Fall Sports Kick off at UAlbany
ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 22, 2025) — The fall sports season is now underway at the University at Albany, with the field hockey, football, golf soccer, cross country, rowing and women's volleyball seasons in full swing.
The Great Danes are set to host regional rivals, conference foes and national powers on campus as they seek to compete for postseason success.
Football Announces Promotional Schedule
The football team will welcome fans to Casey Stadium on Sept. 13 for the home opener under the lights against New Haven. The game, which is set to kick off at 7 p.m., will be a "blackout" where fans are encouraged to fill the stands in black attire to match the team's uniforms. Fireworks will also be on display during halftime.
On Sept. 20, the fans are encouraged to dress in all white for a "whiteout" against Ivy League power Cornell at 7 p.m. The team will take on SUNY rival and Colonial Athletic Association foe Stony Brook for the Golden Apple trophy on Oct. 4 for "Hometown Heroes Day," honoring health care workers and first responders.
The annual Homecoming game will be held on Oct. 18 against Rhode Island. The Great Danes will return to Albany on Nov. 8 for Spirit Day against Bryant and then conclude their home slate on Nov. 15 with Senior Day against Towson.
This is the first season since 2019 that the Great Danes will host six games at Casey Stadium. Both season tickets and single-game tickets are now available through UAlbany's ticketing system.
UAlbany Athletics is fully cashless and utilizes digital ticketing. Fans are encouraged to save game tickets and parking passes to mobile wallets in advance of games. For questions on all UAlbany Football ticketing, contact the Ticket Office at (518)442-DANE or email [email protected].
Students can download the UAlbanySports app and login to claim their free ticket with their UAlbany credentials. Digital tickets are required to enter the games. Students can also purchase "Student guest tickets" through their ticket portal.
Field Hockey Opens Against Hofstra
The field hockey team is set to begin the season at home against Hofstra on Friday, Aug. 29 at 2 p.m. The Great Danes, picked to finished third in the America East Preseason Coaches' Poll, have two players who have been named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Senior Sophia Schoonmaker of Marbletown, N.Y., and junior Mara Küskes of Mönchengladbach, Germany, were selected to represent the Great Danes.
UAlbany will host nine regular-season contests at Alumni Turf, including national power Yale on Sunday, Oct. 19 at noon. The Great Danes are seeking their eighth America East title overall, with the goal of returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.
Rowing Set to Compete in Five Regattas
The women's rowing team is set to take part in five regattas this fall, starting Sunday, Sept. 28 with the Mohawk Fall Classic on the Mohawk River in Schenectady, N.Y. The event is one of two regattas in which the Great Danes will compete close to campus this fall.
The squad will head to Hartford, Conn., on Oct. 5 to take part in the Head of the Riverfront regatta, and then visit Shelton, Conn., for the Head of the Housatonic on Oct. 11.
Next, the Great Danes are set to take part in one of the world's most prestigious regattas on Oct. 18-19 when the head to Boston to compete in the Head of the Charles on the historic Charles River.
Finally, the Great Danes will return to the Capital Region on Saturday, Oct. 25, for the Head of the Fish regatta on Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs.
"We're thrilled to build on the foundation we laid last year and test ourselves against some of the best crews in the Northeast this fall," said Head Coach Kim Chavers. "Every regatta on this schedule gives our athletes the opportunity to grow and compete, continuing to shape the identity of UAlbany rowing."
Men's and Women's Soccer Ready for Action
The men's and women's soccer teams will look to garner post-season success as they compete in the America East this fall.
The men's team will start their home slate against non-conference opponent Central Connecticut State on Thursday, Aug. 28. The game is set to take place at 6:30 p.m. under the lights at Casey Stadium, one of seven home contests on the schedule. The Great Danes will also travel a few miles up the Northway to take on Crosstown rival Siena in Loudonville on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Hickey Field.
The women's team began the season on the road against Southeastern Conference powerhouse Georgia on Aug. 17. After competing against Sacred Heart on Aug. 21, the Great Danes have a quick home turnaround when they will face Army at Casey Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 24. The team, which is set to kick off at 3 p.m. against the Black Knights, will host an autograph session for fans after the game. The women's team hosts eight contests at Casey Stadium this year, concluding with the annual "Pink Game" on Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. against rival Vermont in support of breast cancer research.
Women's Volleyball Picked Second
The women's volleyball team has been selected second in the annual America East Preseason Coaches Poll for 2025. Additionally, redshirt senior Shynelle Woroniuk of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, and sophomore Maria Olga Siapani of Limassol, Cyprus, have been named to the All-Conference Team.
The Great Danes will look to compete for the America East title when the season begins at the Rocket Invitational in Toledo, Ohio, starting on Aug. 29. The team will host the annual UAlbany Invitational the following weekend, starting Thursday, Aug. 4, against national power and New York rival Syracuse at 6 p.m. in the PE Gym. The team will then take on Cornell and Canisius to wrap up the invitational on Sept. 5 and 6, respectively.
The America East portion of the schedule begins Friday, Sept. 26, with a home matchup against Binghamton. The game is set to tip off at 6 p.m.
Women's Golf Hosts Invitational
The UAlbany women's golf team is set to compete in five tournaments this fall, including two regional appearances. On Friday, Sept. 12, the Great Danes will square off against Siena in the annual "Crosstown Challenge" at Pinehaven Country Club in Guilderland.
After traveling to Pennsylvania for the annual Nittany Lion Invitational (Sept. 21-22) and New Jersey for the Princeton Invitational (Oct. 4-5), the Great Danes will host the second annual UAlbany Great Danes Invitational from Oct. 12-13 at Normanside Country Club in Delmar, N.Y. The event will see 15 teams compete for the title following the inaugural event in 2024.
The fall season concludes on Oct. 20-21 for the Le Moyne Lady Dolphins Invitational in Syracuse.
Cross Country Takes Part in Four Meets
The men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete in four meets this fall, leading up to the America East Championships on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, in Contoocook, N.H. The teams will travel first to Vassar Farm in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., for the Marist Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Both teams will then travel to Montgomery, N.Y., for the Jasper Invitational, hosted by Manhattan University on Sept. 13. Contoocook, N.H., will also serve as host for the annual Hopkinton Cross Country Festival on Oct. 10. The men and women will then travel to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx for the ECAC Championship on Oct. 17.
The season concludes with the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship on Friday, Nov. 14, back at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds in New Hampshire.