RPI grad Milos Bubela to represent Slovakia in Olympics

TROY, N.Y. >> Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey graduate Milos Bubela ‘16 has been named to the Slovakian national team for the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He is the fifth former Engineers player to compete in the Olympics, joining Joe Juneau (Canada), Marty Dallman (Austria), Mo Mosco (Italy) and Mathias Lange (Austria). A forward from Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, Bubela played in 139 career games for the Engineers, scoring 33 goals and adding 30 assists for 63 points. He had a career-high 13 tallies to go along with six assists for 19 points during his senior year. As a junior, he posted eight goals and seven assists for 15 points. Bubela recorded four goals and six assists for 10 points in 32 games as a sophomore in 2013-14. A former member of the Dubuque Fighting Saints, he had eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points as a freshman, appearing in all 37 games. After graduating in May of 2016, Bubela joined the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) and picked up an assist in eight games. He then spent the 2016-17 with the Orlando Solar Bears and Wheeling Nailers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), collecting nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 47 games. Bubela is currently playing for his hometown Hockey Club ‘05 Banska Bystrica in the Tipsport Liga (Slovakia). In 41 games, he has 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points and is a +29. The Barani (Rams) are 16-7-3-4 and in fourth place in the 11-team league. A member of Slovakia’s U18 and U20 teams, Bubela has suited up with the senior squad seven times, collecting a goal and two assists for three points. Slovakia will look to advance from Group B at Pyeongchang, which also includes Russia, the United State and Slovenia. The team opens against the Russians on February 14 (7:10a.m. ET), before taking on the United States on February 15 (10:10 a.m.). They conclude round robin play against Slovenia on February 17 (7:10 a.m.).

UALBANY TO FACE UVM ON ESPN3 WEDNESDAY

ALBANY, N.Y. >> The UAlbany men’s basketball team will return to the site of the 2017 America East title game, taking on Vermont on Wednesday, at 7 p.m. in Burlington. The game will be broadcast online via AE on ESPN3 as well as on the radio in the Albany area on 104.5 the Team. This is a rematch of last year’s America East conference title game, with then 1-seed Vermont edging 3-seed UAlbany 56-53 on March 11th. This game will wrap up the first half of America East play for UAlbany, which begins the second half on Saturday. UAlbany earned its second straight win, and fourth in five games, on Sunday with a dominant 83-39 victory vs. UMBC. The Great Danes are tied for fourth place in the America East with a 4-3 league and 16-6 overall record. Vermont has won nine consecutive games, the last a 76-53 road victory over Hartford on Sunday, to hold first place in the America East at 6-0 and 16-5 overall. With Vermont winning all three matchups last season, the Catamounts lead the all-time series 25-14. UAlbany is ranked #20 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 on January 22nd, released every Monday. UAlbany is also the second-ranked mid-major team in the state of New York and from the America East. UAlbany has stood in the top-10 five weeks this year. Through 22 games in the season, UAlbany stands with the highest scoring offense in the America East, earning 76.3 points per game, including eight 80+ point games and a 46.8% field goal rate. Vermont is second in scoring offense with 76 points a game. Currently, Joe Cremo (17.4 ppg), Travis Charles (15.4 ppg) and David Nichols (14.8 ppg) are all in the topnine in the America East in scoring. Vermont stands at #14 in the latest CollegeInsider. com Mid-Major Poll. With leading scorer Anthony Lamb injured, senior guard Trae-Bell Haynes runs the point with a team-high 13.8 points and 4.3 assists per game. Senior forward Payton Henson gets 12.3 points and 5.4 boards a game while junior Ernie Duncan shoots 43.1% from three for 11.7 points a contest.

UALBANY MEN’S LACROSSE RANKED NO. 3 IN OPOENING POLL

ALBANY, N.Y. >> The high preseason marks for the UAlbany men’s lacrosse team continue to come in, with the Great Danes being ranked #3 in the first United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) poll of 2018. It is the highest placement in the preseason USILA poll in UAlbany history. This poll is voted on by Division I coaches across the country. UAlbany was also voted #2 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Face-Off Rankings earlier this year. Last season, UAlbany finished 15-3 overall and 6-0 in the America East, going to the NCAA Quarterfinal round for the third time in four seasons. UAlbany has future games against Maryland (#1 in USILA), Yale (#5) and Syracuse (#10). UAlbany’s contest at Syracuse is the season opener on Saturday, February 17th at 2 p.m. Season ticket prices for UAlbany’s men’s lacrosse are $99 for the gold level, $75 for the purple level and $49 for the white level at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium.