Seneta, Olafedottir Goals Help Colfer Era Begin with 2-0 Victory Over FAU

BOCA RATON, Fla. – With strong defense and key shooting, the University at Albany women’s soccer team earned a 2-0 shutout over Florida Atlantic to start the Caitlin Colfer era with a victory at the FAU Soccer Stadium.

The victory marks the first time that the Great Danes (1-0-0, 0-0-0 America East) won their season opener by multiple goals since 2001, when UAlbany defeated Iona 4-0.
In the opening minutes after Dani Britt saved a shot from Brittney Nash, UAlbany countered and earned a corner kick in the fourth minute, but did not get off a shot.­­
The defense held as FAU (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Atlantic Sun) took three shots in a span of six minutes, but all three missed the cage.

After subbing into the game in the 21^st minute, Allison Carhart got a look and shot the ball about two minutes later, but a save from Courtney Zwetsch stopped the potential first goal.
Britt came up strong again, saving shots at the 28^th and 31^st minutes from Danelle Nguyen and Katie Englert respectively to keep the game scoreless.

Holding after being outshot 7-1 early, the Great Danes struck in the 37^th minute. Set up by Aubrey VanGorder, Anna Seneta connected on her first collegiate shot to give UAlbany a 1-0 lead. Seneta nearly scored again before the end of the half, but her shot was saved. UAlbany kept the 1-nil lead going into the locker room.

Britt and UAlbany protected against a couple of shots and corner kicks in the 15 minutes of the second half to keep the lead. The Great Danes got a chance in the 64^th minute as Kari Quinn attacked the cage, but her shot was saved. UAlbany got a couple of corner kicks soon after, but was not able to score.

At minute 78, Stephanie Nelle put a ball into the box on a free kick. Helena Olafsdottir headed the ball into the net to give the Great Danes a 2-nil advantage.

UAlbany kept the shutout intact and won the game 2-0.

Britt finished the game with four saves to begin the season with a shutout. Seneta put both of her shots on goal, earning the game-winning goal. Despite being outshot 15-7 in the game, UAlbany led in shots on goal with five to FAU’s four.

Clair Emslie led the Owls with four shots, while Nash had three.
The Great Danes will stay in the Sunshine State this weekend to take on Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers on Sunday, August 25^th at noon.

UAlbany Football Preseason Comes To A Close With Final Scrimmage

ALBANY, N.Y. – With game week approaching, the University at Albany football program closed its three-week training camp Friday evening with its third and final intrasquad scrimmage.

The Great Dane offense in gold and the defense in purple battled to impress the coaches who wore headsets and simulated game day with both sideline and elevated positions. “I think you had to be impressed with the enthusiasm and the way they played,” said head coach Bob Ford, who enters his 44th and last season at the helm.

“It's hard to believe that our three weeks of preseason have gone by.” In the evenly matched friendly, both sides of the football made highlight reel plays. On the offense, fullback Nic Ketter stood out with two touchdowns and a fumble recovery. 

In one roller coaster of a play that started with an interception by Parrish McKnight, Ketter stripped the ball on the return and recovered the fumble, putting the pigskin right back into the hands of the gold team.
Later on, Ketter connected with freshman quarterback Shane Sweeney for a 30-yard touchdown, and then again with freshman Kyle Downer for a 25-yard touchdown reception. “Nic’s a good football player, he’s got a great work ethic,” said Ford.

“He’s done a tremendous job in the weight room and it think he’s really going to be a player this year as a redshirt freshman.” In the pocket, Sweeney, Downer, Ryan Smith, and Will Fiacchi all shared time, getting a number of last-minute preseason reps in.

One of the most notable improvements from week one to week three was with the Great Danes’ special teams. Looking to fill a void at the punter and kicker positions, sophomore Tom O’Riordan rose to the occasion and made all three of his field goal attempts.

“I think we didn’t get all our things squared away with the special teams, but I feel a little bit better with where we are with the snapper, holder and field goal kicker,” said Ford.

Looking ahead to game preparation week for Duquesne, Coach Ford and the Great Danes will look to do some fine-tuning before Saturday’s 12:10 p.m. kickoff in Pittsburgh.

Gorski Dazzles, Offense Shines in Blowout, 10-2

AKRON, OH – Darin Gorski baffled the Akron Aeros for seven innings and the Binghamton Mets unleashed a 13-hit attack in a 10-2 victory on Saturday night at Canal Park. Cory Vaughn and Xorge Carrillo each drove in three runs to aid the B-Mets in their 82nd win of the season, matching a franchise record. Gorski dominated through the first seven innings of the contest, facing just one over the minimum. The southpaw surrendered a one-out single to Tyler Holt in the second and retired 17 straight Aeros. He struck out seven along the way and tossed ten pitches or fewer in four different innings, needing just 70 in total to get through seven shutout frames. Binghamton gave Gorski a three-run lead before he even took the hill. They jumped on Major League rehabber Brett Myers and took advantage of Akron’s shaky defense in the first. The troubles started early for Akron as second baseman Ronny Rodriguez booted the first ball in play, allowing Danny Muno to reach safely. After Josh Rodriguez punched a single to right, Vaughn smoked a single up the middle, giving the B-Mets a 1-0 lead. A single by Allan Dykstra loaded the bases for Travis Taijeron, who doubled Binghamton’s lead with a groundout to first. Vaughn came home with the B-Mets’ third run of the inning when shortstop Jose Ramirez threw away Carrillo’s grounder. Reliever Enosil Tejeda replaced Myers after the second misplay and induced Wilfredo Tovar to bounce into a double play to end the frame. The B-Mets tacked on another run in the second against Will Roberts. Following a walk to Muno, Rodriguez poked a triple into the right-field corner. The three-bagger, his first since May 30, gave Binghamton a 4-0 advantage. Binghamton blew the game open with a six-run sixth inning. The visitors sent ten men to the plate, pounded out ten hits and stretched their lead to ten. The B-Mets opened the frame with four consecutive singles and highlighted the frame with a pair of two-run singles from Vaughn and Carrillo. Gorski’s magnificent run came to an end in the eighth when he walked Holt to start the inning. After a single and a two-out walk, Jose Ramirez ended Gorski’s night by lining a two-run single to left field. Hamilton Bennett took over and fanned Ronny Rodriguez to end the inning and returned with a perfect ninth inning, securing Binghamton’s first win of the series. Gorksi (5-1) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks over 7-2/3 innings in the win. Myers (1-2) was charged for three runs (one earned) and threw just 16 pitches to six batters in the loss. Roberts allowed seven runs on seven hits over 4-2/3 innings and did not factor into the decision. The B-Mets (82-51) conclude their four-game series against the Aeros Sunday afternoon at 2:05 PM. RHP Greg Peavey takes the hill against RHP Cody Anderson. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show begins at 1:50 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF. Fans can also listen to live coverage of B-Mets baseball via the “Binghamton Mets Baseball Network” station using the TuneIn app on their mobile devices. POSTGAME NOTES: Darin Gorski has gone seven innings or more in five of his last six starts…it was Binghamton’s largest margin of victory since they beat the New Britain Rock Cats, 10-2, on July 20..Allan Dykstra earned his 100th walk of the season, reaching triple digits for the second time in his career (104, Fort Wayne Tin Caps, 2009)…Danny Muno scored three times, kicking his league-leading total to 84 runs scored Individual tickets for all Binghamton Mets 2013 home games are on sale now. Visit the NYSEG Stadium box office during regular operating hours, purchase them online at www.bmets.com or call the office at (607) 723-METS. Be sure to follow the B-Mets on Facebook, Twitter and at the team’s official website (www.bmets.com) for more team information. Fans can also stay up to date with all the action on the field by visiting “B-Mets Buzz with Tim Heiman” at bmets.mlblogs.com AKRON, OH – Darin Gorski baffled the Akron Aeros for seven innings and the Binghamton Mets unleashed a 13-hit attack in a 10-2 victory on Saturday night at Canal Park. Cory Vaughn and Xorge Carrillo each drove in three runs to aid the B-Mets in their 82nd win of the season, matching a franchise record. Gorski dominated through the first seven innings of the contest, facing just one over the minimum. The southpaw surrendered a one-out single to Tyler Holt in the second and retired 17 straight Aeros. He struck out seven along the way and tossed ten pitches or fewer in four different innings, needing just 70 in total to get through seven shutout frames. Binghamton gave Gorski a three-run lead before he even took the hill. They jumped on Major League rehabber Brett Myers and took advantage of Akron’s shaky defense in the first. The troubles started early for Akron as second baseman Ronny Rodriguez booted the first ball in play, allowing Danny Muno to reach safely. After Josh Rodriguez punched a single to right, Vaughn smoked a single up the middle, giving the B-Mets a 1-0 lead. A single by Allan Dykstra loaded the bases for Travis Taijeron, who doubled Binghamton’s lead with a groundout to first. Vaughn came home with the B-Mets’ third run of the inning when shortstop Jose Ramirez threw away Carrillo’s grounder. Reliever Enosil Tejeda replaced Myers after the second misplay and induced Wilfredo Tovar to bounce into a double play to end the frame. The B-Mets tacked on another run in the second against Will Roberts. Following a walk to Muno, Rodriguez poked a triple into the right-field corner. The three-bagger, his first since May 30, gave Binghamton a 4-0 advantage. Binghamton blew the game open with a six-run sixth inning. The visitors sent ten men to the plate, pounded out ten hits and stretched their lead to ten. The B-Mets opened the frame with four consecutive singles and highlighted the frame with a pair of two-run singles from Vaughn and Carrillo. Gorski’s magnificent run came to an end in the eighth when he walked Holt to start the inning. After a single and a two-out walk, Jose Ramirez ended Gorski’s night by lining a two-run single to left field. Hamilton Bennett took over and fanned Ronny Rodriguez to end the inning and returned with a perfect ninth inning, securing Binghamton’s first win of the series. Gorksi (5-1) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks over 7-2/3 innings in the win. Myers (1-2) was charged for three runs (one earned) and threw just 16 pitches to six batters in the loss. Roberts allowed seven runs on seven hits over 4-2/3 innings and did not factor into the decision. The B-Mets (82-51) conclude their four-game series against the Aeros Sunday afternoon at 2:05 PM. RHP Greg Peavey takes the hill against RHP Cody Anderson. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show begins at 1:50 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF. Fans can also listen to live coverage of B-Mets baseball via the “Binghamton Mets Baseball Network” station using the TuneIn app on their mobile devices. POSTGAME NOTES: Darin Gorski has gone seven innings or more in five of his last six starts…it was Binghamton’s largest margin of victory since they beat the New Britain Rock Cats, 10-2, on July 20..Allan Dykstra earned his 100th walk of the season, reaching triple digits for the second time in his career (104, Fort Wayne Tin Caps, 2009)…Danny Muno scored three times, kicking his league-leading total to 84 runs scored Individual tickets for all Binghamton Mets 2013 home games are on sale now. Visit the NYSEG Stadium box office during regular operating hours, purchase them online at www.bmets.com or call the office at (607) 723-METS. Be sure to follow the B-Mets on Facebook, Twitter and at the team’s official website (www.bmets.com) for more team information. Fans can also stay up to date with all the action on the field by visiting “B-Mets Buzz with Tim Heiman” at bmets.mlblogs.com AKRON, OH – Darin Gorski baffled the Akron Aeros for seven innings and the Binghamton Mets unleashed a 13-hit attack in a 10-2 victory on Saturday night at Canal Park. Cory Vaughn and Xorge Carrillo each drove in three runs to aid the B-Mets in their 82^ndwin of the season, matching a franchise record.

Gorski dominated through the first seven innings of the contest, facing just one over the minimum. The southpaw surrendered a one-out single to Tyler Holt in the second and retired 17 straight Aeros. He struck out seven along the way and tossed ten pitches or fewer in four different innings, needing just 70 in total to get through seven shutout frames.
Binghamton gave Gorski a three-run lead before he even took the hill. They jumped on Major League rehabber Brett Myers and took advantage of Akron’s shaky defense in the first. The troubles started early for Akron as second baseman Ronny Rodriguez booted the first ball in play, allowing Danny Muno to reach safely. After Josh Rodriguez punched a single to right, Vaughn smoked a single up the middle, giving the B-Mets a 1-0 lead.
A single by Allan Dykstra loaded the bases for Travis Taijeron, who doubled Binghamton’s lead with a groundout to first. Vaughn came home with the B-Mets’ third run of the inning when shortstop Jose Ramirez threw away Carrillo’s grounder. Reliever Enosil Tejeda replaced Myers after the second misplay and induced Wilfredo Tovar to bounce into a double play to end the frame.

The B-Mets tacked on another run in the second against Will Roberts. Following a walk to Muno, Rodriguez poked a triple into the right-field corner. The three-bagger, his first since May 30, gave Binghamton a 4-0 advantage.

Binghamton blew the game open with a six-run sixth inning. The visitors sent ten men to the plate, pounded out ten hits and stretched their lead to ten. The B-Mets opened the frame with four consecutive singles and highlighted the frame with a pair of two-run singles from Vaughn and Carrillo.

Gorski’s magnificent run came to an end in the eighth when he walked Holt to start the inning. After a single and a two-out walk, Jose Ramirez ended Gorski’s night by lining a two-run single to left field.

Hamilton Bennett took over and fanned Ronny Rodriguez to end the inning and returned with a perfect ninth inning, securing Binghamton’s first win of the series.
Gorksi (5-1) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks over 7-2/3 innings in the win. Myers (1-2) was charged for three runs (one earned) and threw just 16 pitches to six batters in the loss. Roberts allowed seven runs on seven hits over 4-2/3 innings and did not factor into the decision.

The B-Mets (82-51) conclude their four-game series against the Aeros Sunday afternoon at 2:05 PM. RHP Greg Peavey takes the hill against RHP Cody Anderson. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show begins at 1:50 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF. Fans can also listen to live coverage of B-Mets baseball via the “Binghamton Mets Baseball Network” station using the TuneIn app on their mobile devices.

POSTGAME NOTES: Darin Gorski has gone seven innings or more in five of his last six starts…it was Binghamton’s largest margin of victory since they beat the New Britain Rock Cats, 10-2, on July 20..Allan Dykstra earned his 100^th walk of the season, reaching triple digits for the second time in his career (104, Fort Wayne Tin Caps, 2009)…Danny Muno scored three times, kicking his league-leading total to 84 runs scored
Individual tickets for all Binghamton Mets 2013 home games are on sale now. Visit the NYSEG Stadium box office during regular operating hours, purchase them online atwww.bmets.com or call the office at (607) 723-METS.

Be sure to follow the B-Mets on Facebook, Twitter and at the team’s official website (www.bmets.com) for more team information. Fans can also stay up to date with all the action on the field by visiting “B-Mets Buzz with Tim Heiman” at bmets.mlblogs.com

UAlbany Announces Athletic Hall Of Fame Class

ALBANY, N.Y. – Two standout student-athletes and an undefeated team will represent the 2013 University at Albany Athletic Hall of Fame induction class this fall. Volleyball’s Alissa Gibbs, men’s basketball’s Todd Cetnar, and the 1974 football squad will be formally inducted at the 30th Annual Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, Sept. 20th at 6:00 p.m.
“The Architect of UAlbany Football,” head coach Bob Ford will be the keynote speaker at the event. Ford, who enters his 44th and final season at the helm, is the longest active tenured coach in all of college football and ranks first among NCAA Division I active coaches with 264 career victories.

Online ticket packages for the Hall of Fame Dinner go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 27^th. Gold Table Sponsors receive eight dinner tickets and a quarter page advertisement in the dinner program for a price of $800. Purple level sponsors also receive a quarter page ad and receive two dinner tickets with a payment of $350. Individual dinner tickets are available for $75 per person. Kids tickets, ages 12 and under, are $40.


In addition to Friday’s event, the class will be introduced at halftime of the UAlbany football game versus Central Connecticut State on Saturday, Sept. 21st. The game begins at 7:00 p.m. with a fireworks display to follow.

Gibbs, Cetnar, and the 1974 squad will join 136 other former elite athletes, coaches, and administrators in the University at Albany's Athletic Hall of Fame.

Alissa Gibbs (Volleyball, 1999-2002) – A two-time first-team All-America East Conference honoree, Alissa Gibbs marked the first dominant player in the Great Danes’ Division I volleyball era. Gibbs led UAlbany to its first winning Division I season in 2002 with a 16-15 overall record, while being named the 2002-03 America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She also ranked fourth among the conference leaders in kills (3.76 pg) and second in aces (0.57 pg) during her senior campaign.

As a junior, Gibbs ranked 10th among NCAA leaders in kills, averaging 5.01 per game. She was also named to the first team All-Independent Conference as a sophomore.
Despite the adversity of being both a diabetic and a college athlete, the outside hitter finished her career ranked second on the school’s all-time list in kills with 1,376, as well as fourth in digs with 992. A decade later, she still ranks among the top-10, sitting in third for all-time kills and 10th for digs.

The Ballston Lake, N.Y. native earned the ECAC Merit Medal in 2003, given to the University’s top senior female student-athlete.

Todd Cetnar (Basketball, 1996-2000) – The 1999-2000 UAlbany Male Athlete of the Year, Todd Cetnar played in 109 games in four seasons with the Great Danes. With 1,345 points, Cetnar finished his career ninth on the all-time scoring list and marked one of two players in school history at the time to combine for 1,000 points, 350 assists, and 150 steals.
At the time of his graduation, the 6-foot guard ranked second in steals (188), fifth in assists (367), and third in both three-point field goals (215) and free throw percentage (.816) in UAlbany’s record book, and still ranks among the Great Danes’ top-10 over a decade later.
Scoring a career-high 30 points against Elon in the program’s first Division I victory, Cetnar was named first-team All-Independent Conference in the program’s inaugural DI campaign in 2000. That season, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
Cetnar was also named to the 1999 All-New England Collegiate Conference team, averaging 16.2 points and 3.8 assists as a junior. As a sophomore, Cetnar started on the 1997-98 team that went 19-8 and made an ECAC Division II appearance.
After graduation, Cetnar went on to play professionally, participating in a number of NBA camps, and played in the CBA, NBDL and USBL. Cetnar is also a former assistant coach at Plymouth State and Union College.

1974 Football Team – The 1974 football squad will become the second team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining the 1993-94 men’s basketball team. In just the second season as a varsity program, the ’74 squad, headed by coaching legend Bob Ford, made history with a perfect 9-0 record. In 40 varsity seasons, the team is the only football team to go undefeated.
Not only did the team triumph every game, they did so in dominating fashion, winning by an average margin of 31.2 points.
Offensively, sophomore fullback Tom DeBlois became the first UAlbany player to gain more than 1,000 rushing yards in one season, totaling 1,009. In addition, Orin Griffin, Marvin Perry, and Glenn Sowalskie rushed for a combined total of 1,596 yards, as the team totaled 3,254 yards on the ground. Mike Basla, Tom Cleary, Ty Curran, Andy Lee, Bruce Court, and Dom Roncone cleared the way and opened holes on the offensive line.
In the pocket, quarterbacks John Bertuzzi and Dave Ahonen completed a combined total of 22 passes, including 11 for touchdowns. Bob Baxter led the squad with 10 catches and six scores, while Don Whitley had three receptions and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the starters consisting of Rudy Vido, Frank Villanova, Tim Myers, Dom Pagano, Don Mion, Skip Scurry, Bill Brown, Arnie Will, Ken Schoen, Ralph Naples, and Bruce Cummings held opponents to a miniscule average of 2.4 yards on the ground and three total rushing touchdowns. They also logged 28 interceptions, averaging 3.2 per game.
The UAlbany 1974 football team was one of just five NCAA Division III programs in the nation to go undefeated that season.

UAlbany Baseball Announces Walk-On Tryout Dates

ALBANY, N.Y. – Head Coach Jon Mueller has announced walk-on tryouts for the University at Albany baseball program will be held Sept. 11th and 12th. Interested student-athletes must complete ALL necessary steps listed below by Sept. 9th. 1) Print and fill out the Walk-On Certification Form.

2) Read it clearly and complete all steps: Have it signed by a baseball coaching staff member. Present your physical paperwork and other listed items to the athletic training staff and have them sign it (SEFCU bottom floor). Attend the mandatory compliance meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Sept. 10th in the PE wrestling room to have your sheet approved and signed by the compliance department.

3) Once you have been cleared by the compliance department and the baseball staff has been notified, you must attend ALL three sessions of the walk-on tryout.

WALK-ON TRYOUT SCHEDULESESSION I: Wednesday 9/11 - 12:00 p.m. - Varsity Baseball Field
SESSION II: Thursday 9/12 - 7:00 a.m. - PE Gym
SESSION III: Thursday 9/12 - 12:30 p.m. - Varsity Baseball Field
Questions regarding tryouts should be directed to assistant coach Jeff Kaier at jkaier@albany.edu.

Men’s Basketball Coach Will Brown to Host Coaches vs. Cancer Coaches Clinic at SEFCU this Fall

ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men’s basketball head coach Will Brown announced Wednesday that he will host a coaching clinic to benefit the Coaches vs. Cancer program through the American Cancer Society on Sunday, Sept. 22 at SEFCU Arena from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

“I am excited to team up with The American Cancer Society to host the Coaches vs. Cancer Coaching Clinic in the SEFCU Arena,” said Brown. “It will be a great day of basketball as we have put together a tremendous line-up of guest speakers. More importantly we will be raising money and awareness as we try to help in the fight against cancer.”

The clinic will feature Brown, the longest-tenured head coach in the America East, along with several other coaches from around the league. Binghamton’s second-year head coach Tommy Dempsey and Hartford’s John Gallagher will co-host, along with area head coaches Matt Langel of Colgate and Siena’s Jimmy Patsos. Boston University’s Joe Jones will round out the group.

“The American Cancer Society continues to receive tremendous support from Coach Will Brown and the Great Danes basketball program,” said Anthony Marino, the Eastern Division Director of Coaches vs. Cancer. “I know that September 22 will be a great day for Coaches vs. Cancer and the coaches able to join us.”

The Coaches vs. Cancer program is a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches to “increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living among students, faculty and staff, fans and the community at large.” The initiative has raised more than $87 million for the American Cancer Society.

Registration for the clinic is now open with an entry fee of $25.00. All proceeds benefit the Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. Day-of registration and admittance begin at 8:30 a.m.

Field Hockey Named Top Team in America East Preseason Poll

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - The University at Albany field hockey team was named the preseason America East favorite by the league’s coaches on Thursday.

This is the first time the Great Danes have been predicted to finish first in the conference since 2008. UAlbany has made three NCAA tournament appearances to complement three America East championships since 2008. 
 
The Great Danes earned four first-place votes en route to 24 points and the top honor. New Hampshire finished in the second slot with 21 points and one first-place vote, while Maine racked up 18 points and one first place vote to take third.

UAlbany went 13-8 (3-2 America East) in 2012, picking up the league title and automatic NCAA bid along the way. The Great Danes return three of their top offensive players from 2012, including 2012 America East Co-Offensive Player of the Year and 2012 America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player Daphne Voormolen, two-time America East first team selection Corrine McConville and 2012 America East Rookie of the Year Laura Page. The trio combined for 28 goals and 21 assists in 2012. UAlbany will look for a freshman to step up in the cage to replace three-time America East Goalkeeper of the Year Kristi Troch.
The Great Danes open their season with a pair of games in Providence, R.I., against Bryant and Providence on Aug. 30-31. Head coach Phil Sykes assembled a challenging non-conference schedule in 2013, including 2012 NCAA champions Princeton and semifinalists Syracuse. UAlbany hosts Cornell in its first home game, and travels to Maine to face its first conference opponent on Oct. 5.

2013 America East Preseason Poll

Rank	Team (1st-place votes)	Points
1.	Albany (4)	24
2.	New Hampshire (1)	21
3.	Maine (1)	18
4.	Fairfield	12
5.	UMass Lowell	8
6.	Vermont	7