UAlbany men open at home vs. Iona tonight
ALBANY, N.Y. » The UAlbany men’s basketball team is set to begin the 2017-18 season at home at the SEFCU Arena, taking on reigning MAAC champion Iona on Friday at 7 p.m.
Both teams have been in a postseason tournament each of the past six seasons. UAlbany earned a trip to the 2017 America East title game and the CollegeInsider.com Tournament last year, finishing at 21-14 overall and 10-6 in its league. Iona is the two-time defending MAAC champion, earning an automatic berth into the 2017 NCAA Tournament, concluding at 22-13 overall and 12-8 in conference play.
Two UAlbany players, David Nichols and Joe Cremo, have been selected to the 2017-18 America
East Preseason All-Conference Team. UAlbany tied for the most amount of representatives on the seven-member preseason all-conference team with Vermont. Nichols earned America East All-Conference First Team honors last season while Joe Cremo was placed on the Second Team.
Head coach Will Brown returns for his 17th season at the helm. Under his leadership, the Great Danes have won five America East Tournament titles and finished with winning records in America East play each of the past seven seasons and 10 of the last 12 years. Brown earned his 250th victory as head coach this past January 19.
The game will be broadcast online on AE on ESPN3, with Rodger Wyland and Jeremy Friel on the call. Brian Mariano will have the radio call on 104.5 the Team.
Men’s soccer
MAPLE HILL GRAD NAMED MVP » The Mountain Valley Conference and the NJCAA Region III released its 2017 men’s soccer All-Conference and All-Region teams and Hudson Valley Community College freshman forward Garrett Axtmann, a Maple Hill grad, was named the MVC Player of the Year. Head coach Travis Cooke was recognized by his peers as the 2017 MVC Coach of the Year.
Women’s soccer
SARATOGA GRAD MASCARI EARNS AWARD » Southern Vermont College senior keeper Melissa Mascari collected the second NECC Goalkeeper of the Year honor in her career while she also made her way onto the All-NECC First Team.
Mascari is reeling in the second All-NECC First Team honor of her career after she previously picked it up in her rookie year of 2014. She was then named to the Second Team in 2015 and Third Team in 2016. Mascari was named the NECC Player of the Week once this season while breaking every SVC alltime goalkeeping record: wins (37), shutouts (26), saves (552), goals against average (1.28), and winning percentage (.549). Mascari posted a school best 0.60 GAA this year with 10 shutouts on the campaign-that also being a new season best for Southern Vermont.