The University at Albany, SUNY, located in Albany, New York, boasts a rich athletic history dating back to the late 1890s. Known as the Great Danes, the university sponsors teams in various NCAA sanctioned sports, making significant strides over the years.
Early Development and Expansion
The university's intercollegiate athletics faced challenges in its early years due to inadequate facilities, financial constraints, and a relatively small number of male students. However, expansion into men's and women's sports increased significantly after World War II and in the 1960s, spurred by the introduction of the new Uptown Campus and its expanded athletic facilities.
In 1965, a significant change occurred when the Pedagogues were renamed the Great Danes, making Albany the only American college or university with that mascot. Kathy Earle, a university student, won a $25 savings bond for suggesting the name "Great Danes."
Transition Through NCAA Divisions
All athletics are managed by the University at Albany Department of Athletics and Recreation. After the 1972 NCAA restructuring, the university competed in Division III until the 1995-96 school year, when it moved to Division II. The university remained in Division II until 1999, marking a pivotal moment in its athletic history.
Ice Hockey Program
In addition to varsity sports, Albany's intercollegiate club sports include Men's Ice Hockey, Men's & Women's Rugby, Wrestling and Men's Volleyball.
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Since its inception in 1976, the program has and will continue to be run in a very professional manner. The Great Danes are a member of the Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League (UNYCHL) and play at the ACHA Division II level.
The team consists of approximately 28 players and two coaches. All team members are required to be full time students and in good academic standing with the University.
The team plays between 25 and 30 games per season and practices twice a week. All practices and games are suspended for major holidays and school closings. This season we are anxious to see how our new freshman and transfers come to fill in the holes in what is already a Championship line-up. The players come from various team around the northeast region.
The Great Danes season begins with a general interest meeting. The team begins its season in early September and runs through early March. The home ice for the Great Danes is located only 10 minutes from campus.
Football Program
Albany played football as a club sport in the 1920s but dropped the program in 1924. The modern era of Albany football began in 1970, when the school restored football as a club sport. The team was upgraded to full varsity status in 1973.
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From the revival of football in 1970 through 2012, the team played its home games at the 10,000-seat University Field in Albany, New York. Albany opened a new 8,500-seat stadium, Bob Ford Field, for the 2013 season. It was renamed Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in 2015 after Tom & Mary Casey gave a $10 million gift to the school.
During the late 1900s, one of the most well known coaches at the university was Ford. The architect of the University at Albany's football program, Ford was Albany's only head coach from the reinstatement of the program after a 46-year absence until his retirement at the end of the 2013 season.
In 1973, in its first year as a varsity program, Albany finished with a 7-2 record. In 1974, the team finished 9-0, the school's only undefeated season. Ford put together a record of 256-169 with the Great Danes.
On April 17, 2012, the university broke ground on a new multi-sport complex that was available for use beginning in fall 2013. Along with a complex that will be the new home for football and soccer, a new track will be created on the current football field, University Field.
The plans to build the stadium were revealed in summer 2011. The new stadium, with a field to be named Bob Ford Field, would hold initially 6,000.
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The UAlbany football program grew under Ford's leadership, leading to connections between the program and the National Football League. Rudy Vido, who graduated in 1974 as a fullback and defensive end, became the first player in school history to sign a contract with an NFL team. He was cut in the preseason by the New England Patriots, so he never played in the NFL.
In 2005, Kurt Campbell became the first player in the program's history to be drafted into the NFL. In the 2007 NFL draft, Rashad Barksdale became the second player in school history to be drafted. He was selected in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
The highest ranked former Great Danes to be drafted was defensive end Jared Verse. Verse redshirted his freshman season at Albany. He made 22 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and four sacks over four games during his redshirt freshman season, which was shortened and played in early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 2006 to 2010, Tony Sparano Jr. and Andy Sparano were key figures on the Great Danes roster. At the same time, their father, Tony Sparano, was head coach of the Miami Dolphins. From 2017-2018, the son of well known former NFL QB Vinny Testaverde, Vincent Testaverde Jr., played for the Great Danes. In 2018, he was named the team's starting quarterback for the season.
The strongest connection to the NFL is the university hosting the New York Giants Summer Training Camp. From 1996 to 2012, the university's practice fields were handed over to the Giants, bringing fans and media from around New York and the United States to Albany. In 2007, the school dedicated the university's football practice field in honor of Wellington Mara and Preston Robert Tisch, the late co-owners of the Giants.
Basketball Program
Richard "Doc" Sauers served as Great Danes men's basketball coach from 1955 to 1997. He led the program to eleven NCAA and four NAIA post-season tournament appearances in his tenure. Sauers finished his career with a 702-330 record in 41 seasons. Sauers achieved the 700-win mark on February 8, 1997, in an 89-71 victory over the University of Bridgeport. He would retire one month later and be inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2004.
The process to become a Division I program was slow. From the 1999-2000 season, the first year in Division I, to the end of the 2004-05 season, UAlbany recorded a 48-118 record. The team finished with over 10 victories in only two seasons. However, in the 2005-06 campaign, the Great Danes compiled a 21-11 season.
On March 11, 2006, the men's basketball team won the America East conference tournament, earning the school (and the SUNY system) its first-ever berth to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, defeating the University of Vermont 80-67 in a sold-out RACC. The Great Danes were seeded #16 in the Washington, D.C., region and were matched up against top-seeded UConn.
UAlbany Women's Basketball had little success on the court since it started play in 1964-65. Its greatest success took place in 1985-86 when it went 26-4 and made it the 3rd Round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Coach Mari Warner would lead the program into Division I play in 1999-00, but again success was limited. However, things began to change in 2010-11 under former head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. That season UA finished over .500 for the first time since 1997-98.
Abrahamson-Henderson led UAlbany to its then-best record in Division I history in the 2011-12, going 23-10 overall. The Great Danes brought home their first-ever America East Conference title, and represented the league in the NCAA Tournament.
Lacrosse Program
The program began in 1970 with a 3-7 record competing in Division III. In 1975, the program would reach the ECAC Division III Tournament under coach Dave Armstrong. From 1975 to 1997, the Great Danes would reach two more ECAC Division III Tournaments. In 1997, the Great Danes would reach the finals of the ECAC Division II Tournament.
Much of the Great Danes success in 2013 was centered around one family. Miles Thompson, Ty Thompson and Lyle Thompson (also known as the Thompson trio), were a vital part of the Great Danes offense. Miles and Lyle are brothers, while Ty is their cousin (another brother, Jeremy Thompson played for Syracuse until 2011). All three were star recruits coming to UAlbany.
In 2014, the Thompsons would continue their unbelievable play. Despite a shaky 9-5 regular season, the Great Danes would be the #1 overall seed in the America East Tournament. Lyle would become only the third player in conference history to win back-to-back Player of the Year Awards.
On May 10, 2014, the Great Danes would take on Loyola in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Loyola was the number-one-ranked team in the nation going into the game. The Great Danes, with strong defensive play, defeated the Greyhounds 13-6 for the second NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
On May 29, 2014, both Miles and Lyle Thompson were named the co-winners of the 2014 Tewaaraton Trophy. It was the first time ever that two players shared, and a Native American was awarded, the trophy.
In 2015, Lyle Thompson cemented himself as one of the greatest collegiate lacrosse players in NCAA history. He was named the recipient of the 2015 Tewaaraton Trophy for the top player in men's lacrosse and was the first-ever male lacrosse player to earn the award in two consecutive seasons.
2018 started with much-anticipated hype, as the Great Danes looked like they would have one of the best offenses in the nation, led by Senior Connor Fields and incoming freshman Tehoka Nanticoke, one of the most highly ranked high school players in the nation. The Great Danes would open up the season ranked #3 in the nation.
One week later, after an 18-5 win over the Drexel, the Great Danes would be ranked as the #1 team in the nation by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) coaches poll and the Inside Lacrosse Maverik media poll. It would be the first time that any UAlbany Division I team, and any DI program affiliated with the State of New York (SUNY) system, had been ranked #1 in its history.
The Great Danes would win eight consecutive games as the #1 ranked team in the nation, including an amazing 4th quarter comeback against #2 ranked Maryland 11-10 on March 10 of 2018.
The Great Danes would run through the America East Tournament as the #1 seed and host to take home the title on May 5 in a 14-4 win over Vermont. UAlbany would be given the #2 overall seed in the 2018 NCAA Lacrosse Tournament and would host the Southern Confer...
Field Hockey Program
COLLEGE PARK, Md.- In a season for the record books, No. 12 University at Albany kept the dream alive on Sunday afternoon.The Great Danes (20-2) downed the favored home team, No. 2 Maryland 2-1 to advance to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals.
UAlbany faces UConn (18-3) in the national semifinals in College Park on Friday, Nov. The Great Danes are the third America East team to reach the Final Four all-time, joining Northeastern who accomplished the feat in 1995 and 96.
“It has been an unbelievable season, and I was curious after our win yesterday if we were going to have the energy to get through this one [against Maryland],” said head coach Phil Sykes. “I was blown away by our kids’ belief in themselves…We play a different style of hockey, and we knew if we could defend well we could counter with our speed and skill. No.
Both teams started the game slowly, as the contest went without a shot or a penalty corner for the first 10 minutes. A Jordyn Homyak tackle on the Maryland counterattack put the Great Danes back in its offensive half. On UAlbany’s fourth unanswered penalty corner, Paula Heuser had a shot saved, but the rebound fell to Echo Bretz.
At halftime, UAlbany held a 5-2 advantage in penalty corners and 8-5 edge in shots against the No.
The Terrapins came out fired up in the second half, looking to score immediately to open the period. But the Great Danes only added to their lead on a penalty corner. On an insert from Fiori Van Rijswijk, Laura Page stopped and faked to Heuser.
Shortly after, Maryland began threatening on the offensive end. The Great Danes streaked down the field to earn a penalty corner of its own. A Paula Heuser shot was blocked from the top of the circle, and Maryland looked to use its speed on the break.
The Great Danes looked to keep the pressure up, but the Terrapins squeaked one by with under seven minutes to go. Goalkeeper Maxi Primus held the No. 1 offense in the nation (4.15 goals per game) to one goal.
UAlbany field hockey is the first Great Dane squad all-time to advance to an NCAA Semifinal. The Great Danes earned their first program NCAA Tournament victory yesterday in a 2-1 win against ACC Champion Wake Forest. Phil Sykes’s squad meets defending NCAA Champion UConn in the semifinal on Friday, Nov. The Purple & Gold is the only unseeded team remaining in the tournament field.
Here's a table summarizing key milestones for UAlbany's sports programs:
| Sport | Key Milestone | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Football | Revival as club sport | 1970 |
| Football | Upgraded to varsity status | 1973 |
| Men's Basketball | Richard "Doc" Sauers career end | 1997 |
| Men's Basketball | First NCAA Division I Tournament Berth | 2006 |
| Lacrosse | Miles and Lyle Thompson co-win Tewaaraton Trophy | 2014 |
| Lacrosse | Lyle Thompson wins Tewaaraton Trophy | 2015 |
| Field Hockey | First NCAA Semifinal Appearance | N/A |