NCAA Recertifies UAlbany Athletic Program

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 2, 2012) -- The NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification has announced the recertification of the University at Albany’s intercollegiate athletic program following the review of the campus’s decennial self-study.

The certification designation indicates the institution is operating an athletics program in full compliance with principles and policies adopted by the NCAA.

"NCAA recertification is testament to the strengths of our intercollegiate athletic program, and our student-athletes' achievements both on the field and in the classroom," said University at Albany President George M. Philip. "Congratulations to Vice President Lee McElroy and the many dedicated individuals who contribute to the program's continued growth and success."

The purpose of the NCAA athletics certification program is to help ensure integrity within an institution's athletics operations. Specific areas of study included governance, commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, gender diversity and student athlete well-being. The recertification process benefits the University by increasing campus-wide awareness of the intercollegiate athletics program, confirmation strengths and articulating plans for improvement.

Since joining Division I in 1999, the UAlbany Great Danes have won 52 conference titles, advanced 20 teams into NCAA play-offs, and produced 10 Academic All-Americans and 40 All-Americans. (Photo Mark Schmidt)

Scholar Athletes
The University at Albany athletic program joined Division I in 1999. Since that time, the Great Danes, competing in 19 varsity sports, have won 52 conference titles, advanced 20 teams into NCAA play-offs, and produced 10 Academic All-Americans and 40 All-Americans.

Building on a solid tradition of excellence in academics and athletics, the program's student-athletes have graduated at an 80 percent rate while attaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all sports and annually donating more than 2,000 hours in community service to the Capital Region. The Great Danes have been honored with ESPN Academic All-American Awards, All-American Honor Awards, Chancellor Scholar-Athlete Awards, America East Conference Academic Honor Roll, and University Presidential Leadership Awards.

Stellar Leadership
This year brings more accolades. In her second year as a coach, UAlbany's Katie Abrahamson-Henderson was named the America East Conference Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. In addition, this past November Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy was inducted into the John McLendon Minority Athletics Administrators Hall of Fame.

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