Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced today the school's women's lacrosse schedule for the 2009 season. The Great Danes, who have advanced to the America East Conference postseason tournament the last two years, will play six games against conference opponents. The non-league schedule features four teams who qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament field, plus a three-game trip through Northern California.

UAlbany heads to the west coast to start its schedule with games against Saint Mary's, Calif, Stanford and California. All three schools compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Stanford defeated Denver last spring to capture its fourth consecutive MPSF conference championship.

The Great Danes, who begin their tenth season at the NCAA Division I level, continues with four road dates in early March, including non-league contests with 2008 NCAA participants Colgate and Temple. The Raiders won the Patriot League crown for the third time in the last five years and edged Marist, 19-18, in a high scoring NCAA play-in game. Temple claimed its first Atlantic 10 Conference championship since 2004 last season. The Owls have made 17 NCAA appearances and won two national championships.

UAlbany kicks off its home slate against America East opponent New Hampshire on Saturday, March 21. The Wildcats gained entrance into the NCAAs with a 13-6 record. In addition, Harvard, Vermont, Siena and UMBC will come to John Fallon Field.

The Great Danes will also travel to conference opponents Boston University, Binghamton and Stony Brook. Boston U. captured its fourth straight America East championship in 2008. The America East postseason tournament, slated for April 30 and May 2, will be held at the highest seed's home facility.

Lindsey Hart, who has led the program to eight wins in each of her first three seasons as a head coach, has 19 letterwinners and 10 starters returning. Kayla Best, a first-team All-America East midfielder, totaled 45 goals and seven assists, and has scored a goal in 29 consecutive contests. Nikki Branchini, a midfielder/defender, earned first-team all-conference recognition as a freshman. She averaged 2.75 draw controls and 2.69 ground balls, plus tallied nine goals and two assists. Jodi Battaglia (23 goals, 3 assists) and Christine Grueninger (18 goals, 6 assists) each accounted for 20-plus points. Goalkeeper Katie Neer started all 17 games and totaled 140 saves.

2009 University at Albany Women's Lacrosse Schedule
 
February
 
 15 (Sun.), at Saint Mary's, Calif., 6:00
 17 (Tue.), at Stanford, 9:00
 20 (Fri.), at California, 3:00
 
March
 
 7 (Sat.), at Brown, 1:00
 10 (Tue.), at Colgate, 5:00
 13 (Fri.), at Delaware, 4:00
 15 (Sun.), at Temple, 1:00
 21 (Sat.), New Hampshire*, 1:00
 25 (Wed.), Harvard, TBA
 28 (Sat.), at Boston U.*, 1:00
 
April
 
  1 (Wed.), Vermont*, 3:00
  4 (Sat.), at Binghamton*, 7:00
  7 (Tue.), Siena, 7:00
 11 (Sat.), UMBC*, 4:00
 18 (Sat.), at Stony Brook, 1:00
 25 (Sat.), at Le Moyne, 1:00
 30 (Thu.), America East Semifinals+
 
May
 
  2 (Sat.), America East Championship+

+ Played at highest seed's home facility
All times Eastern

2008-12-15