Softball Announces 2013 Schedule; Look to Regain Top Spot in America East

Albany, N.Y.-The University at Albany softball team, led by 19-year head coach Chris Cannata, has announced their 2013 schedule. The Great Danes will head south to begin the season with three non-conference tournaments. Following those contests, UAlbany plays 36 games, hosting 21, as they look to reclaim their America East Champion title from 2011. They've reached the NCAA Tournament four of the last nine years. The Great Danes begin the season playing five games at the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament from Feb. 22-24 in Fort Myers, Fla. The weekend-stretch will include three match-ups against Big 10 opponents, two vs. Minnesota and one against Michigan State. UAlbany will also play Villanova and the reigning Atlantic-Sun Champions, host Florida Gulf Coast University, who upset No. 5-seeded Florida in last year's NCAA Tournament. The Great Danes continue play at the Coastal Carolina Tournament from March 1-3 in Conway, S.C. The weekend's games include two against the host and 2012 Big South Champion, Coastal Carolina. UAlbany will also battle Western Carolina, Drexel and Wichita State. The team concludes tournament action at the Rebel Spring Games from March 13-19 in Kissimmee, Fla. The purple and gold fittingly open up conference play where they left off last season, against Boston University. The Terriers defeated the Great Danes last year to claim the America East Championship. The AE foes will play a doubleheader on March 23 and a third game on March 24 in Boston, Mass. From there, UAlbany hosts 12 of their next 15 games. They play their first home series of 2013 against Hartford (March 29-30), then welcome Colgate of the Patriot League (April 2) and crosstown rival Siena in a doubleheader (April 3). After a road series against Maine, the Great Danes return home to play Bryant (April 10), and a series against Stony Brook (April 13-14). They hit the road once again, heading to the Bronx to play Manhattan on April 16. To finish off April home games, UAlbany hosts a conference series against UMBC (April 21). They match up against two Ivy League opponents, Cornell (April 17) and Dartmouth (April 24). UAlbany concludes the season with four of their final five head-to-head matches on the road. These include UConn (April 25), Siena (April 30), Patriot League runner-up Army at home (May 1) and a final conference series at Binghamton (May 04-05). The 2013 America East Championship will be played May 9-11 at the higher seed's home field. View UAlbany's complete 2013 softball schedule.