UAlbany Volleyball Releases 2013 Schedule

ALBANY, N.Y. - University at Albany volleyball released its upcoming 2013 schedule, highlighted by matches against seven NCAA tournament teams from 2012. The UAlbany volleyball team has won six America East tournament titles all-time, including three under head coach MJ Engstrom. The Great Danes host league foe Binghamton in their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 28.

The 27-game schedule includes six nonconference contests against NCAA tournament teams from one year ago (UCLA, Loyola Marymount, North Carolina, Penn State, Yale, Colgate).

“The first four weeks of our season will be the toughest competition of the year,” said Engstrom. “After four weekends, we will have played five NCAA tournament teams in the first month , including two teams who have been in the NCAA semifinals the last two years.”

UAlbany's season debut is at UCLA on Aug. 30. The Great Danes continue play in Los Angeles, Calif., with match-ups against Loyola Marymount and North Texas on Aug. 31.
UAlbany ventures back east for three tournaments in September, starting with the UConn Classic on Sept. 6-7. The Great Danes face Pittsburgh on September 6th followed by UConn and Northeastern on Sept. 7 in Storrs, Conn.

UAlbany travels to Chapel Hill for the Carolina Classic Sept. 13-14, facing James Madison on the 13th and George Washington and North Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 14.

The Great Danes wrap-up the majority of their nonconference schedule at the Penn State Classic, taking on the 2012 NCAA tournament No. 1 seed Nittany Lions in the first match on Sept. 20. UAlbany faces Yale and Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 21.

The Great Danes begin the hunt for their sixth straight America East regular season title In their home opener against Binghamton on Sept. 28. UAlbany hits the road for its next two conference games, at Hartford (Oct. 4) and Providence (Oct. 5). A nonconference midweek contest at Colgate (Oct. 16) breaks up a four-game league homestand (Oct. 11-20). The Great Danes host UMBC (Oct. 11), Stony Brook (Oct. 13), UMass-Lowell (Oct. 18) and New Hampshire (Oct. 20). Engstrom and co. visit Binghamton on Oct. 26.
The Great Danes are on the road for four of six America East matches in November, opening the month at Stony Brook (Nov. 1) and UMBC (Nov. 3). UAlbany returns to University Gym for a pair of games against Providence (Nov. 8) and Hartford (Nov. 10). The Great Danes conclude the regular season at New Hampshire (Nov. 15) and at UMass-Lowell (Nov. 16).

The America East Tournament will be hosted by the regular season champion Nov. 22-23. The four teams with the best league records make the championship field.