Danes Host Nationally Ranked Foes in Fall 2011

Senior Brooke Stanley enters the season second all-time in career assists at UAlbany. The Great Danes are ranked No. 1 in the America East preseason poll.

This fall, the University at Albany Great Danes take on some of the nation's top Division I athletic programs, but unlike previous years, UAlbany will serve as the host campus.

"Our intercollegiate athletics program showed great accomplishment last year by tying an America East Conference record with eight conference championships and advancing four of those teams to the NCAAs," UAlbany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy said.  "As we enter another academic year, our student-athletes and coaches have the same goals, to excel on the field and in the classroom, and strive to make their community better."

UAlbany's field hockey team, fresh off an appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2010, returns to action against national power Stanford on Wednesday, August 31, at 5 p.m. on Alumni Turf Field. In 2010, Stanford made its 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Great Danes will also host nationally-ranked Massachusetts on Sunday, October 8 at 2 p.m. In 2010, UAlbany finished 16-6 after dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to Ohio State of the Big Ten Conference in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Great Danes were ranked 15th in the final coaches' poll.

UAlbany sophomore Daphne Voormolen scored the game-winning goal in overtime to claim the America East Conference Championship over New Hampshire. She hopes to lead the team to another title in 2011.

The football team faces Maine on September 17 at 6 p.m. at University Field. Maine has three NCAA appearances in the last decade and has produced 19 NFL draft picks. The Great Danes, who begin their schedule at Colgate on September 3, will try to capture its third Northeast Conference title in the last five years.  Homecoming and Fall Festival Weekend is October 14-15, with defending NEC champion Robert Morris the opponent.

The women's volleyball team looks to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2011, an accomplishment it has achieved four times in the last five years. The Great Danes' home opener is set for Wednesday, September 21, at 7 p.m. in the University Gymnasium against Yale.

UAlbany's women's soccer team, fresh of its best season at the Division I level, hosts the first home match of the year at UAlbany during opening weekend on Friday, August 26, at 4 p.m. on Varsity Field. The men's soccer team plays Hartwick on Saturday, August 27, at 4 p.m.

The men's and women's cross country teams start their seasons with a trip to Lincroft N.J., on September 3rd to compete in the Monmouth Kick-Off Classic. 

Finally, the men's basketball team gets an early start to its season with a trip to Canada to compete in several exhibition games. The Great Danes first opponent is the University of Quebec at Montreal, which will be played at 7 p.m. on Friday August 19.

Follow the Great Danes at http://www.ualbanysports.com and on twitter at http://twitter.com/ualbanysports/.

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