Richardson of South Carolina. Greene, whose event was delayed more than an hour and a half due to rain and thunderstorms, led Richardson through nine hurdles before the latter picked up the pace to finish in 50.20 seconds. "I'm so ecstatic right now," said Greene, who captured the IC4A 400m hurdles crown on May 14. "I know I'm going into tomorrow's final better than today's race," commented the freshman, who is competing at regionals for the first time. "I should be more at ease now that I know the atmosphere." Greene toppled the standing UAlbany record of 51.50 seconds, set in 1990 by two-time NCAA Division III 400m hurdles champion Wilfredo Rodriguez. It was the oldest men's track record on the books at UAlbany. "Greene is a great competitor and a quick learner," noted UAlbany coach Roberto Vives, whose pupil had never trained competitively for the hurdles before this season. "He's also very confident. That's something that makes a champion." Jessica Ortman, another UAlbany freshman, placed 10th overall in the 800-meter run, missing the finals by less than half of one second. She improved on her own school record, crossing the line in 2:08.32. That time bested her previous mark by 64-hundredths of a second. In other competition, Kamilah McShine ran her second-fastest 100m hurdles time as a collegian, crossing the line in 14.58 seconds. Freddie Wills recorded a long jump of 21-feet, 6.75-inches. McShine and Wills both failed to advance to the finals.
STONY BROOK HOLDS OFF UALBANY, 5-3, IN AMERICA EAST BASEBALL TOURNEY PLAY Burlington, Vt. -- Jon Pasieka singled twice, doubled and drove in three runs in leading Stony Brook to a 5-3 victory over UAlbany in the second round of the America East Conference Baseball Tournament on Friday, May 26 at Vermont’s Centennial Field. The Great Danes, who lost in extra innings in the opening round, were eliminated from this four-team, double-elimination championship. Stony Brook (24-28) built a 5-0 lead after three innings. The Seawolves, who were coming off an 11-8 loss to Maine in the first round, put together a two-out rally in the first. Pasieka, a senior catcher, drove in a pair of runs by lining a 3-2 pitch into the left-field gap for a double. In the third, UAlbany starting pitcher Casey Walsh gave up five consecutive hits that led to three runs. First baseman Tom Pennino, who went 2-for-4 at the plate, drilled a two-run double to right field. Pasieka then greeted reliever Josh Willimott with a RBI single to left field. Meanwhile, Stony Brook starter Kris Bakey was in total command through seven innings. Bakey, a right-hander who improved to 5-4 on the hill, scattered six hits while striking out four and walking two. UAlbany (20-32) chipped away at the lead in the late innings, but a pair of defensive plays kept their opponent out of major trouble. Steve Wyland reached base on a throwing error in the sixth and later scored when Nate Olson grounded into 4-3 double play. In the eighth, Leo Corvino led off with a walk and crossed the plate on another error. Sean Donovan cut the deficit to 5-3 with a RBI single. But Olson struck out swinging and Donovan was caught stealing in a strike-out, throw-out erasure to end the threat. “(Kris) Bakey threw the ball well and kept us off balance,” UAlbany coach Jon Mueller said. “They got a few runs early and he made it hold up. We had our chances but couldn’t get to him. I can’t believe how this team (UAlbany) responded this season. When we were 8-23 at one point I was questioning everything I was doing. The guys decided to take it upon themselves and made a great run.” SBU reliever Kurt Jung picked up his first save of the season after coming on in the eighth. Jung recorded three strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work. Steve Wyland had two hits and scored a pair of runs for the Great Danes, who battled back in the last month of the season to make the postseason for the second time in the last three years.
VERMONT EDGES UALBANY IN EXTRA INNINGS AT AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT Burlington, Vt. -- Kyle Massie delivered a run-scoring single with two outs in the 10th inning, as Vermont rallied for a 5-4 victory over UAlbany in the first round of the America East Conference Tournament on Thursday, May 25 at Centennial Field. The conference’s regular-season champion will meet Maine in the championship bracket. UAlbany and Stony Brook are paired in an elimination game on Friday at 12:00 p.m. UAlbany (20-31) erased a 3-1 deficit with a three-run eighth inning. Nate Olson, who went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs, started the uprising with a RBI single. Pinch-hitter Chris Wood greeted reliever Bryan Rembisz with another single that tied the contest at three apiece. Left fielder Rashad Barksdale’s base hit through the left side gave his club a 4-3 advantage. Vermont (19-32) drew even in the bottom of the inning. Leadoff hitter Jeff Nolet reached first base when he struck out but advanced on a wild pitch. After Rembisz’s single, Matt Naimoli’s sacrifice fly to right field chased pinch-runner Nick Gallipani home with the tying run. The Catamounts, who have won 17 of their last 25 games, loaded the bases in the tenth as reliever Giorgio Fuda walked three of the first four hitters he faced in the inning. UAlbany’s Josh Willimott came on to get Chad Morris on a called third strike, but Massie lined a 3-2 pitch to right field to score Kyle Brault with the winning run. “I thought it would be a low scoring game,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose team stranded runners on second and third in the top of the 10th. “But we made three errors and that was the difference. In the eighth, (Mark) Suchowiecki had a strikeout and the ball squirted away. Then the next guy singles into the hole because there is runner on base. It’s plays like that make a difference in one-run games.” UAlbany’s Al Barbato tied the contest at one apiece in the second with a RBI single. Vermont went ahead with single runs in the third and seventh. Brault, the America East player of the year, gave his team a 2-1 lead with a run-scoring single. Left fielder Jason Carey, who had two hits and scored twice, drove in another run with a sacrifice fly. UVM’s Brandon Miles improved to 3-4 on the mound with 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, as he allowed three hits and had two strikeouts. Both starters went seven-plus innings in the seesaw affair. UAlbany’s Suchowiecki allowed 11 hits, but struck out six in his 115-pitch, no-decision effort.
UALBANY’S CHRIS MARTOCCHIA WILL PLAY IN NORTH-SOUTH LACROSSE ALL-STAR GAME Villanova, Pa. -- University at Albany’s Chris Martocchia has been selected to play in the 65th Annual North-South All-Star Game which features the nation’s finest senior collegiate lacrosse players. The all-star contest, sponsored by USILA and STX, will be held at Villanova Stadium on Friday, May 26 at 7:00 p.m. The NCAA lacrosse championships will take place at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field this weekend. Martocchia tallied 18 goals and 11 assists from his attack position during the 2006 campaign. He was one of the top scorers on an offense that ranked fourth nationally among the Division I leaders at 11.73 goals per game. He was named to the America East Conference all-championship squad after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime against Stony Brook in the semifinal round. Martocchia finished his career ranked sixth in goals (105) and ninth in points (153) among UAlbany’s all-time scorers. At 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, Martocchia started 58 of 65 games played as a collegian. A native of Wantagh, N.Y., Martocchia led the Great Danes to three NCAA Tournament appearances and four consecutive America East championship finals during his career. UAlbany posted a combined 38-25 record during that period.
UALBANY PLACES SEVEN PLAYERS ON AMERICA EAST ALL-CONFERENCE BASEBALL TEAM Boston, Mass. – University at Albany’s Tom Hill and Nate Olson were named to the All-America East Conference First Team, as voted on by the league’s head coaches and announced at the league’s postseason banquet on Wednesday, May 24. Brad Daniels, Mark Suchowiecki and Steve Wyland were second-team selections. Freshmen Sean Donovan and Sean Gregory garnered both second-team and all-rookie accolades. Hill, a junior catcher, finished the regular season tops among conference leaders in batting average (.386), on-base percentage (.478) and slugging (.667). A two-time America East player of the week, Hill belted 25 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs and 13 doubles, plus scored 45 runs and had 46 RBI. He ranks in the top five on the program’s single-season charts in six different offensive categories. Olson, the Great Danes’ designated hitter, belted eight home runs, the third-best total in the conference. A senior transfer from Long Island University, Olson batted .265 with 29 RBI and 22 runs scored. In 17 conference games, Olson hit .309 with five homers and drove in 22 runs. Suchowiecki, a senior left-hander, led the UAlbany pitching staff with a 6-4 record and a 3.16 earned run average. He was at his best in conference play, as he went 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA and hurling two complete-game shutouts. Suchowiecki earned America East pitcher of the week honors on two occasions. Daniels, who will receive his fourth varsity letter this season, started 45 games in center field and made just two errors. At the plate, he batted .298 with a pair of home runs, 23 RBI and 27 runs scored. Daniels, a senior tri-captain, also added 10 stolen bases. Wyland, who is earning All-America East recognition for the second straight season, batted .337 and ranked among conference leaders in runs scored (44), walks (32) and on-base percentage (.460). Wyland, a junior third baseman who drove in 25 runs, was a first-team all-league selection while playing second base in the 2005 campaign. Donovan, a freshman shortstop, finished the regular season with a .326 average, one home run and 27 RBI. He has batted .359 since entering the starting lineup, plus hit .380 in America East play. Donovan set a single-game school record and tied a NCAA Division I mark with three triples against Yale on March 23. Gregory, a freshman right-hander, went 2-0 on the mound with one save in 15 appearances. In his last 10 outings, he has a 0.99 earned run average over 27.1 innings pitched. Gregory, who threw a complete game in his first career start against Binghamton on May 20, held opposing hitters to a .246 batting average. UAlbany (20-30, AE 12-10) faces Vermont in the first round of the America East Conference Baseball Championship on Thursday in Burlington, Vt. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES 2006 SCHEDULE Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Wednesday, May 24 the school’s women’s volleyball schedule for the 2006 season. Head coach Kelly Sheffield will take his team to six tournaments, including a trip to California on Thanksgiving weekend. The Great Danes, who captured last year’s America East Conference regular-season title, will host the UAlbany Tournament on Sept. 15-16 and play a 12-game conference schedule. UAlbany will compete in Purdue University’s Mortar Board Premier on Aug. 25-26 in West Lafayette, Ind. to open the season. The Boilermakers, who were ranked 17th in the final AVCA Division I Coaches Poll, are among seven teams on the schedule who were NCAA Tournament participants last year. The Great Danes will travel to the west coast for the first time on Nov. 24-25 to play in the Baden Thanksgiving Tournament in Long Beach, Calif. UAlbany will face a pair of 2005 NCAA tournament squads in UC-Santa Barbara and Long Beach State. UAlbany will host its own tournament, a two-day event, in September. The field includes Syracuse, Middle Tennesse and Temple. The Great Danes are also entered in the Hofstra/Asics Tournament on Sept. 1-2 and the Yale Classic on Sept. 22-23. America East play begins on Sept. 29 against Binghamton. In 2005, the Great Danes finished with a 28-4 record, the program’s most wins at the Division I level. A trio of all-conference players return. America East Conference Player and Setter of the Year Blair Buchanan was named to the AVCA All-America squad for the second straight season. Ashley DeNeal led the league in digs (5.19 pg) as the conference defensive player of the year. Shelby Goldman, a first-team all-conference outside hitter, was second in America East in kills at 3.95 per game. ***************** 2006 University at Albany Women’s Volleyball Schedule Aug. 25, (Fri.), Northern Iowa+, 12:00 Aug. 26, (Sat.),
at Purdue+, 10:00 AM Sept. 1, (Fri.), Fairfield^, 5:00 Sept. 2, (Sat.), Seton Hall^, 9:30 AM Sept. 2, (Sat.), at Hofstra^, 5:30 Sept. 8, (Fri.), Maryland#, 3:30 Sept. 15, (Fri.), UAlbany Tournament (Middle Tennessee vs. Temple, 5:00) (UAlbany vs. Syracuse, 7:00) Sept. 16, (Sat.), UAlbany Tournament (Middle Tennessee vs. Syracuse, 10:00 AM) (UAlbany vs. Temple, 12:00) (Syracuse vs. Temple, 5:00) (UAlbany vs. Middle Tennessee, 7:00) Sept. 22, (Fri.), Central Connecticut State<, 5:00 Sept. 23, (Sat.), Rhode Island<, 11:00 AM Sept. 23, (Sat.), at Yale<, 7:00 Sept. 26, (Tue.), Siena, 7:00 Sept. 29, (Fri.), at Binghamton*, 7:00 Oct. 1, (Sun.), UMBC*, 2:00 Oct. 6, (Fri.), Stony Brook*, 7:00 Oct. 7, (Sat.), Hartford*, 7:00 Oct. 13, (Fri.), at Maine*, 7:00 Oct. 15, (Sun.), at New Hampshire*, 2:00 Oct. 22, (Sun.), at UMBC*, 3:00 Oct. 28, (Sat.), New Hampshire*, 7:00 Oct. 30, (Mon.), Binghamton*, 7:00 Nov. 3, (Fri.), Maine*, 7:00 Nov. 4, (Sat.), at Hartford*, 7:00 Nov. 8, (Wed.), at Stony Brook*, 5:00 Nov. 9, (Thu.), at Long Island, 5:00 Nov. 24, (Fri.), UC-Santa Barbara++, 3:00 Nov. 25, (Sat.), at Long Beach State++, 6:00 +Mortar Board Premier (West Lafayette, Ind.) #Holiday Inn Express Tournament (Stony Brook, N.Y.) ^Hofstra/Asics Invitational (Hempstead, N.Y.) <Yale Classic (New Haven, Conn.) *America East Conference Opponent ++Baden Thanksgiving Tournament (Long Beach, Calif.) All Times Eastern
UALBANY’S MIKE SIMPSON CHOSEN FOR NCAA EXPERT COACHES ACADEMY Indianapolis, Ind. -- University at Albany’s Mike Simpson is one of 25 football coaches that have been selected to participate in the 2006 NCAA Expert Coaches Academy, scheduled to take place on May 29-31 at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami, Florida. Simpson completed his 20th season as the UAlbany program’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach last fall. The Expert Coaches Academy is one of the NCAA’s initiatives that addresses the critical shortage of ethnic minorities in head coaching positions in the sport of college football, primarily at the Division I level. The academy’s mission is to assist the coaches with career advancement, networking and exposure opportunities, and to raise awareness regarding the substantial pool of talented and qualified coaching candidates. Coaches will participate in workshops during the three-day program that focus on communication, fiscal responsibility, building and managing a successful football program, compliance, and academics. Simpson’s UAlbany defense ranked among the NCAA Division I-AA leaders in points allowed (11th), rushing yards against (11th) and total defense (15th) in 2005. Since 1999, linebackers Mike Grever, Josh Bazan and Colin Disch have earned I-AA All-America recognition under Simpson’s tutelage. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Simpson has been a coaching intern with three National Football League teams, including the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY SENDS 11 ATHLETES TO NCAA TRACK & FIELD EAST REGIONAL
Albany, N.Y. -- Eleven athletes will represent the University at Albany at the
NCAA East Regional Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 26-27. Nine
UAlbany individuals and one relay qualified for the regional and will compete at
North Carolina A&T's Irwin Belk Track at Aggie Stadium. The group includes
Junior Burnett, Ray Gilman, Joe Greene, Marc Pallozzi and Freddie Wills for the
men, while Alyssa Lotmore and freshmen Kamilah McShine, Jessica Ortman and
Ritshell Verdier compete for the women. The top five finishers in each event
automatically advance to the NCAA Championships.
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY ANNOUNCES FIELD HOCKEY SCHEDULE FOR 2006 SEASON
Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany Vice President and Director of
Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Tuesday, May 23 the school's 2006 women's field
hockey schedule. The Great Danes, who earned their first berth in the
America East Conference tournament last season, face a slate of teams that
includes four 2005 NCAA Tournament participants, including defending
national champion Maryland. ^ at Kent State * America East Conference Opponent
UALBANY BASEBALL EARNS AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP BERTH Boston, Mass. -- UAlbany has earned a berth in the America East Conference Baseball Championship and will be the fourth seed for the tournament, which will be held on May 25-27at Centennial Field in Burlington, Vt. The champion of the four-team, double-elimination tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. UAlbany (20-30, AE 12-8) will face top-seeded Vermont (18-32, AE 16-8) in a first round matchup on Thursday evening at 7 p.m. Second-seeded Stony Brook (23-27, AE 13-8) will take on third-seeded Maine (32-20, AE 13-9) in the first game of the tournament at 3 p.m. The Great Danes, who won seven of their final 10 America East games to position themselves for a bid, officially qualified for the tournament when Stony Brook defeated Binghamton in a make-up game on Monday, May 22. It is the second time UAlbany has made it to the tournament in five seasons as a conference member. Senior left-hander Mark Suchowiecki leads the pitching staff with a 6-4 record and a 3.16 earned run average. The tri-captain is 5-0 in conference play and has fired two complete-game shutouts. Freshman right-hander Sean Gregory, who is 2-0 with one save, has a 0.99 ERA over his last 10 appearances Tom Hill leads the team offensively and is tops in the America East with a .386 batting average and 11 home runs. The junior catcher has driven in 46 runs and scored 45. Steve Wyland, Sean Donovan and Leo Corvino are all also batting over .300 for the Great Danes, who were 8-23 at one point this season. *************** America East
Conference Baseball Championship Thursday, May 25 Friday, May 26 Saturday, May 27
MARK SUCHOWIECKI NAMED AMERICA EAST PITCHER OF THE WEEK FOR SECOND TIME Boston, Mass. - University at Albany’s Mark Suchowiecki was named the America East Conference Pitcher of the Week in baseball for the second time this season, as announced by the conference office on Monday, May 22. Suchowiecki, who also earned the weekly honor on April 10, is the first UAlbany hurler to receive the award twice in one season. Suchowiecki fired a four-hit shutout in a complete-game performance against Binghamton last Friday. The tri-captain, who struck out eight and walked three in the 123-pitch effort, allowed just four singles in his team’s 7-0 victory. Suchowiecki, a senior left-hander, is 6-4 this season with a 3.16 earned run average. In six America East Conference starts this season, he is 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA and two complete-game shutouts.
BINGHAMTON HOLDS OFF UALBANY BASEBALL, 4-2, TO WIN AMERICA EAST SERIES FINALE Binghamton, N.Y. -- Shortstop Justin Smucker homered, tripled and drove in a pair of runs to lead Binghamton to a 4-2 America East Conference victory over UAlbany to wrap up a four-game weekend series on Sunday, May 21 at NYSEG Stadium. The contest was moved to the “AA” Binghamton Mets’ facility after weather conditions made Binghamton’s home field unplayable earlier in the day. UAlbany (20-30, AE 12-10) fell into a tie for fourth place in the conference standings with the loss. The Great Danes, who had won nine of their previous 11 contests to move into postseason contention, must now await the result of Monday’s make-up game between Stony Brook and Binghamton to find out if they have earned an America East tournament berth. The conference tournament is scheduled for May 25-27 in Burlington, Vt. Binghamton (27-22-1, AE 12-10) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when catcher Pat Haughie smacked a solo home run, his seventh of the year, over the right-field fence with two outs. Smucker, who went 2-for-5 at the plate, added a solo homer in the fifth for a two-run advantage. The Bearcats, who were in a must-win situation in an effort to keep their playoff hopes alive, tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth. Jeff Wertepny led off by reaching on an infielder’s error and that led to Ryan James’ sacrifice fly later in the inning. Smucker followed by drilling a RBI triple to center field off reliever Giorgio Fuda for a 4-0 lead. Binghamton starting pitcher Mike Van Gorder, who improved to 6-1 on the season, was in complete control through six innings as he allowed just one hit in that opening stretch. The the right-hander worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth but then ran into trouble in the seventh. UAlbany’s Chris Wood singled and Dave West doubled to ignite a two-out rally. Al Barbato would then score both runners with a double to right field to slice deficit in half. However, reliever Adam Shatkun, who recorded his second save this season, cooled off the uprising when he got Steve Wyland to ground out to the second baseman. Shatkun held the visitors scoreless over 2.1 innings, including sending the side down in order in the ninth. “Tonight we ran into a guy (Van Order) who was tough early and threw a great game,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose club rebounded in the last month of the season after losing 23 of its opening 31 games. “We controlled our own destiny until the final out, but there is no looking back now. I am really proud of how these guys played, especially over the last few weeks.”
TEXAS A&M RALLIES TO EDGE UALBANY SOFTBALL IN NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT PLAY Amherst, Mass. -- Left fielder Rhonda Smith’s two-run single in the fourth inning put her team ahead for good as No. 16 Texas A&M came from behind to edge UAlbany, 6-5, in an NCAA Division I Tournament elimination game on Saturday, May 20 at UMass Softball Complex. The Great Danes, who were making their second consecutive NCAA appearance, end the season with a 36-13-1 record. UAlbany leaped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Shortstop Maegan Larsen led off with a triple and then scored on Ashley Rios’ three-bagger to center field. Texas A&M’s Sharonda McDonald followed with a throwing error that allowed Rios to cross the plate. Katrina Dunning hit her first home run of the season, a solo blast over the right-field fence, to compete the uprising. The Great Danes’ Casey Halloran was in complete control until the fourth inning when Texas A&M (34-18) put together a two-out rally. Amanda Scarborough belted her first homer since April 15th, a two-run shot over the left-field scoreboard. Rocky Spencer’s run-scoring double tied the contest at three apiece as she lined a 3-2 pitch into the gap in left field. Smith gave the Aggies a 5-3 lead with a two-run single up the middle. Third baseman Jamie Hinshaw, who went 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk and two runs scored, had five stolen bases and made several key defensive plays. Hinshaw stole home in the fifth to give her team a 6-3 cushion when Scarborough attempted to steal second in a designed play with runners on the corners. The Great Danes inched their way back into the contest with single runs in the fifth and sixth. Amber Maisonet singled, stole second and scored on Ali Meacham’s wind-blown double down the left-field line. In the sixth, Kelly Ogden and Meagan Butsch started the frame with back-to-back doubles. Butsch would move to third after a sacrifice bunt, but then was tagged out by Hinshaw while breaking to the plate on Leslie Busch’s ground ball to end the threat. UAlbany went down in order in the seventh. “It was a tough game for either team to lose,” said UAlbany coach Chris Cannata, whose program captured its second consecutive America East Conference championship. “We just finished on the short end. I felt like we were in the verge of beating a big team today. We were here (NCAAs) again and we played with both teams." Texas A&M’s Lisa Gorzycki came on in relief for starter Megan Gibson and faced just six batters to record her fourth save. Gorzycki struck out Larsen to end the sixth, and sent both Rios and Meacham down swinging to finish off the game in the seventh. “It is always our mind set to be aggressive,” offered Rios, a four-time all-conference first baseman. “We all came out swinging and overall made a good effort. I am happy with our performance, but I’d be happier if I had better at bats.”
BASEBALL SPLITS TWINBILL AND MOVES CLOSER TO AMERICA EAST POSTSEASON BERTH Vestal, N.Y. - Freshman Sean Gregory threw a complete game in his first start as collegian, as UAlbany posted an 11-2 victory in the nightcap of an America East Conference doubleheader with Binghamton on Saturday, May 20 at Varsity Field. The Bearcats won the first game, 6-2. UAlbany (20-29, AE 12-9) can secure an America East postseason tournament berth with a victory in Sunday’s final game of the weekend series. The Great Danes have won nine of their last 11 contests to move into playoff contention. Gregory, a right-hander who had worked out of the bullpen in his 13 previous appearances this spring, scattered seven hits to go with two strikeouts and three walks. He turned in the fourth complete-game effort by a UAlbany pitcher this season. The Great Danes put together a 14-hit attack in the second game. UAlbany used a three-run third to take a 5-1 lead. Shortstop Sean Donovan scored a pair of base runners with a double into the right-field gap, before Tom Hill, who doubled twice, singled, and scored two runs, crossed the plate on a throwing error. Rashad Barksdale’s two-run homer, his first of the season, keyed a six-run fifth inning that blew the game wide open. After Chris Wood delivered a two-run double past the third-base bag, Barksdale followed with a blast that went just inside the left-field foul pole. Leo Corvino, who went 3-for-4 plate with two RBI, ended the rally with a run-scoring single. “Sean (Gregory) has done a great job for us over the past few weeks,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose team has a 12-6 record since April 21 and has won two of the opening three games in this series. He didn’t have his best stuff today but he battled. We knew if we came here and won three times we would be in (the tournament). We can’t be worried about what other teams are doing. We need to go out tomorrow and throw strikes and play defense.” In the opener, Binghamton (26-22-1, AE 11-10) received a strong pitching performance from Zach Groh, who allowed three hits and struck out nine to improve to 5-3 overall. First baseman Brendon Hitchcock supported Groh with three hits, four RBI and two runs scored. Hitchcock smacked his seventh home run of the year, a three-run blast in the first. Catcher Pat Haughie added a two-run homer in the third.
SUCHOWIECKI’S SHUTOUT MOVES BASEBALL INTO SECOND PLACE IN A-EAST STANDINGS Vestal, N.Y. _- Mark Suchowiecki fired a four-hit shutout, his second of the season, as UAlbany moved into second place in the America East Conference standings with a 7-0 victory over Binghamton on Friday, May 19 at Varsity Field. The Great Danes own a six-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine. Suchowiecki, who threw the first complete, nine-inning game by a UAlbany pitcher this spring, scattered four singles while striking out eight and walking three in the 123-pitch effort. The left-hander has won his last four outings to push his record to 6-4 on the mound. UAlbany (19-28, AE 11-8) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Third baseman Steve Wyland, who had two hits and two runs scored, delivered a RBI double down the left-field line. Sean Donovan followed with an run-scoring single up the middle. The Great Danes plated four runners in the third. Tom Hill singled through the left side to drive in the first run. Donovan, a redshirt freshman shortstop who had three RBI on the day, then lined a two-run double into the right-field gap. Nate Olson increased the lead to 6-0 with an RBI double. Olson, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, would add a solo home run, his eighth of the year, to lead off the seventh inning. “Mark (Suchowiecki) was unhitable from the fourth inning on and got stronger as the game progressed,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose team had an 8-23 record nearly one month ago. “We haven’t accomplished what we set out to do yet. But it starts and ends on the mound. When guys are throwing strikes and keeping the defense involved it makes the game easier.” Suchowiecki’s performance was just the third complete game by the Great Danes’ pitching staff this season. He previously allowed five hits in blanking Hartford, 9-0, on April 8th in a seven-inning contest. UAlbany and Binghamton (25-21-1, AE 10-9) play three more times this weekend, including a Saturday doubleheader at 12:00 p.m. The Great Danes have a one-game lead in the loss column for second in the standings. Vermont has already wrapped up the regular-season title and will host the conference tournament on May 25-27.
BRANDICE BALSCHMITER THROWS NO-HITTER AT UALBANY IN NCAA FIRST-ROUND PLAY Amherst, Mass. -- Freshman Brandice Balschmiter fired a no-hitter, the first of her career, in leading Massachusetts to a 2-0 victory over UAlbany in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 19 at UMass Softball Complex. The Minutewomen, who improved to 38-14 overall, will face Lehigh, who upset No. 16 Texas A&M, 4-3, in Saturday's second round. Balschmiter, the Atlantic 10 Conference pitcher of the year, faced just 22 batters in turning in the first no-hit performance by a UMass hurler in NCAA regional play since 1999. Balschmiter, who upped her record to 29-7, struck out three and walked four en route to her 12th shutout of the season. K.J. Kelley’s bat and defense also aided the UMass’ victory in a game that was delayed three hours due to the weather. In the first inning, Amanda Morin walked and moved to second on an illegal-pitch call. With two outs, Kelley then drilled her sixth home run over the left-field fence. The senior catcher also picked off two base runners, including Amber Maisonet, who led off the seventh with a walk. “You can’t win ball games if you do not get a hit,” said UAlbany coach Chris Cannata, whose team is making its second consecutive NCAA appearance after winning the America East Conference championship. “She had good movement on her pitches and we missed some opportunities throughout the game.” Casey Halloran, a junior right-hander, scattered four hits for UAlbany (36-12-1). She recorded two strikeouts and two walks. The Great Danes, who were last no-hit in the America East tournament’s first round on May 9, 2002, will move on to play an elimination game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. “We were a little tight at the start but we caught up to it as the game wore on,” explained Katrina Dunning, UAlbany’s all-conference second baseman. “We just have to play at our tempo tomorrow. We have to play like we have nothing to lose.”
UALBANY'S CASEY HALLORAN NAMED TO NFCA ALL-NORTHEAST REGION SOFTBALL TEAM Salem, Va. – University at Albany’s Casey Halloran has been chosen to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Northeast Region squad, as announced on Thursday, May 18 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Halloran, a junior pitcher, was named to the second team. Halloran, the America East Conference pitcher of the year, posted a 27-8 record with a 1.37 earned run average this season. She established school single-season marks in innings pitched (214.0), appearances (39), games started (32) and strikeouts (246). Halloran also became the first UAlbany pitcher to throw four no-hitters in a season, including a no-hit performance in the first round of the conference’s postseason tournament that propeled the Great Danes to a second consecutive America East championship. Halloran, the program’s all-time wins leader, has a 54-17 career record. She became the first UAlbany hurler to reach the 400-career plateau in strikeouts last weekend and has 408 overall. UAlbany (36-11-1) meets Massachusetts in the opening round of the NCAA Division I Tournament on Friday, May 19. Game time is 12:00 p.m.
WYLAND LEADS UALBANY TO FIFTH STRAIGHT VICTORY WITH 8-6 WIN OVER ST. FRANCIS, N.Y. Albany, N.Y. - Third baseman Steve Wyland had three hits and drove in two runs as UAlbany edged St. Francis, N.Y., 8-6, in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday, May 17 at Varsity Field. The game, which endured a 47-minute rain delay at the start, was also halted for 21 minutes in the bottom of the fifth inning because of lightning. UAlbany (18-28) struck first with five runs in its first at-bat. Designated hitter Tom Hill started the scoring with a bloop single to center that plated Leo Corvino. Steve Sayre followed with an RBI double down the left-field line. After Hill scored on a passed ball, Chris Wood delivered a base hit up the middle that plated Sayre. Brad Daniels capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field. St. Francis (5-35) cut the deficit to one with two runs in the third and two more in the fourth. In the third, David Noble and Juan Pinero led off the frame with singles and scored on a base knock by Joe Romano. Noble and Johnny Lluberes each scored runs in the next inning to make the score 5-4 after four. The Great Danes, who have won five straight and seven of their last eight games, pushed their lead to three in the home half of the frame. Wyland, who also scored twice in the game, drove a single up the middle that plated two and gave his team a 7-4 advantage. The Terriers, who added single runs in the fifth and eighth, had the tying runs on base in the final frame. With one out and runners on second and third, UAlbany’s Alexander Beaulieu struck out Bladimir Toribio and then induced Thomas Pento to ground out to second to end the game. Hill and Sayre each had two hits and an RBI for the Great Danes, who currently sit in third place in the America East Conference standings and can lock up a bid to the league tournament this weekend. UAlbany will travel to Binghamton for a pivotal four-game series beginning on Friday, May 19 at 3 p.m.
NORTHEAST
CONFERENCE & PIONEER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS TO MEET IN GRIDIRON CLASSIC
Central Connecticut State and Stony Brook are the defending NEC co-champions,
while San Diego is the reigning PFL champion. Set to begin its 14th season, the Pioneer Football League is one of three Division I football-only sport conferences. The PFL is comprised of eight members: Butler, Dayton, Davidson, Drake, Jacksonville, Morehead State, San Diego and Valparaiso.
JOE GREENE WINS 400-METER HURDLES CROWN AT IC4A TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS Princeton, N.J. -- Joe Greene was crowned the 400-meter hurdles champion in the final day of the IC4A Track & Field Championship, held at Princeton's William Weaver Track & Field Stadium on Sunday, May 14. Greene becomes UAlbany's second IC4A champion since the school upgraded to the Division I level in 1999-2000. Greene, who was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer and Rookie of the Year at the America East Conference Championship last week, won the 400m hurdles in 51.61 seconds. The freshman, who had never run hurdles competitively before this spring, will compete at the NCAA East Regional on May 26-27. Marc Pallozzi finished seventh in the javelin. Pallozzi will compete at the NCAA Regional for the second straight year. Junior Burnett, who set a school record and had the second-fastest time in the 100m dash preliminaries, did not compete in the finals due to a hamstring injury that occurred during a later event on Saturday. Jenna Ortman, who broke a nine-year-old record in the 1500-meter run in Saturday's event preliminaries, bested that mark in the finals by more than one second, crossing the line in 4:28.12. The freshman, who won the 2005 ECAC indoor title, finished sixth at the outdoor championship. Jessica Ortman, Jenna's twin sister, turned in a third-place showing in the 800m. Jessica also ran a school-record 2:08.96 in the event during Saturday's heats.
UALBANY FACES MASSACHUSETTS IN NCAA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT’S OPENING ROUND Albany, N.Y. -- UAlbany meets Massachusetts in the first round of the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament in Amherst, Mass. on Friday, May 19. Texas A&M, the nation’s 16th-ranked squad, and Lehigh are other teams playing in one of 16 opening-round regional sites in this 64-team championship field. The four teams will compete in a double-elimination format with winner advancing to the Super Regionals the following weekend. UAlbany (36-11-1) won its second consecutive America East Conference championship with a 5-2 victory against Boston University on May 13. The Great Danes, who set a single-season standard for victories, were also in the NCAA field one year ago. Casey Halloran, the America East pitcher of the year, established school records with her 27-8 mark on the mound and 246 strikeouts. Halloran, the conference championship’s most outstanding player, won three of four starts in tournament play. Maegan Larsen, one of five Great Danes on the all-league first team, is batting .411 with 10 home runs, 50 runs scored and 34 RBI. Massachusetts (37-14) is making its 12th consecutive NCAA appearance after capturing the Atlantic 10 Conference title. Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Brandice Balschmiter has a 28-7 record with 11 shutouts and a 0.71 ERA. Freshman Whitney Mollica, the conference player of the year, is hitting .417 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI. “Our goal is to win a game in the regionals,” UAlbany coach Chris Cannata offered. “We have a veteran team that will not get rattled and knows what to expect. The team has many friends and fans that will get a chance to see them play.” Texas A&M (33-17) earned the NCAA Tournament’s No. 13 seed. Megan Gibson, a second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection, has a 16-4 record as a pitcher, plus owns a .320 batting average with 11 homers and 34 RBI. Lehigh (41-12) won its third straight Patriot League championship. Lisa Sweeney, the league tournament MVP, has a 26-4 record with a 0.89 ERA. Julie Sterrett is batting .373 with 37 RBI. “The first time we went to the NCAAs it was surreal,” said Larsen, a senior shortstop who was a member of the conference all-tournament team. “But this time around we know we can do this, we have confidence. I am relaxed, but excited that we have a chance.” All session passes are now on sale for the NCAA Softball Amherst Regional, May 19-21, at the UMass Softball Complex. All session passes will cost $12 for adults and $8 for youth 18 and under. Advance tickets may be purchased by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 1-866-UMASS-TIX or in person at the Mullins Center Box Office. Single session tickets will be available at the gates only on game day. Individual session tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for students and children. ***************** NCAA Division I Softball Tournament (May 19-21,
Amherst, Mass.) Game 2: Texas A&M (33-17) vs. Lehigh (41-12),
2:30
JUNIOR BURNETT SETS 100m MARK, AS FOUR ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR IC4A & ECAC FINALS Princeton, N.J. – University at Albany's Junior Burnett qualified for the 100-meter dash final in a school-record time of 10.60 seconds at the IC4A Track & Field Championships on Saturday, May 13 at William Weaver Stadium. In the ECAC meet, Jessica Ortman and Jenna Ortman set school marks in the 800- and 1,500-meter runs, respectively, to advance to Sunday's championship races. Burnett turned in the second-best time in the 100-meter preliminary round. He also helped the 4x100-meter relay reach the finals with another UAlbany record of 40.86 seconds. Pat Weider, Joe Greene and Jesse Bennett joined Burnett on the relay. Greene, a freshman, posted Saturday's best qualifying time in the 400m-hurdles as he was clocked in 51.68. Jessica Ortman eclipsed her own school standard in the 800m with a time of 2:08.96, the best showing in the preliminaries. She previously ran 2:10.24 at the Duke Invitational in early April. Jenna Ortman shattered a nine-year-old record in the 1,500m by hitting the tape in 4:29.37. UAlbany Athletic Hall of Famer Tonya Dodge established the previous record of 4:30.93 in 1997. Other UAlbany athletes will be in action on Sunday, as Alyssa Lotmore competes in the ECAC 3,000-meter final. Marc Pallozzi and Justin Collishaw are entered in the IC4A javelin throw.
WALSH & SUCHOWIECKI EARN WINS AS UALBANY SWEEPS TWINBILL FROM STONY BROOK Albany, N.Y. – Leo Corvino went 3-for-7 with a pair of RBI and scored three runs to lead UAlbany to a doubleheader sweep of Stony Brook in America East Conference baseball action on Saturday, May 13 at Varsity Field. The Great Danes, who have won four in a row and six of their last seven, took the opener, 4-2, and won the nightcap, 10-4. In game one, UAlbany (17-28, AE 10-8) trailed 1-0 entering the home half of the first, but rallied for four runs in that frame. Second baseman Al Barbato and Corvino were hit by pitches to start the inning, while third baseman Steve Wyland reached on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. After Tom Hill grounded into a double play, which plated Barbato, Sean Donovan walked. First baseman Steve Sayre, who has 11 hits in his last seven games, followed with an RBI double down the left-field line to give his team a 2-1 advantage. Brad Daniels delivered an RBI single to second baseman Chris Sipp, who also committed a throwing error on the play, allowing Sayre to score and spotting UAlbany a 4-1 lead. Stony Brook (18-27, AE 8-8) scored another run in the fifth, but could not solve UAlbany right-hander Casey Walsh (2-3), who allowed just two runs over six and two-thirds innings to pick up the win. The sophomore gave up seven hits, struck out six and walked three. Sean Gregory threw two and one-third shutout innings of relief to earn his first career save. In the nightcap, UAlbany scored single runs in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. The Seawolves cut the deficit in half with a run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly. Catcher Jon Pasieka later scored on an error by Donovan, giving Stony Brook a 3-2 lead. The Great Danes took control of the game in the fourth, exploding for seven runs. Daniels drove in a run with a single to center, while Corvino delivered a two-run single in the inning. Pasieka’s throwing error allowed two more runs to score and Sayre capped the outburst with a run-scoring single to give his team a 9-3 lead. Each team added a run to make the score 10-4 and left-hander Mark Suchowiecki (5-4) went five and one-third innings to win his fourth straight decision. Donovan went 3-for-3 in the nightcap, while Rashad Barksdale had a hit and scored three runs.
UALBANY WINS SECOND STRAIGHT AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Orono, Maine -- Casey Halloran scattered six hits in seven strong innings on the mound to lead UAlbany to its second consecutive America East Conference championship with a 5-2 victory over Boston University on Saturday, May 13. The four-team, double-elimination tournament was held at the University of Maine’s Kessock Field. UAlbany (36-11-1) also earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season with the conference’s automatic berth. The Great Danes, who set a school record for single-season wins, will find out their opponent on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The 64-team field will be announced on ESPNews with regional play scheduled for May 19-21. Boston U. (29-29) set up the championship game by winning two games in the loser’s bracket earlier in the day. The Terriers, who were attempting to become the first No. 4 seed to win the conference title, eliminated UMBC, 2-1, as Christy Leath delivered a bases-loaded single in the seventh inning. In a 3-1 win over UAlbany, Leath had a two-run double in the third, while teammate Liz Alley smacked her 10th home run of the season. In the championship, the second-seeded Great Danes broke up a 1-1 deadlock with a three-run fourth. Freshman Meagan Butsch put her team ahead with a sacrifice fly, but then a throwing error by the center fielder scored another run. Julie Gannon then belted her second homer of the spring, a solo shot, for a 4-1 lead. Shortstop Maegan Larsen led off the fifth inning by drilling a 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence, her team-leading 10th home run. Larsen, who chased starting pitcher Cassidi Hardy with that blast, and second baseman Katrina Dunning both had two hits in the contest. Meanwhile, Halloran cruised along with a seven-strikeout, no-walk performance to improve to 27-8 on the season. She was named the championship’s most outstanding player by posting a 3-1 record with 31 strikeouts in tournament play. UAlbany’s Ali Meacham, Amber Maisonet and Larsen joined her on the all-tournament squad. “I thought going in that it would go two (games) today,” said UAlbany coach Chris Cannata, whose team faced Boston U. in the championship game for the third time in the last four years. “I was hoping that Casey (Halloran) would be fresh. You really have to ride your ace at the end and she certainly wants the ball every day.” Leath, a freshman catcher, accounted for both of Boston University’s runs, as she went 3-for-3 at the plate in the final. She hit her fourth home run of the year in the first inning and added a RBI double in the sixth. “We were nervous after the first game today,” offered Halloran, who became the school’s all-time strikeouts leader with 408 to break the previous mark established by Kelly Poynton from 1997-99. “But we realized it (the championship) was ours to win. It’s not like I threw a no-hitter out there. I gave up a bunch of hits and my team just made plays behind me.” ***************** America East
Conference Softball Championship Bracket
MEAGAN BUTSCH’S HOME RUN SENDS SOFTBALL TO AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Orono, Maine – Freshman Meagan Butsch smacked a solo home run with two outs in the seventh inning to lead UAlbany past Boston University, 2-1, in the second round of the America East Conference Tournament on Friday, May 12 at the University of Maine’s Kessock Field. UAlbany (35-10-1) advances to the America East championship game for the third time in the last four years. The champion of this four-team, double-elimination tournament receives an automatic NCAA berth. The Great Danes, who will play in the conference final on Saturday at 12 noon, took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Amber Maisonet singled to center field with one out. Ashley Rios followed with a triple into the right-field gap. The Terriers’ Cassidi Hardy then stranded Rios at third by striking out the next two batters. Boston U. (27-28) drew even at one apiece in the bottom of the fourth. Tyler Benson doubled to deep center, her seventh of the year, with one out and then moved to third on catcher Christy Leath’s single. Second baseman Brandi Shields then tied the contest with a sacrifice fly to left field. In the seventh, Butsch stepped to the plate with two outs and lined the first pitch she saw over the left-field fence. Butsch, a right fielder who was hitting .245 coming into the contest, belted her first homer of the season. "I was looking for anything to drive," said Butsch, a member of the conference’s all-rookie team who has 14 RBI this spring. "I thought it was going to hit the fence, but then I was excited when it went out. It felt good to make a big contribution." UAlbany starting pitcher Casey Halloran was dominant for the second straight day. She scattered two hits to go with nine strikeouts and one walk. Halloran, who is 26-7 overall with a 1.29 ERA, has allowed two hits or less against eleven opponents. Boston U.’s Hardy recorded eight strikeouts and no walks in falling to 16-11 on the season. "It feels good to be in the winner’s bracket and we are looking forward to playing tomorrow," said UAlbany coach Chris Cannata, whose club tied the school record for single-season victories set by last year’s squad. "It was a great team effort. We had some clutch hits and Casey pitched great as usual. She’s given us everything and we usually just have to stretch out some hits."
CASEY HALLORAN THROWS NO-HITTER IN AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT'S FIRST ROUND Orono, Maine - Casey Halloran fired her fourth no-hitter of the season and Maegan Larsen belted her ninth home run in leading UAlbany to an 8-0 victory over UMBC in the opening round of the America East Conference Tournament on Thursday, May 11 at the University of Maine’s Kessock Field. UAlbany (34-10-1) advances to second-round play on Friday at 11:00 a.m. against Boston University, an 11-1 winner over top-seed Maine. The champion of this four-team, double-elimination tournament receives an automatic NCAA berth. UMBC (45-19) must now work its way out of the loser’s bracket. Halloran improved to 25-7 overall as she faced the minimum 15 batters in a game that was halted after five innings due to the eight-run rule. She struck out seven in posting her eighth shutout this spring. The junior right-hander walked the second batter she faced in the first inning, but first baseman Ashley Rios turned Melanie Denischuk’s line drive into a double play to end the only threat. Larsen, who went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, started the game off with a single to center field to ignite a three-run frame. After Amber Maisonet reached base on a throwing error, catcher Ali Meacham delivered a two-run single down the left-field line. Kelly Ogden drove in another run by grounding out to first base. The Great Danes, the defending conference champions, exploded for five runs in the fourth. Larsen, who also set a single-season record for runs scored with 49, led off the inning with a solo blast over the left-field fence. Katrina Dunning would later hit a sacrifice fly before freshman outfielder Meagan Butsch drilled a two-run single into the right-field gap. Julie Gannon’s RBI double capped the uprising. “It feels good to get the fourth no-hitter,” said Halloran, who was facing an offense that is ranked fourth nationally with a .328 batting average. “It helps to have an awesome team behind me. (Ashley) Rios made a great catch in the first and that really set the tone. It felt good to have a big lead and get some runs since UMBC can hit well.” Halloran, the America East pitcher of the year, threw the first no-hitter in the conference postseason tournament since May 9, 2002. She had already established the UAlbany standard for most no-hit games in a season. “It’s important to the seniors (to win) since it may be the last time we play together,” Meacham commented. We want to go out as a good as we can. Casey and I have a good connection. She knows what she is doing out there and deserves all her wins.”
GREAT DANES PLACE TWO PLAYERS ON CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT I SOFTBALL TEAM University Heights, Ohio - University at Albany’s Ali Meacham and Amber Maisonet have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District I Softball Team, as chosen by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). Meacham, a senior catcher, was a first-team selection, while Maisonet, a sophomore outfielder, made the second team. Meacham, who has a 3.30 cumulative grade point average in English, batted .369 with 22 runs scored, 11 extra-base hits and 31 RBI during the regular season. She also recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage in 252 total chances. Meacham recently was voted first-team All-America East Conference for the second straight year. Maisonet, who has a 3.85 GPA in psychology, ranks 18th among the NCAA Division I leaders with 22 stolen bases. She posted a .343 batting average with 40 runs scored, 10 extra-base hits and 19 RBI in 44 starting assignments. Maisonet, the 2005 conference rookie of the year, is a member for the All-America East first team for the second consecutive spring.
SAYRE AND WOOD HIT HOME RUNS IN GREAT DANES’ 10-5 VICTORY AT ST. FRANCIS, N.Y. Staten Island, N.Y. – Chris Wood went 2-for-3, including a three-run homer in his team’s four-run sixth inning, as UAlbany defeated St. Francis, N.Y., 10-5, in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday, May 10 at Richmond County Ballpark. Steve Sayre recorded two hits and drove in two for the Great Danes, who have won four out of their last five. Tied at five apiece entering the sixth, UAlbany plated four runs to take a 9-5 lead. After singles by Zac Halloran and Sayre, Wood crushed his second round-tripper of the season to put his team on top for good. Rashad Barksdale followed with a triple and scored on a base hit by Brad Daniels to extend the advantage to four. St. Francis, N.Y. (4-33) took a 4-0 lead in the home half of the first inning. David Noble singled home a run and scored on a base knock by Vincent Tepedino. Juan Pento also added an RBI single, while Dave Mercado capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly. UAlbany (15-28) cut the lead to 4-1 in the second, before exploding for four runs in the third. Trailing 5-2, Hill delivered an RBI double to left-center with two out. Steve Sayre followed with his second homer of the season, a two-run shot that tied the game. The Great Danes added an insurance run in the eighth and bullpen made the lead stand, as five relievers combined to throw six scoreless innings. Giorgio Fuda threw two perfect innings of relief to pick up the win. The hard-throwing left-hander struck out three of the six batters he faced.
UALBANY'S CASEY HALLORAN NAMED AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Boston, Mass. -- UAlbany's Casey Halloran was named the America East Conference
Pitcher of the Year, as voted by the conference head coaches and announced at
the league's postseason tournament held at the University of Maine on Wednesday,
May 10. Six other Great Danes received all-conference honors, as second baseman
Katrina Dunning, shortstop Maegan Larsen, outfielder Amber Maisonet and catcher
Ali Meacham joined Halloran on the first team. Ashley Rios was selected to the
second team for the second straight year, while Meagan Butsch was an all-rookie
team honoree.
UALBANY STUDENT-ATHLETES RAISE MONEY FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany student-athletes helped raise money for Habitat for Humanity with a fund-raising event on Tuesday, May 2. The funding will help build the Campus Partnership House, a home for a local area family. The event, which was sponsored by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, featured athletes from Albany’s 19 intercollegiate sports and took in nearly $1,400. "The auction was a huge success and a testament to the students’ effort," said Carl Anderson, assistant athletic director for student-athlete enrichment. "It is nice when student-athletes come together in support of a good cause. It gives them a perspective of the world outside their own lives." The money will be pooled with funds collected by the UAlbany chapter of Habitat for Humanity, which has teamed with area colleges to help build the house. The University has raised $17,000 for Habitat, which has helped provide homes for those who lack adequate shelter since 1976.
NATE OLSON NAMED AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL PLAYER OF WEEK Boston, Mass. – Senior outfielder Nate Olson was named the America East Conference Player of the Week in baseball, as announced by the conference office on Monday, May 8. Olson, a transfer from Long Island, led the Great Danes offensively in two key victories over Maine last weekend. In the opener of the four-game series, Olson went 4-for-5, including a double, and drove in four runs. On Saturday, he had two more hits and knocked in a pair. Overall, Olson went 7-for-17 (.412) with a homer and seven RBI in five games last week.Olson, a first-team All-Northeast Conference selection last season, is tied for second in the America East with seven home runs. For the season, Olson is batting .275 with 29 RBI, which ranks third on the team. UAlbany (14-28, AE 8-8) travels to St. Francis, N.Y. for a non-conference matchup on Wednesday, May 10 at 3:30 p.m. before hosting Stony Brook for a four-game conference series starting on Friday, May 12 at 3 p.m.
HALLORAN AND MAISONET EARN AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE WEEKLY SOFTBALL HONORS
Boston, Mass. - Casey Halloran earned her fourth America East
Conference Pitcher of the Week award this season, as announced by the league
office on Monday, May 8. Amber Maisonet was honored as the conference player of
the week.
UALBANY SEEDED SECOND FOR AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Boston, Mass. - The University of Maine has earned the top seed for this week's
America East Conference Softball Championship. Maine, which has hosted the
tournament just once before, won the regular-season title and will host the
entire double-elimination event on May 11-13.
UALBANY MEN AND WOMEN ARE AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONS Durham, N.H. -- Joe Greene won two individual titles and was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer and Rookie of the Year as the UAlbany men were named the America East Conference champions on Sunday, May 7 at New Hampshire's Reggie F. Atkins Track Facility. The Great Danes earned their second consecutive title and third in the last four years with 199.5 points. The UAlbany women were also crowned champions as they took home their first-ever America East team title, finishing with a best-ever 180 points. Greene became the first male to post winning performances in both the 400-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles at an America East championship. He is also the first Great Dane to win multiple individual titles at an outdoor championship since Teresa Covert took the 100m dash and hurdles in 2004. Greene was clocked in 47.53 seconds in the 400m dash, while covering the hurdles in 51.59 seconds, only nine-hundredths of a second off the school record. Junior Burnett won the 200m dash and turned in a second-place showing in the 100m dash, setting UAlbany standards in both events. He captured the 200m title in 21.24 seconds and was followed by freshman Pat Weider, who crossed the line in 21.37. Burnett shaved 46-hundredths of a second off the previous school record in the event. He also covered the 100m dash in 10.64 seconds, with Weider following in third and clocking in at 10.81. Greene and Burnett also teamed up to lead the men's 4x400m relay to a win in 3:10.86. Greene ran a 46.1 anchor split, while Burnett had a 46.6 split in the second slot. Jerry Wilson and Stephen Evans also contributed to the relay win. Ray Gilman rounded out UAlbany individual men's winners with a first-place triple jump of 48-feet, 7.25-inches. That leap, which was more than one foot better than his nearest competitor, was Gilman's best of the year. Freddie Wills was named the Field Performer of the Year, posting top-three finishes in three jumping events. Wills followed up his win in the long jump and third-place finish in the high jump on Saturday with a second-place showing in the triple jump in the meet's final day. Wills, who leaped 47-1.75 in that event, also took home the Coaches Award, given to the athlete who scores the most points for his team. The Great Danes edged New Hampshire, which followed closely behind with 195.33 points in the two-day competition. Binghamton (129.5), UMBC (101.33) and Boston U. (95) rounded out the top five. The UAlbany women were led by Jessica Ortman, who won the 1500-meter run in 4:36.78. Her twin sister Jenna finished second in the event, crossing the line in 4:38.80. Jessica and Jenna also posted third- and fourth-place finishes, respectively, in the 800m run. Jessica Ortman, who set a school record in the 3,000m steeplechase on Saturday, also ran a 2:13.1 anchor split to lead the women's 4x800m relay to a victory. Danielle Trimpop and Adanna Andrews ran the first two legs, while Jenna Ortman was third with a 2:14.6 split. Freshmen Kamilah McShine and Ritshell Verdier also turned in top performances for the Great Danes. McShine captured the 100m hurdles in 14.13 seconds, plus finished third in the heptathlon with 4,128 points. Verdier shattered the school record in winning the discus with a throw of 157-8. She posted a win margin of better than 30 feet and eclipsed her own UAlbany standard by nearly 19 feet. The women, who finished fifth last year and were in third place after the first day of competition, finished 13.5 points ahead of Boston U. New Hampshire (121.5), UMBC (106) and Binghamton (95) followed to complete the top five.
"It was an exciting and tremendous meet," said UAlbany head coach
Roberto Vives, whose staff received the women's coaching staff of the year
award. "To win three championships in one year is unbelievable. I'm proud
of these athletes. Everyone stepped up, and it was a total team effort." MEN
RASHAD BARKSDALE DRIVES IN CAREER-HIGH FOUR TO LIFT UALBANY OVER MAINE, 7-4
Orono, Maine - Rashad Barksdale drove in a career-high four runs to lead UAlbany
past Maine, 7-4, in America East Conference baseball action on Sunday, May 7 at
Mahaney Diamond. The Great Danes took three of four from the Black Bears for
their first series win in conference play this season.
GREAT DANES FALL TO HARTFORD, 3-2, IN REGULAR-SEASON SOFTBALL FINALE
West Hartford, Conn. - Kayla Demarest scored the winning run with two outs in
the bottom of the seventh inning as Hartford won the series finale, 3-2, against
UAlbany in America East Conference softball action on Sunday, May 7 at the UH
Softball Field. The game closed out the regular season for both teams.
UMBC UPENDS UALBANY TO WIN AMERICA EAST MEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
Baltimore, Md. - Drew Westervelt scored a career-high six goals and added three
assists, as UMBC upended UAlbany, 19-10, to capture its first-ever America East
Conference championship on Sunday, May 7 at UMBC Stadium Complex. The Retrievers
earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament field for the first time since 1999.
UALBANY MEN FIRST, WOMEN THIRD AFTER DAY ONE OF A-EAST TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP Durham, N.H. – Andy Allstadt won his second consecutive 10,000 meter-run title, as the UAlbany men’s squad leads after the first day of competition at the America East Conference Track and Field Championship held on Saturday, May 6 at New Hampshire’s Reggie F. Atkins Track and Field Facility. The women, who sit in third place, trail the leader, Boston University, by only three points. Allstadt, last season’s most outstanding track performer, won the 10,000m in a time 31:13.79, nearly 30 seconds faster than his nearest competitor. With the win, he automatically qualified for the NCAA Regional Meet. Freddie Wills took home UAlbany’s other individual championship of the day, winning the long jump with an IC4A-qualifying leap of 23-feet, 5.25-inches. Wills, who also placed third in the high jump, automatically qualified for the NCAA Regional Meet in the long jump. Jean Juste qualified for IC4As in the 110m hurdles, running the fastest time to this point (14.68), while Junior Burnett finished with an IC4A-qualifying mark of 21.59 in the 200-meter dash. For the women, Jessica Ortman shattered her own school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:36.62. Ortman, who placed second in the event, also qualified for the NCAA Regional. Alyssa Lotmore placed second in the 10,000m run with an ECAC-qualifying time of 37:08.67, just 3.45 seconds behind the winner. Kamilah McShine ran a personal best in the 100-meter hurdles, running a time of 14.12 and qualifying for the ECAC meet. Jillian Sherman placed third in the long jump and qualified for ECACs with a leap of 19-4.75. The competition continues on Sunday, May 7 at 9 a.m. with the decathlon. **************** MEN 1. UAlbany 63.50, 2. New Hampshire 58.33, 3. Binghamton. 57.50, 4. Boston U. 26, 5.UMBC 22.53, 6. Vermont 13, 7. Maine 12.33, 8. Hartford 11, 9. Stony Brook 9. WOMEN 1. Boston U. 49, 2. New Hampshire 48.50, 3. UAlbany 46, 4. Vermont 28, 5. Binghamton 27, 6. Maine 25.5, 7. UMBC 10.
UALBANY SPLITS AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL DOUBLEHEADER WITH MAINE Orono, Maine – Rashad Barksdale’s suicide-squeeze bunt single in the ninth inning of a game scheduled for seven plated Tom Hill and gave UAlbany a 7-6 win over Maine in the opener of an America East Conference doubleheader on Saturday, May 6 at Mahaney Diamond. The Black Bears took the nightcap, 10-3, to earn a split of the twinbill. UAlbany (13-28, AE 7-8) struck first in the opener with four runs in its first at-bat. Nate Olson crushed a two-run double to left-center, while Sean Donovan and Zac Halloran added RBI singles. Maine (26-15-1, AE 7-5) scored two in its home half of the frame as Joe Hough and Matt McGraw both scored. The Great Danes regained their two-run advantage in the second. Al Barbato led off with his fourth homer of the year and Leo Corvino scored on a groundout to make the score 6-2. McGraw kept his team in the ballgame belting a three-run home run in the bottom of the inning. The game stayed 6-5 until the home half of the seventh when Joel Barrett delivered a two-out single that brought home Hough and tied the score at six apiece. With one out in the top of the ninth, Hill blooped a double into center field. He advanced to third on a single by Donovan and scored the eventual winning run on Barksdale’s bunt. In the nightcap, the Black Bears led 4-1 entering the bottom of the third before exploding for four in the frame. Barrett capped the scoring with a two-run single to center to give his team an 8-1 advantage. Olson, who had four hits and drove in four runs in the series opener yesterday, hit his seventh homer of the season in the sixth to draw his team within five at 8-3. But, Maine added two more in the bottom of the inning, and freshman right-hander Mike Powers went the distance on the mound allowing just three runs on eight hits.
HALLORAN HURLS THIRD NO-HITTER AS UALBANY SWEEP TWO FROM HARTFORD West Hartford, Conn. – Casey Halloran hurled her third no-hitter of the season as UAlbany shut out Hartford, 6-0, in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday, May 6 at the UH Softball Field. Halloran threw three perfect innings to pick up the save in the opener, an 8-5 UAlbany victory. With the wins, the Great Danes secured the second seed for the America East Conference Softball Championship, which will take place Thursday, May 11 through Saturday, May 13 at top-seeded Maine. UAlbany (33-9-1, AE 14-5) plated single runs in the second and third innings of the nightcap to take an early 2-0 lead. Leslie Busch delivered an RBI single in the second and Katrina Dunning contributed a two-out base hit in the third. The Great Danes added two more in the fifth when Ali Meacham‘s two-run single plated Amber Maisonet and Maegan Larsen. After adding another pair of runs in the sixth, Halloran entered the final frame with a perfect game intact. She recorded the first two outs, but Hartford’s Kristie Rochette reached on an error by Larsen. Halloran struck out the next batter to complete the no-hit bid, her 10th victim of the game. In the opener, the Great Danes plated eight runs in the first two frames. Larsen came home on a base hit by Maisonet, who scored on an error to give UAlbany a 2-0 lead after one inning. Maisonet went 6-for-7 in the twinbill and scored four times. The visitors exploded for six more in the second without recording a hit as Hartford pitcher Briana Hout walked five and hit two batters to a make the score 8-0 after two. Hartford (16-24, AE 6-14) rallied to cut the lead to 8-5 entering the seventh. Left fielder Kristen Cericola did much of the damage. Her RBI double in the fourth made the score 8-2, while her two-run homer in the sixth brought the Hawks to within three. Halloran, who threw two perfect innings to start the game, re-entered the contest in the stretch inning. She fired a perfect seventh to earn her second save of the season. On the day, Halloran (24-6) threw 10 innings without allowing a hit and walked none. The junior right-hander fanned 14 on the day, including her 200th of the season. She moved into second on the all-time list with 369 for her career. Halloran, who fired no-hitters against Deleware State and Army earlier this season, is the first Great Dane to throw three no-hitters in a season.
UALBANY DOWNS STONY BROOK; ADVANCES TO A-EAST MEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP Baltimore, Md. – Chris Martocchia scored with two minutes and fifty-five seconds remaining in overtime to lead UAlbany to a 14-13 victory over Stony Brook in the semifinal round of the America East Conference Tournament on Friday, May 5 at UMBC Sports Complex. The Great Danes, who advanced to their fifth consecutive conference championship game, will meet top seed UMBC, a 6-3 winner over Binghamton, in the final on Sunday, May 7 at 12 noon. Stony Brook (8-7) rallied from a three-goal deficit on three occasions in the second half, including 12-9 early in the fourth quarter. Bo Trapodi, who had three goals and two assists, scored back-to-back goals, and made a behind the head shot off a loose ball in front of the cage with 4:12 left. Jason Cappadoro, who did all of his scoring the second half with two goals and three assists, then tied the contest at 12 apiece with a one-on-one move from the left side. UAlbany (8-6) regained the lead when freshman attacker John Alpizar, who had two goals and two assists, moved in from the right side and converted a six-yard shot high into the net with 1:51 to play. However, the Seawolves would get the equalizer with five seconds left in regulation, when Cappadoro threw a lob pass over a two-man wall and Ryan Hughes rifled in his fourth goal of the game. In the extra period, the Great Danes’ Jordan Levine gained possession on the face off. Alpizar would later work around the cage to Martocchia, who blasted the game-winning shot into the left corner. "There was not much of an angle but I knew high to the stick side," said Martocchia, who scored twice in the game, including the 105th of his career. "It was a lot of fun out there tonight but I almost had a heart attack. They (Stony Brook) are a bunch of fighters." Stony Brook came back from a 6-2 deficit with four unanswered goals over the final three minutes of the first half. Hughes, who scored a career-high total, connected on a 15-yard shot from the right side before Jim Astea won the following face off and converted a high shot six seconds later. Hughes drew his team even with 10 seconds remaining before the intermission on a blast inside the left post. UAlbany led 3-2 late in the opening quarter and ripped off three straight goals to take a 6-2 lead early in the second. Freshman attack Corey Small scored twice in the stretch, including a goal over the goalkeeper’s left shoulder to end that run. "This is a heated rivalry and both teams brought their games with them," offered UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose team avenged a 13-11 loss during the regular season. "Chris (Martocchia) deserves a goal like that. He’s a senior and a captain and he’s asked to do a lot of things for us. We showed some composure and didn’t get rattled every time they came back at us." *************** America East Men’s Lacrosse Tournament UAlbany 14, Stony Brook 13 (OT) UAlbany – Scoring: Alpizar 2-2, Chris Martocchia 2-0, Matthew Green 2-0, Corey Small 2-0, Steve Ammann 1-1, Jordan Levine 1-1, Frank Resetarits 1-1, Derek Dale 1-0, Merrick Thomson 1-0, Eric Wolf 1-0, Mike Ammann 0-1; Goalkeeper: Brett Queener (61:05,12 Saves, 13 GA). Stony Brook – Scoring: Ryan Hughes 4-0, Bo Tripodi 3-2, Jason Cappadoro 2-3, Adam Marksberry 2-0, Jim Astea 1-0, Taylor Eason 1-0, Chris Tracy 0-1; Goalkeeper: Brendan Callahan (61:05, 11 saves, 14 GA).
MARK SUCHOWIECKI THROWS EIGHT SOLID INNINGS IN UALBANY’S WIN AT MAINE Orono, Maine – Left-hander Mark Suchowiecki threw eight solid innings and Nate Olson went 4-for-5 with four RBIs as UAlbany took the opener of a four-game America East Conference baseball series from Maine, 10-3, on Friday, May 5 at Mahney Diamond. The win snapped the Great Danes four-game losing skid, while the Black Bears have dropped three straight. The game was tied at two apiece entering the fifth inning when UAlbany (12-27, AE 6-7) exploded for four runs. With one out, Al Barbato doubled and came home on a RBI single by Steve Wyland. After Tom Hill singled to left, Olson delivered a two-run base hit to right. The fourth run scored when Zac Halloran (Columbia) walked with the bases loaded to give his team a 6-2 advantage. The Great Danes extended their lead with three more in the sixth. Wyland delivered his second RBI single of the game. Hill and Steve Sayre (Columbia) each recorded sacrifice flies to make the score 9-2. Maine (26-14-1, AE 7-4), which entered the game batting .322 as a team, mustered only eight hits off of UAlbany pitching. Suchowiecki, who has won his last three decisions, allowed just two runs on seven hits. The lefty hurler struck out eight and walked three. Joel Barrett and Ryan Quintal each had two hits for Maine. Sean Donovan recorded two hits and scored twice for the Great Danes, who pounded out 14 hits in the contest. Hill, who is tops in the America East with a .415 batting average, extended his hit streak to 16 games in his team’s victory.
UALBANY TO COMPETE AT AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP Albany, N.Y. - The University at Albany track and field teams will compete at the America East Conference Outdoor Championship, held at New Hampshire's Reggie F. Atkins Track and Field Facility on May 6-7. The UAlbany men will look to take their third team championship in four years. Andy Allstadt will defend his 10,000-meter run title this weekend, plus look to add another 5,000m championship under his belt after winning that event at the 2006 indoor championship. Allstadt was named the most outstanding track performer at that competition. Marc Pallozzi, who holds the Great Danes' javelin record and has already qualified for the NCAA Regional, will also try for his second straight title in that event. Newcomer Joe Greene will compete in both the 400m dash and 400m hurdles. Greene set the UAlbany standard in the 400m dash earlier in the season and ran one of the top hurdles performances in school history at last weekend's Penn Relays. Greene was named the rookie of the year at the conference's indoor championship. Freshmen twins Jessica and Jenna Ortman, who compete in middle distance events for the Great Danes, will lead the pack for the women. Jessica, who has set the UAlbany standard in the 800m and 3,000m steeplechase, will also compete in the 1500m run. Alyssa Lotmore is one of the top returnees for the ladies. Last weekend, she shattered her own school record in the 5,000m run to qualify for the NCAA Regional at the Penn Relays. Lotmore will also compete in the 10,000m run this weekend. Competition begins at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 6 with the men's decathlon.
UALBANY PLACES SIX PLAYERS ON AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE MEN’S LACROSSE TEAM Boston, Mass. – University at Albany’s Frank Resetarits, Jordan Levine and Brett Queener have been chosen to the America East All-Conference Men’s Lacrosse Team as members of the first-team unit, as announced on Thursday, May 4 by the conference office. Merrick Thomson, Matthew Green and Craig McDonald were second-team selections. Resetarits, a junior attacker, ranks second among the NCAA Division I leaders in goals (3.08 pg) and scoring (4.38 points/game). He has 40 goals and 17 assists overall, plus has scored four or more points against 10 opponents this spring. Resetarits, who is on the all-league first team for the second consecutive season, is tied for seventh on the school’s all-time scoring list with 154 points (96 goals, 58 assists). Levine, a member of the conference’s all-rookie squad last year, has 12 goals and 11 assists from his midfielder position. The sophomore ranks 12th nationally with 5.77 ground balls per game. Queener, a junior goalkeeper, has a 9.99 goals against average with a .560 save percentage. He posted double-figures saves against nine opponents this season. Thomson, who is earning All-America East recognition for the third season in a row, has accounted for 27 goals and 11 assists. He became the school’s career goals leader on April 8th and currently ranks fifth among UAlbany’s all-time scorers with 171 points (128 goals, 43 assists). Green, a junior, has played as both a defender and midfielder this season after missing all of last year with a knee injury. He has tallied three goals and two assists. McDonald, a sophomore, is also a two-position athlete who has 35 ground balls. He has worked as a long-stick midfielder and defenseman. Corey Small, Garrett Pedley and Dan Barnes were named to the America East All-Rookie Team. Small, a freshman, has 17 goals and five assists. Pedley, a redshirt freshman, started 11 of 12 games played on defense. Barnes, who is also a linebacker on the UAlbany football team, has taken 77 percent of the team’s face-offs this season. UAlbany (7-6) faces Stony Brook in the semifinal round of the America East Conference postseason tournament on Friday, May 5 in Baltimore, Md.
KATE FONTANA AMONG FOUR PLAYERS ON AMERICA EAST WOMEN'S LACROSSE TEAM Boston, Mass. – University at Albany’s Kate Fontana has been voted to the America East All-Conference Women’s Lacrosse Team for the third consecutive year, as announced on Thursday, May 4 by the conference office. Jen Daly, Katelyn Primomo and Sarah Spillett were also selected to the all-league team by the conference’s head coaches. Julie Bush earned a spot on the America East all-rookie unit. Fontana, a junior midfielder, is a member of the America East first team for the second straight season. She scored 34 goals and 10 assists, plus is first nationally in ground balls (4.94 pg) and second in caused turnovers (3.13 pg). She ranks fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 146 points (118 goals, 28 assists). Daly, a junior goalkeeper, and Primomo, a junior defender, also were named to the first team. Daly, the school’s career saves leader with 545, posted a 9.39 goals against average and had a .530 save percentage. She turned in the fourth-highest single-season saves total in school annals with 163. Primomo, a 16-game starter, had 24 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers for a defensive unit that allowed 9.5 goals per game. Spillett is making her second consecutive appearance on the all-conference second team. She led the Great Danes in scoring with 45 points (24 goals, 21 assists) as a junior attacker. Her assist total matched the fourth-best single-season mark in the program’s history. Bush earned America East all-rookie honors after accounting for 25 goals and 16 assists as a freshman midfielder. UAlbany (8-8) posted its highest victory total since the 2000 season.
GREAT DANES SECURE AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT BERTH
Stony Brook, N.Y. -- Ali Meacham was one of three batters to drive in two
runs in leading UAlbany to a 10-1 America East Conference softball win
against Stony Brook in a suspended game that was completed on Thursday,
May 4 at University Field. The game was the second half of a doubleheader
that had been halted in the third inning due to rain. With the win,
UAlbany clinches a spot in the America East Conference tournament for the
fifth straight year.
UALBANY PROMOTES ERIC EATON TO ASSOCIATE HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany men’s basketball coach Will Brown announced on Thursday, May 4 that Eric Eaton has been promoted to associate head coach. Eaton recently completed his first season as an assistant coach with the UAlbany program. The Great Danes captured their first-ever America East Conference championship in 2005-06 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time with a 21-11 record. UAlbany assistant coaches Pat Filien and Chad O’Donnell will take on additional duties. Filien will now handle player development and coordinate strength and conditioning, while O’Donnell will serve as recruiting coordinator. Jeremy Friel remains in his role as director of basketball operations. Eaton previously was a member of Ralph Willard’s Holy Cross coaching staff from 2000-04. The Crusaders won the Patriot League championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament in three consecutive seasons. Prior to his appointment at Holy Cross, Eaton was an assistant coach for one year at Assumption College. In also worked at Anna Maria College from 1997-99 and was a volunteer assistant at UMass-Dartmouth. A member of the UMass-Dartmouth Athletic Hall of Fame, Eaton played on three Little East Conference championship teams that reached the NCAAs in the mid-1990s.
AMBER MAISONET BLASTS THIRD HOME RUN TO HELP UALBANY PAST STONY BROOK
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Amber Maisonet blasted her third
home run of the year to lead UAlbany past Stony Brook, 4-1, in the first
game of an America East Conference softball doubleheader on Wednesday, May
3 at University Field. The second game, which the Great Danes were leading
7-1 in the top of the third, was suspended due to rain.
UALBANY WOMEN’S SOCCER SIGNS FOUR STUDENT-ATHLETES FOR 2006-07 SEASON Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany head women’s soccer coach Mary-Frances Monroe announced on May 3 that four student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play for the Great Danes beginning in the 2006-07 academic year. Maria Liguori, a goalkeeper from Levittown, N.Y. (Division Avenue H.S.), Sarah Morrell, a midfielder from Palmyra, N.Y. (Palmyra Macedon H.S.), Jaclyn Rosada, a midfielder from Wyckoff, N.J. (Ramapo H.S.), and Ashley Tirabassi, a forward from Cambridge, Ontario (Monsignor Doyle H.S.), have all committed to the UAlbany women’s soccer program. Liguori played four years at Division Avenue High School. As a senior, she registered six shutouts, including five straight to close out the regular season. She earned All-Class A honors for the Blue Dragons, who compete in Nassau County. Morrell was a five-year player at Palmyra Macedon High School. She earned first-team all-league accolades as a senior after tallying 34 points on 10 goals and 14 assists. She also received the honor as a sophomore. Rosada, a three-year starter at Ramapo High School, was a NJGSCA all-state selection as a senior. Rosada, who scored nine goals and added nine assists in 2005, also earned all-league honors in 2003 and 2004. An All-Bergen County selection as a junior and senior, Rosada helped her team to the county championship in 2003. Tirabassi, who is currently completing her senior season at Monsignor Doyle has been chosen as an all-star in each of the last three years. She helped her team to the District 8 and CWOSSA championships in 2004 and 2005. "These four players will make an immediate impact on the program," said Monroe, who was promoted to head coach after serving as an assistant last season. "They will each influence the game in a different way. Sarah (Morrell) and Jaclyn (Rosada) will bring a lot of speed and skill to our midfield, while Ashley (Tirabassi) will put the ball in the net. Maria (Liguori) will bring competitiveness and control to the backfield. Overall, their positive energy and determined work ethic will make us a better team going forward." *************** 2006 University at Albany Women’s Soccer Commitments Name Pos. Hometown (High School) Maria Liguori GK Levittown, N.Y. (Division Avenue) Sarah Morrell M Palmyra, N.Y. (Palmyra Macedon) Jaclyn Rosada M Wyckoff, N.J. (Ramapo) Ashley Tirabassi F Cambridge, Ontario (Monsignor Doyle)
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY ATHLETES RECEIVE CHANCELLOR’S SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS Albany, N.Y. - State University of New York Chancellor John R. Ryan recently announced that eight University at Albany student-athletes are recipients of the Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award. UAlbany athletes honored are Andy Allstadt (track & field), Shelley Gebhardt (field hockey), Brian Lillis (basketball), Samantha Williams (golf), Kate Fontana (lacrosse), Stephan Hall (soccer), Kelly Ogden (softball) and Ashlee Reed (volleyball). The Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes a combination of academic excellence and outstanding athletic achievement. The winners were selected by athletic directors at SUNY’s Division I institutions. The awards were presented on Monday, May 1 at a ceremony at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y. Allstadt, a senior distance runner from Endicott, N.Y., has a 3.90 cumulative grade point average as a graduate student in ecology. He is receiving his second consecutive Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award. Allstadt was the America East Conference’s outstanding track performer of the year after winning a pair of titles in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs in leading the Great Danes to their third indoor championship in the last four years. Lillis, a sophomore swingman on the men’s basketball team, helped UAlbany win its first-ever America East Conference championship, plus reach the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time. Lillis, an Urbandale, Iowa native who has a 2.90 cumulative GPA, averaged 4.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Gebhardt, who has a 3.32 GPA in psychology with a dual minor in criminal justice and education, was a tri-captain on the women’s field hockey squad. A native of Fairport, N.Y., Gebhardt anchored a defense that helped the Great Danes qualify for the America East postseason tournament for the first time. Reed, a native of Round Rock, Texas, averaged 3.0 kills and 2.6 digs in leading UAlbany women’s volleyball to its second consecutive America East regular-season crown. Reed, who has a 3.51 GPA in a dual major of human biology and psychology, made her third consecutive appearance on the All-America East Conference first team as a middle hitter. A junior midfielder from East Syracuse, N.Y., Kate Fontana scored 34 goals and 10 assists for the UAlbany women’s lacrosse team. A two-time all-conference performer, she ranks fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 146 points (118 goals, 28 assists). Fontana owns a 3.68 GPA in criminal justice. Williams, a junior golfer from Cairo, N.Y., finished in 15th place at the America East Conference Championship. She averaged 98.9 strokes in 13 rounds of competition during the fall-spring schedule. Williams has a 3.93 GPA in accounting. A junior from Pine Bush, N.Y., Ogden is currently batting .306 with 31 runs, 12 extra-base hits and 27 RBI as a third baseman on the softball team. In 2005, Ogden led UAlbany to the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth while earning first-team all-league recognition. She has a 3.47 GPA in a dual major of psychology and sociology. Hall, a junior from Denver, Colo., was selected to the All-America East Conference second team in men’s soccer for the second straight year. He ranked fifth among the conference scoring leaders with five goals and seven assists. Hall, who has a 3.97 GPA in urban planning, was voted to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America national first team. He was the first UAlbany soccer player to receive this recognition at the Division I level.
THREE MARIST HURLERS HELP SHUT DOWN UALBANY IN NON-CONFERENCE BASEBALL Albany, N.Y. – Junior right-hander Bobby Hastry allowed one run over five innings of work and Rob Ryan hurled a perfect ninth to pick up his ninth save as Marist edged UAlbany, 4-2, in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday, May 2 at Varsity Field. Marist (19-24) strung together three straight hits to start the third inning and took a 1-0 lead on a RBI single by Pat Feeney. The Red Foxes extended their lead in the following frame. Keith Glasser drilled an RBI single down the left-field line and Travis Musolf delivered a sacrifice fly to give Marist a 3-0 advantage. UAlbany (11-27) got a run back in the home half of the fourth when Leo Corvino belted his first home run of the season, a solo shot to center field. Junior catcher Tom Hill made the score 3-2 with a solo homer of his own in the sixth. Hill, who leads the America East Conference with 11 round-trippers, extended his hit streak to 15 games with the blast. Tom Ciccarone’s suicide squeeze in the eighth made the score 4-2. Mike Puckli and Ryan made the lead stand up by throwing four combined innings of one-run relief. Hastry, who earned his second win of the season, struck out five. Overall, Marist hurlers held the Great Danes to just two extra-base hits and stranded 11 runners on base.
UALBANY WOMEN'S GOLF TAKES THIRD AT AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP Bolton, Mass. - Amanda McPhee fired a second-round 88 on the final day of the America East Conference women's golf championship, held at the Oaks Course of The International on Tuesday, May 2. Boston University won the competition with a team score of 706. Hartford took second with 726 strokes, while UAlbany placed third with a 764 combined score. McPhee led the team each day and finished third in the individual competition, posting a two-day total of 171 on the par-72 course. Maggie Taylert posted a 10th-place showing with a final-round of 95 and a two-day total of 189. Sun Hwa Kim and Tracey Berns each improved by one stroke in the second round, finishing with scores of 197 (99-98) and 201 (101-100), respectively. Samantha Williams combined for a 216 over the two-day competition (106-110).
Boston U.'s Dierdre Hatfield won the individual title, firing a
championship-best 84 in the second round of play. UAlbany has placed at least
one golfer in the top three in every year of the America East championship,
which was first contested annually in 2004.
JOE GREENE NAMED THE AMERICA EAST MALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Boston, Mass. - Joe Greene has been named the America East Conference Male Track
Performer of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday, May 2.
Greene earned the award for the second time this spring.
UALBANY GOLF STANDS THIRD AFTER ONE ROUND OF AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIP Bolton, Mass. - Freshman Amanda McPhee shot an 89 in the opening round of the America East Conference women's golf championship, held at the Oaks Course of The International on Monday, May 1. UAlbany sits in third place with 383 strokes, 20 shots behind Boston University's leading score of 363. McPhee, who is tied for second halfway through the competition, led the Great Danes with her 17-over-par performance. Maggie Taylert fired a 94 to sit second on the team, while Sun Hwa Kim followed with a 99. Tracey Berns and Samantha Williams rounded out the UAlbany field with scores of 101 and 106, respectively. McPhee is only two strokes behind Boston U.'s Dierdre Hatfield, the current leader. The Great Danes, who are only one point back of second-place Hartford, conclude competition at the championship on Tuesday beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy presented Ashlee Reed and Stephan Hall with ECAC Merit Medals on Monday, May 1 at the sixth annual Great Dane Awards, held at the Recreation and Convocation Center on campus. The event celebrates UAlbany Athletics in 2005-06 academic year. Presidential Scholar-Athlete Awards were given to Andy Allstadt and Jen Schumacher. ECAC Merit Medals are annually awarded to the school’s top senior male and female student-athletes who have shown excellence in the classroom and as competitive athletes during the current academic year. Presidential Scholar-Athlete Awards are presented to the Department of Athletics’ top students. Reed, a senior middle hitter on the women’s volleyball team, has a 3.51 cumulative grade point average in a dual major of human biology and psychology. Reed, who became the eighth player in school history to combine for 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, was named to All-America East Conference first team for the third consecutive year. She averaged 3.03 kills and had a .320 hitting percentage in leading the Great Danes to a 28-4 record and the America East regular-season title. Hall, a junior midfielder on the men’s soccer team, has a 3.97 GPA in urban studies. He ranked fifth among the conference scoring leaders with five goals and seven assists and was voted to the all-league second team for the second straight season. UAlbany reached the semifinal round of the America East Conference Tournament. Hall became the first Great Dane soccer player to be selected to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America national first team at the Division I level. A senior guard on the women’s basketball squad, Schumacher has a 3.65 GPA in computer science. She averaged 11.0 points per game and led America East with 66 three-point field goals this season. Schumacher finished her career as the school’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made. Allstadt, a graduate student with a 3.90 GPA in ecology, led UAlbany men’s indoor track & field program to the 2006 America East Conference championship. He was voted the conference’s most outstanding track performer of the year after winning both the 3,000- and 5,000-meter run titles. He was also named to the America East Winter All-Academic Team.
UALBANY'S COREY SMALL NAMED AMERICA EAST LACROSSE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany’s Corey Small has been selected the America East Conference Rookie of the Week in men’s lacrosse, as announced on Monday, May 1 by the conference office. Small, a freshman attacker, earned the award for the second consecutive week. Small matched a career-high with three goals in last Saturday’s 20-9 triumph over Binghamton. The Great Danes received the No. 3 seed for this week’s America East postseason tournament with that victory. Small also had three goals in his previous outing against nationally-ranked Syracuse. He has four multiple-goal games this season. Small is fifth on the team in scoring with 17 goals and five assists for 22 points. UAlbany (7-6) meets Stony Brook in the semifinal round of the America East Conference Tournament on Friday, May 5 at UMBC Stadium Complex in Baltimore, Md. Game time is 8:00 p.m. The Great Danes have won three consecutive America East tournament championships. |
|
|
UAlbany Athletics • 1400 Washington Avenue • Albany, NY 12222 • Phone: (518) 442-2562 Copyright © 2003-04 University at Albany Athletics. All rights reserved. UAlbany Internet Privacy Policy |
||
