UAlbany Great Danes Growl and Stomp in the Spring Semester

Basketball, lacrosse, track & field, and baseball are some of the UAlbany athletic programs vying for America East and NCAA laurels and partication in campus and community service this spring.

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 19, 2016) — A double dose of The Big Purple Growl, springtime game days, a multi-sport Stomp, a Northeast track Classic, and a day designed to champion education for youth highlight Great Danes athletics this spring.

19th Annual Big Purple Growl (BPG)

Kicking off the semester is the 19th Annual Big Purple Growl (BPG), one of UAlbany’s most popular sporting events of the year. Due to new America East Conference rules, UAlbany will spread this event over two nights: the women’s basketball game vs. UMBC on Wednesday, Feb. 3, and the men’s game against Vermont on Saturday, Feb. 6.

The men’s event will feature the University’s time-honored Ferocious Feast, a station-style buffet from 5 to 7 p.m. in the gymnasium, as well as music and fun activities before the 7 p.m. tip-off. Registration for the Growl-Feast includes buffet-plus-game ticket packages for children and adults, as well as a Feast-only option, along with the opportunity to contribute to the University’s Drive-Out Hunger campaign. Those who register before Feb. 1 will receive a commemorative T-shirt.

The women’s Growl will feature a 6 p.m. pre-game party in the gym, complete with free pizza, a live DJ and giveaways before the 7 p.m. game time.

Great Dane Game Days

Following up on the community success of this past football season’s Great Dane Game Days, the basketball program will also offer five Game Days for fans, including:

• Men’s basketball vs. UMass Lowell on Wednesday, Jan. 27; Saturday, Feb. 6 (BPG Feast) vs. Vermont; and Saturday, Feb. 27 vs. Hartford.
• Women’s basketball vs. UMBC on Wednesday, Feb. 3 and on Sunday, Feb. 28 vs. Hartford.

Outdoor Game Days, with free food and music, will also accompany the women’s and men’s lacrosse games, including at the Spring Stomp on Saturday, April 16:

• Men’s lacrosse vs. Binghamton, 7 p.m.
• Women’s lacrosse vs. UMass Lowell, 4 p.m.

As well as at the Tuesday, April 26 men’s game vs. Siena at 7 p.m.

Commitment to Education

On Thursday, Feb. 11, the Athletics Department will host its 10th annual Commitment to Education Day, welcoming local elementary and middle school children to campus. The kids get to interact with staff, student-athletes and coaches, who promote dedication and discipline in achieving positive educational outcomes.

The highlight of the day includes attendance at the women’s basketball game vs. New Hampshire (noon-time tip-off), where the young students will receive t-shirts, posters, and programs to commemorate their experience.

Lacrosse’s Spring Stomp

The April 16 Spring Stomp will be kicked off with a football intra-squad spring game on Bob Ford Field, a tailgate party for fans to meet and greet the team’s players and staff, family-friendly events, live music, free food for students, the women’s and men’s lacrosse contests, and postgame fireworks. Student admission is free with a University ID.

Track & Field Classic

The men’s and women’s Track & Field Spring Classic on April 23-24 shows off the University’s refurbished track facility in a big way. Some 60 teams, including representatives from some of the major track and field powers in U.S. history — Villanova University, St. John’s University and the University of Maryland among them — will participate in the two-day event.

Baseball, Softball and Tennis

Northeast weather will keep several programs competing in the south or indoors much of February and March.

Baseball returns to campus March 29 vs. Fordham at 3 p.m, and softball on April 2 vs. UMass Lowell at 1 p.m., as well as women’s tennis April 2 against St. John’s at 1 p.m.

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