SU’S NASSIB INVITED TO 2013 SENIOR BOWL

Syracuse University quarterback Ryan Nassib (Malvern, Pa.) will play in the 2013 Senior Bowl on January 26 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium (4:00 pm, NFL Network). He is the 52ND Orange standout to earn an invitation to the nation’s most unique football game and football’s premier senior showcase event, which annually features the country’s best senior collegiate football players and top NFL draft prospects on teams representing the North and South that are coached by the entire coaching staffs of two National Football League teams. Nassib joins fellow Syracuse quarterbacks Donovan McNabb (1999 Senior Bowl), Marvin Graves (1994) and Don McPherson (1988) as Orange signal callers who have played in the Senior Bowl.

A 2012 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete, Nassib holds the Syracuse single-season and career records for passing yards (3,749 in 2012; 9,190 career) and completions (294; 791), and also set single-season records for touchdown passes (26) and total offense (3,891 yards). Nassib, who is one of four team captains, earned 2012 Pro Football Weekly All-America honors for his record-setting performance this season. His 288.4 yards per game ranked 17th nationally and led the BIG EAST. A three-year starter, Nassib earned undergraduate degrees in finance and managerial accounting and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in accounting.

ORANGE STANDOUT JUSTIN PUGH TO ENTER 2013 NFL DRAFT

Syracuse football offensive tackle Justin Pugh will forgo his final season of eligibility with the Orange and enter the 2013 NFL Draft, he announced today. A 2011 and 2012 All-BIG EAST First Team selection, Pugh started every game he played at Syracuse. The team co-captain was also honored as a 2012 ECAC Division I Football All-Star and 2012 ESPN.com All-BIG EAST Team selection. Pugh has completed his degree requirements in finance.

“Coach Marrone and Coach Adkins have been great throughout my career, including through this process,” Pugh said. “I wanted to be honest with everyone as I made this decision and they were the same with me. My Syracuse career was the best four years of my life. My teammates, coaches, the staff and the fans have been great. I would not change anything about my decision to attend Syracuse or my career. I am so happy I came to Syracuse University. I will always be active in the Orange football program and the Syracuse community. I love the Orange. Go ‘Cuse.”

After missing the first four games of the 2012 season with an injury, Pugh returned to the Syracuse lineup to anchor an offensive line that as has paved the way for 1,000-yard rusher Jerome Smith. In addition, the Orange averaged 187.0 yards per game on the ground, the program’s most effective ground attack since 2004. Pugh and the rest of the SU front five allowed just 16 sacks this season.

“Justin is a big part of this program turning the corner,” said head coach Doug Marrone. “He came in with us four years ago and gave us everything he had. We are proud of him for earning his degree and for what he has accomplished on the field as a leader of this team. He has earned it. I believe he will be very successful at the next level and in everything he does outside of football. Justin will always be part of the Orange football family.”

The Holland, Pa. native was a key player for the Orange offense that ranked eighth nationally and first in the BIG EAST in third down conversion (49.3%) and led the conference in the conference in total offense (476.3).

Pugh blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher all three seasons. Prior to the 2012 season, Pugh was named to the 2012 Rotary Lombardi Award Official Watch List and the 2012 Outland Trophy Watch List, which recognizes the best interior lineman in college football.

SYRACUSE MEN’S LACROSSE SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Orange lacrosse fans can purchase 2013 men’s lacrosse season tickets online now at SUathletics.com or by calling the Carrier Dome Box Office at 1-888-DOMETIX.

The Orange will play at home nine times this season, including eight regular-season games. The 2013 home slate features highly-anticipated matchups against the likes of Virginia, Johns Hopkins and Cornell. Syracuse will also scrimmage Hofstra and Holy Cross on Jan. 26.

A reserved season ticket is $80 and a youth (ages 12 and under) reserved season ticket is $40. Season parking passes are available for $80, while day-of-game parking for both regular-season games and the scrimmage is $10.

Single-game general admission tickets for all games, including the scrimmage, go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. Individual game ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 12 and under).

Groups of 20 or more are eligible for discounted tickets. The group rate is $8 for adults and $4 for youth (ages 12 and under). Group tickets can be purchased by calling 1-888-DOMETIX and selecting option “2”.

Syracuse University students are admitted free with a valid SU ID card. ‘Cuse Kids Club members will also be admitted for free with their membership card.

For further questions on tickets, parking or seating for people with disabilities, please contact the Carrier Dome Box Office.

2013 Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse Home Schedule

Sat., Jan. 26 – Hofstra/Holy Cross (scrimmage), 10 a.m.

Sun., Feb. 17 – Albany, 4 p.m.

Sun., Feb. 24 – Army, 4 p.m.

Fri., March 1 – Virginia, TBA

Sat., March 16 – Johns Hopkins, TBA

TBA – Canisius, TBA

Wed., April 10 – Cornell, 6 p.m.

Sat., April 13 – Rutgers, 1 p.m.

Tues., April 16 – Hobart, 7 p.m.

ASTROS ANNOUNCE 2013 VALLEYCATS FIELD STAFF

 

‘Cats coaching staff features fresh faces

TROY, NY — The Houston Astros announced today the Tri-City ValleyCats field staff for the 2013 season. The ‘Cats coaching staff features all new members led by skipper Ed Romero. His staff will consist of Doug White (pitching coach), Russ Steinhorn (hitting coach) and Michael Rendon (athletic trainer).

Romero becomes the sixth manager in ValleyCats history and will be coaching his 21st year of professional baseball. He is four years removed from the Astros Major League staff, having served as the bench coach in 2009 and the third base coach in 2008. He has managed a total of 11 seasons in the minor leagues between the Houston, Milwaukee and San Diego organizations. He spent his last two seasons managing the Gulf Coast League Astros.

White joins the Astros organization after spending his last five seasons as a pitching coach in St. Louis’ minor league system. He was with Rookie League Johnson City over his last four seasons and was pitching coach for the Batavia Muckdogs during their 2008 New York-Penn League championship season.

Steinhorn joins the Astros organization from the collegiate ranks, where he most recently served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Delaware State. Prior to that, Steinhorn served on the coaching staff for the Allegany County Nitros in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. Rendon returns for his third season in the Astros system and his second as athletic trainer for Tri-City.

Season tickets, mini-plans and flex plans are available for the ValleyCats 2013 season, and may be purchased online at www.tcvalleycats.com, by phone at 518-629-CATS or by visiting the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium box office. The ValleyCats are also currently selling game worn road jerseys from their historic 2012 season through their online team store.

Great Danes Kick Off America East Play With Championship Rematch Against UMBC

1. The Game UAlbany is traveling to Baltimore, Md. for the first America East Conference game of the season, taking on the UMBC Retrievers at the RAC Arena. The last time the two teams met was in the America East Championship game last season, which UAlbany won to claim its first-ever league title. The Great Danes defeated the Retrievers all three times the squads met last season. 2. Scouting UAlbany The Great Danes stand at 9-3 on the season, after going 1-1 at the Long Beach Classic before the holidays. UAlbany was riding a six-game win streak heading into the tournament, and had beaten those six opponents by an average of 24.7 points before falling in overtime to Sam Houston State. Two-time defending Defensive Player of the Year Ebone Henry has continued to show why she has earned that title, as she has recorded 30 steals, while also scoring at a team-best 13.0 clip. Henry scored a career-high 29 points in the loss. Julie Forster broke the career reboundingrecord against Sam Houston, and is pulling down a team-best 9.1 boards per game, while also chipping in with 9.7 points. With one rebound tonight, she will become the first player in program history to record 1,000 career boards. Megan Craig and Lindsey Lowrie are also major contributors, adding 11.3 and 9.8 ppg, respectively. 3. Scouting UMBC The Retrievers are 4-9 on the season, after falling 79-38 to host Saint Joseph's in the championship game of the Hawk Classic on Saturday afternoon. Bria White and Brittany Crowell lead the team, averaging 10.7 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Crowell also paces the Retrievers with 5.2 rebounds per game, while Raven Harris adds 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 steals per game. 4. Road Warriors Tonight's game is the seventh in an eight-game road stretch for the Great Danes that spans from Dec. 1 to Jan. 15. Over the course of the month and a half, UAlbany will travel over 8,260 miles, visiting Philadelphia, Buffalo, Dover, Del., Long Beach, Calif., Baltimore, and Binghamton. 5. Freshman Three-Peat Freshman Shereesha Richards won three straight America East Rookie of the Week awards. She claimed her first after scoring 17 points, while also recording four rebounds, three steals, one assist, and one block to lead the Great Danes over La Salle. She then earned her second honor of the season after scoring a team-high 16 points, grabbing eight rebounds and recording four steals in a win over Delaware State, while getting her third honor after averaging 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the two contests in California.

UAlbany Begins Its 12th America East Conference Schedule Vs. UMBC. America East Opener

. America East OpenerUAlbany opens up conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 2 against UMBC at SEFCU Arena. This is the 12 season for the Great Danes in the America East and are 5-6 in conference openers. When UAlbany begins conference play at SEFCU Arena, it is 4-2. The last time UMBC and UAlbany faced off on January 2 in a conference season opener, the Retrievers took the contest 67-62 in Albany   2. Three's A Party Co-captains Jacob Iati (16pts), Mike Black (14pts), and Luke Devlin (15pts) all finished in double-digits in their win over Brown, 57-50, on Dec. 31 at SEFCU Arena. When the Great Danes have three players finish in double-digit scoring for a game, they are a perfect 6-0 on the season. Devlin has now strung together back-to-back games of 10 points or more in a game. 3. Stellar Non-Conference FinishFollowing the win over Brown on New Years Eve, UAlbany finished up non-conference play (except for the Bracket Buster) with 11 wins, which is the highest amount and best start in program history. The six-game winning streak earlier in the season tied-for the third best streak in program history. 4. Fearless Free-Throw ShootersWhen the clock strikes two minutes or less in the second half, UAlbany is almost unphased when it needs to put opponents away from the free-throw line. In nine of the 11 Great Dane wins (did not take a free-throw in the final two minutes versus Duquesne or Washington), the team is shooting 84.5 percent (49-58) from the charity stripe. Iati has led the charge with the most free-throw attempts and makes (16-20) and Hooley has the best percentage, shooting 91.7 percent (11-12). 5. Fifth Straight Week In Mid-Major Top-25With the 10-point win on the road against Navy on Dec. 28, the Great Danes moved up to 20th in the College Insider Top-25 Mid-Major poll. This marks the fifth consecutive week that UAlbany has been in the top 25 in the poll.

Men's Basketball Prepares For Battle Against Navy In Annapolis

1. UAlbany Heads South To Battle NavyUAlbany travels south to Maryland to face-off against the Midshipmen of Navy on Friday, Dec. 28 at Alumni Hall. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. This is the second meeting the two programs, with the Great Danes taking the first meeting last season. UAlbany played Navy on Nov. 25, 2011 at the SEFCU Arena, taking the contest by seven, 69-62.

2. Minor Speed Bump
The Great Danes, having won the previous six games, fell to the Bobcats of Quinnipiac on a last-minute bucket on Friday, Dec. 21 at SEFCU Arena. The loss ended UAlbany's unbeaten streak at home this season of four. However, the Great Danes have bounced back from their previous two losses with impressive road win (vs. Washington in Seattle and vs. South Carolina State by 28).

3. Rowley Just Rollin' AlongWith Mike Black and Jacob Iati limited vs. Quinnipiac, sophomore forward Sam Rowley led the Great Danes with 15 points and seven rebounds. In all 12 games, Rowley has made at least one basket and one rebound. In five of the 12 games, the Sydney, Australia native has either led or tied-with the most rebounds in a game for the team.

4. Global Warming In DecemberWith the winter coming into Albany and snow coming down, the Great Danes have been rolling through the first five games in the month. UAlbany has won four of its first five games in the month of the December. The Great Danes have won equally on the road as they have at home in the their four wins during the month


5. Remains In Mid-Major Top 25Following the slip to Quinnipiac, UAlbany dropped four spots to 24th in the College Insider Top-25 Mid-Major poll. This is the fourth consecutive week that the Great Danes are ranked in the poll, which is the longest streak of weeks UAlbany has stayed in.