UAlbany Winter Sports Season Underway
ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 5, 2024) — Clocks may have moved back, but UAlbany's women's and men's basketball teams are charging forward as they start their seasons with home openers at Broadview Center this weekend.
Meanwhile, the fall sports teams are wrapping up their seasons and getting ready for the playoffs with a chance to qualify for the NCAA Tournament at stake.
Women's Basketball Opens Friday
Coming off a second-place regular season finish and a trip to the WNIT in March, the women's basketball team looks to build upon their 2023-24 campaign when they start the season at home on Friday, Nov. 8, against Atlantic 10 power Rhode Island. The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. at Broadview Center, with tickets on sale now.
The team is led by returning star Kalya Cooper, a graduate guard who was selected first-team All-Conference in 2023 and 2024. She led the team a year ago in points, rebounds and steals.
Selected second in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Great Danes are aiming to collect their 8th America East title and first since 2022 this season.
Men's Basketball Home Opener Set for Saturday
The UAlbany men's basketball team's home opener is set for Nov. 9 against Oneonta. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Broadview Center and tickets are now available.
But that's not the only big contest on the schedule as the Great Danes take on crosstown rival Siena on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Broadview Center. The Great Danes trail in the overall series with the Saints, 8-11, but they have won seven of the last 10 Albany Cup contests played between the teams since 2010.
A year ago, the Great Danes earned the 86-51 victory at MVP Arena in Albany on Nov. 26, 2023. This year's Albany Cup game will be played at Broadview Arena for the first time since 2016, when the Great Danes won 81-72.
The Great Danes started the 2024-25 season on the road against Army Monday evening.
Field Hockey Hosts America East Championships
Finishing undefeated in conference play this season, the field hockey team is set to host the America East Championship beginning Thursday.
As the No. 1 seed, the Great Danes will play the winner of UMass Lowell and Vermont in the semifinals on Friday at 2 p.m. The winner then advances to the America East final, which will be played at noon on Sunday, Nov. 10.
It's the second consecutive regular season championship for the Great Danes and the first time the team went undefeated in conference play since 2014.
Tickets are now available for all three days of the tournament.
In 2023, the Great Danes fell to California 3-2 in overtime in the America East title game.
Great Danes Finish Strong in Cross Country
The women and men's cross country teams competed in the America East championships on Nov. 2 in St. Albans, Vt., with the women finishing in fifth place and the men finishing seventh overall.
Skyler Smith and Katie Iocca led the women by crossing the finish line in 15th and 16th respectively, with teammate Tess Fitzmaurice finishing in 20th place for the Great Danes.
For the men, Jed Elmarki led the team with a 17th place finish with a time of 24:53.50 over the 8k course.
Both teams will continue their postseason runs with an appearance at the NCAA Regionals in New Hampshire on Nov. 15.
Volleyball Hosts Senior Night
The women's volleyball team is set to host senior night on Friday at the newly refurbished PE Gym. The match is set to get underway at 6 p.m. against America East foe NJIT.
Seniors on this year's team include Sthefany Carvalho from Uberlandia, Brazil, Zosia Szczotkiewicz of Walcz, Poland and graduate student Elisavet Papageorgiou of Athens, Greece.
The Great Danes are currently in fifth place in the America East standings, with conference games remaining against NJIT and Bryant (Nov. 16).
Victories in both contests could see the Great Danes advance to the America East tournament, which is scheduled for Nov. 22-24 at the the site of the top-seeded team.