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     Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Wednesday, May 30 the school’s women’s volleyball schedule for the 2007 season.  Head coach Kelly Sheffield has entered his team in five tournaments and put together a three-game swing through the state of Alabama.  The Great Danes, who reached the NCAA Tournament last year as the America East Conference champion, will host the UAlbany Classic on Sept. 14-15 at University Gymnasium and play a 12-game conference slate.

     UAlbany opens the season at the Northern Arizona Invitational in Flagstaff, Ariz. on Aug. 24-25.  New Mexico State, ranked 23rd nationally in last year’s final AVCA national poll, is the first-round opponent.  The Aggies, who posted a 33-4 record, are one of three teams on the schedule who were in the 2006 NCAA field.  The Great Danes will also meet the Northern Arizona and UC-Davis.

     UAlbany will host its own tournament in September.  The field includes Brown, Northeastern and Eastern Michigan .  The Great Danes are also entered in the VCU Thanksgiving Classic (Nov. 23-24), Sheraton-Penn Invitational (Sept. 22-23) and the Western New York Invitational (Sept. 1-2).

     The Great Danes are slated to make a three-game swing through the state of Alabama on Sept. 9-10.  UAlbany travels to Jacksonville State , before playing both Alabama State and Troy in the state capital of Montgomery.  America East play begins on Sept. 28 against Hartford.

     UAlbany finished with a 19-13 record last season in winning the America East crown for the second time in the last three years.  Ashley Crenshaw, who averaged 3.02 kills per game, heads the list of returnees as a first-team all-conference selection.  Kamisha Kellam, a 6-foot-1 middle hitter, earned second-team all-league recognition with 2.25 kills and 1.35 blocks per game.

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2007 University at Albany Women's Volleyball Schedule

            August -- 24 (Fri.), New Mexico State+ , 7:30; 25 (Sat.), at Northern Arizona+ , 3:30; 25 (Sat.), UC-Davis+, 7:30.

            September --  1 (Sat.), West Virginia#, 10:00 a.m., 2 (Sun.), at Buffalo#, 2:00; 3 (Mon.), at Syracuse, 3:00; 9 (Sun.), at Jacksonville State+, 2:00; 10 (Mon.), at Alabama State, 3:00; 10 (Mon.), Troy (Montgomery, Ala.), 5:00; 14 (Fri.), Eastern Michigan^, 1:00; 14 (Fri.), Northeastern^, 7:00; 15 (Sat.), Brown^, 3:00; 22 (Sat.), Temple^^, 1:00; 23 (Sun.), at Pennsylvania, 11:00 a.m.^^; 23 (Sun.), Quinnipiac^^, 1:00; 28 (Fri.), Hartford*, 7:00; 29 (Sat.), Stony Brook*, 7:00.

            October -- 5 (Fri.), New Hampshire*, 7:00; 7 (Sun.), Maine*, 2:00, 12 (Fri.), at UMBC*, 4:00; 15 (Mon.), at Binghamton*, 7:00; 21 (Sun.), at Siena, 4:00; 26 (Fri.), at Stony Brook*, 7:00; 27 (Sat.), at Hartford*, 6:00.

            November -- 2 (Fri.), Binghamton*, 7:00; 4 (Sun.), UMBC*, 3:00; 9 (Fri.), at Maine*, 4:00; 11 (Sun.), at New Hampshire*, 1:00; 23 (Fri.), at Virginia Commonwealth++, 7:00, 24 (Sat.), Long Island++, 1:30.

*America East Conference Opponent                                                                   All Times Eastern

+Hilton Garden Inn NAU Invitational (Flagstaff, Ariz.)

#Western New York Invitational (Buffalo, N.Y.)

^UAlbany Classic (University Gymnasium)          

^^Sheraton-Penn Invitational (Philadelphia, Pa.)    

++VCU Thanksgiving Tournament (Richmond, Va.)

     Albany , N.Y. – University at Albany head women’s volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield announced on Wednesday, April 4 that four student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play for the Great Danes in the fall of 2007. Teresa Coppiellie, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Canton, Mich. (Salem H.S.), Amanda Cowdrey, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from Brampton, Ontario (Cardinal Leger Secondary School), Tawny Dahmes, a 5-foot-9 libero from Chaska, Minn. (Chaska H.S.), and Brooke Stanley, a 5-foot-9 setter from Hendersonville, N.C. (West Henderson H.S.), each made their commitment.

     Coppiellie was recently named to the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA) Class A all-state team as an honorable mention selection for the second consecutive year.  She twice was voted All-Region 18 and All-Western Lakes Athletic Association (WLAA).  Coppiellie, who plays for the Michigan Elite program, was also a member of the Ann Arbor News all-area squad.  “She can hit with power and has great shots as well,” Sheffield said.  “She’s got a very good jump serve that can score for points.”

     Cowdrey represented Canada at the 2006 Under-19 Beach World Championships.  She played for the national beach champions and on a pair of provincial winners.  Cowdrey, the 2005 Cardinal Leger Athlete of the Year and a member of the Peel Selects club team, has been awarded the Ontario Volleyball Association Award of Excellence on three occasions in her age group.  She also won the 2004 16-Under National Beach championship.  “She is a complete player and has an absolute love for the game,” Sheffield offered.  “She is a great beach player for her age and has the potential to play at the highest level on the sand.”

      Dahmes has led Chaska, ranked 12th nationally, to two consecutive Class AAA Minnesota state championships.  The Hawks, who defeated Lakeville North High in the state final, finished with a 31-2 record, plus won the Section 6 AAA and Lake Conference titles.  Dahmes also played for Kaepa Northern Lights, which captured the 2006 USA Junior National championship and AAU national crown.  “Tawny is a tenacious defender and a great competitor,” Sheffield said.  “Her winning attitude is one reason why her club team was the best in the nation and her high school team is also among the country’s elite programs.”

      Stanley was named the 2006 Hendersonville Times-News Player of the Year after leading West Henderson to Class AA state championship final for the second straight season.  Stanley, who plays for the Biltmore club team, also played on two state championship squads as a sophomore and freshman and was named the 2003 tournament’s most valuable player.  Stanley, whose teams combined for a 118 victories during her scholastic career, was named to the All-Western Athletic Conference four times.  She also earned all-conference honors in basketball and competed in the long jump on the Falcons’ track team.  “Brooke is very athletic, an extremely crafty setter, and a positive player on the court.  She has very good defensive instincts and does a great job of putting hitters in a position that they can have success.”

      UAlbany captured its second America East Conference championship in the last three years last season.  The Great Danes have made NCAA appearances in 2004 and 2006.

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2007 University at Albany Volleyball Signings

Name                                 Pos.    Ht.       Hometown (High School)

Teresa Coppiellie                 OH      6-1      Canton , Mich. ( Salem )

Amanda Cowdrey                OH      5-11    Brampton , Ontario ( Cardinal Leger School )

Tawny Dahmes                    LIB      5-9      Chaska , Minn. (Chaska)

Brooke Stanley                    S         5-9      Hendersonville , N.C. ( West Henderson )

     Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany head women's volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield announced the hiring of Lynnette Moster as an assistant coach on Friday, March 23.
     Moster was a three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American at Georgia Tech, where she played outside hitter from 2001-04. Moster, who is the Yellow Jackets' all-time kills leader, was named the 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and was a three-time All-ACC first-team honoree. She also ranks among the school's top ten in career digs, aces and hitting percentage.
     Moster, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in management from Georgia Tech in December 2006, was selected as the institution's female student-athlete of the year in 2002-03.
     Moster, a native of Liberty, Ind., has had experience coaching on several levels, including elementary, middle and high school, along with several summer camps. Moster was also a member of the U.S. National Team and played professionally in Puerto Rico with Gigantes de Carolina, where she was selected to the league's all-star team.
     UAlbany captured the 2006 America East Conference championship and earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the second time in the last three years.